do you have to write an essay for mit

First-year applicants: Essays, activities & academics

Rather than asking you to write one long essay, the MIT application consists of several short response questions and essays designed to help us get to know you. Remember that this is not a writing test. Be honest, be open, be authentic—this is your opportunity to connect with us.

You should certainly be thoughtful about your essays, but if you’re thinking too much—spending a lot of time stressing or strategizing about what makes you “look best,” as opposed to the answers that are honest and easy—you’re doing it wrong.

Our questions

For the 2023–2024 application, we’re asking these short answer essay questions:

• What field of study appeals to you the most right now? (Note: Applicants select from a drop-down list.) Tell us more about why this field of study at MIT appeals to you.
• 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.
• How has the world you come from—including your opportunities, experiences, and challenges—shaped your dreams and aspirations?
• MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds together to collaborate, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to lending a helping hand. Describe one way you have collaborated with others to learn from them, with them, or contribute to your community together.
• How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it?

Depending on the question, we’re looking for responses of approximately 100–200 words each. There is also one final, open-ended, additional-information text box where you can tell us anything else you think we really ought to know.

Please use our form, not a resume, to list your activities. There is only enough space to list four things—please choose the four that mean the most to you and tell us a bit about them.

Self-reported Coursework Form

How you fill out this form will not make or break your application, so don’t stress about it. Use your best judgment—we’re simply trying to get a clear picture of your academic preparation by subject area. We see thousands of different transcripts, so it really helps us to view your coursework and grades in a consistent format.

Here are a few quick tips to help you complete this section:

• The self-reported coursework should be completed by students in U.S. school systems only. If you attend an international school, we’ll just use your transcript.
• The information you provide does not replace your official high school transcript, which must be sent to us from your school to verify your self-reported information (in order to avoid accidental misrepresentation, it might help to have a copy of your high school transcript in front of you while completing this form).
• Avoid abbreviations, if at all possible, and enter the names of your school courses by subject area. Please include all classes you have taken and are currently taking. If your courses were taken outside of your high school (at a local junior college or university, for example), tell us where they were taken in the “Class Name” field.
• In the “Grade Received” field, list term and/or final grades for each class, as found on your school transcript (semester, trimester, quarter, final, etc.). Use one entry only per class. For example, it’s not necessary to use a separate entry for each semester of the same class. Place all grades for a class in the same field, separating grades with commas.

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Graduate School Application Essays

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Types of Essays

Regardless of the type of school you are applying to, you will be required to submit an admissions essay as part of the application process. Graduate programs want students with clear commitment to the field. Essay prompts typically ask applicants to discuss their previous experience, future professional goals, and how the program can help them in achieving those objectives. The essay gives the applicant the chance to articulate these goals and display strong writing skills. Remember to tailor your essay to each school and the faculty committee that reviews your application. But first, take note of what kind of essay is being requested of you. Here are the two main admission essays:

Personal Statement

A personal statement is a narrative piece describing how your character and experiences have formed you into someone who will contribute positively and effectively to not only the department but the academic discipline as a whole. This is often achieved by detailing social, educational, cultural, and economic obstacles you have overcome in your journey to get to where you are today and your future objectives. A personal statement is also an opportunity to highlight what is unique about you and how you will advance diversity within the institution.

Check out Personal Statement Resources for Graduate School Applications in the Resources section of Handshake for a brainstorming activity and essay samples that can help you get started on your personal statement.

Statement of Purpose

Interchangeably called a “research statement”, a statement of purpose will prompt you to describe your research interests and professional goals, how you plan to accomplish them, and why a specific program is best suited for you to do so. Be specific about your specialized interests within your major field. Be clear about the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how your study plan connects with your previous training and future goals.

Use the Outlining Your Statement of Purpose guide in the Resources section of Handshake to get started on your statement outline.

How to Write a Powerful Admission Essay

Whatever required format, your essay should be thoughtful, concise, compelling, and interesting. Remember, admissions officers read hundreds of personal essays. Below are some tips for your admissions essay writing process:

Before Writing

• Read the question:  Be sure you are aware of all aspects of the prompt. Failing to pay attention to details in the prompt won’t reflect well on you as a potential candidate.
• What is distinct, special, and/or impressive about me and my life story?
• Have I overcome any particular hardships or obstacles?
• When did I become interested in this field and what have I learned about it?
• What are my career goals?
• What personal traits, values, and skill sets do I have that would make me stand out from other applicants?
• Create an outline:  You might have a lot that you want to say, but you will need to whittle down your many thoughts and experiences to a concrete thesis with a select number of examples to support it. Create an outline for your draft, not only to organize your points and examples, but to help tailor your essay for your readers.
• Know your audience:  Consider how your narrative can best meet the expectations of admissions committee members. Will faculty be reading this? Administrators? Experts in the field? Knowing your audience ahead of time will assist you in addressing the prompt appropriately.

While Writing

• Grab your reader’s attention:  Start your essay with something that will grab the reader’s attention such as a personal anecdote, questions, or engaging depiction of a scene. Avoid starting things off with common phrases such as “I was born in…” or “I have always wanted to…” Consider the experiences that have shaped you or your career decision, and delve into them with a creative hook.
• Write well:  Your essay is a sample of your writing abilities, so it’s important to convey your thoughts clearly and effectively. Be succinct—you don’t need to write out your full autobiography or resume in prose. Exclude anything that doesn’t support your thesis. Gentle humor is okay, but don’t overdo it. Also, don’t make things up! Be honest about your experiences.
• End strong:  End your essay with a conclusion that refers back to the lead and restates your thesis. This helps unify your essay as a whole, connecting your detailed experiences back to the reason you are writing this essay in the first place—to show your qualifications for your graduate program of choice.

Final Touches

• Use resources: The MIT Communication Labs have a CommKit that collects all of the Comm Lab resources relevant to the grad application process , including recommendation letters & interviews
• Revise:  Give yourself enough time to step away from your draft. Return with a fresh pair of eyes to make your edits. Be realistic with yourself, not your harshest critic. Make a few rounds of revisions if you need.
• Ask for help:  Have your essay critiqued by friends, family, educators, and the  MIT Writing and Communication Center or our Career Services staff.
• Proofread:  Read your essay out loud or even record yourself and listen to the recording, to help you catch mistakes or poor phrasing you may have missed when reading to yourself. Also, don’t rely exclusively on your computer to check your spelling.

How to Write the MIT Essays 2020-2021

The recording will load in a moment., about this livestream, massachusetts institute of technology | mit.

Learn how to write the MIT essays and distinguish yourself as an applicant that is the right fit for MIT.

Hale Jaeger will provide an in-depth breakdown of each of the essays, discussing how to optimize and tailor a response to each one by breaking down the purpose of the prompts.

He'll also open up the floor to answer any and all questions about the MIT-specific essay prompts. If you’re not sure where to start, this livestream will help you figure out the best plan for you.

Video Transcript:

In today's presentation on writing the MIT application essays for the 2020 2021 cycle, I am a current senior at Yale University. So while I am not an MIT student, and can't necessarily answer all of your questions about what it's like to go to MIT, this is my fifth year working with CollegeVine through the admission cycle. So I have lots of experience with writing these kinds of essays. So I'm really prepared to answer those questions. So please, please feel free to throw those questions into the chat box on your screens throughout the evening. I will try to answer the questions as we go. But if not, if I don't get to your question, in the moment, we are going to end with a q&a session. So if I don't get to your questions in the beginning, I'll try to make sure to answer them by the time we wrap up for the night. Without further ado, though, I'm going to jump right in to the presentation. And so that starts with just what we're going to be covering today. We'll start with a little bit of background about MIT and about the college applications process. And then we'll take take a deep dive into each of the essays that you will be asked to answer and asked to write for the MIT application. And like I said, we'll end with opening the floor for q&a.

