Transcript for the Math Jam "MIT Admissions Math Jam" on Oct 12.

Math Jam hosted by MattMcGannMIT (Matt McGann ).

MIT Admissions Math Jam

Greetings, and welcome to tonight's Math Jam!

MCrawford (19:31:15)
Before we begin, I would like to briefly explain the AoPS virtual classroom to members of the AoPS community who have not previously attended.

MCrawford (19:31:24)
First of all, this classroom is moderated. This means that the messages you type will come to the instructors rather than going directly into the room. The instructors will choose some of the messages and questions to share with all of the students.

MCrawford (19:31:35)
Next, only the instructors have the ability to send private messages in the classroom. Sometimes they will use these to respond to your comments.

MCrawford (19:31:43)
Matt McGann is the Assistant Director of Admissions at MIT. Tonight he is with us to discuss MIT admissions policies with students, teachers, parents, and other observers.

MCrawford (19:31:52)
About a week and a half ago I had the pleasure of seeing Matt speak to a group of students and parents at UCSD. He has an experienced and healthy perspective on student life and I wish I could have seen him talk before I started applying to colleges.

MCrawford (19:32:03)
Matt is joined by Kiran Kedlaya, a Professor of Mathematics at MIT who has experience with mathematical Olympiads as both a student and instructor and is very familiar with the decision top math students face in choosing a university.

MCrawford (19:32:11)
I'll let Matt get things started.

MattMcGannMIT (19:32:20)
Hello! Welcome to the MIT Admissions Math Jam.

MattMcGannMIT (19:32:28)
My name is Matt McGann, Assistant Director of Admissions at MIT. This will be my 5th year
as an MIT admissions officer. I am also an MIT alumnus, Class of 2000. My degree is in
Management Science. I am originally from Suffolk County, Long Island, New York; I have
fond memories of the Suffolk County ARML team ;)

MattMcGannMIT (19:32:45)
(oops, got to work on the returns!)

MattMcGannMIT (19:33:04)
Along with me tonight is Professor Kiran Kedlaya; Kiran, would you like to introduce yourself?

kedlaya (19:33:47)
Let's see. My MIT connections are that I got my PhD in MIT in 2000, and I've been on the faculty since 2003.

kedlaya (19:34:03)
Beyond that, I'm not sure how much introduction I need in this crowd...

MattMcGannMIT (19:34:16)
Thanks Kiran. Also many thanks to Richard, David, Matthew, and everyone at AoPS for hosting us tonight. It is greatly appreciated!

MattMcGannMIT (19:34:32)
Are there any current MIT students joining us tonight who would like to introduce themselves?

MattMcGannMIT (19:35:22)
Everyone is busy doing homework, I guess :)

ma-ma-math (19:34:45)
what was the degree in?

MattMcGannMIT (19:35:58)
Anyway, here's how I think things will go tonight. First, I'll tell you a little about MIT and MIT Admissions; then, Kiran will say a little about MIT and the Math Department; then, we'll answer some of the questions you've been asking, which we're holding for now.

kedlaya (19:36:05)
My PhD is in Mathematics; I mostly work in number theory and algebraic geometry

MattMcGannMIT (19:36:35)
So, a little about MIT: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Our homepage is http://web.mit.edu

MattMcGannMIT (19:37:00)
The primary purpose of MIT is teaching and research. Students at MIT take classes from inspiring and noted professors (like the one joining me tonight!) and engage in cutting edge, innovative research. Most students, as early as day one at MIT, are involved in the research and discovery work. The central way students are involved with research is through a program called UROP, or the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: http://web.mit.edu/urop/basicinfo/index.html

MattMcGannMIT (19:37:45)
MIT offers classes and majors in many different fields. You can see an entire list of departments here: http://web.mit.edu/education/ and view the course catalog here: http://student.mit.edu/catalog/index.cgi

MattMcGannMIT (19:39:25)
MIT is also a fun place to be a college student. We offer more than 300 different student groups (see the list at http://sisprodweb.mit.edu:7017/asa/student_group_search.do?action=viewall), dozens of arts and music groups (http://web.mit.edu/arts/do/groupsclubs.html), 41 varsity sports (http://mitathletics.collegesports.com/), and 11 unique dorms (http://web.mit.edu/dormcon/dorms/). (Housing is guaranteed for all 4 years)

MattMcGannMIT (19:40:37)
We also, of course, offer the MIT Mystery Hunt (http://web.mit.edu/puzzle) each January during the Independent Activities Period or IAP (http://web.mit.edu/iap), which Kiran and I both participate in.

MattMcGannMIT (19:41:13)
Each year's incoming class is approximately 1000 students, so we are a small-medium sized population of 4000 undergraduate students. Along with graduate students, faculty, and staff, the entire MIT population is ~20,000 people.

MattMcGannMIT (19:41:54)
A quick look at the undergraduate population: this year's freshman class is 54% male, 46% female; MIT students come from all 50 states, and our largest represented state is California; students also come from many countries across the world. Our international population is fairly large.

MattMcGannMIT (19:42:32)
Before I say a little about admissions, Kiran, could you talk a little about the Math department and your experiences here at MIT?

kedlaya (19:42:45)
Sure.

kedlaya (19:43:32)
The math department at MIT consists of ~55 faculty (beware that all numbers in what follows are rough) who work in many areas of pure and applied mathematics; many have links also to computer science, biology, engineering, etc.

kedlaya (19:44:25)
The math major is quite large, maybe 100+ students per year. There are several sub-programs within the major, including one joint with computer science, and one focusing on pure mathematics.

kedlaya (19:45:13)
We also have a large graduate program, which I have personal experience with (see above). We have 25-30 entering PhD students each year.

kedlaya (19:45:54)
Our majors go on to lots of different careers; a significant number go on to further study in mathematics or related areas, at all of the top graduate programs.

kedlaya (19:46:39)
That's all that comes to mind now, but I'm sure there will be lots more to say in response to questions.

MattMcGannMIT (19:47:13)
Thanks, Kiran. That gave me a chance to write up ahead of time some stuff about admissions...

MattMcGannMIT (19:47:20)
Last year we received 10,443 applications for freshman admission.

MattMcGannMIT (19:47:48)
We admitted 1495 students, aiming for a class of ~1000.

MattMcGannMIT (19:48:22)
I don't have to tell you that the above means we admit approximately 1 out of every 7 students. Let me tell you, it is not easy to turn down 6 out of every 7 students, as most who apply are very qualified.

MattMcGannMIT (19:49:01)
So how do we make our decisions? Is there a formula?

MattMcGannMIT (19:49:34)
The MIT admissions process is a subjective, holistic process. It is much deeper than just a set of grades and test scores.

