[252] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
MIT admissions system [was: Re: extropians]
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jimmy_B,MajMoola,MechWarrior,etc._)
Fri Apr 27 19:06:36 2001
Message-Id: <200104272307.TAA07695@MECHWARRIOR.MIT.EDU>
To: mit-talk@MIT.EDU, spa-discuss@MIT.EDU
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 19:07:53 EDT
From: "Jimmy_B,MajMoola,MechWarrior,etc._Chien-ta Wu" <jimmbswu@MIT.EDU>
To make sure everyone is on the same page here, I will describe the MIT
admissions policy/system, as been described to me by a friend. Feel free to
make any corrections. It has been a long time, so my memory might be failing
me on the details, but the central gist of the admissions process should be
valid.
First, we all know that MIT ranks applicants based on 6 criteria: the 3
objective (GPA, SAT I, SAT II), and the subjective (Interview, essay,
activities). With each of these 6 criteria, the applicant is given a numerical
value, between 1 and 5. For example, someone scoring 1400 on SAT I would get
the same score as someone scoring 1600: a 5.
2ndly, they take these numbers, and produce an average for each applicant.
Someone might have a 4.3, and another a 3.2. They use this score to rank the
applicant, and produce a master list of applicants by rank.
3rdly, they divide this master list into 5 categories, the top first scorer
group, the top 2nd scorer group, etc.
4thly, they will take everyone in the top first category.
[This is where affirmative action comes in]
5thly, they take all "under-represented minority" [including females] in the top
2nd category.
6thly, they take all "under-represented minority" in the top 3rd category.
7thly, they fill up the rest of the incoming class with other applicants from
the top 2nd & 3rd category, as sorted by rank.
It is not a straight out quota, but it is one method to implement affirmative
action in MIT admissions. In case anyone thinks otherwise, or fooled by Marilee
Jones's words, MIT does have affirmative action, as required by law if students
here were to receive federal financial aid.
So that was that,
B, crackpot and defender of the status quo
-----------
http://www.mit.edu/~jimmbswu "Who Dares, Wins."
--UK SAS
"It is good that war is so terrible,
else we should grow too fond of it."
--R. E. Lee
