In case you are just "tuning in," we do things a bit differently at MIT when it comes to interviews. Some schools have their volunteers contact you, but we don't. Instead we give you access to your Educational Counselor's (EC’s) contact information through your MyMIT account in the year you are applying and it is up to you to contact your EC via email or by phone, whichever he or she has listed for your use. Students each year ask when they should contact their EC and if they don't hear back, when they should contact them again. Well, here is the full story; hopefully this post will help you navigate the interview process more easily.

If you are applying Early Action, the deadline will be here sooner than you think. The stated deadline to contact your interviewer is October 20th. I recommend you try to have had your interview by that time as well since the EC will need to submit the report on your conversation by November 1 so not waiting until the last minute to contact them is a really good idea. In fact, the “ideal” time frame would be from September 7 to about October 15th. …Yes, that's basically right now....

For Regular Action, you have a bit more time since the deadline to contact your EC is December 10. We try to get all interviews completed by the 20th to give the ECs time to submit their reports on January 6 and still enjoy the end of the year without the pressure of interview reports to complete. Since ECs are pretty busy through October with interviews for Early Action applicants the "ideal" time to contact your EC for a regular action interview is November 3 to November 24th.

When you contact your EC there are some things you can do to make life easier for both of you. If you email your EC, put in the subject of your message that you are contacting them for an interview and give them your full name in the text of your email. If you are calling them and end up leaving a message make sure to leave your full name and a contact number on the message but above all speak clearly and slowly. You'd be amazed how fast people can rattle off phone numbers. So much so, it can take multiple tries to actually get the whole thing...don't let that be you :-) It's also helpful if you indicate whether you need an interview for Early Action or Regular Action. Some ECs will try to get all of their Early Action interviews done first, so if they ask you to wait a bit it's probably an effort to plan their schedules to insure everyone gets a fair chance.

Another issue that pops up is what you should do if you are applying Early Decision or Single-Choice Early Action to another school. Having an interview with an EC may not violate these early agreements, as having an interview alone does not make you an applicant to MIT. We recommend that you check with your early admission school for their own rules, just to be on the safe side. Keep in mind that it can be frustrating for an EC to do an interview with you and submit a report only to find out you didn't end up applying since you were admitted elsewhere early as they will generally spend 4-6 hours on each student they interview between the interview and writing the report. It's okay to contact your EC and suggest you schedule the interview for after the time when you will find out whether you got in early somewhere else. If you don't get in to the other school you can then have the interview as scheduled. If you do get in to the other school, just let your EC know that you won't be needing the interview after all. They will congratulate you on your good fortune but spend that time interviewing another applicant.

So what should you do if you don't hear back from your EC? First thing, be patient for a couple of days. ECs are volunteers and have lives and jobs so they may not spend as much time answering email as you do. If you haven't heard anything in three or four days it's fine to contact them again and you should. If you still don't hear back let the EC Office know by sending an email to interview@mit.edu. We'll either let you know that your EC is away and will be in touch shortly or assign you to someone else. Give us a few days too as we get really busy this time of year helping students just like you get their interview.

The last question that comes up year after year is what to do if you miss the deadline. Obviously you don't want to do that, and if you're reading this you won't, right :-) But in case you do, it's still okay to contact your EC and see if they are able to meet with you. They may not have the time to interview you if you have missed the deadline, but it doesn't hurt to ask if you had a good reason, and many ECs will fit you in if they can. As I said, they are really nice people!!

Well, I think that pretty much covers the most frequently asked questions each year about interviews. I'll continue to talk about interviews throughout the fall but contacting your ECs before the deadline will go a long way in making this process easier...I promise!!