MattMcGannMIT (19:50:39)
What we're looking for is not just a class of 1600 ^H^H^H^H 2400 / 4.0 students. We are really looking for students who are a good fit and good match with MIT.

MattMcGannMIT (19:51:33)
What makes someone a good match with MIT? Someone who is genuinely excited to learn, to discover, to create, to innovate.

MattMcGannMIT (19:52:08)
Someone who believes in MIT's mission, that our education should be to improve the world, to create a better future.

MattMcGannMIT (19:53:13)
Someone who works well collaboratively, and is excited about solving problems.

MattMcGannMIT (19:53:51)
Someone with balance in their life, who has more than just studying but sees that having balance, having some fun, is important.

MattMcGannMIT (19:54:18)
(How do you think a police car goot up on the Great dome, anyway?)

MattMcGannMIT (19:55:13)
And more. I talk a lot about this stuff in my MIT Admissions blog, which you can read at http://matt.mitblogs.com

MattMcGannMIT (19:55:26)
I'm eager to get to the questions...

MattMcGannMIT (19:55:37)
To ask a question, I'd ask that you first introduce yourself with your name, school year, and home state/country. So if I was still a junior back in New York, and wanted to ask is the sky blue, I'd write:

MattMcGannMIT (19:55:47)
Matt / 11 / NY: Is the sky blue?

MattMcGannMIT (19:55:56)
If you've already asked a question, I'd request you ask it again in this format if you could :) Thanks!

Domenic (19:56:18)
Domenic / 12 / CA: Regarding studying math at MIT: I went to an MIT information session in my area, and they focused a lot on solving humanity's problems, how the world needs MIT now more than ever, how practical MIT's courses are, how successful the alumni are in creating useful solutions, etc. I was very put off by this: I am interesting in learning about _theoretical_ mathematics (and physics), and not about anything practical or altruistically motivated. Can MIT offer me this? Or am I best looking elsewhere if I want a high-quality theory-based education?

MattMcGannMIT (19:57:00)
What do you think, Kiran?

kedlaya (19:58:12)
MIT provides quite a good environment for studying theoretical mathematics. But you shouldn't take my word for it: ask many of our students who get degrees in pure math, go off to grad school and get PhDs in math, and have an easier time of it because they had great courses here.

jelyman (19:56:34)
O joy, the best part. Cinjon Resnick, Senior, Florida,2 questions: 1. Where should I send a piece of art that showcases a special skill I've learned?

MattMcGannMIT (19:59:02)
Hi Cinjon! You can send a piece of art or an art portfolio to the MIT Office of Admissions, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 3-108, Cambridge, MA 02139. Be sure to include your name and date of birth. You can also do this with a music CD, dance tape, etc.

solafidefarms (19:56:35)
Billy /9 / GA: What is the policy on homeschooled students? What are ya'll looking for?

MattMcGannMIT (20:03:27)
We have some great homeschooled students at MIT. We look for pretty much the same things that we do in traditionally schooled students' applications. Most of our homeschooled admitted students have taken courses at a local college or somewhere else outside of the home, and it is a good idea to get recommendations from some of these professors. I might recommend you send in more than the usual number of recommendations (2), and often additional recommendations from professors as well as someone who knows you non-academically (music teacher, troop leader, youth group leader, boss, fencing coach, etc) is a good thing. We will look for where you work with others in groups, too. But otherwise, things are mostly the same.

Ramenkage (19:57:34)
Jonathan / 16 / NJ: So how [i]did [/i]they get a car on the Great Dome?

MattMcGannMIT (20:04:15)
Everyone knows you don't hack and tell! It's like the Matrix, you have to see it for yourself ;)

kedlaya (20:04:41)
I believe the MIT Museum has some information about the police car and other "hacks" pulled off by MIT students over the year.

MCrawford (20:04:55)
The car is there!

chess64 (19:58:49)
Someone / 9 / MD

Is the Physics Dept. at MIT comparable to that of CalTech? I noticed that 8% of MIT majors are physical science and 30% of Caltech majors are physical science.

MattMcGannMIT (20:06:12)
It's hard for me to say, since I've never been a student at Caltech, or even a Physics major at MIT. But ehre's some info:

MattMcGannMIT (20:07:35)
Since MIT is about 4100 undergrads, and Caltech is about 900, that's not a big difference in raw number of majors.

MattMcGannMIT (20:08:22)
Also, I had a Nobel prize winner, Wolfgang Ketterle, for freshman physics! The famous faculty do teach, and you can do research with them.

MattMcGannMIT (20:09:19)
There are currently 4 Nobelists on the Physics faculty, I believe

MattMcGannMIT (20:10:16)
Anyway, you can learn more at http://web.mit.edu/physics, or if you email askastudent@mit.edu we can have you talk to a real live physics major :)

MattMcGannMIT (20:10:41)
Lots of questions! Kiran and I will try to answer in parallel here...

MithsApprentice (19:59:49)
Daniel/11/TX: A authoritative competition series that many of us participate in is the AMC series (In fact, from what I know Kiran plays a major part in putting together the Olympiad levels of this series). How much of an "edge" would an AIME qualification give an applicant? How about a USAMO qualification? MOP invitation?

DoubleHelix (19:59:08)
Charles/10/CO Are there any summer programs that i could attend? Ex, some engineering programs? Also, would these help me when applying to MIT?

MattMcGannMIT (20:11:56)
Hi Charles. There are three summer programs hosted at MIT for rising seniors. They are: the Research Science Institute (RSI) http://www.cee.org/rsi (yes, some do engineering research)

MattMcGannMIT (20:12:14)
the Womens Technology Program (WTP) http://wtp.mit.edu

kedlaya (20:12:24)
Daniel: I will need Matt to finish the answer to this question, but to start it, the math department definitely knows about the AMC hierarchy (and its analogues for international students), and I believe there is some contact between the department and admissions. But I don't think one obtains a particular "edge" based on those results.

MattMcGannMIT (20:12:50)
and the Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) http://web.mit.edu/mites/www

kedlaya (20:13:17)
Daniel continued: I believe that we are somewhat more aware of such things than some schools we would consider to be our competition.

MattMcGannMIT (20:13:47)
I might also recommend NASA SHARP if you're interested in space engineering, which is a good program (not MIT)

MattMcGannMIT (20:14:09)
there are many other good summer programs; you ca learn more on the web or on the MIt Admissions website

kedlaya (20:14:35)
Addendum to Charles's question: the math department is quite deeply involved with RSI.

MattMcGannMIT (20:15:24)
Daniel, reaching the far stages of the AMC is quite an accomplishment, and is definitely something we consider.

chess64 (19:59:21)
Someone / 9 / MD

On AP scores, your web site says:
"For scores lower than 5 (or 4 for the BC Calculus examination), credit will not be awarded."

