<p>For MIT what is considered more valuable, an excellent essay or excellent EC's? I'm not saying choose one or the other, just curious as to which has more bearing.</p>
<p>Both. Neither. Depends.</p>
<p>Your EC choices and your essays both say volumes about you as a person. And ideally, the two of them will reinforce each other in some way - there's a reason MIT's application has three essays (including the two optional ones) and two short answers questions.</p>
<p>two optional ones? i thought the creation one was the only optional?</p>
<p>All of the above. The personal statement and EC interview are ways for MIT to learn things about you that don't come across in other parts of the application. Doing one poorly will hurt more than doing both well will help.</p>