So just to jump into the background, MIT is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge is contiguous to Boston. It's also the home of Harvard University. So it has a lot of connections with Boston and with other institutions, namely Harvard, and you can actually take some classes at Harvard if you're an MIT student, and vice versa. It is a really highly regarded institution as well as ranked number three and a tie. US News and World Report's for 2020. And it's especially well known for its STEM programs, though it is also really highly regarded for its business program. It's definitely a selective school, and it offers an early action rather than early decision. But if you're not ready to, if you haven't already submitted your application, if you're watching this presentation, you're likely headed for the regular action deadline, or maybe you're prepping for next year. And so that early action is something to keep in mind.

Just a quick overview on what's important to know about college essays is that these are part of the holistic application process, they are not necessarily going to be considered for exactly 30% of your application, but they do get a pretty heavy weight, because they are the best place for a reader to get to know you and your personality. So usually, these essays are about 700 words or fewer anywhere between really 100 to 700. And some schools ask you to write several and other schools only asked for one or two, as you saw MIT is on the longer end, and that they ask for more than one essay, but they're all fairly short. And these are a great place to reveal something about yourself who you are, again, this is part of that personal component of the application. And so you want to be sure to convey something meaningful about your personality and who you are beyond your grades and your test scores. And whatever else is on your resume. It's important to know that MIT is not on the common app. It has its own application. And so for that reason, they asked a bunch of questions. And none of them is a personal statement per se, but they have questions that span the entire spectrum of what a college might ask. And so they're fairly straightforward. But that doesn't mean you can give generic answers, you definitely want to make them personal to you and to MIT, in order to build a connection with the school as we go forward. And so make sure you are using authentic reasoning and specific details that added personal dimension to your writing, and helps you to stand out.

And the case of a school like MIT that has so many essays, you have to treat them sort of as a portfolio. What that means is that they shouldn't all be considered in a vacuum. Each of them is going to be one facet of your application and the same reader is going to look at all the essays you submit. So they'll have some context that That being said, they don't necessarily read them all. In order, so you don't want to rely on one or site one in another essay, they should each stand alone, but they should provide a different dimension of your cohesive application, they should complement one another, not be repetitive.

So jumping into the MIT essays, as I said, they're not using the common application, they use my MIT their own proprietary application product. And so what that looks like is five unique supplementary essays, plus one additional optional essay that I'll talk about at the very end. And so as you're starting those off, we're just going to read through what the prompts are that you're going to be asked to respond to. The first prompt is describe the world you come from, for example, you're fed family clubs, school, community, city or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations 250 words or fewer. The second prompt asks you to 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 in 100 words or fewer. The third prompt asks, 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 in 200 to 250 words. And then the last two prompts here are at MIT, we can 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 to 250 words. And lastly, tell us about the most significant challenge you faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation 200 to 250 words. Like I said, there's also that optional essay at the end, which asks you to in 150 words, or fewer talk about your cultural background if it's been important to you.

So jumping forward into the first prompt, as we do that, I want to throw a question to you guys. So I'll be launching a poll, it'll be great to get some feedback from you just to understand where everyone is in the cycle. So I'll be asking you some questions throughout, please do give me some answers there, because it'll be really helpful for us. But without any further ado, we're going to talk about the first question about the world you came from. Whether that means your family clubs, school, community, city or town, and they want to know how it shaped your dreams and aspirations. So what this essay is asking you to do is reflect on your past and your present, to see how it's shaped your future. And so this is a pretty common essay type. It's asking you about your community and the place that you call home. So start maybe by thinking about your aspirations, and working backwards, what are your goals? What do you hope to achieve, especially after college, and how has your community helped you to realize those goals to understand and recognize them. You can also work you know from in a chronological kind of way, rather than working backwards from your aspirations. You can think about it in terms of what is a community that's really important to me, which community is really formative in my life? And what has it taught me and which goals and aspirations because has that influenced, so you can work at it from either direction. But as this last bullet says, you're reflecting on the past and present, to take a look into the future, that's going to be something that you hear me say a lot in this presentation. And in every other one. It's all about taking your past experiences, and seeing where they're headed and seeing where they're directing you to.

So, to give an example of what this kind of essay might look like, we have an example here about breathing fresh air. Okay. So maybe you are somebody who has grown up in a very smoggy city like Los Angeles or Beijing. Beijing is a really interesting example because it's a place where the air quality is so bad, a lot of the time that people are often seen wearing masks, even pre pandemic. And so, you grew up in this place, or maybe you spent a couple years there, and it made you realize how important it is for us to transition towards green energy and that has sort of fueled your passion for sustainability and green technologies and eco friendly practice. And so now you want to study environmental engineering, and architecture. And that's what you're interested in pursuing as a career. It doesn't necessarily have to be a career goal that you explore here, especially because you do answer a question about your major in the next product. But that's a usually a pretty good concrete place to pin an aspiration, you don't necessarily have to stick to what this is, this is not asking you to set your future in stone, of course, but it's an example for you to keep in the back of your mind.

Another example of an essay, responding to this prompt might be about a children's hospital, for example, if your parents work as pediatric nurses at the Children's Hospital nearby, and you spent a lot of time there watching your parents work with these kids. And to the point where the hospital is basically your second home, and you're observing, and you're learning and you're taking it all in, and maybe you grew up and you started volunteering at the hospital. And you could focus on a lot of different things. Why, for example, you know, if it was really painful for you to see kids suffer, but you also get to see this glimpse of hope, and people who really care about getting better and making other people better. And seeing how much joy The staff was able to bring to the patients to their families, and the community around you. So maybe this is, you know, undercutting your, or underscoring your motivation to go to medical school or to become a nurse yourself, like your parents and spread hope, you know, in this kind of setting.

So just sort of in conclusion on this type of essay, and this particular prompt, every one of the examples that I mentioned here is recreating or retelling an important story, and maybe a moment a single anecdote that analyzes how the world that you're talking about, led to the realization of the goals and aspirations you have for the future. So it's that it's that future look that forward facing direction, towards personal growth, that shows what this essay is really asking you to do, which is to reflect on what your dreams are, and where they came from. And while this, this says, preferably tied to your career, and missions, partly because that's an easy way to put it in perspective of your own future. But it doesn't necessarily have to be related to your career, it can absolutely be a more personal goal, especially if you're like me, and you had no clue what you wanted to do when you graduated upon applying to college.

One key thing here, as is going to be important for pretty much every essay you write from here on out, specificity conveys authenticity. So the danger of writing a generic essay is that it doesn't actually share very much about you personally, as but so the more detail you can include, the more if this feels like you, this feels like your voice. And I can get a sense as a reader of who you are and what you'll bring to my campus at MIT. And so that's a really good rule of thumb, that you should be thinking of whenever you write a personal essay like this, you know, am I being as specific as I can be? I haven't stopped to check for questions yet. So I just want to take a quick moment to see if you guys have any questions. So far, I'm not seeing any. So I'm going to keep on going I'm also going to throw another poll your way, just to see where we are in the process. Prompt two is a why major question. They're asking you which field of study that MIT offers is going to be appealing to you right now. And tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. So it's really just asking you, why do you want to study what you want to study. And the key phrase here that a lot of schools don't include, but which everyone implies is right now, this is not something you are signing with. In blood, these are not writing this in stone, you are 100% free to change your major. Most people change their major at least once during their college career. I changed my major twice in the last couple years. So you are absolutely by no means committed to the major that you write this essay about.

