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ELIGIBILITY

1. Who can apply to the OEOP Summer Programs?
The OEOP national programs are open to current 11th grade students, and, at the present time, who are also U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a current U.S. green card. Students can attend public or private school, or be homeschooled. Students from all racial and ethnic backgrounds can apply for our programs.

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 a junior in high school when you apply for the OEOP national programs. Students in other grades are ineligible. Please check out our OEOP Resources page and the MIT Outreach Directory for other programs serving students in your situation.

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 OEOP national programs, proving that you are recognized as an 11th grader and that you will be graduating in 2023. This document must be sent along with your application.

4. I have a U.S. Visa. Am I eligible for the OEOP national programs?
At this time, OEOP programs are limited to U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents with a valid green card. Visas of any type (work, student, J-1, etc.) are not substitutes for U.S. citizenship or U.S Permanent Residents holding a valid green card. Students who have a U.S. Visa but not U.S. citizenship or permanent residence are not eligible to apply.

5. Can I apply if I am in the process of obtaining my citizenship and should be a U.S. citizen by the start of the program? Can I apply if I do not have my permanent residency card at the time I submit my application?
To be eligible to apply, students should have their U.S. citizenship or permanent resident card at the time of application. In order to enroll in the OEOP summer programs, admitted students, will be required to confirm their eligibility and may be asked to submit one of the following in addtion to other enrollment materials: (1) Official U.S. Birth Certificate, (2) Valid U.S. Passport, (3) Official Non-expired Permanent Resident (Green) Card. Admitted students who are unable to confirm eligibility and submit required enrollment materials will be unable to participate in the program.  Students should not send this documentation until they are requested to do so after they are admitted to one of the summer programs.

PROGRAMS DETAILS  

1. What is the Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) program?
MITES is a six-week in-person program where students engage with peers from across the country who are dedicated and motivated to pursue STEM. During the program, students take five courses, receive admissions and financial aid advice, meet with a small group of peers to receive mentorship from a current undergraduate student. The end of the program culminates in a Final Symposium where students present their hands-on projects to the broader MIT community. 


2. What is the MIT Online Science, Technology, and Engineering Community (MOSTEC) program?
MOSTEC is a six-month online program where students engage with peers from across the country who are dedicated and motivated to pursue STEM. During the program, students discuss research, receive admissions and financial aid advice, attend webinars featuring STEM professionals, and meet weekly with a small group of peers to receive mentorship from a current undergraduate student. During the summer component, students complete complete two online STEM courses which culminates in a Final Symposium where they present their projects to the broader MIT community. 

3. What are the 2023 program dates for MITES and MOSTEC?
Finalized dates have yet to be determined but will be shared with applicants as soon as available. Tentative dates based on previous years are as follows: 

MOSTEC: June 20, 2023-December 10, 2023 (Tentative)

MITES: June 23, 2023-August 4, 2023  (Tentative)

4. Where will students be staying during the course of the program?
For MITES, students are required to stay in dormitories on MIT's campus for the entire program, even if the student is local to the Boston area. For MOSTEC, students will be online for the majority of the program. If there is a residential conference component for MOSTEC (this has not run for the last several years), students would stay in MIT dorms during the conference. There is no housing or food cost (room and board) incurred by our students for attending our summer programs.

5. Will I receive high school or college credit or grades if I participate in the OEOP summer programs?
Although there will be homework and students take college-level classes, students do not receive formal grades, nor do they receive high school or college credits. All students will receive qualitative final evaluations, and these evaluations can be submitted to support their college and scholarship applications as supplemental materials.

6. How much homework are students given?
The OEOP summer programs are extremely rigorous programs and the workload for each program reflects this rigor. That being said, the amount of homework in each course is ultimately determined by the instructor of each course.

 

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF INTEREST

How much does it cost to participate in the OEOP programs?
The OEOP programs are FREE (tuition, room and board are all covered) for all participants. The only monetary cost is for travel to and from MIT. For MITES, students are required to stay in dormitories on MIT's campus for the entire program, even if the student is local to the Boston area. For MOSTEC, students will be online for the majority of the program and stay in MIT dorms during the MOSTEC summer conference. 
 