Does this mean you have to get a perfect on AP exams for them to count?

Ramenkage (19:59:43)
Jonathan / 16 / NJ: Does MIT have any robotics courses/projects? What major would that fall under?

kedlaya (20:17:21)
Jonathan: robotics is quite a popular subject at MIT. There is a big competition every year (I think during IAP) in one of the classes, and students participate in various collegiate contests too.

MattMcGannMIT (20:17:36)
What the website says is true. At MIT, we teach at a very high level, and we want to be sure you've learned what we teach before we have you place out. If you did not score a 4 or 5 on the BC Calc test, but still think you know enough to not take the course, then you can take the final exam of intro calc during orientation and if you pass, we will give you credit.

kedlaya (20:18:17)
Aside: we mentioned the Independent Activities Period before, so maybe I need to clarify. The month of January is between semesters, is designated IAP, and is reserved for various mostly non-credit activities.

MattMcGannMIT (20:18:53)
Jonathan, you can find robotics going on in many different departments. Mechanical Engineering is probably the largest, but there's also exciting stuff in Aeronautics/Astronautics, ocean Engineering, and more.

kedlaya (20:19:09)
Probably also Computer Science (CSAIL).

MattMcGannMIT (20:19:34)
oh, right, Electrical Engineering/Computer Science, of course

MattMcGannMIT (20:20:08)
The famous 2.007 robotics competition class website is http://pergatory.mit.edu/2.007

MattMcGannMIT (20:20:27)
It was started by Prof. Woodie Flowers, co-founder of US FIRST Robotics

Altheman (19:59:47)
Alex / 15 / IL: When the admissions office looks at grades, do they focus on Math and Science? or Do they look at the other subjects like English, History, etc.?

xiangyu1 (20:02:52)
Evans/12/VA: I've completed some college level math classes (Multivar, Linear Algebra, Numerical Analysis, Differential Equations), how would they count for credit at MIT?

MattMcGannMIT (20:21:37)
Hi Alex, we look at all of the grades from all of your high school courses. We hopes that you'll have mostly As in a challenging courseload.

kedlaya (20:21:41)
In general, math courses from other schools are not counted for credit at MIT. However, you are not expected to repeat them: you should go take some new classes!

kedlaya (20:22:17)
Meaning, you can use them to enter classes that might require such courses as prerequisites. Professors tend to be flexible about that sort of thing.

MattMcGannMIT (20:23:36)
Tianren, I was a junior in HS when I applied and was admitted to MIT. The admissions process is the same, though we will look to see that you've mostly exhausted your opportunities at home and that those around you (your school) are supportive of your decision to graduate early.

jiangwei (20:00:41)
Tianren/11/PA: are there special things the admission officers look for juniors who apply early

MattMcGannMIT (20:24:07)
Wow, it's hard to keep up with the questions! I'm answering them in order, so be patient...

jollyrancher99 (20:05:33)
Dhruv/10/CA: If we partake in individual research at a University (under the supervision of a PhD), and it was not possible to write an official research paper, how will be be able to show to the admissions officers our participation? Will it simply be listed in the ECs section of the college app., or is there some other process necessary?

kedlaya (20:25:49)
Dhruv: I'd suggest you have the supervisor of the research write a recommendation letter.

MattMcGannMIT (20:26:09)
exactly!

kedlaya (20:27:23)
More generally, if there is anything you consider unusual/exceptional/particularly interesting in your background, and you can find someone who can document it in a letter of recommendation, you should be asking them to write you one.

tokenadult (20:02:51)
Mike / grad ('80) / MN: Is MIT placing an increasing emphasis on sports involvement in making admission decisions? I hear of many more high school athletes being admitted than I used to hear about.

MattMcGannMIT (20:30:50)
Hi Mike/tokenadult (nice to "meet" you!), it's hard for me to compare to prior years, as I have only been in the office for 5 years, but during that time I don't see any increased focus on athletes. We do look for applicants with some balance, and sports is as good a way to show that as music (very common among our students), theater, student government, etc. But we do not lower the bar for athletes. As the Dean likes to say, there's only one way to be admitted to MIT, and it's the hard way.

lowest_reynolds (20:04:08)
Jeremy / 11 / GA USA - ON CANADA / - I know that MIT is very selective in terms of its admissions numbers, and this is true even more so when it comes to International admissions. When scrutizing each International MIT application, would you regard them in a similar way when viewing Domestic applications? For example, would you take preference over a country's Olympiad representative or an applicant from that same country who's pretty smart and believes in the MIT vision?

nigma (20:06:07)
Luke Peyralans / 10 / OR: At the end of my Junior year I'll have taken all the non-frivolous classes offered by my school and be able to graduate. If I were to do this and apply at the end of my Junior year would I be at a disadvantage because my school doesn't offer the more challenging curriculum that better high schools offer? Would it be better to spend a year pursuing classes at a local college before applying?

mytalkiewalkie (20:08:11)
Kai / 12 / FL: On the topic of outside recommendations, would 3 of them from different areas of my commitments be excessive? They involve athletics, community service, and internship with a lawyer.

kedlaya (20:32:03)
I think the more distinct the areas covered by your letters, the more useful they will be for the admissions office.

kedlaya (20:32:39)
Sorry, that was to answer Kai's question. I think I copied three at once; will answer the other two next.

MattMcGannMIT (20:34:10)
Jeremy, it is true that admission for students who are not US citizens or permanent residents is more difficult. We look at international applications in a similar fashion to domestic applications. We still look for a good fit and match with MIT, including resonance with MIT's mission. And yes, we have turned down I*O representatives for solid, good-all-around kids, as well as the other way around.

kedlaya (20:35:43)
Luke: the answer to Tianren's question carries over. If you are out of options at your high school, you should definitely consider applying. On the other hand, if you have access to a local college, you might consider that too; many of our students have taken some college classes at the end of their high school terms.

MattMcGannMIT (20:35:51)
Kai, I usually don't recommend 5 letters except in special situations. My best advice is to ask your college counselor what s/he thinks. If s/he says send all 5, I'd trust that advice. remember there are many ways to show your interests. The interview is one great opportunity.

fubu (20:04:13)
Koning/12/UT: Does MIT have a sizable population of undergrads who go to medical school? Or is MIT better for more research-oriented biology students?

Ramenkage (20:08:28)
Jonathan / 12 / NJ: Are there any arts minors or double major opportunities at MIT? (specifically theater)

kedlaya (20:37:46)
Jonathan: for a "tech" school, MIT is quite an active place artswise! Many of our students pursue double majors in music or theater, or indulge such interests in an extracurricular fashion.