And you'll notice you'll know only got 100 words maximum to write this essay. So you have to really condense what you want to say down into this and while specificity is still important or A lot less room here for detail. And in the other 200 to 250 words that MIT is asking you to write. This is a really standard, straightforward question. None of MIT's questions are kind of out to get you or fool you or trick, you may just want to know, what are the reasons that you want to study this field. And you want to give something that we call authentic reason? These are not things related to prestige, or post graduation salary. Or just because what's what your parents want you to do. They want to know what you're passionate about, and why. What are the past experiences you've had, that have influenced your decision to pursue this further in the future? How have you interacted with this in ways that have been meaningful to you. And so you want to be able to tie this from your past into your future at MIT. And MIT actually has pretty distinctive majors, I think they call them courses rather than majors. So you're gonna want to check out what their programs are called, because they do have unique titles. And as a result also might have some interesting curricular emphases that aren't necessarily common at every single school. So you want to check that out for sure. So you want to see what resources they have on offer, and talk about how you'll be taking advantage of those. So this functions primarily as the Why Major essay, but it's really asking you why do you want to study this at MIT? So you want to make sure that it's not a generic essay, it's specific to MIT programs and what they have on offer. If you're undecided at the moment, that's totally okay. Like I said, most people change their majors a couple times, I actually gave another presentation a little while ago, about how to write a wide major essay if you're undecided. And so I won't go too much into it here. But basically, you just want to find a couple things, one or two things that you're interested in pursuing or exploring, maybe you're not, you know, committed to, but you want to check it out a little more. And talk about why you think these might be potential areas of interest for you. Even if they're not things you want to solidly say, this is what I'm studying. And again, as always, specificity is going to be your best friend here.

So for example, with MIT, you might want to study electrical engineering, and computer science or eeks. Because that's going to really help you start a startup in your future, and helps you look at both the hardware and the software sides of things. And it has a new curriculum in place at MIT with more flexibility and interdisciplinary study and independence for the undergrads. So you have the opportunity to explore eeks, as a department, specifically at MIT. And you also might want to talk about entrepreneurship, Since launching a startup obviously, takes some business acumen. And so, as I said, at the beginning of the presentation, MIT has a very strong business program and economics program. So you might want to be able to connect with those programs, and see what's going on, and the Sloan School of Business. And that'll really help you to get yourself off the ground with this kind of essay.

You might also want to be talking about specific researchers that you want to work with, or specific classes that you're excited to take. So you don't want to necessarily pin yourself down if you're undecided. And they get that. But there are lots of ways to make this specific without feeling like you're committing to something you're not passionate about. Again, I want you to make sure that you're talking about this in a way that shows how clear your passion is. Whether that's for research, or for entrepreneurship, or anything that you're thinking of pursuing a major and because prestige and clout are not going to translate as passion, it's going to be really easy to tell. So if you are interested in something it makes for a great story, make sure you just focus on those long term goals and what you are hoping to get out of this program at MIT and tie it back to your past experiences. I know that that's a really tall order to place into a very short essay. So the art attire, there's not a ton of room for detail, but you can make sure that you get some good information in there.

The next piece of the application puzzle that we're putting together here is about question about something that you enjoy. You know, what is something that you do not because you have to, but because you want to 200-250 words is a pretty generous margin here. And it lets you really explore something, this is probably one of your extracurricular activities. But it also might just be a hobby. So what do you do in your free time. And you're going to want to use this opportunity to discuss something you haven't talked about in other essays. And that goes back to the idea of essays as a portfolio. And again, like with the major, you want to be honest, here, you don't choose something that sounds impressive. You rather you'd rather put something forward that demonstrates your genuine, authentic passion, or something.

That being said, being honest, doesn't necessarily mean using an idea that isn't reflective of who you are, and what you will bring to MIT, you still want to be putting your best foot forward. So for example, you want to choose something that is going to show that you can think meaningfully and maturely about something, scrolling through your Tik tok, or looking at memes all day isn't going to be something that resonates really strongly with an admissions reader. You probably want something a little more substantive here, volunteering, maybe if that's meaningful to you, it might be a job that you have, it might be babysitting for your younger siblings or cousins, this can be one of those things that you just love to do. And you do it without being asked, because it's something you want to do. And so you can approach this essay structure, once you have a topic in your mind, you can take it in one of two directions, okay? Either stick to the moment in time method, which is you know, a brief anecdote about a specific episode in which you were doing this activity. And you want to just tell that story recreating a single moment in time, I can raise how much you love it, or you want to look at it from a longitudinal method, you know, saying, This is what I love. This is how I discovered it. This is how I've engaged with it and how I've grown through it, this is what it's taught me, and this is how I hope to continue doing it in the future. Um, you're going to want to incorporate some elements of both, for example, even if you're doing the longitudinal method, you want to include details of a meaningful moment, to give authenticity to it. But the moment in time also has to have some context to it some explanation, you can't just drop yourself right in the middle of the story and never explain how we got there. And so I want to give an example to show what this might look like. So if your passions when you love to do is sunset photography, maybe you want to tell a moment in time story about when you were sitting on a pier, and watching the sun go down and you lift up the camera. And as the colors on the sky just sort of turned this gorgeous gradient and the sun hits the horizon, you take a photo, and you hear the click and you just feel all your stress melt away. That's a great moment in time that shows what really vivid imagery, something that makes you feel right.

But maybe you want to approach it a different way. Talking about the first time you ever took a photo personally ever had a camera in your hands. And you went on this sort of long journey, taking pictures of lots of different things until you finally settled on sunsets. And what does that mean for you? You know, what have you gotten out of this? Maybe it's a question of understanding balance and perspective. Either way, no matter what direction you're taking this, you want to be telling us what you do that you love, why you love it, and while how this activity has shaped you and what you've learned from it, what you've gained from it. Okay, so the lessons you've learned are going to be important here. And make sure again, try to throw in some good details here. It makes it seem really authentic and meaningful and personalizes the essay and makes you stand out. A second option here Another example might be to talk about Rubik's cubes. You love doing Rubik's cubes, you've been doing them forever, you know all sizes from the force side. Now four sided the two by two grid, two things that are huge. Maybe not even cubes at all. So you just love to solve puzzles, you love challenges, and you love trying to do better than you did last time. And so you can do this again moment in time focusing on a single solve. Or you can make it more of a narrative from growing and from the basic Rubik's cube to the more complex ones and how you see challenges. And you know that there's some method, and you're just trying to figure out what that looks like and how to make it work. And yes, this is kind of a nerdy thing. But again, this is the MIT application after all, so you're in good company, if you are worried about it being too nerdy. Just to summarize, you want to use good imagery, good details to tell a compelling story. This is a very show don't tell, because this isn't a new love. This is something you're passionate about, you shouldn't have to describe it. And then bullet point kind of way, this is very pathos filled essay, ideally.

