<p>I concede to sakky’s superior logic. Please allow me to retract the statement and replace it with the more mathematically correct “MIT admits no students who do not apply.” Indeed, going back many, many years, the number of non-applying students who were admitted to MIT has remained stubbornly zero.</p>
<p>My thesis remains intact. If you want to go to MIT you have to apply. The cost of doing so is relatively modest, and if you cannot afford it, then no disadvantage attaches to those who need an application fee waiver (this is part of the whole need-blind thing). The obvious follow up to this is that if you need the application fee waiver, then by all means get one. I have met those who really need the waiver, but refrain from asking it in the mistaken belief that it might affect their application status in any way. Absolutely not true. GET THE WAIVER if you need it.</p>