MattMcGannMIT (20:38:14)
Koning, yes, MIT has many folks who go on to medical school, including many of my friends. My friends are at Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Mt. Sinai, Cornell, Tufts, and other places for med school, and two friends are currently residents at UCSD and UMich.

kedlaya (20:38:47)
There are several very active theater groups: the Musical Theater Guild, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players, the Dramashop, and so on.

kedlaya (20:39:44)
Additional performance opportunities include musical groups (choral, instrumental, a cappella, etc.), improv comedy, and so on.

MattMcGannMIT (20:40:30)
Jonathan, also check out http://web.mit.edu/arts/theater for theater opportunities, and http://web.mit.edu/mta/www/theater for the Theater department.

kedlaya (20:40:53)
Koning: on the flip side, MIT is quite active in research-oriented biology too. One exciting area that is quite active is genomics, which combines biology with the ideas of mathematics and computer science.

hqin2007 (20:04:33)
Henry, Junior, Boston, MA: How does the MIT Admissions process value achievements in mathematics against achievements in other subjects? Are they judged equally?

h_s_potter2002 (20:17:11)
Shravas/9/Ohio I know that the computer science deparment is different at MIT that at other colleges. I was wondering, how is it different, and would computer science majors be at a disadvantage when applying for jobs because of the different way of teaching?

kedlaya (20:43:04)
Shravas: I would hardly characterize an MIT computer science degree as a disadvantage! MIT is arguably the world's single most recognized university for computer science, and that carries appropriate weight in the job market.

MattMcGannMIT (20:43:54)
MIT is an analytically-oriented field, and achievements in analytical fields like math are pretty cool. But that doesn't mean other achievements don't matter. We have some world-class pianists, skiers, and tiddlywinks players here, too. Its hard to say if one is valued "more" than the other; we evaluate the total package.

sky9073 (20:05:00)
Yoonju / 11.5 / Korea (Mexico). Follow-up for Perry's question: is eligibility (or lack thereof) for regional/national/international recognitions considered as part of an international applicant's context?

kedlaya (20:44:26)
That said, I wouldn't make any decisions about where to go to school based specifically on what you think will happen with your degree on the other end. Where you will get the best education is clearly more critical.

MattMcGannMIT (20:44:46)
Yoonju, absolutely.

ginasboys (20:05:46)
Perry / 12 / Louisville, KY (Int'l Domestic). Regarding int'l applicants: I have read on the MIT website that almost all int'l applicants admitted have at least some impressive national or international recognitions. That prompts me to wonder if, at least in the int'l pool, MIT is looking more forward IMO medalists and Intel Finalists or people who make the best of all the resources they are given and are inspired to work hard. Furthermore, what are some of the typical reasons that qualified int'l students get rejected? And what are some of the more distinguished qualities (possibly besides the ones listed above) that they are admitted?

fubu (20:20:52)
Koning/12/UT: What is the average workload at MIT like? Will most students have time to do well in all their courses as well as extracurricular activities?

kedlaya (20:47:54)
Koning: the MIT workload is largely what you make of it. I will confess that there is a bit of truth in the stereotype that MIT students work very very hard; to a certain extent they also play hard (see above about those hacks). In any case, many students do find time for arts, sports, and other extracurriculars.

MattMcGannMIT (20:49:09)
Perry, I hope my answer to Jeremy above helps with the first part of your question. Next, for most people, including international applicants, there usually isn't a "reason" why they are not admitted besides there are just too many qualified applicatants for the number of spots. I know that sounds like a bunch of admissions jive, but it is the truth. Of our admitted international students this year, yes, there are ISEF, IMO, IBO, etc. participants, absolutely. There are also backyard inventors, brilliant and dynamic leaders, people who are breaking out of the box and taking great initiative, and just some good salt-of-the-earth people.

SnowStorm (20:06:02)
Eric / 10 / CO: I have heard the MIT has recently been admitting more and more students with strengths in English and Literature and denying more students with strengths in Mathematics and Science; I'd assume to attain a more well rounded student body. Is this pure myth?

shelly_qian (20:19:43)
Andy/9/CA: how do you qualify for RSI program?

kedlaya (20:51:14)
Andy: the RSI program is limited to students who just finished their junior year of high school. I believe it is done by application; see the web site www.cee.org/rsi/index.shtml.

MattMcGannMIT (20:51:32)
It is not true that we want "a more well rounded student body," but it is true that we hope people have more than just math and science in their life. There is real value in the humanities, and even math and CS majors must take 8 courses in the humanities, arts and social sciences while at MIT.

Valerie Lindeborg (20:08:53)
Valerie/mathcoach adult/CA:What activites/clubs should I tell the students to participate in at the high school level to set them apart and get them noticed in your application process?

kedlaya (20:52:42)
And remember, the RSI program is in no way a "free pass" to getting admitted into MIT! (In case you haven't figured out by now, there is no free pass...)

jelyman (20:23:46)
Cinjon / 12/ FL : I've spoken to professors at FAU, and the common quote they have is that to do research in mathematics, You have to climb a mountain in education before starting up at a lifetime of work.... so how well does math lend itself to the UROP program. Basically, is there much of a math contribution to the UROP program?

MattMcGannMIT (20:53:56)
Valerie, thanks for being here! There is no "magic bullet" activity for college admissions. We hope that students will follow their passions, spend time exploring those things that they love, whether its math (and AoPS is a great place to do that), robots, or juggling. Those students who do things because they love them, and not because they're "supposed to," really do stand out in our admissions process.

agolsme (20:09:16)
Leah/Junior/MN Do you look at class rank from highschools or do you recalculate it somehow?

kedlaya (20:54:26)
I think Cinjon left, but I want to answer this question anyway. I have personally supervised several UROP students in math. It is not as straightforward as in other subjects, because we don't have large lab projects into which we can simply insert an extra student, but it is not out of the question.

kedlaya (20:55:45)
Also, we have an adjunct program to RSI called SPUR (Summer Program in Undergraduate Research) for first and second year students over the summer. In addition, many of our students participate in summer research projects at REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) programs at other schools, or work for industry or government labs and agencies.

kedlaya (20:56:33)
So the short answer is, while certain types of mathematics do require a lot of study up front before you get to do anything, many math majors do get the chance to do some research that is a bit more accessible.