Moving on to the next of the essays, I want to ask you guys another quick question. So feel free to answer in the polls again. This essay, number four here is about your impact, and your community and the people around you, and how you work to improve the lives of those around you. And whether that's your community, family, classroom, neighborhood, whatever that means. And so this is a really broad question asking you to talk about a time or a way in which you cared about other people. And so, if you look at the examples, they give family, classroom neighborhood, big challenges being a good friend, you don't need to go with something massive, it doesn't have to be I have created lasting peace in the Middle East. Like that's not really what they're going for here. They want to know, what human interactions Do you have, that you use to improve the world. And so you don't have to panic if you haven't cured cancer, you're okay. It can be as simple as being a good friend having the ability to support people who need to be supported in your life. That's totally okay. So just think about a time where you made a positive impact in the world around you and the community around you in the lives of the people around you. Show that you're generous that you want to make a difference that you work hard to make a difference, and put in good emphasis on what that outcome looks like. What did you do? And how did it pay off for the other people involved? In addition, this is another essay where you want to have gotten something out of this experience. We want to know what it changed about you. Why does this matter to you? And how did you grow is really sort of the key here. So maybe you volunteered with the Red Cross or at a local retirement home, maybe you found it a club at school that was about bringing education to children in need, it doesn't matter what your cause is, or how it word you can take. Maybe it was just a time that you stood up for someone who was being picked on. Um, do you just have to give meaning to it? If it's meaningful for you that'll come across? Maybe so tying in that personal significance that personal development is going to make it seem like it matters in ways that we might not get otherwise from such a short essay. So give that act personal meaning, and we want to know what we're supposed to learn about you from this, you know, maybe you'd want to compare yourself before and after. But that might be a stretch given the length of the essay.

So an example here might be you tutored a teammate or a friend, somebody on your varsity sports team was struggling in math, for example, worried about failing and didn't really see the point. Just thought that they were bad at math. And that was it. So you decided you were going to help to tutor that friend and do it for free every week, and just help as in any way you can? Because it's something that makes sense to you. And maybe you work with them every week for a month or two months and finally they get their first a on a test or a homework. And they're really excited by that they are not just getting it not understanding Getting the concepts but understanding why they're important. And maybe they even start to like math, maybe they don't. But just what is the outcome there? And then what did you get out of it, maybe you learned that you really like to teach maybe that maybe you gained a new appreciation for math or learned new study tactics, that help you to understand concepts in ways that bring other subjects together in ways you hadn't anticipated. So maybe was a What do you get out of it, but in a way that is very spiritual and not material. Make sure you're emphasizing your generosity here in a humble way, by getting that outcome and what you got out of it as well. Um, so that's one example.

A second example might center on food waste, for example, perhaps you realize that your school has just a huge amount of food waste going on. So you work with administration, and maybe the student council and sustainability group and you push for composting as a system within your school. And you help to reduce waste in that way, and you work with the principal and the school board, and you make it happen, not just in your school, but all over the district, you know, and this sparks, you know, an interest in sustainability and environmental engineering or environmental studies, it doesn't have to start that it doesn't have to jumpstart it, per se, but maybe it furthers it, or it gives it a new perspective. Now, which one of the ways in which you've grown? Okay, so the situation, the way you did the outcome, and what you how you grew from that.

Um, we have one more of the main essays here, before we get to this sort of optional secret essay that they've hidden on their application. And this last one is about the most significant challenge that you faced, or something that didn't go according to plan and how you manage that. Cuse me, I'm sorry. So it's asking you about either the most significant challenge you faced, or something important that didn't go to plan. Either away, you can't, you're not going to go wrong with this essay. I will say you don't have to necessarily focus on the most significant challenge that you faced, okay. But you do want to focus on something that has some weight, some gravity to it. Because you want to make sure that you're not trivializing this. They're trying to figure out how you handle truly difficult situations, and what you take away from them, and what you put into them. So as you go through it, make sure you are describing the significance of this situation, why it's important to you. Because, again, if it is too trivial, it'll look like you're not taking it seriously, or you don't know how to engage with real challenges.

And so that's not to say you have to write about something that is really difficult for you to talk about still. But you shouldn't be writing about getting a B on a calculus test, you know, it should be something that does have some meaning, some significance to it. And so you want to think about what happened, what you did, and the steps that you took, and you want to show what came with it, you know, what was the outcome in general? And also, how did you grow? Again, just like the last essay and some of the other ones before that. We want to know what happened in your past? And where is it leading in your future? Why was this challenge so important to you? You know, what was your reaction in the moment? What was your reaction leader and how did you approach a solution? And how did this challenge you to grow and mature in important ways. Again, common mistakes include choosing something that's just far too trivial, like doing poorly on one task is not really going to help here. You also want to avoid things that are really cliche. For example, a sports injury. Okay, that's something that lots of readers have read a million times. And so you want to be able to put a unique spin on something like this. Something that you definitely want to try to avoid often includes romantic relationships and breakups, those are often a little too personal and difficult to make serious and mature. So you want to stick to something a little more workable.

For example, if you didn't want to do something about the sports injury, so it's a really significant challenge, you want to spin it in a new way. Maybe instead of classic story, which you can picture as, like a training montage in your head, no, I got injured, I couldn't play in a big game, I had to go through rehab and physical therapy, eventually, I got back on the field the next season, and we and I was, was able to lead the team to a state championship title, that story is a little played out. A more unique approach might be you got injured, and then you were forced to stay away from the sport. And so you picked up a new hobby, like writing. And now you love English, and you want to go into journalism. And so, you know, maybe, or maybe you got injured, and you started to sell on the sidelines a lot and you love realize you love the strategy and sort of the philosophy of the game more than you actually like playing it. And that's how you got into political science, or chess or something new and different, you know, so it's, you're skipping the cliche, and you're going in a new direction, something that is surprising to a reader.

Another example might be something, we have the Bandung Conference. If you went to Model United Nations, and you were on this panel, in this conference, you showed up, you've been preparing for months and months and months, but one of the other delegates couldn't make it got sick. So you needed to suddenly switch sides, you had to be on the opposite side from the one you'd prepared for. This could be very scary. But instead of panicking, you get as much information as you can in a short time. And maybe you get there and they call on you and you still blank, you still have no idea what to say you ask them to come back to you. And so they circle back and you still make, you know, a confident, articulate argument. And even if you don't come out on top, in this situation, you've learned something about the importance of preparation, but also the importance of being flexible, being adaptable to new situations and changing conditions.

a different example might be about a robotics club experience, where you start the competitive Robotics Competition club at your school, you get the interest in students together, and you get it approved. But for some reason, the administration decides they don't want this club around. And they reject your proposal. And then you get other people to rally around you, you get support from other peers and maybe faculty, and you figure out exactly why this would be beneficial to your school community. Maybe they still say no, even if you don't persuade this school board, maybe you realize you enjoyed the research of it and the debate. And so you've gone now and joined the debate club instead, and you found your people there. And something has been really important to helping you discover this new passion that you wouldn't have otherwise realized. So this is a sort of way to spin a different type of essay out of something that could be a really typical question.

Before we go into the last, sort of what we've labeled the secret essay. I have a cup and one more poll for you for now. Another one's coming soon. Don't worry, I know you were worried about more polls. So please do give us a little bit of feedback. But as I'm going into the secret prompt, what I want to say about it, is that we call it the secret prompt because it's not listed on their website. Rather, it only appears on the application and it's an optional prompt. Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below 150 words or fewer. And so it is optional, technically here and there is some overlap with prompt one. But you should still consider answering this question. We like to say the most optional things on these applications are not truly optional, you should still consider them as mandatory. There are very few exceptions. For example, Duke University asks about being a member of the LGBTQIA plus community? And if that's an important part of your identity, and if it's not, you should definitely not answer that question. But this kind of question is one that a lot of applicants can relate to, you have something in your background that's meaningful and has had some influence on your life experience. So this might relate to your minority status in some way, your religion, or your ethnicity or your nationality, but it could also relate to other aspects of your identity. And so you don't want to rule it out just because it says it's optional. And again, here, you have the option to do more moment in time or more longitudinal. Now, is there one example of a story that really helps display why your background is important to you? Or is it something that's easier told, by talking about the entire course if your life, you know, either approaches valid, you might want to think about, you know, your weekly family dinners, say, if you, you know, have lots of big families, and within your larger extended family, you have lots of cousins and aunts and uncles, and they all converge for dinner every Sunday. And you get to tell stories, your you know, your older relatives tell stories about the old country, and they have celebrations that are specific to your culture, maybe that's something that's really important. And you want to focus in on something like that. But again, narrative show don't tell specificities, your best friend and these kinds of things.

