MIT FAQ for application year 2014-2015

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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<p>Welcome to the MIT forum on College Confidential! </p>

<p>Several current MIT students, MIT alums (including alumni interviewers), and MIT parents post on this forum, and we're happy to answer any questions that we can. Current MIT admissions officer Chris Peterson (MITChris</a>) also posts here, so listen to the words that come out of the man's fingers.</p>

<p>Some questions are asked here very often, and I'll try to cover them in this FAQ.</p>

<p>What are the application deadlines?
MIT has both an early action (EA) and a regular decision (RD) round of applications.</p>

<p>MIT's EA program is non-restrictive (you can apply to other schools, as long as those schools allow applicants to apply early to other places) and non-binding (after you are admitted, you can choose whether or not to attend). The EA deadline is November 1, and decisions are usually available online around December 10-15. EA admits get financial aid information with RD admits in late March, and are required to reply to MIT by May 1. </p>

<p>Applying to MIT EA is not automatically an advantage for your application -- the EA admit rate is usually about the same as (and sometimes lower than) the RD admit rate. A sizable percentage of EA applicants are deferred to the RD round, and are given the opportunity to send in supplemental materials before RD consideration begins. International students are not allowed to apply EA. You should apply for the round that best fits your schedule and the rules of other schools to which you're applying.</p>

<p>MIT's RD deadline is January 1, and decisions are usually available online around March 15-20.</p>

<p>For more information, see MIT's webpage [here[/url</a>].</p>

<p>What standardized tests do I need to take to apply to MIT?
For native English speakers, MIT requires either the SAT I with writing or the ACT with writing. MIT additionally requires 2 SAT II subject tests, one in math (either Math Ic or Math IIc) and one in science. It doesn't matter which math or science test you take.</p>

<p>For non-native English speakers, MIT requires either the SAT I with writing, the ACT with writing, or the TOEFL (with no option preferred over the others). MIT additionally requires 2 SAT II subject tests, one in math and one in science. </p>

<p>MIT superscores the SAT and ACT, so only the highest scores from each section will be considered for your evaluation (and there is no need to use Score Choice to select which test administrations you would like MIT to see). If you take both the SAT and the ACT, MIT will only use the better set of scores in your evaluation. There are no preferred SAT II subject tests, and there is no preference as to whether you take the SAT or the ACT.</p>

<p>If you have taken AP tests prior to applying to MIT, you do not need to send MIT an official score report. Self-reporting your scores on the application will be sufficient.</p>

<p>The latest test date for EA applicants is the November date (no rush report required), and the latest test date for RD applicants is the December date, although January tests will be accepted at MIT's discretion.</p>

<p>For more information on MIT's testing requirements, see the standardized test requirements [url=<a href="http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/tests%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/tests]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p>

<p>Who can write my letters of recommendation?
MIT requires two letters of recommendation, one from a math or science teacher and one from a humanities teacher. Matt McGann has confirmed for me that a teacher of any subject that, if it were taught at MIT, would be taught within the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences ([url=<a href="http://shass.mit.edu/%5DSHASS%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://shass.mit.edu/]SHASS](&lt;a href="http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/dates%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/dates)&lt;/a&gt;), is fine for the humanities letter of rec. This includes foreign languages, history, writing, literature, theatre, music, and others.</p>

<p>MIT does not require that the letter be from a teacher you've had in any particular school year, although you should carefully consider whether a teacher you had as a freshman or sophomore will remember you vividly enough to write a good letter for you.</p>

<p>See more information at Matt McGann's blog [here[/url</a>].</p>

<p>What's this about an interview?
MIT alumni known as Educational Counselors (ECs) try to interview all applicants to MIT, though students who do not live within a reasonable distance of an EC have the interview waived. In late summer or early fall, the contact information for the EC assigned to each applicant will be visible in the MyMIT portal; each applicant is responsible for contacting his or her EC to schedule the interview. </p>

<p>You must contact your EC before October 20 (EA) or December 10 (RD) in order to secure an interview. Every year on CC, we see several students who neglected to contact their ECs prior to the deadline but who still want an interview. Contact your EC early!</p>

<p>The interview is a relatively informal conversation about you, and an opportunity for you to ask the EC questions about MIT. You should dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable -- there's no prescribed dress code.</p>

<p>For more information on the interview, see the MIT site [url=<a href="http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/interview%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://mitadmissions.org/apply/freshman/interview]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;], and look for posts on this forum by Mikalye, our (awesome) resident EC.</p>

