Deferred From MIT

Tom McCurdy

I got a letter today from MIT stating that they were going to review my application again during the regular admission time. They said that it was good that I was able to make it past the early admission cut off, as most people are rejected at this point... I don't know what to do. I am happy and yet a little worried becaue I have to really pick up grades in two classes for mid year report.

kdinser

If I had everything to do over again, I would probably set my sights on a school like MIT. Good luck to you man, if you don't get in, UofM is still a good choice.

Tom McCurdy

thanks alot
I hope I get in as well :0 but I really have to get my physics and math grade up if I want to have any reasonable chance.

karen03grae

I wish you luck too...I wish I could go there. Am at A&M now

samoth1

To not get rejected outright from MIT is very respectable. Care to post your stats? I'm sure there are many other prestigious you could get into.

Tom McCurdy

Actually my stats are quite a bit less than what I had hoped for... I hate standarized tests

PSAT
math: 80

Sat Math: 730
Sat Verbal: 620
Sat 2 math ic: 740
Sat 2 math 2c: 730
Physics: 670-- i think can't remember

ACT:
math: 33
science: 31
reading: 31

best combined 29--- I always screw up on one section badly those scores were from 2 different tests

anyway i thinks thats pretty close to what I got...

Tom McCurdy

Most of the reasons I would be considered would be things that are not scores... activities I do outside of a normal schedule...

kdinser

Schools where admission is very competitive like to see that your busy, 80+ hours a week busy. Things like, working, playing sports, volunteering in the community, math clubs, and student government can go a long way to making up for some weaknesses in other areas.

poolwin2001

Hats off Mc.
I too am applying for MIT.but we foreigners dont have the early admission option.:(

marlon

I always have been fasinated with you americans and your "admissions" to universities...For example if a European student would like to apply for lets say MIT, does he/she stand a chance or not...What if this student already has a college degree and wants to persue a phd...is that possible or not...

regards
marlon

Gokul43201

It's very possible. All you have to do is go to the University website, and find the Physics Dept page. Somewhere in the Graduate Studies section of this page, there will be a Graduate Admissions form (along with instructions). You can download the form (it's usually a pdf file), fill it, and mail to to the University, along with the other requirements (GRE and Physics GRE scores, TOEFL scores, 3 reference/recommendation letters, official transcripts of your college grades, resume, and a Statement of Purpose).

Some Universities, such as MIT, have most of the application online, and you only have to mail transcripts and reference letters.

Marlon, I'm quite sure you can easily get into a great university. I'm a foreign student myself, and despite not having a Physics degree, I got accepted by most of the Universities I applied too. It should be a piece of cake for you...but hurry if you want to apply for 2005. Must deadlines are in Dec/Jan. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Also, keep in mind that each application involves a fee of anywhere from $40 to $100.

Grogs

Tom:

I want to wish you the best of luck getting into MIT. It's certainly a prestigious honor and should really help you achieve all you can academically.

My take on the early admissions process is that it's the school's way to make sure it gets the 'superstars' from the applicants by letting them know early they've been accepted. I got accepted early for college (USMA) and after that I never sent in another application.

That they didn't reject you out of hand is certainly a good sign. It means you've probably got at least the minimum 'reasonable' standards to get in. If your GPA is in line with the top SAT score (the 1470) it should put you within the bell curve of the applicants they accept. As you and kdinser eluded to, with as many applicants as they get each year, the admissions board needs some sort of discriminators to determine who they think will make the best student. This is why extracurricular activities are so important.

Once again, good luck. I wish I could go to MIT, but I think my undergrad grades were low enough that I'd have a snowball's chance in hades.

pmb_phy

There are pros and cons to going to MIT. The pros are that it looks great on a resume and the profs are well known in their field. The cons are that the students are so competative that you can be certain that you'll get less help from your fellow students than in most other universities and its a well known fact that when students work together they do better. The profs have less time to spend with students than the profs at other universities.

The GRE's count for something don't they? Have you taken them yet?

Pete

daster

I finished my MIT application last week. All I'm waiting for are my December SAT-II scores (I hope they're good!)... I retook Physics (got a 670 last time ) and took Writing, and I already have an 800 in Math 2c. I'm also taking the SAT for the first time this January.

Good luck to the both of us this March.

daster

pmb_phy, I believe Tom is applying as an undergrad. He doesn't need the GRE.

cyby

All I can say is, good luck on getting in. A lot of kids from my HS ended up there, but I got rejected due to the mutual unavailability of an interview. Ah well, that's a few years ago. I am at CMU, so still not bad at all :-)

Good luck to all of you, and even if you don't get in, it definitely isn't a rejection of your academic or other abilities. A lot of these schools can randomly pick a class and it would still be of a very good quality.

:-)

-Cyby-

pmb_phy

Oops. I thought he was applying for grad school.

Pete