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New Info for Fall 2014 Application Cycle

• Please take extra care in reviewing applicants who are working full time for GE - we currently have 3 cases where students from GE are performing poorly mostly due to the time constraints imposed by GE, and HQ asks for careful review before they can be admitted to our program, going forward.

Useful information for All Reviewers

• How to review
• The main application review site is here https://gradapply.mit.edu/aeroastro/review/

• There is now a "My Unread Files" button on the left of your review interface in the Query menu, to show you your unread folders only.
• New GRE Quantitative and Verbal Scoring band, conversations and explanations are here: New GRE 
• Average AA test scores of admitted students from Fall 2012 are here: 2012 Average Test Scores (also gives TOEFL information).
• The 2010 US News and World Report Rankings for Engineering Schools are here: USN&WR Rankings
• Peterson's Online Guide! Just type the school you're looking for into the search bar at the top! http://www.petersons.com/
• Rankings on Indian engineering schools here
• Fulbright Fellowships
• Brazilian national Fellowships (MIT specific)
• 2013 US Air Force Academy Statistics
• Council of Graduate Schools Publication Resource
• Dealing with Application Fraud (confidentiality, privacy, etc.)
• Spring 2013 Grad Admissions Transition Update (from Dean Christine Ortiz)
• Fall 2014 deadlines for Competitor Programs

GAC-specific information

• You can send mail to the entire GAC via aagac@mit.edu.
• Any difficulties, please mail Brian Wardle (wardle@mit.edu) or Beth Marois (bethamar@mit.edu)
• The 2012-2013 GAC members are here: Aero Astro Grad Admissions Committee Members
• Dec 2011 Faculty News Letter article on Institute Grad Admissions by Christine Ortiz
• There is now a "My Unread Files" button on the left of your review interface in the Query menu, to show you your unread folders only.
• Letter templates (admissions, waitlist, rejections, etc.) are here

• Intended meanings of scores:
  • 4: Definite admit
  • 3: Admissible
  • 2: Possibly admissible (unlikely to be admitted – probably shouldn't be read by sector)
  • 1: Probable reject (not worth sending to sector)
  • 0: Definite reject (consider summary rejection by GAC chair)
    (This interpretation of the scores is at the GAC level. The scores at the sector level are purely for ranking candidates, and don't have a specific interpretation.)
• As of 2011, we no longer fast-track students.
• Send to sector criterion:
  • A folder will be sent to the sectors for additional reviews if it receives no more than one score of 2 or lower.
  • Under-represented groups will be sent to the sector for additional reviews if it receives two scores of 2 or higher. If a woman or URM gets a 3+ as their first review, they will immediately be sent for faculty review.
  • A tiebreaker application will only be sent to the 2nd round with a 3 or better as the tie review
• Reject criterion:
  • GAC will usually not ask sector for review if it receives 2 or more scores of 2 or lower. 
  • "0 & 1" policing will be done by GAC chair to facilitate expediting poor applications. Chair Note: unassign reader and tag as "Probable Reject" if applicable

GAC 2012-2013 Schedule

• November 5, 2012: GAC Kick-off Meeting, 2:00-3:00pm
• December 15, 2012: Grad applications website closes
• January 11, 2013: All folders have two reads
• January 14, 2013: Initial review meeting, 12:30-2:00pm 
• January 25, 2013: All folders completed
• February 5, 2013: Final review meeting, 12:00-1:00pm 
• Sector Admissions Meetings: TBD, week of February 11-15
• March 1, 2013: Students notified of admissions decisions
• March 15, 2013: Open house

General Admissions Information

• GAC Policies.
• History of the GAC.
• Notes for future years.