Applying to MIT: Tips, Strategies & Experiences

[dhvanitp]

Hey fellas, I'm studin in First year Engineering college in INDIA..
And am applyin as a freshman to MIT for Fall 2009.. Also I'll be takin my SAT this OCT and subject tests in math, physics,chem in NOV.

Any tips/strategies/experiences anyone would like to share that can be helpful ?

 

[tornzaer]

Since you're in India, I take it you are quite intelligent academic wise. I'd suggest filling up your extracurriculars. Show them you are interesting. Sell yourself. I'm afraid sheer academics won't cut it...

You have to ace your SAT's and you have to show you are more than just an academic student.

 

[elfboy]

Make sure you have a backup plan since MIT has a very very low admitance rate.

 

[Mapes]

Be prepared to demonstrate that you have (1) addressed your studies and extracurriculars with passion, and (2) persevered after extreme setbacks. The MIT undergrad experience is challenging, often overwhelming, and the admissions office wants to make sure that you won't fall to pieces at the first failure.

Get in the habit of using correct English and proofreading your writing.

 

[dhvanitp]

hey thanks tornzaer for your rep.. I'll surely work on my SAT's. I hope something around 2200 will do ?

and yeah i'll surely see to the extra curricular thing..

and yeah tanx mapes.. your advise being specific i'll surely take care about that...
frankly speakin i had been thinkin about exactly the same thing ,since last few days, that you've mentioned.. specifically point no.1 and the second sentence.. !

hey tanx for the advice elfboy.. It's good idea to have a backup plan..
do tell me if you have good mediocre universities in mind...

 

[G01]

I also suggest having a few more realistic backups. Getting into MIT isn't a sure thing for ANYBODY.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I think your chances are quite low.

(1) MIT's admit rate is low - less than 12%. That's the starting point. Your chances are low because everybody's chances are low.

(2) MIT's admit rate for international students is even lower - less than 4%.

(3) Even if self-estimated SAT scores didn't tend to be higher than the real deal, 2200 is not that impressive. It's probably close to the average score (maybe a hair less), and of course because of point (2) you have to be significantly above average.

(4) One of the things one can do to improve one's chances is to be interviewed. Normally, this increases ones chances by 50% or even more. However, in your case I would recommend that you stay far away from an interviewer, as I believe it will hurt your chances. I am basing this on your reaction to two comments in this thread: the reaction to elfboy's sensible suggestion to improve your chances by casting a wider net was met with a sarcastic "do tell me if you have good mediocre universities in mind...", and Mapes equally sensible suggestion to get in the habit of using correct English was met with, well, more incorrect English.

Based on this, I think you will interview poorly. MIT has lots of applicants who think they know it all already and don't have to take constructive advice - even advice they asked for. They aren't interested in those people. Experience has shown that they don't do well at the Institute, and by the time they realize that maybe other people might know more than they thought they did, it's usually too late.

 

[dhvanitp]

Hey G01, I didn't understand what you meant by saying 'realistic backups' .

Hey vanadium, thanks for your advise. And for the fact that you did read the posts carefully. I'll surely keep that in mind.

 

[cristo]

Hey G01, I didn't understand what you meant by saying 'realistic backups' .

He means make sure that you apply to universities that you will be sure to be admitted into.

 

[G01]

He means make sure that you apply to universities that you will be sure to be admitted into.

Yes, by realistic schools, I meant schools that you can realistically expect to get into. In other words, don't apply to only prestigious institutions which have acceptance rates of 12%.

 

[poonlam]

Awww get in MIT is not as easy as u thought! Really competitive. I think you need to have > 4.0 GPA (on the 5.0 scale) and get 2300 on the SAT. my friend got 2100 on the SAT but he got rejected from Berkeley. MIT is even more competitive than Berekley, since UCB is a public school and lower ranking. Therefore, you have to study seriously and make sure that you meet all the requirements, such as 4 years English, 3 years Foreign Languages...

