Vincenzo

How fuzzy we talkin' here?
 

 
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For an MBA interview I'd consider a suit an absolute necessity. Every other applicant will likely show up that way and this isn't one of those occasions where you don't want to stand apart. It will seem as though you're not taking the interview (or your future career) seriously.
 
It doesn't need to be a Brioni power-suit, but nearly anything (within reason) is better than nothing. I agree with the previous suggestions to try second-hand stores, places like Target or Ross, or to borrow one if you have that option. Stick to navy or gray and remember that a cheap suit that fits well is better than a flashy suit that doesn't.
 
If you do end up being able to sacrifice a little cash, you would do well to look into Indochino who makes quite nice fitted suits for [relatively] cheap (but you'll have to budget a few weeks for delivery).
 
Other tips (just as far as overall appearance/presentation on interview day):
* avoid jewelry except a decent watch (and wedding ring if applicable)
* for the love of god don't wear sneakers with a suit (as with suit buying advice above, if you don't have proper shoes pick some up at a second-hand store in brown or black - they don't need to be the greatest shoes ever made, but they should not look casual). And if your only belts have been chewed up over time, grab a cheap leather belt while you're at it (black).
* and get dress-socks! These should go up to mid-calf or a little higher. (You'd be surprised, but people do show up with the suit and the shoes and then sit down to reveal gym socks and leg hair. Don't be that guy.)
* as ties go, keep it simple. Just go with a flat color (no pattern), and nothing too bright/contrasty. And go with a classic white dress-shirt.
* get a hair-cut, foo'! And shave well, or just clean up beard, etc nicely if you have facial hair. Keep nails trimmed close. Nose hair and unibrows be gone!
* bring something to write on - a padfolio is a good option, and the way I'd go (and for MBA programs, have a few copies of your resume handy just in case). Some folks might show up with briefcases and the like, but I'd see that as overkill or trying too hard (unless you have to bring a portfolio of work or a laptop for some reason).
* it may help to think of your MBA interview as interviewing to be a VP/COO/CFO of some company. How would you want to look for that interview? Showing up looking sharp will not only present well, but it will help you feel confident about that presentation (of yourself). The more you feel like you mean business, the more you'll exude that notion, and it will make an impression. This is [probably] your first real sale, and you are the product. An interview is a competition and there are no points for second place.
* when asked a question, take a breath before answering. Smile. Be cool. There's no rush, and consciously remembering to breathe will help keep you calm and collected.
* Make eye contact and smile. Don't cut jokes but try to laugh a little. If you seem happy to be there, your interviewers will be happy to have you there.
* be prepared for the "What are your greatest weaknesses?" kind of question. Have a thing or two in mind that reflect some forethought and introspection, but don't be self-depricating. It's a fine line, so it helps to prepare.
(Apologies for getting off-topic a bit on some of those.)
 
Summary: clean up, dress up, look sharp, be confident, make eye contact, smile, and breathe!
 
[For reference, though I'm finishing undergrad now and applying to PhD programs in this cycle, I spent about a decade at the executive level in various businesses prior to returning to school.]

I showed this to my mentor and he went, "That's what I say to all the students I don't like."
 
 
 
...just kidding.

Eh, they get like a bazillion emails. I'm sure they didn't see anything as rude, they just don't have time to respond. And they'll convey their interest when it comes time to make interview invites and acceptances (you've got at least four more coming). You did a smart thing (which I didn't do) by contacting them - now you're on their radar and when they see your app they'll think, "Oh, I have an email from this person somewhere too." I wouldn't send another message right now - you'd risk them getting annoyed (and you might give them the wrong signal, in that they might interpret a second cold contact as desperate or pushy). Your first messages planted seeds - that's all they needed to do. So for now, you have the right idea in just letting it go.

I showed this to my mentor and he went, "That's what I say to all the students I don't like."
 
 
 
...just kidding.

Just to share with those who have received rejections and have fewer programs to hear back from, I applied to 13 programs and got 12 rejections. I got 1 acceptance and it was to a really good program at one that was one of my "reach" schools. Despite my recently strong academic performance, I had a lot to make up for. It just takes the right school being willing to take a chance on you, so don't necessarily give up hope!