And that does bring us right towards the end, I want to summarize, before we move to the q&a portion of this call here of this presentation, the most important things I want you to take away from this presentation are that you want to be articulating your active role, your past and present in something and how it points to your future, the ways you've grown from what you do, and where you are and who you are. You want to use specific details so you can show and not tell and convey your passion in an authentic way. And you want to, you know, get feedback throughout the process. Ask the people around you, teachers, advisors, parents, or you could use college vines free tools to get your essay peer reviewed. So feel free to get other perspectives on this, throw other eyes at these essays, once you've written drafts, because you want to be able to give these the best you can and show off who you are.

And that does sort of bring us to the end of this presentation. So I'm going to stop sharing my screen. And I am going to open up for questions from you guys. Because I want to be able to answer the questions that you have about these types of essays and these options here. And what that looks like. I know I've talked a lot at you in the last 45 minutes or so. So I don't want to keep blathering at you if you have specific questions or specific specific things that you want to know. So please start putting those questions in the chat box. I haven't seen any just yet. So I'm really excited to see what you guys are interested in learning about writing these essays. A brief note is that the presentation that I've just given here is being recorded. And so you'll be able to access it at any point in the future. Just by going back to this website, you'll be able to share it if you would like or you can just revisit. And that same that same thing is true for all of the presentations that we give here at CollegeVine. They're always free and they're always available. So if there's anything that you are interested in, that you think there might be another presentation about already, for example, writing the Why major essay, especially if you're undecided. You can go back and check that out. Um, and it will be in our archives You can also go back and check out our college fair from a couple weeks ago, where we had students from all different universities, giving panels and talks about what their student experiences like. You can go back and see, you know, what do MIT students have to say about being at MIT? So these are things that you can absolutely investigate further for free through CollegeVine. But at the same time, I'm here live right now to answer questions that you have. So please, please do give those questions up to us. Or if you have any feedback on how this presentation went for you what you're hoping to see more from CollegeVine in the future, you can put that in the box as well. And we'll review it and we'll take it into account. I am going to continue talking until I have some questions.

Great. We have one question here. Because these prompts are on the shorter side, should students aim to write in a narrative style or to summarize events so that there's more room for the meaning? This is a great question. And one that's not necessarily confined to these essays, you know, short essays, I think, are some of the most difficult ones to write. Because you have so much to say, I would still recommend using anecdotes here, because they are much more personal, and can show a lot about you and how you think and what your voice sounds like. You should definitely be reserving room for explicit analysis, you know, so in a 250 word essay, you should be devoting at least 50-75 words to analysis here. And that's not a hard and fast rule, it's rule of thumb, you should be telling a story, and then telling us why that story is important and what it means for your food. And that might take a couple tries to write something and then cut it back and then cut it back and then cut it back. But it's always easier to write more and then cut stuff out than it is to work with a skeleton and try to flesh it out. Because if you think about the word count, you might leave out the most important thing because you just don't get there. So I recommend writing everything you have to say. And then cutting out the fluff and making things more concise and condensing it from there rather than working the other direction. That's a great question.

I'd love to see some other questions as well, about this or about the essays in general for MIT, or just the college applications process? Um, what are the questions that you have about what this might look like and what is expected from you? I definitely want to be able to give you guys the answers that you're looking for. In whatever realm that is that you feel you need guidance in. In the meantime, launching the very last poll while I wait for questions, that's the thing, love. If you guys don't ask me questions, I have time to ask you questions. So we're going to need you to put in some participation here to make sure that we're getting everything shipshape here and answering the questions that you guys feel we haven't yet addressed.

I'm not seeing any new questions rolling in at the moment. So I'm going to give it another minute. I'm going to let it keep keep and keep tabulating and keeping you know, pulling in the things that you guys are putting into the box. But I'm not seeing too much. So it looks like we're sort of drawing to the end of our presentation. I know every time I say that I'm going to wrap it up. That's when the questions start flooding in, because it's just how the karma of the universe works out for these things. But even though I've said the words wrap up, I'm still not seeing lots of new questions. So I'm just going to give it another minute. Before I do call it a night. And again, you guys totally have the option here to come back and watch later. You can also check out which live streams we have coming up and register for those. For example tomorrow we have a live essay review. We have another how to write essays kind of presentation coming up for Georgetown. So I'm going to show you guys that one in case you were hoping to register for something like that. Um I'm sorry if that pulls is coming up for you again, you can feel free to ignore it the second time. But, again, if there's anything that you guys feel was missing from this, please put it in the box. And I'll try to answer it now or we'll take it into consideration for the future. Alrighty, I am still not seeing any new questions coming on in. So I am going to Oh, here we go.

There's one. Usually you're told not to write about personal issues such as politics. What about talking about specific companies that you want to investigate or that you admire? So I'm not exactly sure what context you're thinking of this end. But it's always okay to be talking about the experiences you've had. Um, so if you worked at a company, and it was a really formative experience for you, it changed what you want it to do in the future, for example, that's a really valid experience to write about, because it shaped you into the person who is applying to college today. If you're thinking about it in the future, where you're saying, okay, I had this one experience. And I think I like consulting, for example. And so now I want to explore x consulting firm, that's not necessarily the direction I would take it, you want to think about more resources that are available at MIT, you know, maybe they have a campus consulting firm that you want to explore or business clubs or economics clubs, or things that, you know, are being operated through the Sloan School for business. So you have MIT specific opportunities there. So if that's answering your question, I hope it is, if it's not feel free to put a follow up in the box, and I'll try to address it. But the my general advice is, feel free to talk about your past experiences as they've influenced your future. When thinking about the future, think more in fields and sub topics, and not so much in specific companies, unless that company's doing something truly unique. But you can think about it in this way. And for years, a lot is going to change by the time you graduate from college. The odds that that company is the only one doing what they do is pretty those odds are pretty slim. So maybe I would talk more about the field or the research or the work rather than name dropping a company, especially if it has nothing to do with being a student at MIT.

Right, What other questions do we have? Is there anything else that's sort of outstanding, that we haven't had the opportunity to discuss together? I want to make sure that I'm getting you guys the answers that you're hoping to hear, or that you are excited to hear or need to hear, though those aren't always the same thing. Is there anything else that you guys are missing that you feel we haven't yet touched on that you are hoping to hear more about? Alright, I'm not seeing any new questions. But I'm going to talk pretty slowly. So that I'm making sure not to miss a new question right at the buzzer. Because I know that you guys are hearing me a little bit after I'm talking. So I want to account for that lag. But otherwise, it seems like I can go ahead and wrap this presentation up and bring us home. So thank you guys for asking your questions. Thank you for tuning in tonight. We're always excited to be able to bring you some information that's going to be helpful for you and your application process. As always, best of luck. You guys are excellent and I hope to see you in the future at some of our other streams. Have a great rest of your night.

