Senior Kyle McLain wasn’t reluctant to point out how hardworking her best friend, senior Calley Murphy is.
“I think she has a great work ethic and it really serves her well,” McLain said.
Inevitably, Murphy’s great work ethic payed off in the long-run.
Murphy applied to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
On December 16, 2009, the acceptance statements were posted online around 9’oclock pm.
Murphy was in.
“I was at swim practice, but I had my dad check at home and he called me to tell me,” Murphy said.
This came as a pleasant surprise to Murphy; she was in shock when she received the news.
“Recently when I visited I really liked [MIT],” Murphy recalled. And ever since that visit, it had been her goal for months to get in.
According to the main MIT website, the school only accepts an average of 10.7% of the students that apply to the school.
“We look for students who we feel will take to this kind of education,” said the Dean of Admissions, Stu Schmill via email.
Schmill said that when a student is admitted to MIT, it means the school is a great match for the student.
He added, that the student will advantage of what MIT has to offer, and that they will bring something special to the campus.
Schmill also pointed out something important.
“With so many terrific applicants, we simply can’t admit all the great students we’d like to,” Schmill said. “So there are many students each year who are outstanding that we simply don’t have the space to admit.”
Despite the fact that Murphy beat the odds, and accomplished the seemingly impossible, she will be leaving people very close to her, far behind.
“I’m sad that she won’t be in the same state as me,” said Murphy’s other best friend senior Katie Finley. “But I’m still happy that she got in.”
In addition to this, Finley believes that the distance won’t impact her friendship with Murphy.
“Obviously we won’t see each other as much, but we’ll definitely talk every day,” Finley said.
Overall, Finley and McLain, both are proud of their best friend.
With MIT looming in Murphy’s near future, she explains that she is mainly interested in majoring in either chemical or civil/environment engineering.
“I’m impressed by [engineering],” Finley said. “I’d never be able to be an engineer. Plus she’s very smart so I know she’ll be successful.”
McLain was not surprised by Murphy’s career choice. Both of Murphy’s parents are chemical engineers.
McLain was more impressed with Murphy’s acceptance.
“It's really based on what you can give the school, not what they can give you,” said McLain. “So to really stand out to such an elite institution speaks highly of Calley's versatility and academic brawn.”
All in all, Murphy is excited for the future that awaits her at MIT.
“I’m pretty happy about it, and hope it works out,” Murphy said.
