<p>Alright MIT. I applied EA. I was deferred. I was slapped in the face. Why don't you want a perfect GPA, why don't you want a 1520 SAT? Why don't you want a math club president, Student Council Vice-president, Knowledge bowl member? Why don't you want a church Youth-group leader?</p>
<p>Why don't you want someone who poured his heart and soul into that application. Why don't you want someone who had to pain through rejection from RSI? Why don't you want someone that would be willing to do anything for the school?</p>
<p>I never smoked pot, I never drank beer, I never went to an illegal party. I never got in trouble with school, I was a link crew leader for two years, I am looked up to by everyone at my school.</p>
<p>Why would you not want someone who had excellent teacher and counselor recs? Someone with no disciplinary history? Someone with a dedication to his community and to his family?</p>
<p>Why would you ruin someone's Christmas? Why would you mock their accomplishments? Why would you destroy the faith of his community in him?</p>
<p>MIT, I have sent supplimental information, I have sent additional recs. I have done everything I can. What have I done wrong?</p>
<p>I hope this doesn't sound too harsh...but you I am guessing, like me, are Asian, Korean judging by your nick. And unfortunately, we have to fight above and beyond to separate ourselves from the rest of the perfect students. Though your gpa and SAT are strong, not sure if math club president will be that factor that elevates you from the myriad of other strong candidates. Of course I could be wrong and you still probably have a good shot at making it in the regular decision round. I suggest not placing too much value on the situation. I have a 1580 and 4.0 but doubt that I will be accepted.</p>
<p>you have done nothing wrong. in fact, many deferred get accepted during regular action (quotas during early if i recall correctly from matt's blog).</p>
<p>please don't take the deferral to heart...:)</p>
<p>Based on your post, it doesn't sound like you've done anything wrong. We simply got over 10,000 applications for less than 1000 spots. MIT applicants are very self-selecting - they tend only to apply if they feel they have a good chance. So a lot of folks have similar scores, grades, and ECA dedication. Which means a lot of deserving people aren't going to get into MIT this year. It's the absolute WORST part of my job.</p>
<p>But there's a more important issue: you got deferred, not rejected. Which means at this juncture, your chance is as good as anyone's. Stay positive if you can - there's no reason to be negative yet, and for all any of us knows, there may never be.</p>
<p>Math club? Student council? Knowledge bowl? Church youth group? Do you know how many of these types of things there are in the thousands of high schools in the country? I'm not downplaying the significance of these roles in your individual community context, but mere "credentials" don't get a person into MIT. Joy, passion, enthusiasm, character, and natural curiosity get a person into MIT. These aren't things you can sign up for, or accept a president position in. They're an intrinsic part of what makes a person a "match" for the school - the type of person who will thrive and do well in the demanding, competitive, yet rewarding environment the school offers.</p>
<p>MIT's average SAT score for the class of 2008 was something like 1490 with a 760 math. A 1520 isn't going to set a person apart and neither will a perfect GPA. Not having a disciplinary history is a given - this isn't really a plus, but an expectation on the part of MIT. The same goes with good scores and good grades. Once you have all of those things, they agree to consider your file.</p>
<p>But really, the bottom line is, don't take a deferral as a personal judgment of your potential or personal worth. MIT has too few spaces for all the qualified applicants it receives. Sometimes it's just a matter of available space, not of whether you're "good enough". :)</p>
<p>From what you self-reported, you had decent but nowhere near "perfect GPA", your SAT composite score at the time was 1350 (looks as if you improved that significantly, congrats!), and your class rank was just barely in the top 25% (sounds like it is a competitive class). You listed only varsity tennis and participation in the math club (you've since been elected president and are now Student Council VP). There are some EA applicants with more impressive stats and stronger ECs who were deferred, so it is no personal slap at you. The adcoms have said time and again, with some pain, that they could fill two or even three classes from the applicants they review.</p>
<p>Catch22 replied to you in that thread with some very wise advice, including the suggestion to extend your EC involvement and to try to craft strong essays designed to show your true passions, which I'm sure you've done.