MattMcGannMIT (20:57:05)
Hi Leah, if a high school sends us class rank, we will consider it in our process. However, the rank is much less important than each grade and each course you've taken. For example, I know sometimes students who participate in music have their class rank hurt because it is not weighted, or because a dozen people have straight As and they have a couple Bs here and there. These things happen. We will use your transcript as an important consideration, and we hope you have mostly As in mostly challenging classes. (This does not mean you have to overload on APs! Take a reasonably challenging schedule, and use the other time to focus on things you greatly enjoy exploring deeper!)

shelly_qian (20:10:26)
someone / 14 / CA: for a student interested in life sciences, do you look for heavy math/physics background?

jiangwei (20:40:19)
Tianren/11/PA: are most of the undergraduate classes taught by faculties or TA?

kedlaya (20:59:57)
Tianren, that varies somewhat from department to department, but I think most of the faculty (even those Nobel Laureates Matt mentioned) do teach undergraduate classes. I can speak more specifically in math: our "service" courses (calculus, linear algebra, differential equations) are taught in lectures by regular faculty, and students also attend recitations (sectional meetings) led by older graduate students, postdocs (recent PhDs), and some regular faculty. Courses beyond that are all taught by regular faculty except for a few by postdocs, with graduate student TAs helping to grade papers.

hmmm (20:41:51)
Maria / 12 / PA: Is it possible to complete an undergraduate education at MIT in three years?

MattMcGannMIT (21:01:40)
Hi someone/Shelly(?), when you are admitted to MIT, you'll be admitted to the entire university and not to a specific department; all freshmen come in "undeclared" and choose whatever major they want at the end of the freshman year. So all students, whether they plan to be philosophy, architecture or nuclear engineering majors must take math, physics, chemistry, biology, a lab class, and 8 humanities arts, and social sciences. All this is background for the answer: we admit students we know can succeed at MIT, regardless of what major you choose. You don't need "heavy" math/physics background, but I would recommend math through calculus and a high school physics course, in addition to whatever cool biology stuff you're doing. I hope that helps!

kedlaya (21:02:09)
Maria, I think it is possible in principle if you take a heavy course load. But I think that would be a waste of a tremendous opportunity! Very few of our students accelerate; indeed, many stay a fifth year to do a Master's or other additional work.

MattMcGannMIT (21:02:21)
Quick followup to Tianren: every class I took at MIT was taught by a faculty member.

Domenic (20:49:50)
How difficult is it to double-major?

kedlaya (21:03:51)
Domenic, a large fraction of MIT students do double majors. Already double majors with Elect. Engineering/Computer Science and a second subject is a noticeable fraction of the student body.

kedlaya (21:04:35)
Of course the overall courseload for a double major depends on which two subjects are involved. For a "standard" combination like math + CS, it is not that much higher than either one individually.

jiangwei (20:50:10)
Tianren/11/PA: Do undergrad students have a lot of access to sports utilities (basketball court, weight room.....)

MattMcGannMIT (21:05:37)
I might also note that because of the way MIT's requirements are structured, a math/sci/eng and hum/arts/socSci double major is also fairly "standard."

chess64 (20:13:32)
Wait...so if I had exactly the same stats as someone else, except I qualified for MOP in 9th grade, for example, that wouldn't have any effect??

MithsApprentice (20:18:20)
Daniel/11/TX: How heavily are standardized test scores (in particular, please address AP, IB, SAT I, and SAT II) considered at in the admissions process? Is this different for public/private schools that also have grades from schools and homeschooled students who do not?

kedlaya (21:06:41)
Tianren, MIT has quite good athletic facilities; we just built a brand new facility (the Zesiger Center) a couple of years ago. And contrary to stereotype, students really do take advantage of the facilities

thomas h mochizuki (20:55:45)
tom/engineer/parent/CA are your mathematics classes taught as well as Walter Lewin teaches(taught) physics?

MattMcGannMIT (21:07:41)
Tianren, see http://web.mit.edu/zcenter and http://web.mit.edu/athletics for more info

kedlaya (21:07:58)
I don't have any personal experience with Walter Lewin, but I'd certainly like to think that we have good teachers in our math classes. Certainly MIT thinks so; several have received Institute-wide teaching awards recently.

ginasboys (20:58:24)
Perry / 12 / Lou, KY. (Int'l Domestic). A follow-up: Are int'l students in MIT allowed to participate in the Putnam competition? And is there an intramural selection process to determine the limited # of people who can participate?

kedlaya (21:09:12)
Perry, the Putnam is open to all students enrolled at a North American university, regardless of citizenship, and there is no limit to the number of students who may participate from any one school. In fact, MIT led the field last year with over 150 (!!) participants.

kedlaya (21:10:23)
There is a selection process to decide which three students will represent MIT as a team, meaning that their ranks (not scores) on the exam are added to determine MIT's team placement, which carries additional prizes for MIT and the selected students. But all students taking part are eligible for individual recognition and prizes.

MattMcGannMIT (21:10:37)
Daniel, test scores are a considered part of the process but we do not make decisions based on test scores. No one gets admitted or rejected because of an SAT or AP score. For students who have the opportunity to take AP or IB classes, this is often a good opportunity, and we appreciate when they take on the challenge, to a reasonable degree. We know that AP and IB courses are not available to all students and we do not expect those students to take them. In short, test scores are a considered part of the process, but decisions are made based on fit and match with MIT.

DoubleHelix (20:22:55)
Charles/10/CO How is AP weighed against IB? Does MIT recognize IB?

kedlaya (21:11:13)
In recent years, the Putnam has become a more international competition, as many students from other countries are now studying math in the US as undergraduates (whereas before they only came for graduate school), and MIT is proud to have many international students among our Putnam elites.

hmmm (20:59:28)
Maria / 12 / PA: Is it possible to participate in several UROPs, some of them even not your major, to see if you are interested in researching certain subjects?

kedlaya (21:12:00)
Maria, you are definitely encouraged to try out UROPs in different areas. I have a student now doing a math UROP as a way of "trying out" the math major.

MattMcGannMIT (21:12:07)
We don't consider either to be "better," though I recognize the rigors of the IB. For those students who have the opportunity and take advantage of it, it can be a good thing. Also, IB tests are considered for credit and placement at MIT.

TheDreamer (20:23:16)
Will/18/Ontario: Hi, on my MIT account it says that there is no interview person in my region. However I would really like an interview to know more about MIT, and am willing to travel far to get one. Is that possible to arrange?

Ramenkage (21:00:35)
Jonathan / 12 / NJ: I've read some interesting things about Olin College's "unique" approaches. How would you say MIT compares?

MattMcGannMIT (21:13:17)
Will, we have interviewers in Ontario and are in the process of assigning interviewers. You can email interview@mit.edu for more information if you are not assigned an interviewer in the near future.

Ramenkage (20:23:22)
Jonathan / 12 / NJ: Are there any open houses coming up for high school seniors? How would one go about scheduling a campus visit?

kedlaya (21:13:56)
Jonathan: I have a friend who has a PhD from MIT and teaches at Olin, so maybe I should refer you to him for this. In any case, it's a hard comparison because Olin is so much smaller; you may need to ask more specific questions offline.

chess64 (21:04:40)
Can you double major with 2 completely different subjects, like Physics and Russian?? :P

kedlaya (21:14:34)
In general you can double major in whatever you want (although I don't think Russian is a standard major at MIT).

hmmm (21:05:18)
Maria/ 12 / PA: Do math majors intending to go to graduate school for their Ph.D. ever stay at MIT for graduate school, or do they usually end up somewhere else?

