A total of 11,924 students applied early for admission to MIT for the Class of 2027. In the 2022-23 cycle, a total of 685 applicants got accepted, which means that only 5. 7% of all applicants were offered admission. The school told 7,892 people that they would have to wait longer to find out if they were accepted. They told 2,815 people they were definitely not accepted.
There were 26,914 applications submitted for a place in the 2023-24 freshman class; just 1,259 were accepted. This means that MIT acceptance rate is 4.7%. For comparison, here are recent historical MIT acceptance rates:
MIT Admissions – SAT, GPA, and Class Rank
Students accepted into the Class of 2026 had math SAT scores ranging from 790 to 800, and reading and writing SAT scores ranging from 730 to 780. The ACT Composite scores ranged from 35 to 36. In most years, 95% or more of the students who enrolled at the school were in the top 10% of their high school class. They don’t tell us the exact GPA, but most students who get accepted have a 4. 0 GPA or something very close to it. They earn this GPA by taking a full schedule of AP or IB classes.
Admissions Trends & Notes
- MIT ceased being test-optional with applicants to the Class of 2027.
- As a result of the testing policy change, the total number of applicants decreased from 33,796 for the Class of 2026 to 26,914 last year.
- Those accepted into the Class of 2027 came from 50 states and 63 countries.
- 900 different high schools are represented in the admitted Class of 2027.
- The 2022-23 admissions cycle saw the lowest number of admitted students in recent history. This is due their increasing yield rate and desire to keep the freshman class size around 1,100 students.
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How MIT Rates Applicants
An MIT admissions officer said that there is no specific equation or method to guarantee admission into MIT. The admissions staff thinks they have a lot of great candidates and could make two or three really good classes from them. Because it is impossible, many applicants who are a perfect fit will be rejected in the end.
The people in charge of deciding who gets admitted to a school think that a person’s character is extremely important. They also think that eight other things are important too. The important things that are considered when choosing a person for something are: how hard their classes are, their grade point average, how well they did on tests, their written essays, what other people say about them, how they do in a conversation, what other things they do outside of school, and how good they are at something. Let’s take a closer look at those last two, as they are very important for getting into this prestigious university…
Who is MIT looking for?
Being a well-rounded person in the 16th century was seen as impressive. A genius is someone who is extremely skilled in different areas such as painting, writing, conducting scientific experiments, jousting, and playing the lute. They are the most talented person in their town in these activities. But nowadays, in a world with advanced technology and global connections, you don’t have to depend on a smart person in your neighborhood if you want to listen to beautiful lute music. You can use Spotify to listen to the most talented lutenists from around
the world whenever you want.
What is the connection between MIT admissions. MIT, along with schools like Stanford and Harvard, is searching for young individuals who are exceptional or have the potential to become exceptional in a particular field. If you look at the lists of important people who went to MIT, you will see what the University is searching for: the next group of really smart technology creators whose inventions will actually change the world we live in. They also want astronauts, Nobel Prize winners, leaders of the Federal Reserve, and world leaders.
Who Actually Gets Into MIT?
Let’s look at the demographics of the Class of 2026.
Geographically, the Class of 2026 was comprised of:
- International Students: 13%
- Mid-Atlantic States: 20%
- Southern States & Puerto Rico: 14%
- Western States: 19%
- Southwest and Mountain: 14%
- Midwestern & Plains States: 11%
- New England: 10%
- Abroad: 9%
Competition is the toughest among people from states with lots of qualified applicants (like the Northeast and the West Coast). If you come from the southern part of the United States or a state with fewer people like Wyoming or North Dakota, where you live is more likely to increase your chances of getting accepted into a school.
Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the 2022-23 freshman cohort was as follows:
- White: 38%
- Asian: 40%
- Hispanic: 14%
- African American: 13%
- American Indian: 1%
An examination of what type of high schools members of the Class of 2026 attended shows the following:
- Public: 67%
- Independent: 15%
- Religious: 8%
- Foreign: 9%
- Home School: 1%
The gender split for the Class of 2026 was fairly even:
- Male: 44%
- Female: 43%
- Other gender identity: 3%
- Did not disclose: 9%
Most People Who Get Accepted Choose to Attend
MIT’s yield rate is the percentage of students who choose to attend out of all the students who were accepted. This rate is currently 86%. This number is extremely high and it explains why the acceptance rate is very low. To compare, famous schools like Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, and Georgetown have rates where less than or about half of the students who apply end up choosing to attend.
Tips for Applying to MIT
If you plan on joining the 27,000 MIT hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:
- MIT uses its own separate application so plan on devoting a good deal of time to this one (Sorry, Common App fans).
- Additionally, the school does not consider “demonstrated interest” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
- MIT requires all U.S. applicants to self-report their coursework. In doing so, make sure to avoid abbreviations and only enter the final grade that appears on your official transcript as the “grade received”.
- Also make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay and short answers required by MIT. In the 2022-23 cycle, they are as follows:
Essay Prompts
For the 2022–2023 application, we’re asking these short answer essay questions:
- Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? (250 words or fewer)
- Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words or fewer)
- We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it. (200–250 words)
- At MIT, we bring people together to better the lives of others. MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc. (200–250 words)
- Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced or something that didn’t go according to plan that you feel comfortable sharing. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words)
MIT Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts
If you meet the academic requirements, it’s okay to apply to MIT. However, even the most talented applicants should have a strong backup plan due to the competitiveness of top colleges in 2023. All teens who plan to go to college need to make a list of schools that is suitable for them. The list should include some schools that they really want to go to (target schools) and also some schools that are easier to get into (safety schools). You should definitely do this with someone who knows about college admissions, like your high school counselor.