It makes sense when you think about it. I arrived on campus for freshman orientation and jumped right in, learning the campus as a student. What did I need a tour for, I was "living the dream" and could find everything I needed. When I came back to MIT to work (three years ago this week, I might add, yeah me :-) I already knew where everything was. Sure, I kept telling myself that I should take the time and see what it is the tour guides say about the campus as they show off this place, but I just never got around to it. Every time I made time to go something came up, someone stopped by to see me, or worse yet...it rained and why on earth would I willingly slog around the campus in a large group in the pouring rain...that was just crazy. But, I was beginning to feel guilty. I know most of the tour guides, several live in my house and I appreciate seeing their helpful faces at the end of my information sessions. The time had come!

You all have met Alina, one of our newest bloggers. Well, I first saw Alina when she came to pick up students for tours after sessions when she was a new tour guide. The following summer when I went to talk about becoming a Residential Advisor, she was involved in the discussion and now I see her every day in the house, on campus, or as I cross the bridge on my way home. Well, I ran into her on Monday night and mentioned that I wanted to go on a tour but didn't want the other people on the tour to know I worked in Admissions instead wanting them to get pay attend to the tour guide not spend their time asking me questions. Alina assured me that if I went on her tour, she wouldn't "rat me out."

So, yesterday I went on a tour incognito...but how does one do that exactly? How does one stop looking like an Admissions Officer? Well you wear jeans, tennis shoes, and a nondescript shirt. Is bright red truly nondescript, I wonder, oh well, I may have screwed that one up. Most importantly you put your staff id in your back pocket and listen with rapt interest at everything the tour guide says, but of course, you'd want to do that anyway 'cuz this is MIT after all, right?

So what did I learn? Lots of it I already knew, but it certainly didn't hurt to be reminded about some of the coolest places on our campus. Looking at it day after day you tend to forget about some of the significance of various buildings and the little details that make it special. I don't want to give away all the little details, because then you wouldn't need the tour, but I did find myself looking at the place carefully, trying to view the campus the way I would if I had never seen it before, with "fresh eyes" as it were. The truth is, I still find new cool places on campus, even after hanging around here for a very long time and seeing the place through Alina's eyes and her words yesterday gave me a new view.

Now I'm sure that no two tours are exactly the same any more than two Admission Officers' information sessions are. What makes them special is the stories that the tour guides share. I've known Alina for two years now, but I never knew how she got her first UROP, just that she has had several at this point. I heard about where she lived on campus when she was a freshman, how she manages her time between studying and athletics and where she likes to study when she's not at the house. And of course, the story of Oliver Smoot never gets old for me, especially since I've had the pleasure of meeting him, as well as his wife at a reunion on campus a couple of years ago. And since one of my favorite places on campus is the Great Court I loved hearing the oo's and ah's as we stood there surrounding by the buildings hearing about the hacks of days gone by.

So if you come to campus, I hope you'll take a tour. You won't be sorry and perhaps I'll see you there. I figure that now that I've heard Alina's story, I'll need to drop in on the others guides' tours to fully understand their view of this special place that we all call home. And when you do, I'll look forward to seeing you there. I'll be the one skulking in the back, in the red shirt...listening to every word!

The first question I often hear from parents is, "what events should I attend with my child?" In truth, there won't be very many of them if you are each doing what interests you the most. With nearly 700 options over the few days, there are lots of things to choose from and parents will probably not want answers to the same questions that students will. That said, it's important to check in occasionally so I'd suggest you pick an event where you can meet up with your student each day (perhaps the Chancellor's Welcome on Friday and the Closing Variety Show on Saturday) but mostly I hope you will encourage them “do their own thing” and know that it's good for you to do the same. It’s the best way for them to figure out if they are comfortable and at home on our campus and the best way for you to be comfortable with them being here.

I hope you’ll ask lots of questions. It’s the way our students learn and will work well for you too. Current students are great resources so don’t be afraid to ask them about their experiences. In addition we've enlisted the help of a great group of current students' parents called Parent Connectors. They'll be available throughout the weekend to address those issues that are most important to you, the parent, so don't be afraid to ask for their opinions...they know exactly how you feel since they were asking those same questions just a year or so ago. A great place to find a parent to talk to would be in the Parent’s Hospitality Lounge. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and chat with current MIT parents as well as other parents of MIT prefrosh. Also, learn about the MIT Parents Association and the Parent Connector Network from current volunteers and staff.

