<p>“Why should we not accept you?”
I would love to answer that question when I fill out the application later this year:)</p>
<p>or something like: “Which of your flaws do you dislike the most?”
or: “A circle or a square? Pick one that describes you best and explain why.”</p>
<p>Really though, I think anything will be fine as long as it requires the applicant to think and be creative. It can turn out to be really fun and non-generic.</p>
<p>What drives you? Or us, I suppose.</p>
<p>It’s a bit of a cliche and a lot of the questions presuppose it, but sometimes it’s nice to lay the cards out in the open.</p>
<p>i’LL HAVE A GO:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Tell us something about your friends; what makes them special to you? How do you handle their flaws?</p></li>
<li><p>Have you ever been involved in situation with bullying? Have you ever been teased? Ever stop others from doing this? Why do you think someone becomes a victim?</p></li>
<li><p>What do you think of group projects? Tell us about some of your experiences.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I LOVE enlightened’s questions…</p>
<p>Those would be so much fun!</p>
<p>If there was one thing you could show MIT that would allow [them] to gain a little more insight into your life, what would it be and why?</p>
<p>If there was one thing you could tell MIT that would allow [them] to gain a little more insight into your life, what would it be and why?</p>
<p>Name a book that has inspired you in some way and explain what impact it has had on you.</p>
<p>(This one’s kind of out there, but just because, I’ll include it)</p>
<p>Say you were to discover another planet far away inhibited by humanoid species which were entirely blind. Say you discovered a way to get to this planet, and possessed technology greater than that of the alien creatures. What would be the next step you would take, and what are the motives behind this step?</p>
<p>Here’s some thoughts…
“What would we never know about you unless we hung out with you?”
“What’s the first thing you see in your room when you wake up?”
“What’s your perfect day?”
“What did you do to relax after finals/SATs?”
“What do you wish you had time for?”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The first and last questions there seem good.</p>
<p>1)’ The MIT motto literally means ‘mind and hand’. Tell us what you understand from it or how it is relevant to your life.'</p>
<p>2) The MIT official seal shows ‘Research and mechanical arts leaning on the same podium’. What do you infer from this? </p>
<p>These should be good questions for picking out the better thinkers.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I really like this one. =)</p>
<p>^ I don’t think I could write anything meaningful for that prompt.</p>
<p>It’s probably not logistically possible, but I wish MIT could do something like Olin’s invite weekend. I think just watching people, in action, trying to solve problems in teams, is a great way to do the final winnowing. (Mind you, I think my child’s Scouts background would help here.) For me, it wouldn’t be so much about how well the problems were solved, but how the individuals worked within their teams.</p>
<p>Glad you like the “wake up” question. </p>
<p>I’d love to see some MIT essay questions that have nothing to do with math/science/achievements/inspiring moments/great works of literature, but rather let kids open up and just show their true selves.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>How about a long essay question? It can be optional if some people don’t like writing long essays. It would be so much easier considering how much time many of us took to try to fit the essays within the word limit :p!</p>
<p>“Don’t bother writing another essay, just copy and paste in an essay your wrote for another institution. Don’t even bother changing the name of the school if it is in your essay.”</p>
<p>“Just write something.”</p>
<p>What about a series of YES/NO/2 sentence short answer personality questions?</p>
<p>“Do you shower regularly?”
“Is Python your first language?”
“Can your favorite outdoor attire be produced with a bedsheet and sewing kit?”
(To recommenders) “Do you have any reservations about the applicant’s personal hygiene?”</p>
<p>Okay, I was kidding… Now, on a serious note, I think “What are your favorite books/magazines/publications?” or something along those lines on Stanford/UChic’s applications were very interesting. I’d suggest something like:</p>
<p>“Give specific models of electronic devices that you use most often. Why did you choose these particular models?”</p>
<p>…which does tell a lot about a person’s personality, what he/she spends time on, and even financial background.</p>
<p>I like some of these ideas, but the fact that some of them are being used to screen an applicants background would make me feel uncomfortable. haha</p>
<p>How about - “describe your typical Barnes and Noble/ bookstore visit” (when you walk into the bookstore what section do you head for? Do you get a coffee/drink first and then wander the store? Do you collect a stack of books/mags and then enjoy a drink while you look through the books? Do you plop yourself down on the floor or do you strategize about how to get the next comfortable chair?)</p>
<p>^ That question would isolate many people.</p>
<p>Not everyone likes to read. Hell, not everyone has a B&N anywhere near them. God knows I don’t. I’m at least 7 countries away from one.</p>
<p>I find the Barnes and Noble question really intriguing, but that’s because I love books and therefore bookstores. But I think you could expand it to be more inclusive. </p>
<p>What if you did said something like, “What is your favorite place to visit? It can be public or private (i.e. grandma’s house, a Barnes and Noble) general or specific (any park, a particular park), etc. Describe the experience of visiting this place, and why it is special to you. You might consider talking about how you get there, what if anything you always do each and every time, what your typical visit is like, or the most memorable thing that happened to you there.”</p>