Sloan (MIT) Class of 2016 Calling All Waitlisted Applicants

Sorry to hear about all who received dings. There's always next year!

For everyone else on the waitlist, don't forget there's a WL chat at 1 pm Eastern today -- 30 min from now.

Hi all, I was waitlisted without an interview - and while I've been on campus in the past, the AdCom wouldn't have a record of it. Any recommendation on if I should head up to campus and do a self-guided tour or anything? I've already sent some updates via email to be added to my application...

Would appreciate any recs!

I'd go and then let them know about it in one of the emails you send them with updates. They will add your communications to them to your record, so I don't think it will go unnoticed.

Good suggestions. I'll also note that from their FAQ website, they state that:

Is a campus visit required?
We do not require a visit to campus. It can only aid you in your decision process when comparing schools, but we will never penalize an applicant for not being able to make the trip here. https://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/admissions/ ... g%20Campus

To me that sounds like they don't care if you visit to indicate interest, but care about personal fit -- so unlike other campuses like Tuck that REALLY require a visit to demonstrate your interest to the school, Sloan seems like the other end of the spectrum. I love the campus and I'm not trying to avoid going up again, but a visit would be time/money/etc. that I'm not sure would add substantively to my application, particularly given that I've yet to be invited to interview. Any additional thoughts on that?

Good point!!! I think at this point a lot of what we do will help us mainly marginally, which can ultimately have an impact once we pass test one, which I think is more related to open spots based on yield, and probably based on the yield of the group you are grouped in. Having said that, Sloan does not seem to put a lot of weight on your campus visit like you said, but I think when it comes down to it, if the yield is in your favor, and if you sent the same kind of stuff the other WL candidate sent, but this other candidate did not visit campus, while you did and sent an email telling your experience and why it is a good personal fit to you, I would think you are in a better position (but who knows?). Again, this is only a marginal difference that I would think would only be looked at after your are past other pretty tough odds... but if you want to be on this list, like me, I think we need to realize that chances don't look pretty, but there is still a chance, and anything else you can do MAY possibility help you. You, then, can determine whether the costs outweigh the probability of a benefit.

What was discussed in the chat?

@snickerdoodle

They should be sending out a transcript of the chat. But the gist was essentially how the WL process works. Compared to other schools, MIT Sloan does seem to want to hear back regularly from WLed candidates regarding professional updates, additional recommendations, or anything else that is relevant to one's candidacy (test scores, additional coursework, promotions, etc.).

Overall, very similar to other WL chats that have been posted online.

For those who were looking for the transcript link

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/images/uploads/WL_Transcript_4-3-14-1.pdf

Thanks for sharing this. So if there are 200 people on the waitlist and only 100 have been interviewed, are the people who have been interviewed in a better position than those who have not? Or does it all come down to what "hole" they need to fill to help round out the class that a waitlisted person fits best? (e.g. minority female engineer).

x

May 1st was the deposit due date for R2, so hopefully we get some positive news soon!

On the waiting list here as well! Best of luck to everyone on the same boat~

Are people who have already been interviewed at an advantage or at a disadvantage? This is such a confusing process.

Adcom Staff (Becca Honohan) implied that WL with interview is a good sign. But with all things in this process, I try not to read into anything too much. Don't want to build up my expectations.

G'luck

I guess I am having a hard time understanding the "profiles" they are striving to fill. For example, if a minority male engineer turns them down, are they trying to find someone on the waitlist who is also a minority male engineer? Similarly, if a Caucasian female accountant turns them down, are they trying to find someone who has that background? Or is it done by career interest? International Student vs. U.S. citizen? Many of those things? I have a very atypical background so I don't think that I would fill any of the "holes" they are trying to fill.

Did you guys get an update? Someone I know on the waitlist got a call from Sloan checking whether they were still available to attend and that the committee is planning to review the list starting next week.

Interesting. Has your friend been following up quite a bit?