MattMcGannMIT (21:15:41)
Jonathan, you can arrange an overnight visit to MIT by registering on the MyMIT homepage http://my.mit.edu You can stay with an MIt student in an MIT living group, go to classes (including Kiran's ;) ), eat the food, go to activities, etc. There are dates available throughout the fall term. If you just want to come up and not stay overnight, no reservations are necessary; more information is on MyMIT.

macgeekgrl (20:23:55)
Ashli/freshman/IN: Does MIT prefer students who know a lot about some subjects or more liberally educated students? For instance, I know some stuff about math and computers, and also arts, but my social studies are average(well actually i get As, but I don't study these subjects deeply and they aren't interesting to me)

kedlaya (21:16:33)
Maria: I'm glad someone asked that question! We typically encourage our undergraduates to go to another school for their PhD, on the grounds that one gets a better education overall by being exposed to more people, different ideas, etc. And our students do go on to all the usual places: Harvard, Princeton, Chicago, Berkeley, Stanford, Michigan... but on average we have 1-2 MIT undergraduate math majors joining the PhD program each year, so you can see we don't prohibit it outright.

ginasboys (21:04:47)
Perry / 12 / Lou, KY. Talking of the math classes, how were someone to provide a "transcript," or "proof," for classes self-studied through the OpenCourseWare at MIT (a wonderful service, btw)?

MattMcGannMIT (21:17:36)
Hi Ashli, some students here are deeply interested in a few select subjects, and some seem to be interested in nearly everything. We don't have a preference, but not loving social studies isn't going to be a problem. Keep up with your interests in math, CS, and the arts, and good things will happen for you.

MattMcGannMIT (21:18:39)
Luckily my housemates are TiVoing Veronica Mars! ;)

kedlaya (21:18:44)
Perry: that depends what you want the proof for. You can't get credit for OCW self-study, just as you can't get credit for most courses at other schools. In a few cases, you may be able to petition for credit in an MIT subject by proving your knowledge on a placement exam (which may just be the final exam in the course), but this has to be done on a case-by-case basis.

MattMcGannMIT (21:18:52)
Trying to answer as many as I can...

Elemennop_2 (20:27:46)
Sevastian/11/AL: How does MIT consider an applicant's senior course in comparison to the rest? For example, I did not take the Advanced level classes in English in HS (unfortunately), choosing to focus more on the AP/AL Math and Science path. However, I had planned to take an all advanced course list my next year (12th). Without a final grade list for that year, how is that taken evaluated with the rest?

MysticTerminator (21:13:32)
Ashutosh Tripathy, parent, Chapel Hill, NC My son Arnav Tripathy, currently a junior in High School has finished all undergraduate mathematics classes at UNC, a nearby university and is currently enrolled in graduate classes there. Can he get credit for all of these classes at MIT?

MattMcGannMIT (21:20:42)
Sevastian, it's okay that you're not taking every advanced course in existance! You're challenging yourself in math and science this year, and that's good. Don't overload next year, leave some time for the other things you love in your life. We're not going to penalize you if you don't take an "all advanced course list" next year.

hmmm (20:28:58)
Maria / 12 / PA: Are extra letters of recommendation (beyond the required Humanities teacher and Science/Math Teacher forms) reviewed in the admissions process, and if so, how should such a letter be sent?

kedlaya (21:21:40)
Ashutosh: again, MIT does not ordinarily grant credit to entering students for courses taken while in high school. However, your son would be welcome to use those courses to satisfy prerequisites for courses here.

macgeekgrl (21:09:10)
Ashli/15/IN: Is competition within the student population
fierce once you get into MIT

MattMcGannMIT (21:23:29)
Maria, we're happy to review extra recommendations (within reason) that help us to better understand you. often i find that a 3rd teacher recommendation is not useful, but a 3rd recommendation from someone who knows you in another way (coach, mentor, boss, pastor/Rabbi/etc, and so on) can be quite useful.

kedlaya (21:24:03)
Matt is the one who was an MIT undergraduate, so maybe I should defer to him. But my impression is that MIT students, while they may focus very hard on their work, are not that focused on competing with each other. (Certainly less so than at some other places I could name...)

MattMcGannMIT (21:25:13)
Ashli, I didn't find the MIT culture to be cutthroat or having fierce competition during my time here. In fact, much of the work I did at MIT was collaborative with other students, working together. People work hard and are passionate about what they do, but this is not really the place for those students who just want to beat out the other students. This is a very collaborative place.

MattMcGannMIT (21:25:51)
I might also note that here, there's little incentive to compete, as there's no class rank, no valedictorian, no "Cum Laude" honors or anything like that. Here, learning is its own reward.

nigma (20:31:52)
Luke Peyralans / 10 / OR: On the MIT app I believe that it asks how many hours a week you spend on sports. At my school, where I compete in XC, I spend an average of 22+ hours a week. Is this about average?

bleeben (20:57:13)
Benjamin/10/MD I've heard that some schools have their own method of calculating GPA. How does MIT calculate GPA scores?

MysticTerminator (21:17:46)
Ashutosh Tripathy / parent / NC Would it be possible to meet with the undergrad math director during HMMT?

kedlaya (21:27:02)
Benjamin: one peculiarity is that MIT does not use +- modifiers in computing GPA. Another is that first-semester students take their courses "Pass/No Record"

kedlaya (21:27:43)
But to second Matt's point, the GPA is not used for any sort of class ranking

kedlaya (21:28:33)
Ashutosh: the HMMT happens over a weekend when most faculty are not present, so that would have to be arranged individually.

neil477 (21:24:56)
Are Putnam Results a major factor in graduate school admissions?

MattMcGannMIT (21:28:54)
Hi Luke. I also did cross country in high school and spent not nearly that much time! I would say that is above average. You must have quite a commitment to cross country. If you are interested in doing Division III cross country at MIT, contact our coach, Halston Taylor. the websie is http://web.mit.edu/hwtaylor/mtfxc/xc.html

MattMcGannMIT (21:29:20)
And Benjamin, if you meant HS GPA, no, Admissions does not recalculate HS GPA in our process.

chess64 (20:32:27)
Adeel / 9 / MD: If I want to go to MIT after 2 years of HS (instead of my junior year) I would apply in 10th grade, right?

kedlaya (21:30:18)
Putnam results are looked at by many graduate schools, but in fact graduate school admission(which I have participated in at MIT) is a lot like undergraduate admissions! Putnam scores (and even Olympiad scores) are only part of the picture, together with grades, courses you took, any summer/term activities you might have done like supervised research, letters of recommendation, and so on.

