2014 Interviews - Page 3

Dex · 08-30-2009, 01:16 AM

I know waiving because context doesn't make a negative effect but it also doesn't make a positive effect neither.
I can kill for a +%1 percent chance to getting in

If I don't get nervous and screw up every think I think interview is going to do a very good effect to my application

omnomnom · 08-30-2009, 08:12 PM

my interview is tmrw!
-kinda nervous-

fontaine · 08-30-2009, 08:47 PM

Guys, post how it went so that we may learn.

Dex · 08-31-2009, 05:21 AM

What kinda form interviewer fills about me after a interview?
He writes things I said or he just give many ranking and write a little evaluation like official mit teacher eval forms?

Vhiremath4 · 08-31-2009, 07:24 AM

Does anyone know if it's all right to wear earrings? I'm a guy, and I just wear a lobe stud on each ear. Is it a safer bet to just leave them out?

Mikalye · 08-31-2009, 07:41 AM

Quote:

What kinda form interviewer fills about me after a interview?

The interview report is an extended essay. We are asked to score students based on our perception of match, but this is MIT, everything must be evidence-based. So the core of the report is an extended essay. Length can vary widely. I wrote a 750 word report last year, which was one of my shortest, but it said all that was necessary. I don't think that I have ever gone beyond 2000 words, and usually clock in at something like 1400.

molliebatmit · 08-31-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Does anyone know if it's all right to wear earrings? I'm a guy, and I just wear a lobe stud on each ear. Is it a safer bet to just leave them out?

Matt had a blog entry last year on appearance-related questions that includes responses from several ECs.

nickwasy · 08-31-2009, 05:10 PM

Mikalye, I'd understand if you can't answer this question, but I'm curious to hear anything you have to say about it regardless:

In your experience, how strong is the correlation between how positive your report of the student is and his/her acceptance to MIT? I know someone who does interviews for Brown and she said that it seemed to be pretty weak.

Mikalye · 08-31-2009, 05:11 PM

I agree with almost everything that was responded to in Matt's post, even the bits that disagree. The important thing is that there are different EC's. We are trained and told not to judge on appearance, but some EC's take this more to heart than others. If the lobe stud is part of who you are, I would say you should certainly keep it in. If it is something you have recently taken up to **** off your parents, then you should probably leave it out.

imN3ilhuru · 08-31-2009, 05:50 PM

my interview is scheduled in a week! what questions should i anticipate?

Mikalye · 09-01-2009, 05:06 AM

Quote:

how strong is the correlation between how positive your report of the student is and his/her acceptance to MIT

A strange question because I have my doubts as to whether I would expect it to be all that strong. Last year I met a great kid, very interesting, a compelling story, I wrote the strongest report I have written in years. He didn't get in. I was disappointed. He told me later (though it did not come up at interview) that his SAT scores were at best mediocre. Heck, with scores like his with nothing else to explain them, of course he didn't get in. I could have foreseen that.

I see a narrow slice of the person. I would be quite uncomfortable if that was the focus of the admissions decision. So no, I do not think that there is a strong correlation between my positive reports and whether they get in. Nor do I necessarily think that there should be.

On the flip side of the coin, there are so many problem behaviors that will only come up at interview (for example the candidate who has seemingly never encountered soap). These will seriously affect a person's ability to prosper and thrive in the collaborative environment that is MIT. I can point out a very strong correlation between my negative reports and MIT admission. I know that it is not universal for all EC's, but no candidate who I have indicated is not appropriate for admission has ever gotten in.

So I do not think that I have the ability to get someone into MIT, but I do think that I have the ability to keep the wrong person out of MIT. I hope that that helps.

Dex · 09-01-2009, 05:39 AM

Thanks Mikalye, that was really helpful!

PiperXP · 09-01-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

for example the candidate who has seemingly never encountered soap

Ah, so that's why I haven't run into lots of people who never bathe...

How does becoming an EC work, out of curiosity?

Inconclusive · 09-01-2009, 08:47 PM

So the last year's great kid did not get in.

And

Quote:

I know that it is not universal for all EC's, but no candidate who I have indicated is not appropriate for admission has ever gotten in.

Wow the probability looks to be zero!

Quote:

So I do not think that I have the ability to get someone into MIT, but I do think that I have the ability to keep the wrong person out of MIT.

Is that really the intended reason that MIT gives the interview.

These two sentences really scared me!

The first sentence explaines that every one who you thought was not appropriate for MIT did not get in.
I thought that interviewers could make a mistake, I mean there can be some one who had a bad day and nervous to give excuses.

The second sentence scared me much a lot!

Mikalye,
I know you are a nice guy and trying to help, but I was just trying to share how these sentences make me feel.
English is not my first language, so I hope I misunderstood your sentences.
So if some one else misunderstood they can benefit.

T-bird · 09-02-2009, 09:26 AM

@Inconclusive - I'm not Mikalye, so I can't speak for the truth of my impressions, but I believe you misunderstand the intent of the interviews. Everything any interviewer/adcom member will ever tell you points to one thing - that they're not out to get you. I'm sure interviewers will try to look past nervousness and see if you're a good match for MIT.