About SAT, regarding MIT application!

Answered

During this admissions cycle, MIT was one the very last elite college to join the ranks of other elites in going test-optional and also made Subject tests blind or not even looking at them. Therefore, I would say that given the fact that all Ivys have announced they will also be test-optional in 2021/22, I believe that MIT will make the test-optional announcement soon and repeat the same test-blind for SAT subject tests (plus college board is phasing them out after this May).

If you are a solid STEM student with Academics (copied from MIT) https://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/highschool/, then I wouldn't worry too much about the SAT or ACT. However, if you want to err on the side of caution and submit them anyway to show you have a 99% academic aptitude that will give MIT some confidence that you can handle MIT freshman college courses, I would study heavily for either the SAT or ACT with the goal of getting a 1550+ on the SAT and a 35+ on the ACT. There is not much wiggle room in the 50% percentile band at STEM elites like MIT and Caltech. Most of their admits have 1520-1580 on the SAT and 35/36 on the ACT.

https://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats/

A strong academic foundation in high school contributes to your own development, improves your odds of getting into MIT, and helps you make the most of the Institute when you’re here. We recommend (please note that these are not requirements) that your high school years include the following:

One year of high school physics

One year of high school chemistry

One year of high school biology

Math, through calculus

Two years of a foreign language

Four years of English

Two years of history and/or social sciences

(Although MIT only requires math through Calc, if you are a Math or Physics Major, I would try to take a harder Math class outside of HS like Multivariable Calc, or Stochastic Processes or Martingales, or something that shows your intellectual curiosity in Math outside of the HS available curriculum. If you are not aware, MIT is the main founding partner in eDX which is a MOOC (massive open online course) provider that partners with other colleges like Harvard and Oxford, etc to provide low-cost online courses in both standard foundational courseware like AP Physics and other subjects like MIT Differential Equations. If you took one or two of these, that will show that you understand MIT course rigor and give you a leg up on other applicants.)

https://www.edx.org/xseries/mitx-18.03x-differential-equations?index=product&queryID=8318b7c23c956958494c52083abf42db&position=1

Also, read this page about how MIT views test scores. What stands out to me is that they value an applicant who can write well and communicate their ideas and thoughts in a clear concise eloquent manner so think about having some course rigor around English like taking AP Lang and AP Lit. That will show that you possess excellent writing skills.

https://mitadmissions.org/tests-scores/