<p>I got a B/4 on the AP test/700 on the SAT! Did I ruin my chances to get into MIT?
Probably not. MIT's admissions process is holistic, meaning that all factors relevant to your application are considered when deciding whether or not to admit you.</p>

<p>Still, MIT's applicant pool is very competitive -- check out the admissions statistics [url=<a href="http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;] for the last admitted class, and the CC results thread for the [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/1588918-mit-class-of-2018-consolidated-ea-rd-results-thread.html%5Dclass"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/1588918-mit-class-of-2018-consolidated-ea-rd-results-thread.html]class&lt;/a> of 2018](<a href="http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_freshman_application/some_recommendations_about_rec.shtml%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_freshman_application/some_recommendations_about_rec.shtml). Also be sure to check out the CC results threads for the classes of 2017/2016/2015/2014/2013/[2012[/url</a>].</p>

<p>Chance me!
No. Read [url=<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/939227-reminder-no-one-not-even-me-can-give-you-accurate-chance-mit.html%5Dthis"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/939227-reminder-no-one-not-even-me-can-give-you-accurate-chance-mit.html]this&lt;/a> thread](http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/massachusetts-institute-technology/546625-consolidated-ea-rd-2012-results-thread.html) by MITChris instead.</p>

<p>Best wishes, and again, welcome to MIT CC!</p>

<p>-Mollie, MIT class of 2006 (brain and cognitive sciences/biology, MacGregor resident, cheerleader)</p>

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<p>someone please photoshop words coming out of my fingers like lasers tia</p>

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<p>I’ll try to make something as such, but for that, you’ll have to wait till I get in. Sorry for the unhealthy level of optimism.</p>

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<p>Are we allowed to ask questions here?
If so, I was just wondering how majors are selected. Do you apply with a concentrated major or can you select your major later?</p>

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<p>You cannot select a major until the end of freshman year (or the middle of freshman year if you get sophomore status).</p>

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<p>

Yes! Absolutely. Please feel free – that’s why it’s here. In past years, this thread has become a wild 30-or-so-page monster, because often people don’t want to start a new thread to ask a quick question.</p>

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<p>About the TOEFL, can i take it instead of SAT? or is it necessary to take both tests?</p>

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<p>@Mrduque - You should look at the website for these sorts of things</p>

<p><a href=“International applicants | MIT Admissions”>http://mitadmissions.org/apply/international/intltests&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>@PiperXP‌ Oh… I see ya, thanks.</p>

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<p>Hi there!
I’m looking to apply to MIT, but is it ok to send in the application forms now, if I plan to take the SAT and the Subject Test after that?</p>

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<p>@xer070 - Absolutely.</p>

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<p>Also, I’m an international applicant. If I didn’t do very well in the SAT, but get good grades in the Subject Tests and 110/120 in TOEFL, could that affect my chances of getting in?</p>

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<p>@xer070 - Yep, MIT Admissions will consider your best scores, and the TOEFL replaces the SAT Reasoning Test.</p>

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<p>How is the social life and how much free time does an average MIT student have?</p>

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<p>^ It depends on you. If you stick to a minimal courseload, you’ll have enough free time to do plenty of social stuff and get sleep at night. Most people tend to sacrifice sleep to up their courseloads and social life though :P</p>

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<p>I read that we have to contact our interviewer by 10th December. If I haven’t paid the application fee yet, can I still do that? Sorry if that feels like a stupid question.</p>

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<p>If you have an interviewer listed, you should feel free to contact them.</p>

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<p>

This is a really broad question, and it’s really one that’s best answered by visiting MIT for an overnight (or for Campus Preview Weekend after admission) and seeing for yourself. There are lots of different kinds of social lives at MIT, for lots of different kinds of people – maybe your idea of a social life is being in a fraternity, and there are lots of those at MIT. Maybe your idea of a social life is hanging out with friends in your dorm and building a roller coaster, and you can do that at MIT. Everybody at MIT has a social life, but everybody’s social life is a little different.</p>

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<p>Will MIT open my application after I submit it, or will they have to wait until they have received all my scores?</p>

<p>I’m homeschooled, can my parents write the teacher and counselor recs?
Thanks.</p>

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<p>They usually wait for an application to be complete before starting to read.</p>

<p>You can have one recommendation from a parent, but you need at least two more from elsewhere.</p>

<p><a href=“For home educators | MIT Admissions”>http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/homeschool&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;