What Does it Take to Get Into MIT?

The Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Is World-Renowned For Its Innovation And Its Selective Admissions Process…

With an acceptance rate of only 6.7%, not only is MIT one of the most selective colleges in the world, but it’s also the leading university for STEM degrees (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in the US.

So, in order to continue grooming only the best of the best, MIT has built their admissions process to reflect that selectivity. They also pride themselves on having created the best college admissions website in the country that has become the template for other top colleges.

As you can see, MIT is as top-notch as most universities can get, which means that their incoming freshman must be top-notch as well. Getting accepted to MIT is huge achievement for many hard-working students every year, and if you’re interested in becoming an MIT Engineer, you could be one of them. Keep reading if you’re interested in learning how to get into MIT.

What You’ll Find In This College Guide:

• MIT’s Ideal Student
• What You Need To Get Accepted Into MIT
• MIT’s Campus Life
• From Application to Career: What You’ll Experience At MIT
• Your Future at MIT

MIT's Ideal Student

Since MIT is a highly competitive college, they can only accept students that show off a few key qualities. Additionally, many of MIT’s incoming freshmen graduated in the top percentage of their classes, and had the test scores to prove it.

The average GPA and SAT scores of incoming freshmen are:

• Average GPA: 4.16 (weighted)
• SAT: 1550
• ACT: 35

Note: MIT doesn’t publish undergraduate applicant GPAs, and any data released to the public comes from students who self-report their scores at the time of acceptance. Based on this self-reporting, it would seem few if any students are accepted with a GPA below 3.0..

MIT’s admission requirements can be broken down into two categories: stated and unstated. Thousands of students in the US technically qualify for MIT’s stated admission requirements, but it’s the unstated requirements that really determine a student’s admission.

MIT’s stated requirements are things like GPA, test scores, and required high school classes. These admission requirements are the minimum tasks you need to accomplish in order to be accepted into MIT. It’s the unstated requirements like essays and extracurricular activities that will separate you from the rest of the applicant pool, making you MIT’s ideal student.

When it comes to what kind of student MIT looks for, they have several components in mind that all flow together.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

MIT looks for students who have a deep appreciation for details.

• Have you ever reached a point in a project that could’ve been ignored, but instead you put in extra time so you could create an excellent final product?
• Do you work just as hard on small projects as you do on larger ones?
• Does every detail of an assignment matter to you?

MIT believes that it’s a strong attention to detail that takes people far in life, and they follow this philosophy in their operations, classrooms, and activities.

COLLABORATION AND COOPERATION

At the heart of MIT’s purpose and mission is collaboration with other people, meaning that students rarely work alone. In fact, MIT’s curriculum is built around the idea of collaboration, meaning that most projects are group projects. This means that even entire departments work together in labs and presentations.

• Do you enjoy working with other people?
• Are you good at listening to classmates’ points of view and considering their ideas when it comes to a group project?
• Do you know when it’s best to lead and when it’s best to follow?
• Do you like pitching new ideas to the group you’re working with?

Collaboration and cooperation is the cornerstone of MIT’s interdisciplinary research, and students who don’t work well in groups are usually asked to reconsider their choice of college.

INITIATIVE, CURIOSITY, AND EXCITEMENT

Along with collaboration comes the next quality of MIT’s ideal student: enthusiasm. If research is a drag for you, then you might not be very happy at MIT. Research is the name of the game at MIT, and they want their students to be self-starters, excited and ready to learn at every opportunity.

• Have you ever had a great idea for a project or discussion and took the lead to make it happen?
• Have you ever dedicated extra time and effort to a project simply because the topic excited you?
• Do you like taking risks in your projects?

At MIT, students complete so much groundbreaking work that it absolutely has to be their passion. The work is difficult and the curriculum is intense, but if students have enough drive and a passion for what their studying, they won’t feel bogged down by it.

PRIORITIZING BALANCE

MIT is acutely aware of their academic intensity, which is why they want students who know how to bring balance to their heavy workload. It’s not all work and no play at MIT. In fact, if their students know how to balance the two, the campus provides just the right amount of play to alleviate the stress their curriculum may create.

• Do you understand the importance of taking breaks and walking away from a project in order to refresh your mind?
• Did you use a sport, club, extracurricular activity, or community service activity to let your mind rest from studying?