I hope you’ll be open-minded during your visit with us. While my parents did understand why I wanted to attend MIT, I’ll never forget the look on my mother’s face when I told her I was moving into a co-ed dorm. I was, after all, her "little girl". We both enjoyed our time in college, but the experiences we had could not have been more different. I so appreciated the fact that she quickly realized that those differences were inevitable and that my MIT experience was the right one for me.

Bring comfortable shoes and a jacket or sweater. Boston is a great walking city and I hope you'll take some time to experience it. I was struck anew this morning when I noticed all the flowering trees in bloom in my neighborhood. I hope you'll take some time to see the environs around MIT as well the campus itself and the best way to do that is on foot. Even just a short walk along the river can be a nice break from all the events of the day. Evenings can be cool here this time of year and it will even occasionally rain...it is, after all, spring in New England which means just about anything could happen when it comes to weather.

Have questions regarding your financial aid package or the financial aid process in general? Either get your questions answered immediately by the Financial Aid Counselor on-hand in the Student Center or schedule a 20-minute appointment to speak one-on-one with a Student Financial Services representative. On Friday there will be a Financial Aid Presentation. Parents and students are welcome to attend this program on the hows, whys and whens of financial aid at MIT -- how your financial aid award was determined, when your supplemental forms are due, how to pay your balance, how to find on-campus student employment, and how your online student account will work. Executive Director of Student Financial Services, Elizabeth Hicks, will address these issues and more, as well as answer your questions.

But that is just the beginning...

Events

Parent Welcome on Thursday night at 7:30 pm. Stu Schmill, Dean of Admissions and Donald Sadoway, John F. Elliott Professor of Materials Chemistry, will welcome the Class of 2014 parents to Campus Preview Weekend.

Parent Reception with Parent Connectors and Alumni on Friday night at 5:00 pm. Sponsored by the MIT Parents Association and the MIT Club of Boston, this reception is your chance to meet and mingle with Parent Connectors, Educational Counselors and other MIT Alumni. The presenter will be Kim Vandiver '75, Dean for Undergraduate Research.

Insight for Parents by Parents is Saturday morning at 8:30 am. A panel of current MIT parents will be on hand to share their insights and answer your questions. Sponsored by the MIT Parents Association.

Parent Connector Saturday Night Drop-In After the closing variety show join us “Under the Great Dome" for an informal gathering hosted by the Chair of the MIT Parent Connectors.

Panels & Sessions

Residential Life at MIT Our on-campus residential community boasts residence halls, fraternities, sororities and independent living groups as well as a wide variety of dining services. Karen Nilsson, Senior Associate Dean for Residential Life, will lead a discussion covering life in residences, residential support offerings, activities, dining options, roommate matching and more.

Come learn about all aspects of UROP at MIT, including how to participate, what type of research is appropriate, what to expect from the program, and more. Discussion will center on the experiences of the UROP student panel as moderated by UROP staff.

Three Panels for Parents Learn about the many kinds of interactions that occur between students and faculty at MIT, and the wonderful collaborative environment in which they work and study together. Find out about the many ways students get involved in and lead campus activities and athletics that help to enhance areas of intellectual, personal and social development. From MIT Medical to Student Support Services and safety, MIT's campus features a widespread and multi-layered care system for the mind, body and spirit.

Open Houses

Multiple open houses will be held over the weekend. These include areas relating to Medical Services, Careers Development, Hillel, Global Education (study abroad and more), Pre-Professional Advising (Pre-Med and more), departments, and housing.

I’ve named just a handful of the events created with you in mind for CPW and it really is just the tip of the iceberg...to get a head start on your plans check out our nifty new CPW search feature http://mitcpw.mit.edu/.

See you soon!

