MIT Admissions process

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>Hey guys,
I am a sophomore (just becoming one this August) and I had some concerns about college (specifically MITs) admissions. I have looked around and read stuff and yeah yeah I know: do activities that you love, 2200+ SAT, Rigorous Coursework, good essays/recommendations, lopsidedness, contribute to "diversity". Anyways apart from that, I want to how all of this ties in togather at the end. I have not been able to find anything on this. How do admissions work at MIT. Do they first have a cut just looking at academics and things to cut out anybody who is not academically proficient for MIT , then shave it off further with cutting people who did poorly on extra-curriculars and other factors other then academics. My concern is that in this competitive environment, I believe there is a good 3000 (at least) well qualified students who do npt get cut.. how do they further that down to 1000. is it throwing darts or what... Do they seperate you into ethnic groups and pick their set percentage from there. Example: around 18% hispanics, so they group the Hispanics who passed the first cuts and pick 180 from there by throwing darts? These are just examples of how admissions could work, what I really want to know is how they really work. How do they choose from the abundant of qualified people who demonstrate a passion.
Anyways heres my profile, give me comments on what you think (btw, Im not trying to set my life up to get in, thats dumb because I know a lot of ridiculously smart kids from my school that spend all their highschool career building up a resume and did not get in).</p>

<p>Schedule:</p>

<p>Freshman:
Algebra 2 Honors,
Trigonometry(IB)/Team sports (1 semester each),
Geometry Honors,
Biology Honors,
Information Technology (Regular/Requirement),
English I Honors,
Spanish II Honors,
Economics Honors/American Govt Honors</p>

<p>Freshman Summer:
Physics Honors (online)
AP Comp Science (semester 1 - online)
Introduction To Business (College class)</p>

<p>Sophomore:
AP Human Geography
AP World History
Pre-Calc Honors
Chemistry Honors
English II Honors
Spanish III IB (International Bac.)
Engineering I Regular (no Honors available)
Anatonomy & Physiology
AP Comp Science Segment 2 Online</p>

<p>Sophomore Summer:
2-3 college classes ( have not chosen yet, preferably something with business)
AP American History Online</p>

<p>Junior:
AP Calc AB
IB English III
IB Spanish IV
IB Economics
IB Theory of Knowledge/ speech
IB Chemistry
College Class
College Class</p>

<p>Junior Summer:
3 college classes if not accepted into MITES</p>

<p>Senior:
AP Calc BC
IB Chem
IB Psychology
IB English
IB Theory of Knowledge/Speech
AP Biology
College Physics I & II (1 semester each)</p>

<p>After School Activities:
Technology Student Association (president)
Math Team (coach)
Academic Team (no positions/ fun people, and we eat pizza xD)
Basketball Varsity
Track Varsity
Cross Country Varsity
Model UN (Debate Team)
Computer Science Club - I am going to start it next or junior year
Tae Kwon Do (Black belt)</p>

<p>Summer Programs Attending:
University of Florida college reach out program (accepted going this summer)
Florida State University Young Scholars (applying next year)
MITES (applying Junior Year)</p>

<p>Other Things:
I like studying business and techy stuff (youtube videos on cool stuff to do haha)
I like aviation and hope I can fly one day like my grand father and great grandfather
Play Soccer but basketball is in the same season so I do not play for school
Love Boston Celtics - I hope I can get into MIT so I can go watch some games xD
I like watching cop/ court shows like Bones and Franklin and Bash.
Not much time to like anything else haha.</p>

<p>That is basically it, oh Until now Ive had straight A's except one B in my first semester of English I. I got an A in both physics and into to biz this summer. My gpa is 3.95 unweighted,
4.25 weighted. Any more thoughts would be nice. BUTTT, the most important thing is to discuss the admissions process. Oh and my high school is top 100 in the US (if that comes into play somehow?? Nowadays you never know).</p>

2

<p>

Yes, but very few people are cut at this stage – it’s a cut looking for people who are very clearly not qualified. </p>

<p>

No.</p>

<p>

Also no.</p>

<p>The MIT admissions process is discussed pretty extensively and transparently on the admissions webpage:

There are also no quotas for particular ethnicities or other groups – you will not be read with others from your ethnic group.</p>

3

<p>Hey guys,
I am a sophomore (just becoming one this August) and I had some concerns about college admissions. I have looked around and read stuff and yeah yeah I know: do activities that you love, 2200+ SAT, Rigorous Coursework, good essays/recommendations, lopsidedness, contribute to “diversity”. Anyways apart from that, I want to how all of this ties in togather at the end. I have not been able to find anything on this. How do admissions work at MIT. Do they first have a cut where they just look at academics and things, then shave it off further with eliminating people who don’t have many extra curriculars that or that don’t show commitment to something outside of school. my concern is, what do they do once they do the first cuts. I think there is probably good 3000 (at least) well qualified students… how do they further that down to 1000. is it throwing darts or what… Do they seperate you into ethnic groups and pick their set percentage from there. Example: around 18% hispanics, so they group the hispanics and pick 180 from the students left after the first cuts. I just want to know what the systematic way of choosing they incoming students.</p>