Undergrad College: Yale University '21

Work Experience: I am a senior at Yale and excited to begin my fifth admissions cycle working with CollegeVine. After four years of working directly with students, I can't wait to engage with the people and the process in new and innovative ways online.

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College Admissions , College Info

In 2021/2022, MIT admitted only 3.96% of students who applied to the school. With such a low admissions rate, it may seem like getting accepted is close to impossible, but we're here to help!

In this guide, we'll explain everything you need to know to complete the MIT application, including when every important MIT application deadline is, what exactly you need to submit with your application, what admissions officers are really looking for when they review your application, and how you can make each part of your MIT application stand out from the pack.

Key Info for the MIT Application

You should know all the important information about the MIT application well before you plan on applying to make sure you gather all your materials and meet all the deadlines.

• Where to find the MIT application: You can find the MIT application here . The application opens in August of each year.
• How to submit the MIT application: When you've completed the MIT application, you can submit it by hitting the "Submit" button at the end of the application. SAT and/or ACT scores, as well as your official transcript, must be sent directly to MIT.
• When to submit the MIT application: It's very important to know the MIT application deadline. MIT offers both early action and regular action application submissions. Below is a chart of the key deadlines for each option. It's important to know every deadline since missing just one could mean your application won't be looked at.

Early Action

Regular action.

If you're applying early action , you'll need to have both parts of the application completed, and your transcript and letters of recommendation sent, by November. You can still take the November SAT , however. You'll receive your admission decision in mid-December.

For students applying regular action, you'll need to have all parts of the application completed/sent by January 5, and you can take your standardized tests no later than December. You'll receive your admission decision as early as mid-March and no later than April 1.

Should You Apply Early Action or Regular Action?

There are two options for applying to MIT, early action and regular action. Is one better than the other? If you apply early action, you do have a slightly better chance of getting accepted. According to MIT's admission statistics , if you apply early action, you do have a slightly better chance of getting accepted than if you apply regular action.

However, MIT specifically states this about its early action cycle: "We do not have a preference, and there is no strategic benefit to applying one vs the other. We have two cycles for two reasons: 1) it helps us spread our work out over a longer period, devoting more time to each application and 2) it provides applicants with more options so they can choose which works best for them."

Additionally, the majority (about 70%) of students who apply early action end up getting deferred and considered in the regular action applicant pool. So an early decision is by no means guaranteed if you apply early action.

Bottom line? Apply early action if you can get all the materials in before the deadline, but don't stress too much about it if you can't since it likely won't impact your chance of getting admitted.

How to Apply to MIT

There are six main steps you need to follow to submit your MIT application. Below are the steps, numbered in the rough order you should complete them in.

Step 1: Create an MyMIT Account and Start Your Application

The first step to applying to MIT is simple; you just need to create a MyMIT account through the MIT application portal. Creating an account only takes a few minutes, and once you do this you'll be able to complete an application, track the pieces of the application you've submitted, join the MIT mailing list, and get your interviewer's name and contact information.

To create an account you'll have to fill out some basic demographic information such as your birth date, high school name, and home address.

Step 2: Complete the Online Application

This is the bulk of the MIT application. To complete the online application, you'll log in to the MIT account you created and fill out all of the requested information. The application begins with biographical information, the application deadline you've chosen, and your academic history and test scores. You'll round out your application by providing info about your activities, employment, and awards, and writing three short essay responses.

Filling out the initial pieces of the application should only take you about 30 minutes to complete. You'll fill out information about whether you're applying early action or regular action, what your parents' jobs and highest level of education are, if you have siblings and where they attend college (if applicable), and all the high schools you attended, among other information.

While this part of the application is mostly selecting options from drop-down boxes and filling in blanks, keep in mind that there are a few short answer questions as well. You'll be required to answer questions about how your cultural experiences have shaped your aspirations and why your chosen field of study appeals to you, for instance.

After that, you'll move onto the part of the application where you really get to shine. You'll get to enter information about all the extracurriculars and jobs you've participated in, advanced classes you've taken, awards you've won, and your exam scores.

You'll also self-report all the classes you've taken and the grades you got in them although, again, you'll still need to submit your official transcript.

Once you've entered information about your academics and extracurriculars, you'll get to respond to MIT's short response essay questions. Unlike many other schools, MIT doesn't require one long essay; instead, you'll answer three short prompts. Here are the essay prompts, along with the word count requirement:

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)

Describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? (200-250 words)

MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds and experiences together to better the lives of others. Our students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you to contribute to your community. (200-250 words)

Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced (that you feel comfortable sharing) or something that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words)

Finally, you'll enter the information about the two teachers who are writing evaluations for you (see Step 5 for more info) and submit any supplemental materials (see Step 6 for more info).

After you've finished each of these sections and reviewed them, you can submit them. After you submit the application, you'll be prompted to pay the $75 MIT application fee.

Step 3: Submit Your Secondary School Report and Standardized Test Scores

You'll need to send your official high school transcript to MIT. After several years of being test optional due to COVID-19, MIT once again requires SAT or ACT scores from all applicants. You'll need to have official score reports sent to MIT. You can learn exactly how to send SAT scores and ACT scores in our in-depth guides.

Step 4: Ask Two Teachers to Fill Out Your Evaluations

You'll need two letters of recommendation for MIT, one from a math/science teacher and one from a humanities/language teacher. In your MIT Application account, you'll fill out each of your recommender's names and email addresses so the form can be sent to them. Your recommendations are due the same day as the rest of your application.

Step 5: Set Up and Complete an Interview

Interviews are not technically required, but MIT highly recommends them and admits very few applicants who didn't interview, so you'll want to do one if it's at all possible. Once you complete and submit your application, you'll be contacted by an Educational Counselor (EC), who will be the person doing your interview. The EC is an alum of MIT who conducts interviews, and there are over 5,000 of them around the world.

You and your EC will either meet virtually or set up an interview at a place near you. Most early action interviews take place in November, and most regular action interviews take place in January. In non-COVID times, the interview typically lasts an hour and often takes place in a location such as a coffee shop, restaurant, or library. Some may also take place over Skype or otherwise virtually. MIT recommends thinking about questions you might be asked before the interview, and here are 14 of the most common college interview questions.

Step 6: (Optional) Submit Supplementary Materials

You also have the option to submit supplementary materials. This is a completely optional step and is typically done by students with a fine arts or music portfolio, those with research experience, and/or those who hope to play a varsity sport for MIT. There are five different kinds of supplemental materials you can send.

You can find more information about each of these options on the MIT Admissions Blo g . If you choose to complete any of these materials, you'll submit them separately from the rest of your application.

Here are the options for supplementary materials:

• Maker Portfolio
• Music & Theater Arts Portfolio
• Research Portfolio
• Supplemental Recommendations
• Varsity Sports Interest

If you need to submit any of these materials, you can do so by emailing or faxing them to the MIT Admissions office.

Step 7: Submit Your February Updates and Notes Form

If you applied Early Action and were accepted or applied Regular Action (you won't have your admission decision yet), you'll also need to submit your February Updates and Notes form by February 15th. You'll be emailed information about this form which will mostly consist of letting MIT know what your fall semester grades were and what classes you're taking for your spring semester.

MIT Application Checklist

Below is everything you need to submit with your MIT application. You can use this application checklist to stay organized and make sure you've submitted all the required materials.