TA app asks, "What date did you finish the online graudate application form", and you respond with ,"Yes."

I would publish more specific statistics about successful applicants. While I imagine some schools truly do evaluate each application 'holistically', I'm sure most have cut-offs that send some applicants straight to the slush pile. I'd like to see something like: "most successfull applicants have GPAs above 3.3 and GREs in the 70th percentile or above. If you are weaker in one of these areas, your strength in the other becomes more important to the success of your application." I bet that many don't do this because they can decrease their acceptance rate by having a lot of unqualified applicants apply whom they can reject without spending a lot of time reviewing the file, thereby increasing their perceived competitiveness without much effort. But maybe all this waiting is just making me cynical.

Hi,
I applied to 12 PhD-programs. I received just three invitations (1 Harvard, 2 MIT), and got rejected mainly in California.
The three programs where I'm invited are great, and I really hope that I will be accepted in one of them. Nevertheless it leaves a bitter taste since one of my LOR worked in Boston for 5 years and he is known there.
Is there simply so much randomness involved, that a well-known LOR really helps, or should I worry that I am maybe not good enough? I am thankful for any helpful answer :-)

I have nothing useful to add, but this totally cracked me up at work...Then I had to tell my boss what was funny. So then it became less funny...

Too much whining. If they say March, MIT has a right until march to decide.If they say March, MIT has a right until march to decide.
 
The application FAQ said results come out "starting mid February", and the actual application says to check for results in March.
 
If you lost so much respect for MIT, please feel free to withdraw your application so that the ones of us who do still have respect for them can attend.

I hate to be a jerk, but you dug up an old thread that's only marginally related to your question. And also, "what are my chances" is a question no one can conclusively answer ever, further complicated by the fact that you haven't actually posted anything that could even let us give you an educated guess (GRE, GPA, research, etc). 
 
It's really as answerable as if I had just asked, "what are the chances for me to get drafted by the New England Patriots or the SF Niners?"

4/5 - cognitive science (2nd year)

+I like my research
+I like my adviser
+It hasn't been as exhausting as I thought it might be. I still have some free time, and I still get to dictate how I spend my time with work to a large extent.
+I normally struggle to make friends (extreme introvert), but I am lucky to have made a few already.
+I like my living situation, and my location is good with respect to both my campus and research center.
+Basically, my department is pretty chill. People just take it easy and don't give each other a hard time. Thumbs up to that.

-Most of the classes I've taken have been disappointing. I haven't learned as much as I thought I would.
-My research interests have evolved since I started, so sometimes I wonder if I started grad school too soon. If I had waited an extra year, I might have joined a lab that fits my interests better. (That said, it's still a good fit...just not perfect.)
-I don't enjoy seeking funding for research. I wish money didn't exist and we could just focus on pure knowledge.
-I don't really like being a TA most of the time. It's pretty much a drag, and this semester in particular, I got a shitty professor to work with.
-There's this constant feeling that I'm not producing enough, and it seems like "everyone else" is doing more...but I understand this is pretty typical.

lol. Ofcourse admits and rejects are coming this friday. But admits are already notified and those who didnot get any email are rejects for sure.

The rule is, by convention, that they notify in whatever order puts me last. Way last. Laster than the last one after the lastest to be receiving of notifications.
And don't worry, me is you too. Too. Too... Hi!
 
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get back to the conversation I was having with the wall. Ok, and the door. The door too. Too. Sometimes it chimes in. And that's ok. We're ok. Everything's ok. [twitch]
 
...
..
.what? /shrug

I have a strong desire to hug you, internet stranger. 

And I think that schools, as God0PlayDice said, notify based on the strengths of their applicants -- but since you brought it up, I'm glad I'm a C...

The rule is, by convention, that they notify in whatever order puts me last. Way last. Laster than the last one after the lastest to be receiving of notifications.
And don't worry, me is you too. Too. Too... Hi!
 