I am thrilled to say that even though we do now have CPW, in fact we're preparing for it on campus already, there is still the opportunity for many of you to attend spring meetings hosted by ECs and alumni clubs around the world. At last count there are nearly 60 of them, ranging from Hartford to Hong Kong, Seattle to Singapore. Most meetings will be scheduled over MIT's spring break to allow current students to be on hand but some may fall into April as well.

Here's just a small sampling of what is in store:

Saturday

San Francisco/Bay Area meeting in the home of RC Walt Price '71.

Sunday

The Raleigh, NC meeting will be hosted by RC Al Tice '67

Monday

MIT President Susan Hockfield will be the guest at the MIT Club of Greece event.

Tuesday

The MIT Club of New Hampshire will have a dinner with Dr. David Gray who'll be talking about solar energy developments.

Wednesday

MIT Club of France welcomes MIT President Susan Hockfield.

Thursday

Both Cleveland, OH and Columbus, OH are having their spring meetings.

Friday

The Orange County meeting will be in the home of RC Joanna Tan '74

Saturday

Westchester County, NY and Basking, NJ and Washington, DC are all having meetings.

For a complete list of all the events, admitted students should log on to their my.mit.edu account and RSVP as indicated. I hope you and your parents will attend!

I learned a lot at the spring meeting I attended and had a great chance to get to know a few of my future classmates. Talking with the alums and current students was a huge help in deciding whether to stay in California for college or head east to Cambridge. Fortunately, over the years I even had a chance to say thanks to a couple of those I met and have never regretted spending that afternoon in Mr. Keller's backyard.

But I digress...last Friday morning I was assigned to do the session. Now, I knew that the application was due to be go live this week but we hadn't announced yet precisely what day it would be. I did however get to give to those 250 lucky (?) people in my session a preview of what was to come. As I made my big announcement, the shock wave rolled across the room. There were looks of surprise, happiness, and even some frustration as those present absorbed what I had said. I watched in interest as potential applicants looked at their families and then looked at each other. It was an interesting thing to watch. For, as you see, we have made that most interesting of changes to this year's application...we have decided that for our purposes that the long essay is obsolete...

When you look at the new app (yes, I know, many of you already have) we really hope you'll like what you see. It will look familiar, obviously, but there are some interesting changes and we hope you'll like them. We spent a lot of time this spring thinking about how to make it more interesting for you and helpful to us. We understand that condensing your life onto just a few pages of paper is tough so we decided to try and make it easier for you to tell us, in your words, exactly who you are. Yes, the basic things are much the same: grades, scores, awards, activities, short answer questions. Those things are all there as they help us to understand who you are. But the exciting part is that there really is no long essay this year, nor is there the need to decide whether or not the "optional" essay is really optional. Instead what you will find are three short essays (200-250 words) which ask about a time you used your creativity, ask you to describe "your world", and a significant challenge you've faced. We're looking for honest answers, what first comes to your mind when you see the questions...we want to know who you are and your application to us is your chance to tell us.

So, if you haven't done so yet, now is the time to get your my.mit.edu account and get started! Oh, and by the way, don't forget to check your my.mit.edu account for your Educational Counselors name and contact information while you're at it. They are looking forward to meeting you so set up that interview soon. You'll be glad you did!

Last fall I moved into the MIT Alpha Phi sorority house with 60 MIT undergraduate woman as the Residential Advisor (RA). When I was an undergrad, sororities were just beginning to find their place at MIT so there were no women living in sorority houses although there were women living in one of several independent living groups. I lived in Baker House, often referred to in those days as the largest fraternity on campus, but without the ties of sisterhood that bind the women I now live with on our campus. According to the job description,

RAs serve as mentors, role models, guides, and resources for the students who live in the 36 fraternities, sororities and independent living groups

