Dear Incoming First-Year TPP Students,

We look forward to seeing many of you at the Econ Review sessions in mid-August and will see the rest of you at the TPP Orientation on August 29!  Please read this e-mail carefully as it provides information and dates for the start of your Technology and Policy studies.  There is additional information from MIT’s ‘Practical Planning Guide’ at http://web.mit.edu/admissions/graduate/planning_guide/

Before your arrival:
Face Book (attached questionnaire):
Each year we prepare a TPP �Face Book� for Orientation to help you to learn more about the other TPP students.  Please take a moment to complete and return the attached form by Friday, August 17.  If you have difficulty opening it, please update your Adobe Acrobat software or contact us for another form.

Thompson Island / Outward Bound Professional Medical Form (attached):
All incoming TPP students will participate in an overnight Outward Bound program on September 21 and 22, as part of Dava Newman�s Leadership class.  Please provide your medical information* on the attached Medical Form and return it to us as an attachment, even if you cannot complete all the necessary details.  We will give you an opportunity to complete and sign the form during Orientation week, when we can also take your blood pressure, if necessary.  *In most cases, your medical insurance will be the MIT Medical coverage offered to students.

Research:
If you have not yet found a research supervisor, please send me an e-mail with an updated description of your interests and a list of the people whom you have already contacted or tried to contact.  We will let you know of any additional suggestions we have for your search.

Tuition Bills and Funding:
You will receive your first tuition bills before you arrive at MIT and late fees will start to accumulate on unpaid bills.  If you expect to receive MIT research, teaching or fellowship funding for your tuition, please do NOT pay these bills before starting your studies here, as it is complicated for MIT to issue tuition refunds and late fees will be resolved once your MIT funding source is identified.  However, if you expect to provide your own personal, employer, or outside scholarship funding, please pay your tuition on time to avoid late fees.  Your non-payment of fall tuition should NOT compromise your fall registration.

Monday � Friday, August 20 -24

Microeconomics Review, Monday � Friday, Schedule TBA (to be announced):
These optional review sessions are recommended for incoming TPP students whose Econ skills are �rusty�.  Students will participate in the Sloan MBA Econ Pre-Term sessions from 1:00 � 2:30 every day and TPP will supplement these with some TPP-focused Econ reviews.

TPP Question and Answer Sessions, Schedule TBA:
TPP staff and continuing students will be available to answer questions for incoming TPP students at several Q and A sessions in the TPP Lounge.  Schedule TBA.

Food and Social Events, Monday, August 20 and Thursday, August 23:
Incoming Students are invited to join staff and continuing students for informal lunches in the TPP Lounge.

Monday � Friday, August 27 � September 1:

MIT Orientation Week
Many events will be provided by the Graduate Student Council, TPP, and others.  The GSC Orientation Schedule is at http://web.mit.edu/gsc/www/firstyear/orientation/schedule_2007.pdf. Some special events require a ticket, which you can find at the GSC info booths during the week.  Of special note:

Grad School 101, Monday, August 27 and Tuesday, August 28
These sessions are highly recommended and also provide an opportunity to meet MIT graduate students in other programs.

English Evaluation Test for non-native English speakers, Tuesday, August 28, 9 � 12.
All non-native English speakers must take MITs English Evaluation Test on Tuesday morning, August 29.  If you believe that you should not be required to take this test, please contact me to let me know why.

TPP ORIENTATION (required for incoming students), Wednesday, August 29:
Information about TPP academic requirements, research, and community are provided by TPP staff and students, and by MIT researchers. 
Light breakfast and lunch buffets will be provided.  We will forward further details and the agenda soon.

Week of Monday � Friday, September 3 � 7

Labor Day (MIT Holiday), Monday, September 3
TPP offices will be closed, but there will be MIT Orientation events on Labor Day weekend.

Class Registration, Tuesday, September 4, 10:00 � 3:00
Students meet with Sydney in the TPP Lounge to discuss their class selection and get a signature before submitting their forms to the MIT Registrar.

ESD BBQ - Welcome back BBQ for all students.  4 - 6. Details to be announced.

 First Day of MIT Classes, Wednesday, September 5

TPP Resume-Writing and Job Search Workshop, Internship Seminar, Wednesday, September 5, 12 - 2, TPP Lounge

Re-Orientation for Returning TPP Students, Wednesday, September 5, 4:00 � 5:30
The TPP Reorientation on Wednesday September 5 is required for all continuing TPP students.  Incoming students are welcome to attend as this information is designed to supplement the focus that the TPP orientation places on the first year at TPP.  We will provide information about degree completion, including the TPP thesis approval process and time-line, MIT dual degrees, and the ESD doctoral program.

TPP Welcome Back Dinner, Wednesday September 5, 5:30 � 6:30
Incoming and Continuing TPP Students meet and socialize in the TPP Lounge.

Resume-Writing and Job Search Workshop, Wednesday, September 5, 12:00 � 1:30 (date to be confirmed)

Technical Writing Test, Friday, September 7

Later in the Term:
Thompson Island Outward Bound Professional, Friday - Saturday, September 21 - 22

This is a lot of information and there is much still to be finalized and clarified.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.  We look forward to seeing you on campus in a few weeks!

Best regards,
Sydney