 

[TMFKAN64]

I think that one thing that foreign applicants (and many US applicants) fail to understand about the elite US universities is that no one gets into them on the basis of grades and test scores. Grades and test scores can keep you *out*, but that's just the beginning of the story...

 

[Hippo]

Even the above average American students here in States have a hard time getting into The MIT's, Stanford and Harvard just to name a few. As for some guy, pretty much many of them alike, half across the world thinks he could just walk right in (even though academically is suitable) he is just fooling himself.

There are so many of those foreign students that get denied year after year, commit suicide or go into deep depression because they lose face after telling their parents that they couldn't get into the Yankee Top 1 - 3 school. If only they had half a brain of a size of an Ant, they would try applying for other 100 institutions in the States, let alone anywhere in the world that would happily give them an opportunity to attend in their University as well and probably would even give Scholarships to them too.

Instead they spend all of their time and effort, scratch, bite, punch a guy in the nose, maybe even sell their own sister (just kidding) just to get into MIT! I wish you luck though.

 

[th3plan]

Yeah your chances are low. They tend to lean toward non-alien applicants more then alien. Unless your the next Einstein then you can get in

 

[dhvanitp]

hey thanks poonlam, tmfkan64,hippo,th3plan for your views on my question. I'll surely bear that in mind.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Hello there!, Besides the selectivity of universities such as MIT, Stanford, Princeton, and others. There's another important factor. Money.

1 year at MIT is going to cost you about USD $60,000 to $70,000. Will you be able to afford this if you get accepted?

I know a guy from my undergrad school who did his degree in Industrial Engineering. He was accepted to MIT for graduate studies, but without funding. He was happy about his acceptance, but the funding part was definitely a problem.

Good luck with your application!

 

[leumas614]

Was he accepted for a masters of PhD without funding?

 

[Pyrrhus]

Yes, a Master without funding.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

I was wondering about applying to MIT or another school for post grad in America. I think I've got the academics and extracurricular (Ive been into debating, extempore speaking, had a couple of articles printed in daily newspapers in 11th and 12th grade, music, etc...) but what else do you need?

 

[jhicks]

I know a guy from my undergrad school who did his degree in Industrial Engineering. He was accepted to MIT for graduate studies, but without funding. He was happy about his acceptance, but the funding part was definitely a problem.

He didn't actually GO there did he? I don't even think MIT has specifically an IE program. People get so hung up over MIT even if it's an area where they aren't #1. I don't understand why internationals want to go to the #1 math/science school in the U.S. when the top 10-20 in the U.S. are better than anything in their home countries most likely.

Chaoseverlasting, your sarcasm is a bit late in this thread.

 

[Pyrrhus]

I don't know which Master specifically he applied for, and no idea if he accepted the offer. I would imagine he didn't, because his other choices did provide him with funding.

 

[Hippo]

They say that some employers and companies that see's your application knowing that you've graduated from the big Universities like MIT and Stanford may not even bother to hire you for fear of thinking that you'll be too demanding and expensive for them to keep. If I was in Management in an Engineering company, I'm hiring that little guy from Chattanooga University (not to offend anyone attending there) for budgeting purposes. He can do the same thing as the guy from MIT but for cheap, that means more money for me and bragging rights as the Boss.

Going to MIT does give you quality education but it could also be put yourself in the class of Elites and because of the economic conditions today, no one wants to hire a fresh graduate that demands and expects a high salary.

 

[Vanadium 50]

They say that some employers and companies that see's your application knowing that you've graduated from the big Universities like MIT and Stanford may not even bother to hire you for fear of thinking that you'll be too demanding and expensive for them to keep.

What exactly is your background? Have you ever hired an engineer? I have, and this is completely contrary to my experience.

 

[v.dinesh]

does CGPA of bacheolers degree matters much for doing M.S/Ph.D in top universities .i am doing chem engg 1st yr in india.can i do M.S/Ph.D in physics! since i am seriously interested(but couldn't go to B.SC. because of my parents pressure to go to engg)

 

[Defennder]

Why don't you check out the grad school undergrad degree requirements at their website? Then you'll know if they'll consider you. Of course, surviving in grad school once you got in is a separate problem.