APPLICATION  & TIMELINE

How do I apply?
To apply for the OEOP programs, you will need to register for an account with summerapp.mit.edu and submit your application by February 1  at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (8:59 PM Pacific Standard Time). The application will open in mid-November.

1. I have a question about the programs or the application process. How do I contact the SummerApp Team?
Due to the large volume of requests we receive, we suggest you first thoroughly review the following resources to learn more:
Application Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
OEOP Website
Application Tips
2016 OEOP Application Webinar (Please note: Application deadlines and some details of the application process have changed)

If you still have questions after reviewing the resources above, please contact us at: summerapp@mit.edu.

2. When and how will acceptance decisions be released?
Decisions will be released in mid-April 2023. Applicants will receive an email when decisions have been posted. Applicants should view decisions by logging onto their account. Decisions will not be given via phone or mailed out to applicants.

3. Can I choose which program to apply to?
Yes, for the 2023 application cycle, students are able to select the program(s) that they wish to be considered for. This is included in the application. If accepted to a particular program, the student cannot switch to a different program.

4. The program dates for one of the summer programs conflict with my school calendar-should I even apply?
Each year, the OEOP has admitted students who have school calendars or state-required testing that conflict with program dates. Upon acceptance, we ask those students to notify us about this issue immediately. We will attempt to work with the school system and students to try to find a solution, but we do expect students to be the main point of contact coordinating assignments and testing changes. We still encourage you to submit your application even if your school year overlaps with one of the OEOP programs.

5. When is the application deadline?
The application must be submitted by February 1 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (8:59 PM Pacific Standard Time). All sections of the application (including the academic information section and requests for recommendations) must be complete and your application submitted by February 1 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time to be considered. Recommenders have until February 15 at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time to submit their recommendations.

6. The dates/times associated with my submitted material seem to be a few hours off. Why is this?
This happens when the local timezone on your application is not set. Please set your timezone in your account settings page.

7. I was not able to submit my application by the deadline. Can I still turn it in?
For your application to be considered, you must complete all required sections AND then click the "Submit" button by the deadline. If your application has not been submitted by the deadline, it cannot be reviewed.

8. I was recently accepted into another program, and I need to let them know if I'll be attending. However, my first choice is MITES/MOSTEC. When will decisions come out, and can I receive my application decision earlier?
Our programs decisions are available no sooner than mid-April each year. We encourage any applicants who are deciding between multiple offers to carefully consider their offers and to determine what is in their best interest. If you do decide to accept your spot in another program and it is a binding decision (meaning that you are obligated to attend after accepting the offer), please let us know by emailing summerapp@mit.edu. 

9. Is there a waitlist?
After careful review of applications through the selection process, some students may be placed on a waitlist. If applicants have the ability to be on the MITES/MOSTEC waitlist, they will have been notified through the admissions decision letter on their application portal. We regret that we are unable to add applicants to the waitlist who were not assigned to the waitlist through the selection process.


TEST SCORES

1. Am I required to submit scores from a standardized test in order to apply?
Test scores are not required in order to apply for our programs or even to submit an application. However, we do strongly encourage students to submit test scores if they have them. In order to submit your test scores, you will be asked to input your scores in your application and upload an unofficial copy of your test score report. 

2. I will be taking standardized tests in the spring. Can I still apply for MITES or MOSTEC?
All application materials must be submitted by the application deadline of February 1. If you do not yet have access to the score report by February 1, you will not be able to submit that information. You may still submit your application without these test scores.

GRADES / GPA

1. My first semester grades will not be released by the application deadline. What should my school counselor submit?
If available, please have your school counselor upload your first quarter grades in their recommendation. If your first quarter grades are not available, your counselor should submit your most recent grades.

2. I attend school in a different country and my grades are on a different grading scale. How do I fill out the section of the application where I submit grades and GPA?
Please use the short answer question in the academic information section to describe in detail how you have been graded. Your counselor should upload your transcript and official documentation that explains how you have been graded. These materials should be translated by a school official.

