<p>They must have recently “loosened up” then. It truly does not matter anymore. Your fit at MIT is (no longer) judged by whether you might also fit somewhere else. Visit some of the threads here or on the Caltech forum where Ben Golub and benjones discuss their cross-admits etc. They know they’ll both accept some of the same students, and do not leave someone out of the pool because they’re already wet. (Or something. That analogy didn’t work, sorry. 
)</p>
<p>This is not the MIT of my day, or even of 10 years ago.</p>
<p>Yes, right, so? Schools all make lists of cross-admits and cross-applicants now. DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR ADMISSIONS CHANCES.</p>
<p>I’m willing to go out on a limb on this one. Maybe benjones will sign in someday and validate my limb-going. ;)</p>