Hi, I have some questions on the MIT update forms.
I’ve just enrolled in some courses on coursera and would like to add this info to the forms. I’m wondering whether I should include the name of the college I’m taking these courses through (Stanford), because although it’s a presitgious, it could show that I’m more interested in Stanford than MIT (I already got rejected from Stanford so it shouldn’t even matter, but I don’t want to explain that since it probably doesn’t help).
I also have a question about whether or not I should mention some other things.
I have somewhat more solidified my major option (i originally put down mathematics and talked about applied math and 18C in my essay), now i’m leaning more and more towards 18C (math with CS).
I also realized that for my county/school I have the all-time record for scioly medal average at the regionals competition (average of your placing in all the events you participated in), would this be something I should place on the form and would be appreciated by adcoms?
The February Updated Form is due no later than Feb. 15. You don’t have to mention Stanford but I don’t think that it will help or hurt your application. You don’t need to change your major on the form, that essay question is just there to help them get to know you better; it gives you a chance to discuss some of your interests. And finally, if you’re proud of tthat record then by all means, include it in your update; that’s what the form is for!
You don't need to -- MIT students usually declare major near the end of freshman year, and many end up changing (I was quite undecided when applying - either 2, 6, 8, or 18, but I'm 18C now).
Science Olympiad is a large team competition, so I'm not too sure. As rothstem said, add it in if it's worthwhile and you're proud of it.
If the SciOly matters to you, then by all means list it. I doubt that it will matter one way or the other. That is to say, if MIT has already decided that you are clearly someone to admit, or clearly to not admit, then this will not be relevant, but if you are (like many, many students) on the borderline, then this is unlikely to swing opinion. The FUN form matters most when it differs from the previous application. If the applicant was getting A’s but now has a bunch of D’s on the transcript, then it matters. Alternatively the kid whose patent got issued, or who won a prestigious award, can have the application significantly boosted. It is commonly said that there is no one thing that can get you in or keep you out of MIT, I understand why people obsess about the FUN form, after all, it is the only thing left that can make any difference at all, but do understand that it does not make a big difference in most cases.
If you have won a Nobel prize or some other award that hugely transforms your application, then it may be worth writing to the admissions office. For anything that is not completely transformative, I would not bother.