I've really had a good time living in the house this year. I have dinner whenever possible with the residents of the house enjoying the chance to hear about their classes, what professors they like the best, and which exams were the hardest as well as the last movie they saw. I ride the shuttle bus with them in the morning and Saferide at night but I like it best when the "girls" wave at me in the "infinite corridor" or in the Student Center. I look forward each evening to when I get to take a break and go down to the tv room and watch Gossip Girl, Gray's Anatomy, or an old episode of Friends enjoying the chance to spend a few minutes of downtime enjoying a snack (raw cookie dough from the freezer is my favorite). Everyone in the house has truly made me feel like a part of the family this year! But what impresses me the most is the way the girls work together. Responsibility for the house is shared by all and everyone is expected to do their part. A typical Saturday may require doing a bit of housework before settling in for a day of studying but will generally end with a group going out to get some dinner and then going to a movie or campus party. The fact that the girls live, study, play and eat together helps them to create bonds that will last a lifetime.

So that now brings me back to why I got up so early today. "Study breaks" are also a part of my "job" and mine tend to be more of the breakfast variety. Each semester during finals week I get up extra early for two mornings and make sure that there is a hot breakfast ready before the residents of the house go off to an exam or back to their studies. I love breakfast myself, and like it even better when someone else makes it. Plus, my mother always told me I needed a good breakfast to start the day. I guess this is my way of carrying on that tradition.

A colleague asked me the other day how I liked living in the house and I responded very quickly that it had surpassed all my expectations. Will I be returning for another year, you might ask. In truth, I wouldn't miss it for the world! And yes, I'll be making breakfast during finals week...

Parent’s Hospitality Lounge Grab a cup of coffee or tea and chat with current MIT parents as well as other parents of MIT prefrosh. Also, learn about the MIT Parents Association and the Parent Connector Network from current volunteers and staff.

Financial Aid Appointments Have questions regarding your financial aid package or the financial aid process in general? Either get your questions answered immediately by the Financial Aid Counselor on-hand or schedule a 20-minute appointment to speak one-on-one with a Student Financial Services representative.

Events

Parent Welcome on Thursday night at 7:30 pm Stu Schmill, Dean of Admissions and Donald Sadoway, John F. Elliott Professor of Materials Chemistry, will welcome the Class of 2013 parents to Campus Preview Weekend.

Parent Reception with Parent Connectors and Alumni on Friday night at 5:00 pm Sponsored by the MIT Parents Association and the MIT Club of Boston, this reception is your chance to meet and mingle with Parent Connectors, Educational Counselors and other MIT Alumni. Presenters include Phillip Clay, Chancellor and Professor of City Planning, and Kim Vandiver '75, Dean for Undergraduate Research.

Insight for Parents by Parents is Saturday morning at 8:30 am A panel of current MIT parents will be on hand to share their insights and answer your questions. Sponsored by the MIT Parents Association.

Parent Connector Saturday Night Drop-In After the closing variety show join us “Under the Great Dome" for an informal gathering hosted by the Chair of the MIT Parent Connectors.

Panels & Sessions

Residential Life at MIT Our on-campus residential community boasts 12 residence halls, 38 fraternities, sororities and independent living groups as well as a wide variety of dining services. Karen Nilsson, Senior Associate Dean for Residential Life, will lead a discussion covering life in residences, residential support offerings, activities, dining options, roommate matching and more.

Come learn about all aspects of UROP at MIT, including how to participate, what type of research is appropriate, what to expect from the program, and more. Discussion will center on the experiences of the UROP student panel as moderated by UROP staff.

Financial Aid Presentation Parents and students are welcome to attend this program on the hows, whys and whens of financial aid at MIT -- how we determined your financial aid award, when your supplemental forms are due, how to pay your balance, how to find on-campus student employment, and how your online student account will work. Director of Student Financial Aid, Daniel Barkowitz, will address these issues and more, as well as answer your questions.

