esrosedotblog

INTERVIEW

I am off to talk to my 7th or 8th MIT applicant for the year.

This is the season.

Deadlines are in December so they have to ask me soon. I have until the end of the year to fill out my reports.

But I do them as soon as they are over. I can't imagine waiting.

It is a nice thing to do. I have no format. I just wing it.

I do think about openers.

Today will be the "what are we each hoping for from this time together?".

Then there is "why MIT?" and "what is the hardest thing you have to do in your current life"?

To say nothing of "do you expect to be homesick"?

There isn't much about academics in there although I always compare their SATs to the averages in the past classes. They like that. Or don't.

We also always talk about financial aid.

MIT has need blind applications. I do not talk about their financial situation but tell them what opportunities lie at the Institute.

Nothing has changed there. I went with about 500 dollars, enough for one term's tuition. Worked my way through. Had a freshman scholarship. Borrowed from MIT itself. There was no federal assistance at that time.

Tuition then was 450 a term.

I managed to see all the shows, eat out on weekends and have a life which was totally awesome on pennies.

I suspect they can do the same.

I was married in my last term and my wife did not work.

Anyway, here I go.

One of the nice things about doing this is that it reminds me of the times, happy and tough, that I had there and it helps me remember where I come/came from. Not a bad thing at my age. A lot of gratitude.