• The online MIT Application
• Evaluation A: Letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher
• Evaluation B: Letter of recommendation from a humanities, social science, or language teacher
• Scheduled Interview (if possible)
• SAT or ACT scores (optional)
• February Updates & Notes Form (due in February)
• $75 MIT application fee

How to Do Well on Key Sections of the MIT Application

How can you have a stellar MIT application? Because MIT is so competitive, your application will need to be strong in all the key areas MIT evaluates. MIT is looking primarily for academic excellence, leadership experience, passion for learning and your future major, and sociability. There are numerous ways you can show you have these qualities on your MIT application.

In this section we go over the five most essential parts of your application and explain exactly what you need in order to stand out and show MIT you have what it takes to succeed there.

#1: High School Transcript

Your high school transcript is often the single most important piece of your application, so you want it to shine. Your goal here is to show admissions officers that you took difficult classes and got top grades in them, particularly the math and science classes.

MIT has rigorous classes, and they're looking for applicants who have already challenged themselves by taking advanced classes in high school. If your school offers honors, AP, and/or IB classes, you should aim to take at least some of these advanced classes, especially those in the field you plan to major in. If your school doesn't offer these classes MIT also has suggestions for alternative ways to challenge yourself.

MIT has no requirements for classes you had to have taken in high school but it recommends the following:

• One year of physics
• One year of chemistry
• One year of biology
• Math, through calculus
• Two years of a foreign language
• Four years of English
• Two years of history and/or social sciences

Remember, this is the minimum MIT recommends; you'll likely have to go above and beyond in some areas to be a competitive applicant. Most applicants will have taken at least four years each of math and science, including multiple advanced classes.

Your GPA is also a crucial part of your MIT application since taking difficult classes but doing poorly in them doesn't show that you're prepared for the rigor of MIT. The average weighted GPA of MIT admitted students is about 4.16 , which means you should aim to get as many A's as possible in your classes.

#2: Standardized Test Scores

MIT doesn't have a minimum score requirement for the SAT/ACT, but because admission is so competitive, you should aim for a high standardized test score. Your goal should be to reach the 75th percentile score for admitted MIT students . Meeting this score for either the SAT or ACT means you will have scored higher than 75% of other admitted students, which puts you in a strong position during the admissions process.

For the SAT, a 75th percentile score is an 800 in Math and a 780 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. For the ACT, it's a composite score of 36. You can get scores lower than this and still get accepted to MIT, but these are good goal scores to try to aim for. Note that, for either exam, you need a pretty much perfect score to get the 75th percentile.

#3: Letters of Recommendation

You'll need two letters of recommendation for MIT, and they should both come from teachers who know you well and can write convincingly about your strengths. A strong letter of rec will include specific examples of your academic abilities and personal skills; it will also explain why you're an excellent applicant for MIT.

Speak to the people you'd like to write your letters fairly early, ideally at the end of your junior year or beginning of your senior year. Check out our guide on letters of rec for more information on who to ask to write your letter of recommendation and a step-by-step guide on how to ask.

#4: MIT Essays

For MIT, you'll need to write four short essays, each 250 words or less. MIT requires multiple short essays to get a more complete view of who you are, so make sure you show your personality and what you care about.

There are three main goals for your MIT essays:

• Show who you are
• Show what's important to you
• Show why MIT is the best school for you

For tips and strategies on how to answer every one of the MIT essay prompts, check out our in-depth guide to answering the MIT essays.

#5: Extracurriculars

Your extracurriculars are also a key part of your MIT application. The best way to stand out with your extracurriculars is to emphasize your passion and leadership skills. You can do this by pursuing extracurriculars in a field related to your future major, sticking with them, and achieving leadership roles in them. Learn more about the types of extracurriculars you'll need to get into top-tier schools.

It's also important to note that you should choose your extracurriculars based on what you're interested in and passionate about, not what you think will impress MIT. On their website, MIT specifically counsels against this, as they'd rather have students doing what they love than those spending their time on things they don't care about just to try and look impressive.

Recap: MIT Application

Because MIT only accepts 4% of applicants, your application needs to stand out if you want a chance of getting in. Before you do anything else, make sure you know the MIT application deadlines. They differ depending on whether you're applying Early Action or Regular Action.

Give yourself enough time to complete all parts of the application, which will include entering in all your grades and classes, completing five MIT essay prompts, and entering in your test scores. Don't forget to send in additional materials such as your transcript, official test scores, and letters of recommendation. MIT also highly recommends doing an interview.

To give yourself the best chance of getting admitted, you want your MIT application to be strong across the board. The five most important parts of your application are your: transcript, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, essays, and extracurriculars.

What's Next?

Want to see what an MIT acceptance letter look like? Take a look at an actual MIT acceptance letter and learn tips for getting in.

Essays are an important part of the MIT application. Learn how to write stellar MIT essays by checking out our guide to the four tips you need to know when writing MIT essays.

Want to know how to make your extracurriculars stand out even more? Check out this guide to four amazing extracurricular activities and learn why they're so impressive to colleges.

Want to get into MIT or your personal top choice college?

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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MIT Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Tips

September 8, 2023

When applying to MIT, a school with a 4% acceptance rate where a 1500 SAT would place you below the average enrolled student (seriously), teens should be aware that it takes a lot to separate yourself from the other 26,000+ applicants you are competing against. While trying to be among the 1 in 25 who will ultimately be accepted sounds like (and is) a rather intimidating proposition, every year around 1,300 individuals accomplish this epic feat. We’ve worked with many of these students personally and can tell you one thing they all had in common—exceptionally strong MIT supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into MIT? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into MIT: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

There are few schools that offer as many essays as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All applicants are required to respond to five prompts as they work through the MIT application. Your mission is to write compelling, standout compositions that showcase your superior writing ability and reveal more about who you are as an individual. Below are the MIT supplemental essays for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one.

MIT Supplemental Essays – Prompt #1: 

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)

There are many different ways that you can approach this prompt, but the first step is to take MIT at their word that they are sincerely interested in what you do “simply for the pleasure of it.” While this may be something that also happens to be high-minded and/or STEM-oriented in nature, there is no expectation that this will be the case.

In essence, you want to ask yourself, what brings you great pleasure and happiness? Universal experiences of joy like family, a beautiful sunset, smiling children, or your cat or dog curled on your lap are perfectly acceptable answers here. However, you could also talk about dreams for the future, more bittersweet moments, abstract thoughts, moments of glorious introversion, or even something semi-embarrassing and vulnerable. The only “wrong” answer to this question would be an insincere one. As you enter the brainstorming phase, just make sure to turn off your “resume mode” setting. Instead, allow yourself to embrace the limitless possibilities of this essay.

Essay Prompt #2 

What field of study appeals to you the most right now? Tell us more about why this field of study at MIT appeals to you. (Note: You’ll select your preferred field of study from a drop-down list.) (100 words or fewer)

Generally speaking, we all have a story of what drives us to pursue a certain academic pathway and career. How did your interest initially develop? What was the spark? How have you nurtured this passion and how has it evolved over time? If you desire to go into engineering, this is a chance to talk about everything from your childhood fascination with how things work to your participation in an award-winning robotics program at your high school. Share a compelling (and, of course, true!) narrative about how your love of your future area of study has blossomed to its present levels.

In other words, this essay should show evidence of intense hunger for knowledge that extends well outside of the classroom. How do you learn about your favorite subjects? What books have you read on the subject? Which podcasts have you listened to? What museums have you visited?

You can also tie your passions into specific academic opportunities at MIT including courses , professors , hands-on research programs , or any other aspects of your desired major that appeals most to you.

