Q
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1.Who can apply to the MITES Program?
2.I am not in the 11th grade, but I am currently doing the work of an 11th grade student. Can I still apply?
3.I am home schooled and am essentially doing the work of an 11th grader. Can I apply?
4.I am in the 10th or 12th grade. Am I eligible to apply for the program?
5.I have a Visa. Am I eligible for the MITES Program?
6.I am in the process of obtaining my citizenship and will be a U.S. citizen by the start of the program. Can I apply?
7.Can I apply to the MITES program if I do not have my permanent residency card at the time I submit my application?
8.Do I need a Social Security Number (SSN) to apply for the MITES Program?
9.My first semester grades will not be released by the application deadline. What should I submit?
10.I attend school in a different country and my grades are on a different grading scale.
11.I will be taking the PSAT, SAT, or ACT in the spring. Can I still apply to the MITES Program?
12.I do not know my guidance counselor that well. Can I get a letter of recommendation from someone else?
13.I do not have a guidance counselor to request a letter of recommendation from. May I request a letter from another teacher?
14.Do my letters of recommendation have to come from my current math or science teacher?
15.I do not have a math or science teacher this semester. What should I do?
16.Can I send in extra letters of recommendation that I feel will make my application stronger?
17.I was not able to submit my application by the deadline. Can I still turn it in?
18.When will I find out whether or not I was accepted into the MITES Program?
19.Will I receive high school or college credit or grades if I participate in the MITES Program?
20.Where will students be staying during the course of the program?
21.How much homework are students given?
22.Will I have any free time during the summer?
23.How much does it cost to participate in MITES?
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24.How do I contact the MITES office?
1.Who can apply to the MITES Program?
The MITES Program is open to current 11th grade students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students can attend public or private school or be homeschooled. Students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds can apply for the MITES Program.
2.I am not in the 11th grade, but I am currently doing the work of an 11th grade student. Can I still apply?
You must be registered as an in the 11th grade when you apply for the MITES Program. Students in other grades are ineligible for the MITES Program.
3.I am homeschooled and am essentially doing the work of an 11th grader. Can I apply?
You must submit documentation of your current curriculum to the MITES program, proving that you are recognized as an 11th grader. This document must be sent along with your application.
4.I am in the 10th or 12th grade. Am I eligible to apply for the program?
At the time you submit your application, you must be in the 11th grade.
5.I have a Visa. Am I eligible for the MITES Program?
Visas of any type (work, student, J-1, etc.) are not substitutes for U.S. citizenship. You are considered ineligible for the MITES Program if you only have a Visa.
6.I am in the process of obtaining my citizenship and will be a U.S. citizen by the start of the program. Can I apply?
You must have your U.S. citizenship or permanent resident card when you apply for the MITES program. If you are in the process of obtaining your U.S. citizenship or permanent resident card at the time of applying, you are ineligible for the program.
7.Can I apply to the MITES program if I do not have my permanent residency card at the time I submit my application?
You must be in possession of your permanent residency card at the time you submit your application. Students who are not citizens or permanent residents are ineligible to apply and their applications will be returned.
8.Do I need a Social Security Number (SSN) to apply for the MITES Program?
The MITES Program does not require applicants to give their SSN; however, selected students will have to provide the program with their SSN.
9.My first semester grades will not be released by the application deadline. What should I submit?
Please send us your first quarter grades if you cannot give us your first semester grades by the deadline. Then send us a copy of your first semester grades as soon as your receive them. No grades will be accepted after Feb 20th.
10.I attend school in a different country and my grades are on a different grading scale.
Please either send an official translated version of your transcript that corresponds to the grading scale used in the United States or send your transcript along with official documentation that explains your school’s grading scale in relation to that of schools in the United States. The grades should be translated by a school official.
11.I will be taking the PSAT, SAT, or ACT in the spring. Can I still apply to the MITES Program?
All application materials must be postmarked by February 2, 2009. You should schedule to take your test so as to receive your standardized test scores by the deadline. We do not accept test scores for tests scheduled after the deadline. We will accept results from tests taken by January 15th. Copies of these results should be sent as soon as you receive them. No results will be accepted after February 20th.
12.I do not know my guidance counselor that well. Can I get a letter of recommendation from someone else?
It is required that the applicant submits a letter of recommendation from his or her current guidance counselor.
13.I do not have a guidance counselor to request a letter of recommendation from. May I request a letter from another teacher?
If you do not have a guidance counselor, please request this letter from someone in your school administration who can discuss the information requested in the counselor recommendation (i.e. your school assistant principal or principal.)
14.Do my letters of recommendation have to come from my current math or science teacher?
Unless you do not currently have a math or science teacher, your letters of recommendation must come from your current math and science teachers. If you are not taking a science or math course this year, please ask a science or math teacher from last year to provide your letter of recommendation.
15.I do not have a math or science teacher this semester. What should I do?
If you have not had a science of math class yet this semester, please ask a science or math teacher from last year to provide your letter of recommendation. We must have a letter from each of these two subject areas.
16.Can I send in extra letters of recommendation that I feel will make my application stronger?
The MITES Program will accept a maximum of one letter of recommendation in addition to the required three. However, it is not necessary to have more letters of recommendation than the required three.
17.I was not able to submit my application by the deadline. Can I still turn it in?
All applications must be postmarked by the application deadline. If you have missed the deadline, you should contact the MITES Director at mites@mit.edu.
18.When will I find out whether or not I was accepted into the MITES Program?
Decisions for the MITES Program will be released in mid-April.
19.Will I receive high school or college credit or grades if I participate in the MITES Program?
Although there will be homework and tests, the grades received will not be counted for high school or college credit. All students will receive qualitative midterm and final evaluations during the MITES Program. The final evaluations that students receive at the end of the program can be submitted with their college and scholarship applications.
20.Where will students be staying during the course of the program?
Students will be living in the Simmons Hall Dormitory on MIT’s campus in Cambridge, MA,.
21.How much homework are students given?
The amount of homework in each course is determined by the instructor of each course. The core courses (Humanities, Calculus, Physics, and a life science) will also give mid-term and final exams. Elective courses require students to work in groups to complete a final project to be presented at the end of the program.
22.Will I have any free time during the summer?
The MITES Program includes time for classes, eating, studying, and special seminars during the week and planned activities on Saturdays. During the week students are typically in class from 9 am to 5 pm. After dinner, students will study 3 to 5 hours in the evening. Students will have some time to relax and study on the weekend.
23.How much does it cost to participate in MITES?
The MITES Program is free for all participants. The only monetary cost is for travel to and from MIT.
24.How do I contact the MITES office?
You can mail information to the MITES Program at 77 Massachusetts Ave, Bldg 1-123, Cambridge, MA 02139. You can also email the MITES Program at mites@mit.edu, call at (617) 253-3298, or fax at (617) 324-1120.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Office of Engineering Outreach Programs
Building 1-123, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge 02139
617-253-8052 oeop@mit.edu
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