How to get into MIT

Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference

When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.

What MIT admits did outside class

Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.

• STEM club/competition65%
• Nonprofit/Service53%
• Research52%
• Tutoring/Teaching49%
• Athletics44%
• Summer program35%
• Music31%
• Coding/Tech30%

Early vs. regular decision at MIT

• Early (343 results)33%
• Regular (399 results)16%

Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.

Intended majors of MIT admits

• Computer Science24%
• Engineering24%
• Math14%
• Biology8%
• Physics6%
• Economics3%

Who got in

Of the admitted posters, 22% first-generation, 21% low income, 28% underrepresented minority, 5% legacy, 5% recruited athlete and 8% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 59% chose MIT.

Three recent MIT admits

• 2027 cycle · EA

  Rural-raised robotics club president who founded a science outreach program for rural schools.

  GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1570 · ACT 33 · Original post

• 2026 cycle · EA · Biology

  Pre-med biology student with CAR T-cell cancer research, medical club leadership, and Science Olympiad success.

  GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1470 · Original post

• 2026 cycle · Math

  Physics and math applicant with Q1 journal papers, a nationally ranked sport, and class and club leadership.

  GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1590 · Original post

Essays that worked for MIT

• Why urban planning and computer science (field of study answer)

  “The application of programming and GIS to visualize pedestrian collision data to advocate for active transportation infrastructure introduced me to the potential of planning + computer science.”

  Published by MIT Admissions

• Smoothie making and the mango lassi experiment

  “Strawberries, blueberries, yogurt, almonds, and orange juice. Measure portions, pop them in the blender, and… presto! I love smoothie making.”

  Published by MIT Admissions

• Tutoring across backgrounds (David and Goliath)

  “Last year, my European History teacher asked me to host weekly workshops for AP test preparation and credit recovery opportunities:”

  Published by MIT Admissions

• Making oboe reeds that kept failing

  “I slathered the string with bee’s wax as I bound the cane to the staple. Three… Nine… Twenty-seven times I wrapped the cane with the spool. My first reed was crooked, but at least it was something.”

  Published by MIT Admissions

How the MIT admissions office reads a file

• Do personal projects help your MIT application?
• What GPA do you need for MIT? What admissions says · members
• Does MIT consider legacy, sports or summer programs? · members
• How to choose activities for the MIT application · members
• How to write the MIT short essays in your own voice · members
• Should you send a research recommendation letter to MIT? · members

Where else MIT admits got in

• Stanford 26%
• Harvard 24%
• Yale 24%
• UC Berkeley 21%
• Columbia 21%
• Princeton 20%
• Georgia Tech 19%
• University of Michigan 18%

MIT admissions questions

What GPA do you need to get into MIT?

Among 243 applicants who posted a MIT admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 4.00 and the middle half reported 3.96 to 4.00 (201 reported a GPA). MIT sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.

What SAT score do you need for MIT?

Among 243 applicants who posted a MIT admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,560 and the middle half scored 1,540 to 1,580 (183 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.

Does applying early help at MIT?

In these posts, 33% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (114 of 343), against 16% in regular decision (63 of 399). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.

What extracurriculars do MIT admits have?

The most common activity types among admitted posters were stem club/competition (65%), nonprofit/service (53%), research (52%), tutoring/teaching (49%). 86% held at least one leadership role and 86% listed a national or international award.

What is the MIT acceptance rate?

The official rate is published by MIT in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.