MIT EECS

[pingpong]

Good luck ! Was it an email or a mail ?

[brassgod]

Got a letter today:

"You are officially on the wait list with 50 other students. Final decisions will be made in May. Traditionally only one or two students from the wait list are admitted.

You should continue to develop alternative plans for continuing your graduate education."

Slightly better than being outright rejected, at least...but effectively means the same thing.

I guess this means that all the definite admits and rejections have been decided. They should just send out the rejections now since they have the waitlist to fill any empty spots later down the road.

[mewtwo]

Rejections are available on the site.

At least, mine was =(.

Time to kick some academic ass wherever I end up.

Edited February 18, 2011 by mewtwo

[anotherflunky]

Where can I see my rejection (lol)? Mine still says "You can log into this web site in early March to see our admissions decision." for some reason.

[brassgod]

Where can I see my rejection (lol)? Mine still says "You can log into this web site in early March to see our admissions decision." for some reason.

A lot of rejections seem to be sent out today. If you didn't get one, then you're safe for now.

Edited February 18, 2011 by brassgod

[anotherflunky]

What I meant was, am I missing something obvious on the website? Should it show up on https://apply.eecs.mit.edu/ home page or is the rejection elsewhere? I can't find it and I feel dumb about that. lol...

I'm pretty certain of my rejection. For one, I'm not very qualified. But also, MIT sends all acceptances around Feb 10 and all rejections (via website, no email) a week later. There's a small waitlist but I think those people have been notified of that. So it seems to be a single wave process.

[was1984]

What I meant was, am I missing something obvious on the website? Should it show up on https://apply.eecs.mit.edu/ home page or is the rejection elsewhere? I can't find it and I feel dumb about that. lol...

I'm pretty certain of my rejection. For one, I'm not very qualified. But also, MIT sends all acceptances around Feb 10 and all rejections (via website, no email) a week later. There's a small waitlist but I think those people have been notified of that. So it seems to be a single wave process.

It's right on the application website. Sounds like you aren't rejected yet.

[anotherflunky]

I just called. I was waitlisted (no e-mail, they sent a letter but it hasn't reached me yet or got lost). This is almost worse. Now I have to wait and the chances are basically negligible.

[was1984]

I just called. I was waitlisted (no e-mail, they sent a letter but it hasn't reached me yet or got lost). This is almost worse. Now I have to wait and the chances are basically negligible.

I have a hard time understanding how a waitlist even works for PhD applications. Since you have to accept somewhere by April 15th, and waitlisted students are usually admitted after this date, aren't all of the students on the waitlist already committed elsewhere?

I would assume anyone that makes the waitlist at MIT will be accepted to at least one other university. Are people breaking their word in order to go to MIT?

[anotherflunky]

I think the waitlist is activated between April 1 to 15 so it's based on the decisions of people who already notified them. Not everyone waits until the last moment.

[was1984]

I think the waitlist is activated between April 1 to 15 so it's based on the decisions of people who already notified them. Not everyone waits until the last moment.

I hope for your sake you are correct! It would royally suck to be admitted after already committing to another school.

[anotherflunky]

I've given up hope already. Screw being MIT's strategic pawn. =)

First choice Berkeley has already rejected me. But in one way this was good -- I'm more confident about possibly attending Stanford (I got in there 2 days ago). Since it's less selective than MIT/Berkeley and the bottom 50% gets weeded out, getting in there but not MIT and Berkeley puts you in an bizarre spot where you can't calibrate and decide if you're good enough. Apparently MIT thought I was (almost) good enough so presumably I can make it at Stanford. Sadly I'm part of the vast majority that may have to attend without first-year funding. Hopefully I can get an NSF fellowship or maybe still get funded by the EE department.

Graduate admissions is a cruel mistress.

[dudulche]

I've given up hope already. Screw being MIT's strategic pawn. =)

First choice Berkeley has already rejected me. But in one way this was good -- I'm more confident about possibly attending Stanford (I got in there 2 days ago). Since it's less selective than MIT/Berkeley and the bottom 50% gets weeded out, getting in there but not MIT and Berkeley puts you in an bizarre spot where you can't calibrate and decide if you're good enough. Apparently MIT thought I was (almost) good enough so presumably I can make it at Stanford. Sadly I'm part of the vast majority that may have to attend without first-year funding. Hopefully I can get an NSF fellowship or maybe still get funded by the EE department.

Graduate admissions is a cruel mistress.

Congrats on Stanford! Did you get official reject from Berkeley or did a Prof let you know unofficially?

[anotherflunky]

I was just guessing based on timing. I've had no contact with Berkeley or their professors.

[was1984]

I've given up hope already. Screw being MIT's strategic pawn. =)

First choice Berkeley has already rejected me. But in one way this was good -- I'm more confident about possibly attending Stanford (I got in there 2 days ago). Since it's less selective than MIT/Berkeley and the bottom 50% gets weeded out, getting in there but not MIT and Berkeley puts you in an bizarre spot where you can't calibrate and decide if you're good enough. Apparently MIT thought I was (almost) good enough so presumably I can make it at Stanford. Sadly I'm part of the vast majority that may have to attend without first-year funding. Hopefully I can get an NSF fellowship or maybe still get funded by the EE department.

Graduate admissions is a cruel mistress.

You shouldn't base whether you are good enough or not on a cursory look at your profile from a graduate admissions committee. Succeeding in a research environment is a lot different than succeeding academically, and you may end up a much better researcher than people who hit the trifecta. I was a lazy undergrad so I knew I was a longshot for any of those three programs, but in my M.S. program I've realized that the graduate school lifestyle suits me spectacularly. I'm certain I would do well in any program, although I'm not likely to get the opportunity to do so at one of those schools.