MattMcGannMIT (21:30:52)
Adeel, students should apply during the fall of the year before they hope to matriculate. See above about considerations for early graduation and MIT admissions.

towersfreak2006 (20:33:23)
Samson/12/TX: How will MIT treat credit received at the undergraduate level of a local university? Will credits of an incoming freshman be regarded similarly to those as a transfer student would?

kedlaya (21:31:42)
And to add on a comment about a question which I think got missed earlier, while math competitions are certainly a great route into research mathematics, by themselves they are only partial preparation, so one should not spend too much time on them at the expense of other things.

ma-ma-math (20:29:10)
approximately how long is the bridge across the charles (in smoots)

kedlaya (21:32:57)
Okay, I just *have* to answer this one. But first I should explain what a "smoot" is.

MattMcGannMIT (21:33:14)
Samson, this is a continuing thread here about college courses and credit here at MIT. Here's the procedure: save your syllabi and transcripts, and you'll send them to the appropriate department for transfer credit when you enroll at MIT. The faculty there will determine if your course and grade are equivalent to one at MIT, and if so, you may receive credit and placement for that course. See http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/prospective/transfer

fleeting_guest (20:33:42)
hello! re: early graduation, what is meant by HS being "supportive of decision to graduate early"? If teacher recommendations also address candidate's maturity, is that sufficient? any support beyond the usual (teacher recommendations attesting to maturity, etc) considered relevant? It would be unusual to place the high school in position to decide what student should do.

kedlaya (21:34:06)
Many years ago, there was a freshman named Oliver Smoot who, as part of a frat initiation, was used as a measuring stick to measure the bridge across the Charles River right by MIT. That is, he had to lie down, get up, lie down again, and so on, while two other freshman measured off his body lengths.

kedlaya (21:34:45)
I believe the bridge measures 364.4 smoots "+ 1 ear" for experimental error. The markers fade in the winter but are repainted fresh most every spring.

i_need_a_pillow (20:46:54)
Justin/12/MO: In a similar vein to Perry's question, how often do applicants have significant research experience? Am I at a disadvantage for not having any?

MysticTerminator (21:32:45)
Ashutosh Tripathy, parent, NC, Does MIT have a joint program in which a student can double-major in say both math and classical music ( like the Harvard - New England Conservatory of Music program)?

MattMcGannMIT (21:36:39)
A final irony is that Oliver Smoot later went to work for NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, himself a standard!

kedlaya (21:37:12)
I don't think we have a formal arrangement with NECM or anything like that. But we do have some programs (like the Emerson Scholars program) via which MIT students can arrange individual and group lessons, and many do.

Danny Minkin (21:28:35)
Danny/10/NY Can you do a double major (theoretical math/physics) and also a minor in for ex, either international relations or human rights?

kedlaya (21:38:35)
You can double major in any two subjects which are actually available at MIT. I'm not sure about international relations. I should have also mentioned earlier that even subjects not available at MIT can be taken, via cross-registration arrangements with Harvard and other local schools.

MattMcGannMIT (21:38:49)
Hi fleeting guest, we look to see that generally it seems to be a good idea for this student to be going to college, and that people in their life support this decision. There's an interesting thread in rrusczyk's blog about this a few posts back, with an interesting exchange between tokenadult and rrusczyk that was well reasoned on both sides. If you've got the link, send it on this way.

MattMcGannMIT (21:39:34)
International relations can be found within our Political Science Department.See http://web.mit.edu/polisci

macgeekgrl (20:35:37)
huh whats I*O

kedlaya (21:40:15)
I*O was meant to abbreviate IMO (Intl. Math Olympiad), IPhO (Intl. Physics Olympiad), et cetera.

MattMcGannMIT (21:40:30)
Sorry for the shorthand... I meant any of the International Olympiads, such as International Math Olympiad (IMO), International Biology Olympiad (IBO), etc.

DoubleHelix (21:23:50)
Charles / 10 / CO Is it hard to be admitted to MIT's summer programs? Is there a lot of competition?

xiangyu1 (20:37:29)
Evans/12/VA: Does MIT put a limit on the number of students admitted from one high school? A lot of the magnet high schools have many MIT applicants, would that hurt the chances of admission for students from these high schools?

kedlaya (21:41:31)
Charles, I'm mostly just familiar with RSI, which is a *very* selective program; I think it's maybe 75-100 students per year, and some of those are international. It is probably harder to get into RSI than into MIT!

kedlaya (21:43:18)
Evans: I don't know the exact answer to this, but I suspect that any such disadvantage would be counterbalanced by the fact that a student at a magnet school has an easier time getting the kind of preparation and opportunities that we tend to be looking for.

MattMcGannMIT (21:43:30)
Hi Evans, no, we do not limit the number of students from one high school. We evaluate each individual student on their own, not against others from their high school, or state, or prospective major, etc. There are many great magnet schools in this country and they are well represented at MIT. Being from an area without magnet schools, I am happy, though, that MIT is not a school that admits because of a high school, either; each applicant is considered as an individual, within their own context of opportunities and challenges.

Elemennop (21:40:51)
rrusczyk's post: http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Community/AoPS_Y_IndBlog.php?blog_id=1163

tokenadult (21:41:20)
Perhaps Matt is referring to the AoPS College Forum thread

tokenadult (21:41:25)
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=11630

tokenadult (21:42:17)
in which fleeting guest also participated. I am quite interested in the early college option, because it is one possibility on the table for my own children--although not the possibility I'm pursuing most vigorously at the moment.

MattMcGannMIT (21:45:59)
Charles, Kiran is right that RSI, as well as MITES and WTP, have lower admission rates than MIt freshman admissions. RSI and MITES are free and WTP is relatively cheap and has financial aid. We admit plenty of people who were not admitted to these programs, though, so don't worry too much.

MattMcGannMIT (21:46:30)
Thanks for the links. Semms my memory is going. It was an interesting conversation; I should go back and reread it, maybe comment myself...

opple (20:38:45)
what is the high school average that you have to get in order to get accepted to MIT?

