I'm an MIT Admissions Officer & longtime FIRST person, AMA.

[wilsonmw04]

Greetings,
I have so MANY questions. If you have time, here is my list:

1. Can you comment on how upper level school weight grades? I constantly get flack from my AP students when they say, "Mr Wilson, this 'B' is going to hurt my GPA. I will never get into the school I want with a 'B'." Will "B's" really keep kids out of school?

2. Every fall my school hands out class ranks to the students. This is most depressing day of the year. Really good students get depressed when they see their rankings and consider themselves failures. How does MIT weigh class rank?

3. I teach at a very competitive school. How does MIT compare students between schools with varying academic rigor?

4. What is a good recommendation letter? What do you look for in one?

Thanks for your time!