Frequently asked questions

General New Admit Visit questions

1. I can't come during the visit weekend. Is it really important that I go?
2. I can't come during the visit weekend. Can I visit MIT another weekend?
3. Can my parents come with me to the visit day?

Meeting request form

1. Why isn't the person I wanted to meet with listed in the drop-down box on the meeting request form?
2. If someone is listed in the drop-down box on the meeting request form, are they definitely participating in the visit day?
3. Can I meet with faculty in computer science (CSAIL), or at other departments at MIT?
4. Why is it important that I list faculty members to meet with on the meeting form?
5. Is it possible to make appointments after arriving on campus?
6. How many faculty will I get to meet with during my visit?
7. If I list a faculty member as my first choice to meet with, will I be guaranteed to be able to meet with them?
8. If I list only one faculty member to meet with, am I more likely to meet with them than if I list seven?
9. Do faculty members see how I rank my interest in meeting with them?

1. I can't come during the visit weekend. Is it really important that I go?
   It is certainly not required that you attend the New Admit Visit. However, it is the best forum for you to get a clear picture of the diversity of research occurring in Electrical Engineering at MIT. Further, faculty members make a special effort to be free those two days, so you have excellent access to them. Thus, we strongly encourage you to attend.
   
2. I can't come during the visit weekend. Can I visit MIT another time?
   You are free to visit MIT on another weekend. However, since it requires significant effort to arrange meetings and itineraries, we cannot coordinate your visit if you choose to visit at another time. Thus, we strongly encourage you to arrange your visit during the official New Admit Visit.
   
3. Can my parents come with me to the visit day?
   We ask that parents refrain from attending visit day activities at MIT.

1. Why isn't the person I want to meet with listed in the drop-down box on the meeting request form? There are a number of reasons why this might be case. That person might be in a different department, in computer science (CSAIL, or Area II), or on sabbatical, or retired, or not taking new students, etc.
   
2. If someone is listed in the drop-down box on the meeting request form, are they definitely participating in the visit day?
   Not necessarily. The drop-down box encompasses most of the EE faculty/PIs, except a small number who have expressly decided to opt-out this year. Typically 40-60 EE faculty/PIs participate in the visit day each year.
   
3. Can I meet with faculty in computer science (CSAIL), or at other departments at MIT?
   You are free to meet with any faculty member at MIT while you are here visiting. For logistical reasons, we can only arrange meetings with faculty in Electrical Engineering. However, you will likely have free time during your visit and should feel free to contact and arrange to meet with faculty members in computer science or other departments.
   
4. Why is it important that I list faculty and PIs to meet with on the meeting form?
   Meeting with faculty members is one of the main goals of the New Admit Visit. If you do not put anyone in your list of faculty you'd like to meet with, then it is likely that you will have few (or no) meetings scheduled.
   
5. Is it possible to make appointments after arriving on campus during the visit weekend?
   One of the visit day's purposes is for you to learn about the breadth of research in EE at MIT, and it is certainly possible that you will learn about and get interested in someone that you had not originally listed on your meeting form. Remember that we want to meet with you as much as you want to meet with us! Thus, faculty will make every effort to free up time to meet with you. However, this does not replace listing faculty on the meeting form, because faculty have limited time to meet with students on those two days and may run out of available time. Your best chance of meeting with someone is to list them on the meeting form.
   
6. How many faculty or PIs will I get to meet with during my visit?
   Students typically meet with 2-4 faculty members or PIs.
   
7. If I list a faculty/PI as my first choice to meet with, will I be guaranteed to be able to meet with them?
   We try our best, but some faculty members will be out of town or unavailable that day.
   
8. If I list only one faculty/PI to meet with, am I more likely to meet with them than if I list seven?
   No. The scheduling isn't set up to favor you if you only put down one name. List all the faculty you'd like to meet with. But don't list seven just to fill up the list, unless you actually have an interest in all seven.
   
9. Do faculty members see how I rank my interest in meeting with them?
   No, only the New Admit Visit coordinator sees that information.