<p>I know its late and all that good stuff, but I just want to know out of curiosity...why was I rejected? I had 2240 SAT, rank 4 in my school, and I had achievements none (very very few) from our school had before. They included winning regional engineering competition, semifinalists for science bowl, starting math club, getting the district to offer a new comp sci AP course...i even had awards like the Caltech Signature Award, AIME Qualifier (our school only has 2 each year...).</p>
<p>Our school hasn't sent anyone to MIT for the past 10 years..,t I had things a lot of people didn't have in the past of our school. My counselor even assured me of that. I used up all the resources our school had to offer...I went beyond too. </p>
<p>And yet I was blatantly rejected...after spending so much time on the essays...why? It doesn't make any sense. I wasn't even waitlisted?</p>
<p>I know people from other schools with lower stats (who didn't even know what AMC is) and achievements who GOT in...or am I just blind? Am I really not as good as I think I am? But I really do love math and science...I mean when I get mad, I actually sit down and do math problems. Thats how much I loved math...</p>
<p>i guess you didnt “jump” off the page so to speak MIT is looking for unique people and people who "jump’ off the page and will contribute to the intellectual diversity of MIT</p>
<p>They denied you admission, it doesn’t mean that you’re dumb, and it doesn’t mean your stats are “not good enough” if that’s what you’re worried about. </p>
<p>There could be all sorts of reasons, and being a “prestigious” school it’s probably more political or stupid than it is something serious. Eg, they chose someone else from the Bay Area or something… </p>
<p>Who knows, but you’re doing yourself a disservice burning up your brain about it. If you really feel like it, maybe you can get a really convincing sounding letter sent out to them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.</p>
<p>To the OP: If it makes you feel better, many (probably most) MIT graduate students either were rejected or didn’t even apply but would have been rejected from MIT as undergrads.</p>
<p>I never love MIT and also never apply. However, I want to tell you that wherever you go, you will have a lot of opportunities to change your life. Three years ago, I never can imagine where I end up today. Never let them define you. If you feel they are stupid when reject you, then stand up and prove it. Work hard and someday you will stand in front of MIT students and begin your speech with “I once was rejected by MIT”.</p>
<p>Any time you’re rejected in life – by a college, an employer, or someone you’ve asked out – view it as: “Your loss, baby,” and just move on. You clearly have many strengths. Apply them elsewhere. Become the best in your class and have your pick of schools for grad school.</p>
<p>No, John117, you are not dumb! From your post, I think you are very promising. The people in MIT Admissions do the best they can in crafting a class, given the information they have and their selection philosophy. I genuinely believe this. (Personally, I don’t subscribe to their selection philosophy in full, but that’s for another thread.) </p>
<p>However, they don’t truly know the applicants–any protestations to the contrary notwithstanding. So sometimes they don’t accept someone they really should have accepted. Take a look at past MIT applicants such as hopelesslydevote, piccolojr, and WaitingforGodot, and from this year christiansoldier (I think that’s the one I mean), and you’ll see that people with some really impressive qualifications–apparently–have been rejected by MIT. </p>
<p>Duke is a great school, and I predict that you will have a great time there. Don’t let other people’s decisions lead to self-doubt or stand in the way of doing your best in the field you love–I guarantee that opportunities will come your way.</p>
<p>@Nagilove: It would be wonderful xD.
“Thanks to all, I have stuidied hard for this Nobel prize, but now I want to dedicate it to all people who have never belived in my skills and to MIT which rejected me.”</p>
<p>Honestly OP, go take a look at MIT’s EA and RD decisions threads on this forum. Immensely impressive students (2400/Val/Multiple Awards etc.) were rejected, there’s no need to be thinking about this anymore. Enjoy Duke, it’s a great school.</p>
<p>@Nagilove: It would be wonderful xD.
“Thanks to all, I have stuidied hard for this Nobel prize, but now I want to dedicate it to all people who have never belived in my skills and to MIT which rejected me.”</p>
<p>Realize that you’re applying with literally thousands of people with the same caliber. MIT is not the type of school where you can ask, “Why was I rejected?” It’s not a “you’re in until you mess it up” situation. Thousands of wonderful applicants are rejected every year.</p>
<p>MIT is a great thing to have on your resume. It opens doors. But it is definitely not the only way to succeed in life, it is not the only awesome opportunity out there. We all have setbacks - the important thing is to keep kicking ass :P</p>
<p>Well, there has got to be an explanation! I mean a bunch of people at MIT thought I wasn’t good enough, hence they rejected me. Clearly there must’ve been something I did wrong…how can I know what it is that I did wrong?</p>
<p>Um, do you read the blogs at all? They say time and again that they could make entire alternate classes from the application pool that they would be perfectly pleased with. I don’t know about your situation in particular, but a lot of people get rejected simply because MIT doesn’t have the room to accept all the amazing applicants.</p>
<p>It sounds like you’re determined to take the self-pitying route of deciding there’s something wrong with you, without listening to the actual story. You are not entitled to admission into MIT, and not receiving admission is not a sign that you messed up.</p>
<p>Really don’t worry about this at all. I’ve heard a story about a student like you (very smart, well qualified) that was rejected by MIT. The student did amazingly in his first four years of college (at another great school). For grad school, MIT wanted him to attend very badly, but he rejected their offer. </p>
<p>So don’t get upset about this at all. Just work hard for four years, and then you can decide if you want to attend MIT when they accept you for grad school.</p>
I find these sorts of vendettas very strange. In four years, you shouldn’t have any strong emotional feelings of rejection about places you applied for undergrad – after all, if you’ve been successful elsewhere, what does it matter?</p>
<p>Furthermore, the feelings you might have had about a place when applying as an undergrad shouldn’t have any bearing on where you apply for graduate school. Graduate school is for advanced, specialized study, and the overall culture of a school is not nearly as important as the culture of the department that’s admitting you and where you’ll do intense research with a very small number of faculty members.</p>
<p>I think I read on that MIT admissions guy’s thread that only 400/900 “academic superstars” got into MIT. So people who aren’t just smart, but SUPERSTARS get rejected. It doesn’t mean you’re dumb or even that you wouldn’t be successful if you went there; it just means that you weren’t what they were looking for at the moment they were looking at your application. I’m sorry but I’m sure you’ll do great at Duke!</p>
<p>I take a more philosophical approach. If you didn’t get in, you weren’t supposed to get in. That’s it. The right doors will open up and it’s up to you to recognize and walk through those doors. MIT wasn’t the right door for whatever reason. Stop wasting time worrying about the closed door and run, leap, through the open door!</p>