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get back to the conversation I was having with the wall. Ok, and the door. The door too. Too. Sometimes it chimes in. And that's ok. We're ok. Everything's ok. [twitch]
 
...
..
.what? /shrug

"So you're telling me there's a chance." - Lloyd Christmas

 

Right. Seriously. We need to get over this. It is over for this year. I don't understand their reasons for not uploading at least 90% of the rejections but that is the way they operate it seems.

This is me. I am the cutest thing that ever was. I'm soft and furry and warm and soft and eminently huggable. And soft.
When I'm sad, it rains. And the UCSD train is making me sad. From the waiting. Hiding from the rain. With the waiting.
 

The splash of each drip whispers "refresh."

The easiest way to determine this would be ot contact the department and ask if all admissions have been sent. The folks who post on the results forum are only a small subsection of the total accepted class. I don't have specific experience with CS at MIT, but I can tell you that other departments do not follow the pattern you've described (although of course any department can run things differently). What I've seen in other engineering and science programs at MIT is that they send our their top picks early, then their definite rejections, and then spend a long time hashing over the folks in the middle, deciding who gets an offer or doesn't based on a lot of internal horse-trading between profs. Separating the almost from just-made it applicants is tough and time consuming. And if you are on a waitlist, you won't necessarily be informed quickly, and it can take  even longer to resolve.

I feel you, apotheosis! My biggest problem was staring at my data for literally hours, then typing a sentence, sighing, and giving up for the night. Most of my tips are probs a little obvious, but...
To minimize distractions, I am madly in love with SelfControl (http://selfcontrolapp.com/).
To get my blood flowing to the brain, good music without lyrics (I vote Tchaikovsky's violin concerto in D minor).
To make myself actually produce words, I was a big fan of working with someone else. By that, I mean sitting with one of my insanely patient, awesome friends and working with them literally beside me. They helped me by making me feel like I had to be productive because I was in front of someone (the pressure!), doled out hugs and encouragement when needed, and nagged me when I got distracted/didn't write for a little while/tried to slack off. Also, I found it useful to have someone to talk through my thoughts with when I hit a wall and didn't even know how to make heads or tails of where to go next (although given that my go-to work enforcer is an engineering student, by that I mean talking at him while he looked vaguely bemused at how animatedly I was ranting about conservation legislation). But then again, I'm a very verbal learner, so talking through my data was immensely useful in terms of organizing my thoughts and helping me move forward on the actual thesis. 

I'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts.

I'm not sure that this answers anything for you, but I'll share a bit of insight gleaned from a close friend of mine who works in Georgetown's admissions office. Bear in mind this is only guaranteed true in Georgetown's case, but I've got to believe they aren't the only ones who operate like this.
 
Applicants are generally sorted into tiers. Tier 1 applicants are those with STELLAR credentials, like, 4.0 GPAs from Harvard, perfect GRE scores, etc. They get their acceptance letters first, and fastest. Then there is a lull. The admissions office waits to hear back from those before offering or denying anyone else. If they get a lot of Tier 1-ers to accept their offers, then only a very limited Tier 2 applicants are accepted. Conversely, if half of Tier 1-ers decline admission, that leaves room for plenty-- if not all-- of the Tier 2 applicants. Rinse and repeat this process for Tier 2 versus Tier 3, until eventually all open spots are filled.
 
Basically, they prioritize applicants, giving the best first chance to decline/accept and working their way down. Obviously if you have a 2.0 GPA you're simply rejected outright. There are, of course, universal standards. But assuming you're a semi-decent candidate, the above explanation is how it works.
 
So if you haven't heard anything yet, that isn't a good OR bad thing. What it means, in my (limited) experience, is that you have not been rejected outright. Which is good. You must have decent credentials. But it also means you haven't been accepted outright along with the Tier 1 applicants, either. It's entirely probable you're in Tier 2 or something and your fate will depend, at least partly, on how many Tier 1 applicants accept.
 
I hope this was coherent. Try not to stress over it, in either case-- you'll be all right no matter what happens, as there's always next year if the worst transpires, and that one year can make a huge difference. You've done all you could for now.
 
Very best of luck, my friend!