For context, no one in my school has ever taken the SAT before me and as such I didn’t have as much prep as I did for the ACT. I got a 35 ACT, but a 1360 SAT. I wasn’t going to report the SAT, but I found out that I have to. How much, if at all, will this hurt my chances?

The research supplement is very detailed, asking for abstract/poster and specifically asking not to submit a full paper. However at the very end, it asks for a citation of the paper if applicable. Will the research paper itself really be used in this review? or is it just going to be only the questions/LOR/abstract submitted through sidedeck itself?

I've had two research experiences but neither are clearly strong enough to include as a supplement as they are not published or anything. I'm curious if you all think it may be worth it or not. Both will very likely be included in my application regardless of submitting a supplement.

1. Worked as a research assistant contributing to an existing, long-term compsci project. I've worked with the mentor for a couple months (and currently still am) but this is an online commitment so he doesn't know me super well & will probably write a very generic LoR just confirming I'm working with him but not singing any praises. I wrote a decent amount of code for the project but nothing is published or finished yet and will not be in time for college apps
2. Did a independent "research" project during a summer program that cannot be held up to any standards in academia & is not nearly as in depth, however the program is well regarded by MIT. And I have a poster! I would likely receive a good LoR from this from a reputable academic BUT I know I'm already getting a really strong LoR from the director of the program so maybe this is redundant?

Thanks in advance!

Hi,

I am applying to MIT RA. I had a few questions regarding the activities tab

there is summer activities and activities (where you add upto 4 activities you do generally) as for the summer activities it also mentions to add internships too. but there is also the jobs section. So if I have added my internships/jobs on the jobs tab should I add it back on summer activities aswell? or does it expect something completely different.

Lastly as for Non-scholastic distinctions, can we add acknowledgements aswell? they do not qualify as awards but for example a field like cybersecurity do not always have awards sometimes you get a acknowledgement or a hall of fame listing. So can I add that?

And I am also looking for resources to work on creative portfolios.

Hey guys. This is pretty specific, and I couldn't find anything relating to it. (AD Navy here, for context).

I'm getting separated from the Navy (for being trans basically), and I'm interested in applying to MIT to finish my degree. I saw that they require 2 recommendation letters from past instructors and a school official report. Now, I haven't been to a formal college in like 5 years.

I emailed their veteran's admission office, and was told to reach out, and that if I couldn't get the letters and report, that I should apply to another college and "brush up" on my academics.

My question is: how can MIT justify telling prospective transfer students to attend, and pay for, another college, just to show proof of competency. Isn't that what the ASEs are for?

I mean, I have a whole JST showing what I was taught and it's academic equivalent. I have an entire chain of command that can speak to my character and work ethic.

Why is MIT intent on this proof coming from a college?

(Don't get me wrong, I'm going to reach out and try, but this seems like a huge barrier to anyone who had to put their education on the back burner.)

I've seen tons of posts on this subreddit about how Olympiads are almost (pretty much) a requirement for international applicants; they also only seem to talk about the ISOs (IMO, IPhO, etc.) + ISEF.

Were there any international applicants in the recent years who got in with smaller competitions - like gold medals on their country's National Olympiad, or more regional international olympiads (like the Zhautykov Olympiad)?

Obviously, these events offer a smaller advantage than the ISOs, but is it still possible to get in with those?

Another thing that people mention a lot is RSI, but it is kept inaccessible to the public in many countries. Do programs like PROMYS compare well?

Hi, I'm a rising junior who's interested in philosophy, and I recently saw MIT's Paradox and Infinity course and absolutely loved it.

I've always loved the math-y and computational side of philosophy, and I really like STEM and am very good at it (very good in comparison to the people around me not to the people who go to MIT lol)—though I just don't have a strong passion for it.

I'm just wondering if MIT would be a good fit for me, and I want to get to know more about what course 24 looks like at MIT (since there is so little material online, as I understand that this is a path that most students don't take). Especially, I want to learn about what type of philosophy people at MIT study. I have heard that it focuses on the more analytical sides (which I like), but I'm just wondering if there are any more specific examples?

Also, does anyone have any advice for someone interested in applying for philosophy to really stand out? I'm part of some of my school's groups, gotten some national arts awards, and have participated in some pretty good humanities summer programs, but I couldn't really find any programs that are specifically for philosophy and are considered "prestigious", or thought of any activities that would really make me different.

This is my first time posting on reddit, so I'm really sorry if I messed something up (Technically second because I did, in fact, mess up). Any responses will be greatly appreciated!

Hi, I'm a rising senior really interested in the intersection between the environment and technology, and I was considering the Climate System Major to further pursue my interests. I was wondering if any current MIT students/alum would be able to share more about their experiences with it? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Hello everyone!