In order for students to be successful at MIT, they have to make balancing their lives a priority.

WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE: MIT’S PROGRAMS

MIT is the top STEM college in the US and is world-renowned for the interdisciplinary curriculum that helps their students become top STEM researchers and innovators.

• Aerospace Engineering (#1 in the US)
• Computer Engineering (#1 in the US)
• Biomedical Sciences (#2 in the US)
• Business (#2 in the US)

While STEM is their main focus, MIT also offers classes in areas like Public Policy, Entrepreneurship, and Creative Writing.

IN SUMMARY: MIT’S IDEAL STUDENT

MIT seeks students who are self-starters and have a genuine enthusiasm for research and development. The ideal MIT student works well in groups, pays attention to details, and knows how to balance their priorities while delivering top-notch work.

Obviously, covering all of these qualities can feel daunting. MIT’s ideal student clearly looks like a super-student, but if you dig deep into what these qualities entail, you may find that you’ve had them all along.

Of course, there are also some practical things you can do in order to showcase your best self on your MIT application, and hopefully show them that you’re MIT’s ideal student.

What You Need To Get Accepted Into MIT

MIT’s admissions process is one of the most streamlined in the country. Still, it incorporates many components, giving students plenty of opportunities to showcase their strengths, skills, and interests.

In 2019, only 1,427 students were admitted out of 21,312 applicants. This 6.7% acceptance rate clearly makes it one of the most selective schools in the US, and MIT’s requirements doesn’t shy away from enforcing that.

THE APPLICATION

Unlike most colleges, MIT only offers their application through their website. The first step of the admissions process is to familiarize yourself with their application portal and create an account on MyMIT. This MIT-exclusive platform is where you can keep track of your progress and upload documents like test scores and essays.

ESSAYS

Instead of one or two long essays, MIT’s requirements allow you to write several short paragraphs so the admissions office can learn as much about you as possible. MIT asks that applicants don’t worry about what MIT is looking for; rather, they want their applicants to be open, honest, and authentic.

In 2019, MIT gave applicants a handful of essay prompts and asked that they pick three. Each of these responses only needed to be between 200-250 words. In addition to these short paragraphs, MIT provides an extra area where you can add anything else you think the admissions office should know about you.

EXTRACURRICULAR AND ACADEMIC ACTIVITY

After writing your short answers, there is an area on the application for you to list your extracurricular activities. They only provide four spaces, so you should choose the extracurriculars that meant the most to you or had the biggest impact on your high school experience.

After providing your extracurricular history, you’ll have a chance to fill out the Self-Reported Coursework Form. In this section, you’ll need to fill out what classes you took in high school, along with the final grade you received at the end of each year. Be sure to include AP classes, college credits, and electives.

This self-reported form doesn’t replace your transcript; it simply operates as a supplement. However, MIT recommends that you obtain your transcript before you fill out this section. This way, you avoid typing in the wrong grade and risk the appearance of dishonesty.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

MIT requires you to provide two letters of recommendation, and both of them must be from teachers. In order to upload your recommendations, you must create a separate account from your MyMIT account.

One recommendation must be from a math or science teacher and the other must come from a teacher who taught you anything involved with the Humanities (English, History, a foreign language, etc).

Along with two teacher recommendations, you must ask your counselor to provide your official high school transcript and a school report. These documents outline your high school experience in-depth, and give MIT a clearer vision of your academic performance.

TESTS & SCORES

MIT requires its applicants to take either the SAT or ACT, along with a couple of SAT Subject Tests. However, MIT has clarified that test scores are not the most important part of a student’s application. They consider the person for admission, not just their scores, so they encourage students not to worry too much about their test scores.

MIT’s Testing Requirements:

• SAT or ACT
• Math SAT Subject Test (Either Level 1 or 2)
• Science SAT Subject Test (Either in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics)

MIT follows a superscoring policy for its applicants. If you take your standardized tests more than once, MIT admissions will only consider the highest scores for each part of each test on your application.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS

If you feel it’s necessary to include supplementary materials like a research paper or art samples, MIT encourages you to do so. While supplementary materials aren’t required, MIT admissions trusts the discretion of their applicants.