 

[cellotim]

Yeah your chances are low. They tend to lean toward non-alien applicants more then alien. Unless your the next Einstein then you can get in

I remember Einstein having some trouble getting into schools :).

 

[Vanadium 50]

I remember Einstein having some trouble getting into schools :).

Not really. He applied to ETH before finishing high school, was rejected, finished high school, applied again, and was accepted.

 

[Minich]

Sell yourself.

It is awfull! Is this acceptable in USA? I thought that slave's instincts had got away in Kennedy times. Even in my corrupted Russia this sentence will be opposed almost by everybody.
---------------------------------------------------------
Dignity consists not in possessing honors, but in the consciousness that we deserve them. Aristotle.

 

[jhicks]

It's an expression meaning to proactively point out your good qualities.

 

[mathwonk]

in spite of everything said, MIT does take those students whose performance in school and letters from reliable teachers makes a persuasive case that they belong there.

this cannot be established merely by SAT scores as pointed out, almost no matter how high, but if your teachers know you belong at MIT and can make the case, they may very well take you.

what I am saying is there are students who one knows pretty much for sure will get in such places. these are students who take college courses as high school students and excel beyond the level of college students, and who take national contests and beat older students, etc...

 

[Minich]

It's an expression meaning to proactively point out your good qualities.

I see. But if it's an idiom or a some thing about proverb it's even more awfull :(((

As i see MIT is as several our universities, where only5-20% candidates can be accepted. But now it's for economical sciences (law, MBA, taxes,...), 20 years earlier it was for natural sciencies (physics, mathematics,...).
After cold war there is some degradation in natural sciencies :(((

Who can give an examples of test exam problems in physics and math for MIT candidates (applicants)?

 

[Minich]

People get so hung up over MIT even if it's an area where they aren't #1. I don't understand why internationals want to go to the #1 math/science school in the U.S. when the top 10-20 in the U.S. are better than anything in their home countries most likely.

1. To get accustom to MIT english spoken language (accent).
2 It is difficult to be #1 in #1 homeland institutions. Russian proverb: Its be better #1 in the country (rural area) than #2 in the city.
3. Western burocracy. Even if You are the doctor of sciencies in Russia (it's approximately the honoured member of almost any western Academy), You are nothing in the west without diploma of any western institution. So the daughter of my friend makes diploma in the west and in Russia in parallel.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

Chaoseverlasting, your sarcasm is a bit late in this thread.

Im actually serious.

 

[TMFKAN64]

I see. But if it's an idiom or a some thing about proverb it's even more awfull :(((

The US is a nation of salesmen. We're very good at it.

Who can give an examples of test exam problems in physics and math for MIT candidates (applicants)?

No one... there is no special test exam for MIT applicants. Just the SAT and SATII exams which are used by most US universities.

Mathwonk really hit the nail on the head... you can really tell when someone is destined for MIT. It's not a question of grades and test scores... in every high school in the country, *someone* is first. That's just not enough... MIT is looking for people who tower over other firsts...

 

[cellotim]

Several friends of mine in HS got into MIT and Caltech. Our HS valedictorian went to Caltech for undergrad and MIT for grad. I'm not sure how MIT's admissions works. I do know that at Harvard (at least when I read about it which was some time ago) they categorize everybody and people only compete within their categories. There's a category for Exeter and Baird all by themselves, one for foreigners, etc. It's definitely not fair (in the sense that everybody gets an equal chance based on their own merits). Given the unfairness, what can you do? Besides grades and SAT/SAT2, you need to show that you are, in some sense, a "winner", somebody who is going to do great things and succeed in life. Have a portfolio showing that you are not only brilliant but that you can apply that brilliance and produce something. Doing well in competitions like Putnam and Westinghouse are especially good.