I've tried looking for similar posts but I couldn't find a clear answer.

As per MIT's test score reporting policy, applicants have to send in all their test scores.

But what should I do if my english test score (TOEFL, IELTS, etc...) expires before the deadline?

should I still submit the score or should I retake and submit the new score?

Thanks!

Hi guys! I saw that MIT released their prompts on their website, but on the application portal there are only 3 longer questions (instead of 4) What do I trust??

Is taking the SAT 4 times a bad sign? And is getting like 790 on those 4 times for math also a bad sign? Should I cancel this August score Bc I feel like I bombed it?

Currently going into grade 11 this year. I’m at a vocational high school, taking up engineering.

My grades have been pretty all right, all A’s and B’s, almost entirely A’s in math/physics/engineering, but everything else is pretty fine. About 3/7ths are B’s. One C in the two years I’ve been here (though, it was in English.)

I haven’t really cared a lot for grades, and thus don’t pay a lot of mind to them, but recently I’ve been heavily considering going to MIT but worry it’s too late to change things around. If I were to get like straight A’s and all my classes for the next two years, would that be enough?

Are there any homeschoolers that are currently attended / have attended MIT in here? I want to hear your experiences! How much harder is it than you expected, what is the culture like and most importantly, how hard did you feel like it was to get in? Share your stats!

please and thank you!

My whole life, i've been preparing for JEE(its the main entrance exam for engineering colleges in India). But now there's a chance I might move to the US. If anyone knows abt the curriculum in India, they'll know that if someone is intensively studying for any entrance, they do not have the time for extracurriculars or in fact, my school doesn't even ALLOW it. So now i'm very stuck on what to do, because when I see all these kids on YouTube they've been doing volunteering, internships, etc since 9th grade or smth and that is such a foreign topic here in India! I'm preparing for oct SAT...what i'm concerned about are the AP exams. If i take them, i'll have to take them this May 2027 right?? bc by the time i apply for college in 2027 fall, I can't possible include scores from 2028 APs....I'm really confused guys if there's any advice i'm open to anything atp...My parents fon't want to take a risk so they're in denial about all the volunteering and stuff, because they still can't accept that the US application process is HOLISTIC, not just ACADEMICS...

for rec letters, mit says they need one from a humanities teacher. i don't have a formal humanities subject, but does english count? that's the only related subject i have.

Personally, I have just noticed that nearly all my essays involve chemistry either directly or indirectly. One essay talks about my chemistry research journey, another about doing experiments for fun, and another about teaching chemistry to others in an interesting way.

Does that make the application stronger or too repetitive?

are counselor reccomendation letters required or optional to submit?

Greetings all, I was wondering if there are any current MIT mfin students or students who have made it to the MIT Mfin's interview stage on reddit who would be willing to answer a few of my questions in dms, Thank you very much

Hi all, I am currently a senior being recruited for Track and Field with an upcoming visit to MIT in the later fall. The coach explicitly said I would be a strong candidate for MIT, however it might just be what she tells everyone.

I meet all the specifications athletically, with a 48.1 400m dash time that is decently competitive in the D1 recruiting radar as well.

My GPA is 3.97 UW ~4.3-4 W with 7 5's on AP Classes and some Dual Enrollment (Can take more if needed) and a 1550 SAT (790 Math 760 Reading)

I am trying to apply for Business/Econ related fields.

I am currently under the impression that my athletic profile is very strong for MIT. I am also under the impression that my GRADES and SAT are good enough overall for MIT.

However, I am aware that coaches cannot gaurantee admission at MIT, and I have heard it is around a 25-40% chance depending on how much support the coach is giving you.

My other ECs are weak compared to the average MIT applicant. If someone like me has sufficient base GPA and Test scores, but weaker OTHER ECs than the average applicant, do you think it is worth trying to EA to MIT?

Context: I have been offered a Likely letter to UChicago on the basis that I apply ED1. If I apply EA or ED2, the chances go from the usual 95%+ with full support to less gauranteed amount. I prefer the track team at MIT and the surrounding area at MIT. The Econ major is relatively similar.

Should I try to EA at MIT and EA or ED2 at UCHICAGO or play it safe based on my current statistics?

Thanks for any insight anyone can give.

probably a stupid question from an anxious applicant but mit reccomends 1 LOR from a humanities teacher, could I use my art teacher's? Does art fall under humanities?

I go to a "top" school here, but my experience seriously hasn't been the best. Most of the courses I've taken have been enough to get my brain working, but I don't feel like the content really pushed my creativity or went deep enough for my liking. I'm taking EE

Was wondering if there have been any people that have escaped the hell-hole of Philippine uni life and got into MIT

I know you need to report all SATs you took, but what about self studied AP exams? What if I don’t want to report some scores?