Through their platform, SlideRoom, you may upload any samples of your work. If you completed an advanced research project in high school, you may provide that. For visual and performing artists, there is the option to upload images, videos, and creative portfolios onto your application. Since MIT wants to ensure that they’re receiving quality pieces of work, they’ve listed requirements for each student and the kind of work they may want to upload.

If you feel that your application doesn’t represent you well enough, you may also opt in to MIT’s optional interview process, in which an MIT admission officer helps you schedule a casual interview with a member of their alumni network.

THE FEBRUARY UPDATE

Lastly, in order to be considered for admission at MIT, admissions requires you to provide a mid-year school report after you have submitted your application. This report isn’t due until February, after the regular application deadline.

This report simply gives the admissions office an update on how you’re performing during your final year of school, ensuring that you’re keeping your grades and school activity up.

THE APPLICATION FEE

The application fee for MIT is $75, and you’ll have the opportunity to pay for it through the MyMIT portal. However, MIT is aware that some students may be planning to apply for need-based financial aid. If that is the case, MIT accepts fee waivers through multiple platforms. MIT admissions will even grant fee waivers with a short letter from your counselor explaining that the application fee is difficult for you and your family.

DEADLINES

• Early Action: November 1st
• Regular Action: January 1st

SAT scores can be sent to MIT once they become available, and your February Update is due February 15th. Early action applicants can expect an admissions decision in mid-December and regular action applicants can expect a response in mid-March.

CAN I GET INTO MIT?

Getting accepted into MIT is a huge accomplishment. Even being qualified to apply and provide great scores is a feat in itself. However, MIT is clear about the way they see the admissions process. To them, it’s about more than just the numbers. They understand that the applications they receive from students came from hard work, discipline, and consistency, and that doesn’t go unnoticed.

On your application, be the great student they already know you are. Wanting to get accepted into MIT shows so much character already, so be honest and open in your essays, and be proud of your grades and test scores. Getting into college is ultimately out of your hands, but if you make a strong effort, you’ll be doing everything in your power to show them that you belong at MIT.

MIT's Campus Life

MIT’s campus culture is built on collaboration and diversity. MIT is located in one of the most historically rich cities in the world, and it’s campus offers an activity or club for every kind of student, whether they be an artist, scientist, or even something as specific as an ultra Star Wars fan. MIT has something for everybody, making it a very inclusive community.

LIFE IN BOSTON

Boston, Massachusetts is a very important city in our country’s history. From the Boston Tea Party to the Liberty Bell, Boston is a hub for American history. In addition to important historic locations, Boston is a very art-centric city, featuring numerous theaters, operas, and museums. Boston is also home to world-famous sports teams, like the Red Sox, Celtics, and the Bruins.

Finally, Boston is home to 35 colleges, so a large portion of the city’s population are students. This makes Boston unique as a college town, providing students from different colleges opportunities to meet and collaborate in their very own culturally rich city.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

MIT offers over 500 student organizations and 40 Greek organizations, each one equally unique. The focus of these groups range from academics, cultural diversity, activism, and religion. MIT even offers 38 organizations completely dedicated to musical theater and dance!

Of course, some of the most popular clubs are focused on providing students with relief from their intense workload. At MIT, you can join fun clubs like Lab for Chocolate Science (which is literally a group of students that make chocolate every week), the Science Fiction Society, Puppy Lab, or even the Outing Club.

Students can also become involved with MIT’s newspaper, radio station, and student government. Really, the opportunities at MIT are endless, and each year students find their perfect niche through their top-notch Student Activities program.

ATHLETICS & RECREATION

MIT boasts the largest Division III Athletics program in the US. The opportunities for students to get involved with the athletics program includes 33 Varsity sports, 35 club sports, and 20 intramural sports teams. Whether you want to play a sport competitively or just for fun, you’ll find a team to get involved with at MIT.

In addition to a great athletics program, MIT’s campus has numerous state-of-the-art recreational facilities, where students can de-stress by rock-climbing, sailing and boating, playing tennis, and swimming. Their gym offers free fitness classes for their students and has weight rooms, an indoor track, and top-notch fitness equipment.

MIT also began a health and wellness initiative on campus which puts a distinct focus on their student’s mental health. Through this initiative, students can take part in a community that believes mental and physical health go hand-in-hand.

