MIT admissions – What do you need to apply?
In any college search, students will undoubtedly encounter the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT is one of the most prestigious schools in the nation, especially for the sciences. Students going through the MIT admissions process should remain highly organized and strategic. They must be familiar with all MIT admissions requirements and have a plan of attack for the MIT application. The low MIT acceptance rate makes it one of the most exclusive universities in the nation. This article will go through the MIT admissions process and show students how to get into MIT. Here, we will discuss the MIT admissions rate, explore the MIT admissions selection process, go over the MIT application deadline, and more. To begin, let’s go over what you need to apply to MIT.
MIT admissions requirements
There are 5 components to the MIT application.
1. General components
- General information: application fee or waiver, and chosen field of study.
- Essays: Five short answer questions which should be about 200 words each.
- Activities: Four main activities that you would like to share with the MIT admissions officers.
- Academics: US applicants should fill out the Self-reported Coursework Form. International applicants need only to submit a school transcript.
2. Letters of recommendation
The MIT application requires two letters; one from a math or science teacher and another from a humanities, social science, or language teacher.
3. Secondary school report (SSR)
Your guidance counselor should complete this form and return it to MIT along with your transcript.
4. Standardized test scores
MIT requires the SAT or the ACT. MIT does NOT require the ACT writing section or the SAT optional essay.
5. February Updates and Notes Form
MIT admissions makes this form available on the MIT application portal in mid-January. Students should aim to complete it as soon as possible. Be sure to get your official midyear grades from your college counselor to complete the form accurately.
Familiarize yourself with these MIT requirements before starting the application. For additional pointers and insights on the MIT admissions process, check out their admissions page, which includes links to important articles and even has an MIT admissions blog.
What is the MIT admissions rate?
The overall MIT admissions rate for first-year applicants is 4.8%. There were nearly 27,000 applicants to MIT, and of those applicants, only 1,291 were admitted. Now, let’s take a more detailed look at the MIT admissions rate.
Early action MIT admissions rate
There were 11,924 Early Action applicants. 685 of those students were admitted in the Early Action round. This makes the Early Action MIT acceptance rate 5.7%. Note that this is higher than the overall MIT acceptance rate. Because of this, we encourage students to apply to MIT in the Early Action phase of the college admissions process. The MIT application deadline for Early Action is November 1, 2023.
Regular action MIT admissions rate
There were 14,990 Regular Action applicants and 22,882 including those deferred from Early Action. Of all those considered, 574 students were admitted in the Regular Action round. This makes the Regular Action MIT acceptance rate 2.5%, which is lower than the overall MIT acceptance rate. The MIT application deadline for Regular Action is January 4, 2024.
While the MIT admissions rates will be low no matter when you submit, don’t be discouraged from applying. Review the MIT requirements, plan ahead, and utilize the many resources available, such as the MIT admissions blog or the CollegeAdvisor guide on how to get into MIT.
Is it hard to get into MIT?
MIT is one of the best-ranked schools in the nation, coming in at #2 on the U.S. News list of Best National Universities. With an MIT admissions rate of 4.8%, we can safely say that MIT is difficult to get into. Difficult, but not impossible. Let’s take a look at some MIT admissions statistics. Keep in mind, this data is NOT the same as the MIT admissions requirements, but rather, data that reflects the makeup of the admitted student body. Be aware, MIT students are expected to be high performers in many aspects of their lives.
MIT GPA requirements
Your Grade Point Average (GPA) plays an important role in the MIT admissions process. That being said, there are no official MIT GPA requirements. However, MIT notes that competitive applicants typically have a GPA of 3.5 or above. While there are no MIT GPA requirements, students should strive to earn As in honors, AP, or IB classes, especially the math and science courses.
MIT testing requirements
MIT requirements do include the ACT and SAT standardized tests. These MIT admissions requirements differ from requirements at other prestigious universities in the nation. Current trends show that schools are waiving testing requirements in light of the impact of COVID-19. However, MIT has chosen to make standardized testing required of all applicants. The MIT requirements do not specify that students need a certain score for consideration of admission to the school, however, the median range of SAT scores for an MIT admit is 780-800 for math, 740-780 for reading, and the range of ACT scores is 34-36.
Other MIT enrollment statistics
For the MIT class of 2027, 619 students were put on the waitlist and 32 were ultimately admitted to MIT. The MIT admissions rate for international applicants was 2%. The MIT enrollment breakdown by gender shows 48% female, 49% male, and 4% other-gendered first-year students. And, 66% of students admitted to MIT came from public schools.
One thing prospective MIT students should not have to worry about is the cost of attendance. MIT has resources on admissions and aid for incoming students. Visit their financial aid webpage for more information.
Exploring MIT admissions selection process
The MIT admissions selection process is student-centered. After submission, senior MIT admissions officers review student applications in a holistic manner. The best applications from the group move on to be evaluated by other MIT admissions officers, who provide a summary to the MIT Admissions Committee. The applications and their summaries then go to the Selection Committee, where different MIT admissions officers and faculty give their opinions on admittance. When all is said and done, about a dozen people will have thoroughly reviewed, discussed, and debated your MIT application.
The MIT admissions committee process ensures the proper contextualization of an applicant. In other words, MIT admissions officers consider students beyond their statistics and take every effort to remove potential biases in the MIT admissions process. There are no quotas by school, state, or region. Furthermore, MIT admissions does not consider legacy relations in the admissions process.
For more insight into the MIT admissions selection practices, contact the MIT admissions officers or check out the MIT admissions blog. Students, who have first-hand experience have written over 6,000 posts on the MIT admissions blog.
What is the application deadline for MIT?
For the 2023-2024 school year, there are two different MIT application deadlines. MIT admissions does not give students any special preference based on whether they decide to apply during the Early Action or Regular Action round of admissions. The only MIT requirements are that students meet at least one of these deadlines for submitting their MIT application.
MIT admissions: early action (EA)
The Early Action deadline is November 1, 2023. For consideration during the Early Action round, MIT admissions requirements ask that students submit two letters of recommendation, the SSR, your high school transcript, and all individual MIT application components (general information, essays, activities, academics, etc.). Students should aim to take all standardized tests by the November testing date at the latest.
MIT admissions: regular Action (RA)
The Regular Action deadline is January 4, 2024. For consideration during the Regular Action round, MIT requirements call on students to submit two letters of recommendation, the SSR, your high school transcript, and all individual MIT application components (general information, essays, activities, academics, etc.). Students should aim to take all standardized tests by the December testing date at the latest.
MIT admissions office: How to contact and visit
The MIT admissions office is located on their campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For any questions related to the MIT admissions requirements or the admissions process in general, MIT encourages students to reach out to an MIT admissions officer. The MIT admissions contact information is below:
Phone number: 617-253-3400
Email: [email protected]
The MIT admissions contact person is the Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services, Stuart Schmill.
For detailed information regarding MIT requirements, first-year, and transfer admissions, visit the MIT website.
MIT admissions requirements – Final thoughts
MIT is an outstanding school to include on your college list. For more information on MIT admissions, check out CollegeAdvisor’s How To Get Into MIT guide, their article on MIT’s supplemental essays, and their Applying to MIT webinar. If you are preparing for an interview as a part of the MIT admissions process, be sure to review CollegeAdvisor’s helpful guide on how to ace your college interview. Finally, don’t forget about the invaluable resources on the MIT admissions blog.
The MIT admissions requirements are straightforward, but students should still prepare themselves. Use CollegeAdvisor as a resource to ensure that you not only meet, but exceed all requirements for admittance to this prestigious school. Good luck!
This article was written by Ciara Ayala. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.