MIT Answered
I don't consider myself a gifted or a lazy student. Since my first year of High School, I have received only As, giving me a GPA of 4.1 on a 4.5 scale. I'm in the eleventh grade right now, I currently have a job at QuickChek, and I've decided that I want to attend MIT to study engineering. I know that every year, approximately 30,000 thousand students apply, and just 7% get accepted. I played volleyball as a freshman and am presently a member of a Japanese club. What can I do to increase my chances of getting into MIT is the question I have.
Many thanks.
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2 answers
In my own independent research of MIT, this university largely differs from any other university (e.g. the Ivy Leagues). MIT's coursework rigor is unlike any other institution, especially within its engineering program. All of the students are beyond gifted and have the most brilliant minds in the field, and they are searching for prospective students that match this 'theme'. They are looking for:
- Exceptional academics; someone that has taken advantage of (MANY students have a high GPA, but how have you reached beyond that?). Near-perfect test scores are a great indicator of your intelligence and hard work, but will ultimately not be enough.
- Commitment and initiative. Despite only being in high school, you have gone above and beyond to explore your interest. You have ranked highly in Math/Physics (and related) competitions, been selected to participate in prestigious STEM programs, and/or have clearly dedicated a significant amount of your time to your interest in engineering. You aren't only extremely intelligent, but clearly passionate and dedicated.
With that being said, what will be your pull to convince MIT that you are a worthy candidate? How will your resume show that you grow and uplift their university to new heights?
Perhaps you can create an invention that can impact your community (family, school, local, etc.), participate (and rank) in a regional or national science/math-related competition, or work on independent research at a local university or college (or on your own!). My favorite and easiest resume boost is taking online courses. I know EdX has a plethora of Engineering online courses (they are about $100-$200, but you can get 90% off if you apply for financial aid) actually offered by MIT. This would be a great introduction to engineering, shows your interest in the field, and will give you a good MIT tie-in that you can refer to in your supplements.
I hope this could be of help! Good luck to you.
Hi @Julio-Florez!
To get into a school like MIT, you're going to need top-notch grades and test scores. You'll also need to take the most rigorous courses available to you at your high school.
However, this is only a threshold — the main thing that will set you apart from other qualified applicants is your extracurriculars. For MIT, you only get to list four extracurriculars, so you'll want to make each one count. At least two of your extracurriculars should be Tier 2, or carry some regional accomplishment, and preferably you'll have at least one national (or Tier 1) activity as well. For more information on extracurricular tiers, check out this blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/breaking-down-the-4-tiers-of-extracurricular-activities/
You'll also want to have at least some humanities training, including extracurriculars, just to fill out your profile. And lastly, you'll need great essays to stand out.
Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions.
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