HOUSING & DINING

As a student at MIT, you get to choose where you’d like to live for all four years of your undergraduate career. MIT has 10 residence halls, each with their own culture, traditions, and dining arrangements.

All freshmen are required to live in one of the residence halls on campus, but after your first year, you may explore other options like fraternities and sororities, or off campus housing.

Just like housing, MIT’s approach to dining is very unique. Five of MIT’s residence halls have a built-in dining facility. If you happen to live in a dorm that doesn’t have a dining area, you have numerous meal plan options that you can use at MIT’s several retail dining locations on campus. Many dorms even have kitchens if students prefer to cook for themselves.

PIRACY IS NOT A CRIME AT MIT

Well, at least not that kind of piracy.

Illegally download movies and music from the Internet is still wrong, but at MIT, you can be granted a pirate’s license after taking a certain set of classes like fencing, sailing, archery, and pistol training; basically, by training to become a pirate!

Of course, MIT is very clear that students are not allowed to engage in any illegal pirate activity upon receiving their certification. In fact, the certification is simply a fun way for students to fulfill their required Physical Wellness Requirement, as part of MIT’s curriculum!

From Application To Career: What You'll Experience At MIT

MIT has done a fantastic job at creating a rigorous academic environment perfectly combined with fun activities. Being a student at MIT is intense, and even getting accepted to the college is an accomplishment. From learning how to get into MIT to graduation day, the experience is fulfilling in every imaginable way.

YOUR APPLICATION

MIT’s ideal student is enthusiastic, works very well with others, has an immense appreciation for details, and knows how to balance the multiple components of their education.

On your MIT application, it’s very important that you be yourself; MIT’s admission officers receive tens of thousands of applications every year, and they know when a student is trying too hard to be MIT’s ideal student.

It would serve you well to be open and honest about your high school experience. Be sure to include only the extracurricular activities that meant the most to you, and mention projects or initiatives that you created or led.

YOUR ESSAY

MIT’s essays are shorter than most college application essays. There is no “general essay” along with an MIT supplement. In your short paragraphs, be authentic while providing a well-written, thoughtful responses. Choose the prompts that spark the most creativity and help you write from your own voice, not someone else’s. You only get about 200-250 words, so be clear and concise.

YOUR COLLEGE YEARS

It’s no secret that being a student at MIT is legendary. MIT alumni are proud of graduating from one of the most prestigious universities in the US, and you could be one of them!

While attending MIT, prioritizing balance is key. You’ll be taking extremely difficult courses while juggling independent study and research. You’ll have group projects to lead and be a part of, while finding time to have a social life as well.

Make sure that you take advantage of MIT’s programs to stay stress-free and balanced. You don’t want to look back on your time at MIT and see all the opportunities you missed to meet other people, join fun clubs, and go on fun outings in Boston. Work hard every year to find the right balance between producing good work in your classes while enjoying MIT’s thriving campus.

YOUR CAREER

The MIT alumni network is a super valuable tool for MIT graduates. When a student graduates with “MIT” on their resume, a whole new world of opportunity opens up for them. Some of MIT’s notable alumni include Buzz Aldrin, Jonah Peretti, and Shirley Ann Jackson.

MIT has a very responsive Career Advising Center for their students, helping them launch into their chosen careers with maximum potential and momentum.

In 2018:

• 53% of MIT’s seniors had jobs secured at graduation while 41% entered graduate school
• Those students beginning work had a starting salary between $60K and $120K

Note: The highest reported starting salary came from students who went into Investment Banking, where they were offered salaries of around $150K.

Your Future At MIT

The name “MIT” carries so much weight today. It represents hard work, dedication, and a desire to create a better world, complete with a powerful enthusiasm for finding the next best thing.

Students at MIT are incredibly motivated to contribute to the world in positive ways, so if this is where your passion lies, you should consider applying to MIT. MIT takes care of their students, starting at the application process. Right out of the gate, they want to know who you are and what you’re passionate about.

Of course, if you’re unsure about whether or not you have a future at MIT, contact one of WeAdmit's counselors. We know the ins and outs of the college admissions process and we’d love to help you showcase why you’d be a great fit for MIT!

Get Started On Your Path To MIT Today!