3. What is the difference between an unweighted and a weighted GPA?

  • Your UNweighted GPA will NEVER be higher than your school’s GPA scale. For example, if your school’s GPA scale is out of 4.0, the highest possible unweighted GPA a student could have is 4.0. Similarly, if your school’s GPA scale is out of 100, the highest possible unweighted GPA a student could have is 100.
  • Your WEIGHTED GPA takes into consideration course rigor. Therefore, your weighted GPA may be higher than the GPA scale. For example: 4.2 out of 4.0.
  • No matter your situation, your UNweighted GPA will never be higher than your weighted GPA. In some cases your unweighted and weighted GPAs may be the same.
  • Your GPA scale is something determined by your school. The GPA scale is the same for every student at your school, regardless of their GPA.


SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS ON APPLICATION

1.  Is the 6th short answer question optional?
This question is for students to provide more context around special circumstances and their application. We understand that no application can meet the needs of every individual that applies, and this short answer can be used to provide us with additional information that may give us a more complete understanding of your application.

2.  What is the word limit on the essays?
The essays have a strict word limit of 300 words per short answer question.

    RECOMMENDATIONS

    1. My recommender has not received the recommendation request email with the link and instructions to fill out my recommendation. What do I do?
    As soon as you submit your recommender's email address, they are sent an email with a link to the application portal and information about completing the recommendation form. This request email is sometimes blocked by school spam filters.

    If your recommenders have not received the email containing the link, please first ask them to check their spam folder. Also, please check to make sure there were no typos in the recommender's email address in your application. 

    If you are sure that your recommender has checked their spam and that their email address was correct in your application, then your recommender may need help accessing their account, and you should read the information below carefully:

    To ensure that we can resolve your issue as quickly as possible, please have only one email regarding the same issue sent on your behalf.

    2. I accidentally entered the wrong contact information for my recommender/my recommender can no longer complete the recommendation and I need to request a different teacher. What do I do?
    You may change/update your recommender, however the recommendation will still be due on February 15. If you need to update the name and/or email address of your recommenders, you will be able to make this change yourself in your summerapp acount.

    If you must change your recommender, first reach out to your old recommender to let them know. Once the recommender is changed in the system, any work that the initial recommender completed will be lost. This means you should make sure your recommender has not already started their recommendation before you make any changes.

    3. I do not have a school counselor to request a recommendation from.  May I request a letter from another teacher?
    The counselor recommendation cannot come from another teacher. If you do not have a school counselor or advisor, please request this recommendation from someone in your school administration who has access to your transcript and academic record (ex. your school assistant principal or principal.)

    4. Who should complete my recommendations, and how should they be submitted?
    The recommendations required for the SummerApp application must be completed using a unique online form and are not simply a letter of recommendation. You should let your TEACHERS know that the recommendation includes both an evaluation form and a narrative section that must be completed on the online application platform. You should also let them know that you have selected them to complete your recommendation and that they should anticipate receiving access to their recommendation form through a link in an email that is automatically generated once you submit your recommendation requests in your application. These recommendations must be completed by:

    ·         A math OR science teacher 

    ·         A humanities teacher (ex: English, history, classics, economics, social studies, art, music, government, geography, etc)

    ·         School counselor or school academic advisor who has access to your transcript and school profile

    Once you have identified these recommenders, you must request recommendations using the online application.

    5. I do not know my school counselor that well. Can I get a recommendation from someone else?
    We strongly encourage applicants to have their current school counselor submit a recommendation form. However, this can also come from a dean or principal as long as the individual has access to your transcript and school profile. 

    6. Can I send in extra letters of recommendation that I feel will make my application stronger?
    Due to the high volume of applications, we will not be able to accept any additional recommendations beyond the required number and the required type (math/science teacher, humanities teacher, school counselor).

    7. I am homeschooled. Who should I ask for my letters of recommendation?
    Homeschooled students should request recommendations from individuals other than their parents/guardians or members of their family. We suggest they reach out to a representative of a local community group to which they belong or an instructor from a class they took at a local college, school, or online. The "school counselor recommendation" should be filled out by whomever can best speak to the student's academic program. If a student plans to submit a recommendation from someone other than a teacher or  counselor, they should mention why in the optional 6th essay question and describe the recommender's relationship to the student. Homeschooled students are encouraged to contact us with questions/concerns regarding recommendations.