Four Panels for Parents Learn about the many kinds of interactions that occur between students and faculty at MIT, and the wonderful collaborative environment in which they work and study together. Find out about the many ways students get involved in and lead campus activities and athletics that help to enhance areas of intellectual, personal and social development. From MIT Medical to Student Support Services and safety, MIT's campus features a widespread and multi-layered care system for the mind, body and spirit. Discover more about each of these areas on Saturday afternoon.

Open Houses

Multiple open houses will be held over the weekend. These include areas relating to Medical Services, Careers Development, Hillel, Global Education (study abroad and more), Pre-Professional Advising (Pre-Med and more), departments, and housing.

And for the rest…

I’ve named just a handful of the events created with you in mind for CPW and I hope you’ll take advantage of as many of them as you can. But with so much to do how can you really get the most out of the experience?

I hope you’ll ask lots of questions. It’s the way our students learn and will work for you too. Current students are great resources so don’t be afraid to ask them about their experiences.

I hope you’ll be open-minded during your visit with us. While my parents did ultimately understand why I wanted to be at MIT, I’ll never forget the look on my mother’s face when I told her I was moving into a co-ed dorm. I was, after all, her "little girl".

Pick an event where you can meet up with your student each day (perhaps the President's Welcome on Friday and the Closing Ceremony on Saturday) but mostly let them “do their own thing”. It’s the best way for them to figure out if they are comfortable and at home on our campus.

Bring comfortable shoes and a jacket or sweater. Evenings can be cool here in the spring and it will even occasionally rain (just like on Red Sox Opening Day last week).

Most importantly I hope you’ll take some time to explore Boston while you’re here! You could be making several visits to “our fair city” over the next few years and a beautiful spring day is a great time to discover Boston and Cambridge.

Let me know if you need a restaurant recommendation...

my.mit.edu

In a few days this year's applicants will find out if they have been Admitted, Not Admitted, or Waitlisted for the Class of 2013 and I know you all are waiting for the news with as much interest as your kids are. But getting the "answer" is not the end of the journey. The next couple of months will not be easy since there are many decisions still to be made. Before things get really complicated I thought it might be worthwhile to offer some of my thoughts on the subject...so these are my "two cents"...

Admitted: Obviously this is the answer that all our applicants want to see when the decisions go live. If this is the message that your student receives I hope you'll enjoy the moment. I certainly would were I in your place. Revel in it a bit, knowing that you can be very proud of your child. When I got my letter many years ago, I wasn’t certain who was more excited about it — my grandfather or me. When the dust settles, you'll need to help your child make some tough decisions. But first, for a few days, just enjoy it.

Not Admitted: To get this answer will be difficult and perhaps a bit frustrating, but at least you will know that the wait is over. The first question students ask if they call our office after they have not been admitted is “what did I do wrong?” It tears at my heart to hear this because I know that they didn’t do anything wrong and have done so many things right that it’s easy to lose count of them all. Sadly we will ultimately say "no" to an amazing bunch of applicants. But those that we don’t admit will find they have great opportunities elsewhere. For that brief moment it may seem like the “end of the world” to them (and fodder for yet another college essay) but we hope they will quickly realize that they will be offered a place at another great school.

Waitlisted: In some ways this one is the most difficult answer to get. Every student on the waitlist is one that we know would be really great on our campus but just don’t have room for. It’s not something we do lightly but it can be very tough for the student. They are in a sort of limbo. This one requires a couple of choices, first accepting an offer of admission elsewhere — which all who are waitlisted should do — then deciding whether or not to stay on the waitlist. Remaining on a waitlist can be hard, giving your heart fully to one school, while still hoping to get in elsewhere and with really long odds. Waitlist variation from year to year (in this decade, one year we took more than 100 students from our waitlist, but three other years we took no one) makes it even more difficult to make the decision. Your support of your children through this period will be invaluable.

Helping your kids through this process, no matter what answer they get, has been a huge task. You’ve gotten them this far and you are to be congratulated for that. With your help they are ready to enter college in the fall and just in case they forget to tell you…thanks for all you’ve done!