<p>Anyways heres my profile, give me comments on what you think (btw, Im not trying to set my life up to get in, thats dumb because I know a lot of ridiculously smart kids from my school that spend all their highschool career building up a resume and did not get in).</p>

<p>Schedule:</p>

<p>Freshman:
Algebra 2 Honors,
Trigonometry(IB)/Team sports (1 semester each),
Geometry Honors,
Biology Honors,
Information Technology (Regular/Requirement),
English I Honors,
Spanish II Honors,
Economics Honors/American Govt Honors</p>

<p>Freshman Summer:
Physics Honors (online)
AP Comp Science (semester 1 - online)
Introduction To Business (College class)</p>

<p>Sophomore:
AP Human Geography
AP World History
Pre-Calc Honors
Chemistry Honors
English II Honors
Spanish III IB (International Bac.)
Engineering I Regular (no Honors available)
Anatonomy & Physiology
AP Comp Science Segment 2 Online</p>

<p>Sophomore Summer:
2-3 college classes ( have not chosen yet, preferably something with business)
AP American History Online</p>

<p>Junior:
AP Calc AB
IB English III
IB Spanish IV
IB Economics
IB Theory of Knowledge/ speech
IB Chemistry
College Class
College Class</p>

<p>Junior Summer:
3 college classes if not accepted into MITES</p>

<p>Senior:
AP Calc BC
IB Chem
IB Psychology
IB English
IB Theory of Knowledge/Speech
AP Biology
College Physics I & II (1 semester each)</p>

<p>After School Activities:
Technology Student Association (president)
Math Team (coach)
Academic Team (no positions/ fun people, and we eat pizza xD)
Basketball Varsity
Track Varsity
Cross Country Varsity
Model UN (Debate Team)
Computer Science Club - I am going to start it next or junior year
Tae Kwon Do (Black belt)</p>

<p>Summer Programs Attending:
University of Florida college reach out program (accepted going this summer)
Florida State University Young Scholars (applying next year)
MITES (applying Junior Year)</p>

<p>Other Things:
I like studying business and techy stuff (youtube videos on cool stuff to do haha)
I like aviation and hope I can fly one day like my grand father and great grandfather
Play Soccer but basketball is in the same season so I do not play for school
Love Boston Celtics - I hope I can get into MIT so I can go watch some games xD
I like watching cop/ court shows like Bones and Franklin and Bash.
Not much time to like anything else haha.</p>

<p>That is basically it, oh Until now Ive had straight A’s except one B in my first semester of English I. I got an A in both physics and into to biz this summer. My gpa is 3.95 underweighted,
4.25 weighted. Any more thoughts would be nice. BUTTT, the most important thing is to discuss the admissions process. Oh and my high school is top 100 in the US (if that comes into play somehow??).</p>

4

<p>[The</a> Selection Process | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/selection]The”>Our selection process | MIT Admissions)</p>

<p>How This All Works
After you click the submit button, it’s easy to feel as though your application has entered a black hole. So what really happens between when you apply and when you receive your decision? We understand that not knowing the details can add a lot of stress to the waiting period, so we’re happy to shed some light into that black hole.</p>

<p>Once your application is complete, it will first be read by a senior admissions officer who will consider your application in a holistic manner, within its proper context. Strong applications will then be evaluated by additional admissions officers, who will summarize it at length for the committee.</p>

<p>These summaries, along with your entire application, will then go to the selection committee, where multiple groups of different admissions staff and faculty members will weigh in. At least a dozen people will significantly discuss and debate an application before it is placed in the admit pile.</p>

<p>This is all very intentional: committee decisions ensure that every decision is correct in the context of the overall applicant pool, and that no one individual’s bias or preferences or familiarity with a given case has any chance of swaying a decision unfairly.</p>

<p>Our process is a student-centered process, not a school or region centered process. This means that we do not read your application along with other students from your school or region to compare you against each other; each applicant stands on their own. We have no quotas by school, state, or region. You are not at any disadvantage if other excellent students from your school or area are also applying.</p>

<p>At MIT we try to be as transparent as possible about our process. If you have any questions, just ask.</p>

5

<p>^ Are the transfer applications treated in the same manner ?</p>

6

<p>Essentially yes.</p>

7

<p>How much emphasis is put onto GPA in the Application Process? Does a 3.9-4.0 gpa student have a better shot than a 3.6-3.8 GPA student?</p>

8

<p>Um, yes, because they probably have better grades overall. We don’t have minimum GPA or weight it as such, but we like to see students that have good grades.</p>

9

<p>^ So basically a dumb student like me with 3.3 GPA shouldn’t bother thinking of getting in ? Although i will apply anyway :)</p>

10

<p>What range of grades and scores would prove that the student is capable of tackling the load at MIT ? And then his ECs, recs, essays, etc stuff will be considered to match with the MIT culture.</p>

<p>The thread was dying, had to post something :)</p>

11

<p>I think that the important point to remember here, is one that Chris, our MIT rep made very elequently:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/939227-reminder-no-one-not-even-me-can-give-you-accurate-chance-mit.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/939227-reminder-no-one-not-even-me-can-give-you-accurate-chance-mit.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;