MattMcGannMIT (21:47:22)
We have no minimum GPA. Most students we admit have mostly As (but some lower grades, too) in a challenging curriculum.

thomas h mochizuki (21:38:09)
tom/engineer/parent/CA kedlaya, are you versed enough with AOPS to rate this site as a creative and collegial learning environment for middle and high school students? thank you

MithsApprentice (20:38:55)
Daniel/11/TX: What kind of undergrad opportunities are available for students interested in business administration and economics?

kedlaya (21:48:26)
Tom: I think it is safe to say that the fact that Matt and I are using AoPS as a forum for this discussion means that we personally, and MIT institutionally to an extent, recognize this as a fantastic environment for the students here.

chess64 (21:48:16)
Thomas: YES! :)

MattMcGannMIT (21:49:51)
Daniel, Mangement and Economics are two great departments at MIT, both considered among the best around. They offer many interesting and challenging classes with great professors from around the world. I really enjoyed my courses in both departments. See http://mitsloan.mit.edu/undergrad and http://web.mit.edu/economics/www

MattMcGannMIT (21:51:18)
You may also be interested in the associated student groups, the Undergraduate Economics Association http://web.mit.edu/uea/www and the Sloan Undergraduate Management Association http://web.mit.edu/suma

shelly_qian (20:39:21)
Andy/9/CA: Does MIT tend to admit more students from east coast than west coast?

chess64 (20:19:05)
Do other schools have IAP as well?

MattMcGannMIT (21:52:20)
Andy (not Shelly, aha), admit rates are pretty much the same from east and west coast states, and in the middle. Our largest representated state is your home state of california.

jollyrancher99 (20:41:15)
Dhruv/10/CA: Does MIT require an interivew for admissions? If so, how mch of an effect will it have on the overall chances of a given applicant?

kedlaya (21:54:01)
Sorry, should have answered this earlier. I have heard of other schools with some sort of non-credit activities period either between semesters or at the end of the year, but MIT's IAP is quite unique in terms of the types of activities and their sheer numbers. You can see the IAP activity guide for last year at web.mit.edu/iap.

MattMcGannMIT (21:54:17)
Dhruv, we highly recommend an interview, and we have hundreds of interviewers in your home state of California. It is one of many parts of the application that is considered. I would not think of it as "make-or-break" but it is a helpful part of things for us.

JHu (20:41:49)
Johnny / 11 / AL: What if I spend some time on activities, such as website design, that I do myself for clubs and organizations which might not have much expertise in these areas. Would I just list these activities under extracurricular activities, or is there another option?

MattMcGannMIT (21:55:36)
Johnny, this could be an "extracurricular" or it could be considered a job, even if it is unpaid. Send along a sample of your work with your app.

MattMcGannMIT (21:59:31)
trying to catch up with questions... the old ones disappear after a while.

chess64 (21:17:44)
Yeah I love MIT OpenCourseWare!! :)

DoubleHelix (21:30:49)
Charles / 10 / CO Is commitment to one sport better than "a little bit of everything?" I play basketball as my main sport, but I also swim and run cross country. Should I focus on one sport?

MattMcGannMIT (22:00:58)
You can learn more about OpenCourseWare at http://ocw.mit.edu

MattMcGannMIT (22:01:03)
Ah, the questions are back...

chess64 (22:00:06)
Would qualifying for MOP make a difference at all in your admission?

MattMcGannMIT (22:01:35)
If you enjoy all three sports, Charles, i see no reason to quit the others.

kedlaya (22:01:45)
That is definitely something we consider, but it is of course but one factor in your larger application

Ramenkage (21:33:17)
Jonathan / 12 / NJ: Does a father who was on the MIT intermural tiddlywinks team count for anything in the app. process? [img id=em-3] Seriously, tho, does an alumnus parent count for anything?

MattMcGannMIT (22:02:40)
We are not a school with affirmative action for legacies. if you get it, it's on your own merit!

MysticTerminator (21:42:50)
Ashutosh Tripathy, parent, NC We would like to meet with a math department professor when we visit MIT (on a week-day) to discuss transfer credit and other issues. Who should that person be? math dept. chair?

kedlaya (22:03:04)
I think you have to go next door for legacies :)

kedlaya (22:03:26)
Ashutosh: try emailing dept@math.mit.edu to arrange that.

MattMcGannMIT (22:04:15)
Ashutosh, I would call the undergraduate math department office. If you have problems, let me know and we'll see what we can do. Hope you have a good trip up for HMMT in a few months!

MattMcGannMIT (22:04:46)
HMMT, by the way, is the Harvard-MIT Math Tournament, a great competition here in Cambridge. See http://web.mit.edu/hmmt for more information

nanlinr (21:48:04)
Nan/12/IN: Does MIT require 2 SAT subject tests now or 3?

kedlaya (22:04:59)
The email contact for the undergraduate office is Joanne Jonsson, by the way.

kedlaya (22:05:24)
(make that the undergraduate math department office)

MattMcGannMIT (22:05:57)
Hi Nan, for seniors, we require a math, a science, and a third SAT II of your choice (lit, history, foreign language, math, science, whatever). For huniors and younger, 2 SAT IIs, one math, one science.

MattMcGannMIT (22:06:12)
Sorry for the typos, it's getting late! I'll try to take a few more.

fubu (21:48:57)
Koning/12/UT: Just out of curiosity, what kinds of common qualities do you see, or see a lack of, in perfect SAT/ACT score applicants that you deny?

DoubleHelix (21:53:30)
Charles / 10 / CO How is my state represented?

sleepsta (21:59:51)
Albert / 10 / CA: Is there a foreign language requirement, such as 2 years? If so will the foreign language classes from middle school count?

MattMcGannMIT (22:07:32)
The web tells me we have 41 undergrads from Colorado, about 10 a year. Not too shabby...

Domenic (21:56:27)
How are we expected to send along such samples (for websites and other such projects) if we apply online?

kedlaya (22:07:56)
Albert: I don't think there is an Institute-wide foreign-language requirement, no.

MattMcGannMIT (22:08:11)
Domenic, you can send those in using (*gasp*) snail mail :)

MattMcGannMIT (22:10:02)
Koning, to be honest, I just don't think that much about test scores. I've never stopped to consider that question.

kedlaya (22:10:04)
Koning: I'd be surprised if there were any common qualities; our applicant pool is pretty diverse.

MattMcGannMIT (22:11:07)
Thanks everyone for coming tonight!

MattMcGannMIT (22:11:28)
Sorry i couldn't get to all the questions, or give as full answers as I might have liked.

rrusczyk (22:11:41)
I'd like to thank Matt and Kiran for breaking our longest Math Jam record and answering so many of your questions.

rrusczyk (22:12:06)
You can continue these discussions in our College Forum, and you should check out Matt's blog.

rrusczyk (22:12:14)
What's that URL, Matt?

MattMcGannMIT (22:12:26)
http://matt.mitblogs.com

kedlaya (22:12:47)
Thanks also to AoPS for arranging this.

rrusczyk (22:12:48)
Thanks again - and we'll have this transcript up tomorrow so you can review the discussion.

rrusczyk (22:19:54)
That's it for the Math Jam - thank you for participating.