[quote]
it's all about dedication, and if you can find some way to convince an adcom that Math Club has changed your life...
[/quote]
No one has set out to "ruin someone's Christmas"... and I think you know that deep down. Recognize that you are among the most accomplished students in the country and the world, in the applicant pool to MIT: most applicants will also have excellent recs and no disciplinary history, and show passions to change the world. No one is mocking your accomplishments or destroying your stature: you are competing for a spot in a unique institution and have done nothing "wrong". You are to be commended for your achievements and abilities, and will have much to offer the world regardless of where you spend your undergraduate years. Please believe in yourself and what you have to offer: your contributions in life are not contingent on the thumbs up or down from any one college.</p>
<p>And you will get a fairer shot from MIT than you will from many other institutions. Good luck.</p>
<p>There are *2500 other deferrees out there who can spit out the same kind of story, with the same personal circumstances, disappointment, and indignation. There will be close to 10,000 by April that poor MIT simply just can't find room for, and each of them will have tales of their own, many more compelling than yours. Do you really believe you are any different? Do you believe you have something to contribute that the 10,000 others do not?</p>
<p>en............i don't know anything about the stats. BUt hey, i am deferred too......!!!!!!!!!!!! although i was really shocked at the begining and cried,I bounced back pretty quick. it's not like I DON'T LOVE MIT ENOUGH.................BUT ALAS..................being deferred isn't the worst thing in the world.........think about those tsunami victums.................. u are N times luckier than them!!!!!!!!!!!! using a sentence posted on Matt's blog after the decision had reached to applicants TO DESCRIBE ME, i have a "broken heart with some hope." KEEP HOPE ALIVE.............</p>
<p>ohoh, since u go to church, i will give u a verse that has supported me</p>
<p>"BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD."
------somewhere in the BIBLE.
<em>sorry guys, i am not trying to promote Christianity here........but yea...</em></p>
<p>yea seriously, as much as i completely love MIT, i don't think this is sucha travesty to be deferred. a lot of people got deferred, a lot of people got deferred who did some very MITish things before applying. you have to calm down and look at the situation, you think MIT personally deferred you and that you deserve it over everyone else, you don't, seriously. if you have to be there so badly that if you're not there you hate them you have something wierd going on. a lot of people got deferred who did much more than you did and maybe some people got admitted who did less in your eyes, just plz don't hate on MIT.</p>
<p>well, after i got my deferral letter, i really started hating MIT. but guess what? after i read the dean's letter for deferred, i really think that's not like theyDON'T WANT U, rather, they don't have enough dorms for all applicants. plus, if u really hate MIT that much just because u are deferred, i wonder whether u really love MIT or not. i have been deferred, and maybe i have been rejected already, who knows <em>except Ben. hey Ben, could u look for my name in the rejection file please?? haha, just kidding.</em> buti don't hate MIT. I WILL FIGHT MY WAY TO MIT <em>i don't mean physically.....</em></p>
<p>guys guys.. when you're not admitted, it's always easier and better to do an imaginary 'two finger stunt' and feel gratified, rather than rant about it anywhere and everywhere. admission to MIT is a privilege, not a right. so stop whining.</p>
<p>But, I have to ask: what do you do for FUN? Is it all resume-building? You look great on paper--but what risks have you taken? Have you tried anything and failed at it? </p>
<p>My son is class of '07 at MIT (and I was '75). Both of us have far worse stats than yours--but both of us went to MIT looking for challenge and excitement and a chance to play while we learned. (My son is doing a much better job at this than I did.) MIT is VERY VERY hard--but it's also a thrilling place to be if you absolutely love engineering. MIT does indeed look for good stats--but they also look for that spark.</p>
<p>Good luck dude - dont lose hope :) But you must realize that MIT is not the only way to get an education - you can get it anywhere. And if you care just about reputation - then I dunno what to tell you. (Its not that I think MIT isnt good - its great, but you must not let yourself down just because of deferral, especially that you still have a shot)
Good luck again:)</p>
lol what is it with that phrase? my interviewer mentioned "that spark" at least 10 times, and i've heard everyone say it the moment i talk about mit.... :D</p>