RA Selection Day 8 Beyond

RA Selection Day 8 Beyond On Selection Day 8 (Thursday), I wore a skinny tie, and worked with Mari and Prof. Patrick Henry Winston. Winston is what we at MIT call a lifer he received 3 degrees from MIT (SB 65, SM 67, PhD 70) and was the Director of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AI Lab) for 25 years. He was the undergrad academic/research advisor for three of my friends, all on their way to Doctorates in AI. He also wrote the text book I used for 1.00: Introduction to Computers and Engineering Problem Solving and teaches 6.034: Artificial Intelligence. I think its pretty cool that faculty are involved with the admissions process. Many noted MIT professors have helped to select the freshman class while Ive been involved, such as Wolfgang Ketterle and Don Sadoway (among many others). The following day (Friday), I did not wear a tie for the first time in more than a week. Yes, the regular action selection committee for domestic applicants has ended. I spent much of the day discussing and planning for MITs new viewbook, as well as preparing for Campus Preview Weekend. You might ask, so selection is over, why cant I have my decision? What happens now? Well, as youve read, there is randomness built into our admissions process, from the reading to the selection subcommittees. The final step ensures consistency and fairness: all of the decisions are reviewed by a small team lead by Dean Marilee Jones. The vast majority of decisions from the selection room will be upheld; some decisions will be changed (one way or the other) if they seem inconsistent with the process. This is a good thing for you, one more way that we make sure there are no mistakes, and that everything is appropriately considered. In parallel, the international process continues. Next weekend, well do international selection, sure to be extremely difficult. As I have previously written, the international admissions is extremely rigorous. Ive been reviewing international applications all day, and I must say I am impressed. Even for those of you for whom we dont have enough room for at MIT, I know youll be a big success wherever you end up. Another process that continues in parallel is the financial aid process. For those of you applying for financial aid which I assume is most of you Daniels blog is required reading. In short, lots going on as we race toward the mailing of decision letters in mid-March