Applying to MIT: Tips, Strategies & Experiences

[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.

 

[Johannes]

just a litte off topic side note to that... I think given all those thoughts it is about time to critically question the role of the "elite" universities in world. Just go to ocw.mit.edu, there you can see lectures from the mighty MIT, if I look at the Physics and math lectures, they are no different from the lectures I'm used to here in Germany... I don't know if there is that saying in english... but in German one would they, they also just cook with water... meaning, well, at the end, the substance is not that different. It is not what they are doing that makes them so much surperior to other insitutes, it is their handpicked student body I think. So if you are a great mind, you will be much likely to succeed at any institution there is, it might be easyer at MIT and its Ivy frineds, but struggles and obstracles can be great teachers as well. If it is very hard to reach your professor and they have only very limited time to answer your questions, as it is common on schools with poor staff student ratio, you are forced to carefully pick your questions, and try on your own first. Later on, once you are into research there might be only very few specialist that can advice you, there the those skills might come in quite handy.
So, over all, I know that for now, we will still all try to get into top schools around the world, because that is just the way it it, but maybe once we are in power of picking employees etc. we should be more relaxed about the whole elite thingy...

 

[cellotim]

just a litte off topic side note to that... I think given all those thoughts it is about time to critically question the role of the "elite" universities in world. Just go to ocw.mit.edu, there you can see lectures from the mighty MIT, if I look at the Physics and math lectures, they are no different from the lectures I'm used to here in Germany... I don't know if there is that saying in english... but in German one would they, they also just cook with water... meaning, well, at the end, the substance is not that different. It is not what they are doing that makes them so much surperior to other insitutes, it is their handpicked student body I think. So if you are a great mind, you will be much likely to succeed at any institution there is, it might be easyer at MIT and its Ivy frineds, but struggles and obstracles can be great teachers as well. If it is very hard to reach your professor and they have only very limited time to answer your questions, as it is common on schools with poor staff student ratio, you are forced to carefully pick your questions, and try on your own first. Later on, once you are into research there might be only very few specialist that can advice you, there the those skills might come in quite handy.
So, over all, I know that for now, we will still all try to get into top schools around the world, because that is just the way it it, but maybe once we are in power of picking employees etc. we should be more relaxed about the whole elite thingy...

You make good points. Elite schools are notorious for ignoring their undergraduates. On the other hand, most of the benefits of an elite education go on outside the classroom. Lectures are lectures and much the same from school to school, but the people you meet in school and the opportunities and connections available through them are at least as important as the knowledge you gain in class.

 

[chaoseverlasting]

just a litte off topic side note to that... I think given all those thoughts it is about time to critically question the role of the "elite" universities in world. Just go to ocw.mit.edu, there you can see lectures from the mighty MIT, if I look at the Physics and math lectures, they are no different from the lectures I'm used to here in Germany... I don't know if there is that saying in english... but in German one would they, they also just cook with water... meaning, well, at the end, the substance is not that different. It is not what they are doing that makes them so much surperior to other insitutes, it is their handpicked student body I think. So if you are a great mind, you will be much likely to succeed at any institution there is, it might be easyer at MIT and its Ivy frineds, but struggles and obstracles can be great teachers as well. If it is very hard to reach your professor and they have only very limited time to answer your questions, as it is common on schools with poor staff student ratio, you are forced to carefully pick your questions, and try on your own first. Later on, once you are into research there might be only very few specialist that can advice you, there the those skills might come in quite handy.
So, over all, I know that for now, we will still all try to get into top schools around the world, because that is just the way it it, but maybe once we are in power of picking employees etc. we should be more relaxed about the whole elite thingy...

That really is food for thought.

 

[Erythro73]

just a litte off topic side note to that... I think given all those thoughts it is about time to critically question the role of the "elite" universities in world. Just go to ocw.mit.edu, there you can see lectures from the mighty MIT, if I look at the Physics and math lectures, they are no different from the lectures I'm used to here in Germany... I don't know if there is that saying in english... but in German one would they, they also just cook with water... meaning, well, at the end, the substance is not that different. It is not what they are doing that makes them so much surperior to other insitutes, it is their handpicked student body I think. So if you are a great mind, you will be much likely to succeed at any institution there is, it might be easyer at MIT and its Ivy frineds, but struggles and obstracles can be great teachers as well. If it is very hard to reach your professor and they have only very limited time to answer your questions, as it is common on schools with poor staff student ratio, you are forced to carefully pick your questions, and try on your own first. Later on, once you are into research there might be only very few specialist that can advice you, there the those skills might come in quite handy.
So, over all, I know that for now, we will still all try to get into top schools around the world, because that is just the way it it, but maybe once we are in power of picking employees etc. we should be more relaxed about the whole elite thingy...

True.

I go to Montreal University in Physics. When I compare to McGill (undergraduate program) (ok, not as elite as the MIT), there isn't much of a difference in terms of level. They're doing basically the same things, some different optional courses (not more, not less), but overall, the level of difficulty is the same. Some friends of mine who went there said they are in no way better than us. I have a saying for this "A no-life program remains a no-life program".

This holds for almost every other universities I saw in the US. Elite universities does not mean better undergraduate programs. Maybe better contacts, more services, better administrations, ...

 

[dhvanitp]

Hey its the topic starter : dhvanit..
Thanks a lot to everybody for your views on my topic.. I really appreciate it.. Anyways I scored 1990 on SAT recently in OCT ( actually without much preparation, just to try it out : 550 CR, 750 Math, 690 WS).

 

[Bcogswell]

As a lot of others said, when dealing with schools with such a low acceptance rate, you will need to have a "wow factor". There has to be something to set you apart from the thousands of other people applying.

With that said, I would suggest some extra curriculars.

Oh and you might want to have some back up schools, in case MIT doesn't work out for you.

 

[dhvanitp]

Thanks Bcogswell for your advise..

 

[PhysicalAnomaly]

I find that all universities in australia have similar classes and syllabuses and people who have been to more than one agree that the education is practically the same. The difference might be that in the more elite universities, there's more pressure. However, some people shine brighter when there are fewer stars around. Just my two cents.