How do I get into MIT? (Grad School)

Hello everyone!

Im currently a senior in high school and and I have a couple of questions. Before I start here is some background information. I have been accepted by the College of William and Mary and Im going to major in Physics (hopefully start my masters at MIT). I know I need to obtain at least a 3.7+ GPA while Im at William and Mary, also acquire a 800+ on my GRE. I learned throughout my high school career that I should have started making plans early, plans that would help to get into an ivy league school; though Im pretty happy about where Im going. What should I be doing to increase my chances of getting into MIT? As a freshman should I be helping professors with their research? ( Ive already asked one and he said “he would be glad to meet me”) Should I minor in mathematics? Should I be contacting professors at MIT to start relationships early for recommendation letters? The hardest obstacle I think Im going to face is keeping my GPA above a 3.7+, Im no book worm.

If their is any advice you can think of please do share, thank you for your time.

All you really have to do is focus on your studies, staying balanced, and make sure you engage your faculty advisor. One should be assigned in your chosen field. They can answer these questions better.

W&M is one of the top rated public schools for producing STEM PHDs on a % basis (I think only Berkeley and Colorado School of Mines were higher). So you should have good resources.

Tell them the founder of MIT went to William & Mary, so that they should let you in.

I kid. Get involved in things while you are at William & Mary. It has one of the best iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) teams in the nation and won the grand prize among all the teams in the world in 2015. William & Mary has several unique makerspaces where you can make your own projects and things dedicated to physics. Explore things outside your comfort zone, ask professors if you can help them with research, and do what feels natural to you.

There is not one way to get into grad school, just like there is not one way to get into a undergraduate institution. But you should be focusing on building relationships and having people to write you strong recommendations from your undergraduate institution. I don’t understand why you would try to get recommendations from professors at MIT for recommendation letters if they do not know you. But in order to get into MIT for graduate school you will need to get to get top notch grades and possibly showcase how you are different, whether that is through research, presentations, competitions, or innovations of your own design.

if u cant get over 3.7 you are probably not getting into mit

Its good to think ahead if you want to study physics.

No one goes to MIT for a masters in physics. The degree you need to apply to, if you want to go to MIT, is a PhD program in physics. If you fail the qualification exams you will be awarded a masters degree and asked to leave.
A masters in physics means you failed the qual, so do not focus on that, decide if you want a PhD, which is the degree you need to become a physicist.

You will need to take the physics GRE exam, as well as the regular GRE for admissions to MIT. You will need to do research every summer in physics, applied math or pure mathematics. You will need to publish some of it, but don’t pressure yourself, just hope that you can do something that warrants publication as an undergrad, thats not so easy. You should double major in physics and math if you can, if you want to study theoretical physics for your PhD work. You need to look into Physics REUs, apply early and do at least two of them, after sophomore year and junior year. You need to work on a physics project at William and Mary and get to know at least two or three professors well enough that they can write stellar recommendations.

You need to figure out your area of focus in physics: quantum mechanics, optics, biophysics, particle physics, condensed matter physics etc. You need to decide, do you like experimental physics, or would you prefer computational or theoretical work?

Develop a good list of PhD programs and apply to at least six programs. Many physics students today are applying to up to 15 PhD programs. Leave time for this in fall of your senior year, its really arduous! If your Physics GRE score is low, you cannot get into MIT, unless you happen to be female, there is leeway for test scores if you are female, unfortunately. Remember, MIT’s physics department is so well ranked that it attracts the best applicants from all over the world, and many students from the very top physics programs in their home countries have a leg up, from a student from William and Mary, which may not be a very top ranked undergrad physics program, I am not sure.

Do not overfocus on MIT as your only choice. There are plenty of outstanding Physics PhD programs, at Caltech, Cornell, U of Illinois, Harvard, Princeton, Berkeley and Stanford that may fit you better, depending on your research interests. You may also prefer a location other than Cambridge MA.

Once you get into some programs, you will be flown in for the visit programs. Be sure to arrange to meet your favorite professors at each program.

Also, apply for a three year NSF Graduate Physics Fellowship separately. That will not help you get into MIT, they really don’t care about that, and they reject plenty of students who win the three year NSF in physics, but it may help you at any other graduate program, so you don’t have to teach so much. The NSF application is due before the physics PhD programs, so in about November. The PhD applications are due a bit later. Some schools that are not as good as MIT may give you an offer as early as January, if they really want you.

Good luck.

Focus on grades your first semester. Once you have met a few profs, you can start thinking about research. My kid approached a prof she had for a lab and asked if she could work in his lab. He had liked her work in class, and said yes. Sometimes it is hard for frosh to find research slots for their first summer. Don’t be too discouraged if that happens; you can get plenty of research in starting sophomore year.

Focus on having a great college experience and being involved in what is meaningful to you. Be open to new experiences and don’t be so narrow mindedly focused on grad school.