<p>How does MIT view young applicants (say under 16) who are clearly extremely high achieving and academically ready for a school like MIT? What about ones that are pretty pointy; that is, many high level achievements mostly in one area? Is the onus on them to prove to MIT that they are mature enough to make the leap? That they have run out of options for high school? If they've already done many AP and college courses with top scores and grades, wouldn't that indicate their readiness?</p>
<p>If I had to guess, I’d say younger admits tend to be pointier than average. MIT does want to see that going to college early is the right choice, and they’ll look for evidence of academic and social readiness, as well as support from teacher recommendations.</p>
<p>Sbjdorlo:
I encourage you to read through the many threads on CC discussing the pros and cons of going to college at an early age. You’ll find lots of people who are very glad they did it, and others who describe it as a big mistake they’d never wish on anyone.</p>
<p>Under 16 seems awfully young for a tough college like MIT. If I were in your position, I’d consider enrolling the student in some MOOC’s for their primary interests while staying in high school at least another year to develop the weaker skills and gain maturity.</p>
<p>Thank you for the link. I will send this on.</p>
<p>Yes, the student is very pointy, indeed, though has already taken many APs and done exceptionally well, and has taken the “required” high school offering in all areas, with a number of college classes.</p>
<p>There is definitely more coursework this student <em>could</em> take but the student is also well into college work in the pointy area and definitely top notch in ECs in the pointy area.</p>
<p>jpm50,</p>
<p>My son is a sophomore at MIT who chose not to graduate HS early though he had around 60 college credits coming in and did begin his major in upper division coursework. I am thinking of someone else.</p>
<p>The youngest interviewee I have ever had ask for an interview was 13. I can assure you that an interview of a younger applicant focuses a lot on whether the student is emotionally ready for MIT.</p>
<p>That makes sense, Mikalye. I would imagine there are (relatively) many young students who are <em>academically</em> ready for MIT (math superstars, Intel superstars, kids taking a lot of college classes in high school, etc.), but it’s the emotional maturity and the readiness to live in an adult world that admissions is looking for, then.</p>
<p>That said, there certainly are younger-than-traditional students at MIT, and I have the feeling (although I don’t have any data to back this up) that there are more young students at MIT than at peer schools. This is, of course, in addition to the students who are young because they skipped a grade or two in elementary school.</p>
<p>There are even undergrads who are drastically young – there was a senior when I was a freshman who was, I think, fifteen.</p>
<p>I also knew a young graduate student-perhaps 14 when he entered MIT-so I do know it’s possible for very young students to do well at MIT.</p>
<p>Would you recommend young, non-traditional exceptional students speak with admissions and get clarity on what they should be sure to include in the application or will the interview be sufficient to answer these types of questions?</p>
<p>I would not count on the interview to answer all of these questions. Frankly an interviewer could be interviewing for twenty years and never interview a very young applicant. I am not sure that you can count on your interviewer to be completely comfortable answering all of these questions.</p>
<p>How does a young applicant fill out the application for high school if coursework (high school and college level) and achievements were done prior to 9th grade?</p>
<p>There are young people who get into MIT as regular undergraduate students. I knew two (freshmen under 16). One of them was described as “better adjusted” than the students of regular age. So it is possible for young applicants to be admitted.</p>