You Cant Make MIT Love You If You Dont

You Can’t Make MIT Love You If You Don’t… So on the MyMIT Admissions site, the 2005-2006 undergraduate application has been posted. You can request a paper copy, download a PDF, or view an online version. I sent my printed-out-PDF application via snail mail, but that was back before MIT had the technology in place for online applications. (What???) Im hesitant to dole out reams of application advice, but there is one thing that I am confident in recommending to you. (And you just thought I was quoting yet another song ruined by American Idol for fun.) You cant make MIT love you if you dont [write a good essay] You cant put on your resume things that you dont [do] Here in 3-107, in these final hours They wont like your essay if they dont feel the power, But you wont No, you wont What do I mean? Well, first, there are the basic things: + use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation + make it legible (neat handwriting or normal font) + address the topic + stay reasonably within the word limit Also: + write about something that truly matters to you, no matter how nontraditional it may seem + take risks + be truthful + be fearless + you are awesome! be yourself And with a wheelbarrow full of salt, I remind myself of the wise words of My So-Called Lifes Angela Chase: People always say how you should be yourself, like yourself is this definite thing, like a toaster or something. Like you can know what it is, even. But every so often, Ill have like, a moment, when just being myself in my life, right where I am, is like, enough. So go forth, 10 applicants, and best of luck! (My sincerest apologies to Bonnie Raitt, Tim Berners-Lee, and Marshall Herskovitz. It was for a good cause.) 7/29 EDIT I dont think the admissions office has a strict rule about word limits. When I applied, I made sure all of my essays were within word limits, and yeah, it wasnt great to cut out phrases or clauses just to save on words, but I did it and felt like my essays were still meaningful. I know other people who didnt want to sacrifice meaning for a word limit, so they went over some by 5 words, some by 105 words. Unfortunately, theres no real answer to this question, but if you think its too long, its probably too long. As for the relative importance of the essay, theres no exact answer, but in my opinion, we care *a lot.* MIT doesnt assign each component of the application a specific weight, and then calculate your grade. Rather, we consider an entire application at once, which helps us evaluate you as a person and not just the sum of your parts. I personally feel the essay is the most important part of your application, since you have the chance to open up about something that matters to you. Also, you can share with us something special that would add to your application file but wouldnt fit or would be under-explained otherwise. Dont stress out about your essay, since we dont have a standard type or model that we look for when reading them. Yes, the essay is important, but its hard to make your writing more heartfelt and personal if you revise it to death. Be yourself (the toaster, remember?) and let the words flow.