MIT Supplemental Essays – Prompt #3 

MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds together to collaborate, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to lending a helping hand. Describe one way you have collaborated with others to learn from them, with them, or contribute to your community together. (225 words)

How you interact with your present surroundings is the strongest indicator of what kind of community member you will be in your future collegiate home. This prompt asks you to discuss how you have collaborated with others (in any setting) in order to learn from them or contribute to a particular community. This could mean how you’ve collaborated with others during a group project, internship, extracurricular opportunity, sports event, or service project, to name a few.

Some words of warning: don’t get too grandiose in explaining the positive change that you brought about. Of course, if you and your team truly brought peace to a war-torn nation or influenced climate change policy on a global scale, share away. However, nothing this high-profile is expected. Essentially, MIT wants to understand how you’ve worked with other people—in any capacity—to expand your thinking or reach a common goal.

A few potential ideas for areas where you may have worked with/alongside others include:

• Racial injustice
• Assisting those with special needs
• Climate justice/the environment
• Making outsiders in a group feel welcome
• The economically disadvantaged
• Mental health awareness
• Clean-up projects
• Tutoring peers or younger students
• Charitable work through a religious organization

This is, of course, by no means a comprehensive list of potential topics. Most importantly, your story should be personal, sincere, and revealing of your core character and developing values system.

Essay Prompt #4

How has the world you come from—including your opportunities, experiences, and challenges—shaped your dreams and aspirations? (225 words or fewer)

This essay encourages you to describe how your world has shaped your aspirations. We all have any number of “worlds” to choose from, and MIT is inviting you to share more about one of these worlds through the lens of how that has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience/challenge you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your religious background
• Your family background
• Your sexual orientation or gender identity

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within on other areas of your application. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew.

You’ll then need to discuss how your chosen “world” has influenced your future, and in what ways.

MIT Supplemental Essays – Prompt #5

How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it? (225 words)

Note this prompt’s new wording: How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect ? Can you think of a time when you felt surprisingly overwhelmed? When something out-of-the-ordinary occurred? When you were caught off guard? Basically, MIT is trying to discover how you deal with unforeseen setbacks, and the important thing to keep in mind is that the challenge/story itself is  less important  than what it reveals about your character and personality.

Of course, some teens have faced more challenges than others, potentially related to an illness or medical emergency, frequent moving, socioeconomic situation, natural disaster, or learning disability, to name a few. However, you don’t have to have faced a significant challenge to write a compelling essay (and even if you have faced a significant challenge, you don’t have to write about it if you’re not comfortable doing so). Writing about a common topic like getting cut from a sports team, struggling in a particular advanced course, or facing an obstacle within a group project or extracurricular activity is perfectly fine. Any story told in an emotionally compelling, honest, and connective manner can resonate with an admissions reader. The bottom line here is that there are no trite topics, only trite answers.

Given the 225-word limit, your essay needs to be extremely tight and polished. In all likelihood, getting this one precisely right will involve a round or two of revision, ideally with some insight/feedback from a trusted adult or peer in the process.

Some tips to keep in mind include:

• Firstly, make sure you share what you were feeling and experiencing. This piece should demonstrate openness and vulnerability.
• Additionally, you don’t need to be a superhero in the story. You can just be an ordinary human trying their best to learn how to navigate a challenging world.
• Don’t feel boxed into one particular structure for this essay. The most common (which there is nothing wrong with), is 1) introducing the problem 2) explaining your internal and external decision-making in response to the problem 3) Revealing the resolution to the problem and what you learned along the way.
• Lastly, don’t be afraid that your “problem” might sound “trite” in comparison to those of others. This essay is about you. Y our job is to make sure that your response to the problem shows your maturity and resilience in an authentic way. That matters far more than the original challenge itself.

Essay Prompt #6 (Optional)

Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below. (150 words)

Unlike other optional essays, this one truly is optional. You don’t need to respond unless you have something significant to share about your cultural background and identity that hasn’t already been shared elsewhere on the application.

How important are the MIT supplemental essays?

There are 8 factors that MIT considers to be “very important” to their evaluation process. They are: rigor of secondary school record, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and most relevant to this blog—the MIT supplemental essays.

Moreover, character/personal qualities are the only factor that is “very important” to the MIT admissions committee. Of course, part of how they assess your character and personal qualities is through what they read in your essays.

Want personalized assistance with your MIT supplemental essays?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your MIT supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

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How to Write the MIT Application Essays 2022-2023

Padya Paramita

October 3, 2022

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the dream university for many STEM-oriented students, and it comes as no surprise that it’s also one of the most selective schools in the world. If you’re set on majoring in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Computation and Cognition, or one of the other highly specialized programs that MIT offers, it’s important to let admissions officers know who you are and what you’d bring through the MIT application essays 2022-2023 . 

Since MIT uses MyMIT , its own application system, you don’t have to worry about repeating your Common App personal statement topic here! But, this means that the essays act as your personal statement and supplemental responses all in one. Alongside conveying your love for MIT, you must take advantage of your supplemental essays to provide crucial context on your interests and background. You have five prompts to convince admissions officers why you’re an ideal fit for this highly competitive Boston institution, which only accepted 4% of students this year. To help guide you through the writing process , I’ve outlined each prompt, dos and don’ts for your responses, and more tips on the MIT application essays 2022-2023 .

MIT Application Essays 2022-2023 (answer all - appx. 200 words each)

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. 

MIT values students who are particularly invested in activities and topics that are meaningful to them, no matter what the scale. If you have a highly meaningful hobby that isn’t a conventional extracurricular per se, MIT is telling you to go for it. Just the introductory paragraph to most essays requires over 100 words—you might find it difficult to restrain yourself while talking about your favorite activity. In order to get your point across, you need to put less emphasis on describing the activity—limit it to one or two sentences - and more on what brings you joy about it. Why is it your favorite? How does it recharge you in a way others may not? Has it shaped your perspective in a significant way?

Since admissions officers will see your activities list through MyMIT, you should find ways to include anecdotes that will convey additional information about yourself. While you should not pick a purely academic activity or something that you think MIT wants to hear, you also should think of something beyond sleeping, eating, or hanging out with friends. Your outlook on the activity should be unique and help you stand out among your peers.

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?

It’s crucial that you go through all of the prompts offered by the MIT application essays 2022-2023 before you decide on a topic for each of them because what you cover in this first prompt might also be a good fit for Prompt 4. And if you are invested in more than one community, then you’re in luck! Either way, your answer to questions 1 and 4 should not cover the same topic because each essay is meant to add new information about you.

A good clue on what to write here comes from the second part of the question, “how has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?” It’s time to think about your goals again. Is there any community or group which has played a strong role in solidifying your goals? If the answer is yes, there’s your answer. Start your essay by introducing the chosen world—keep it brief as you have another segment to cover. The major focus of your essay should lie in elaborating on the connection between the topic you’ve chosen and your career aspirations. Use anecdotes as evidence to drive your point home for admission officers to better visualize the impact. 

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. 

Since the prompt clearly states that there are no specific boxes that your choice of community has to check, think about a place where you’ve actually made an impact. Think about how to differentiate yourself—while service trips abroad definitely could count as community service, they won’t help paint a memorable picture of you because lots of students participate in them. You could write about the smaller circles such as your family, friend group, or neighborhood. You may have helped the community as a whole or you could have helped one or two individuals who belong to it. 

To think about the kinds of contributions to elaborate on, ask yourself the following questions:

• How have you collaborated with others in your community?
• Have you taken any risks to help others? How have they paid off?
• Have you spearheaded any initiatives towards change?
• Are there any service examples that portray your curiosity and creativity?
• Why do you care about this community? How have you shown it? 

If you choose a larger community—like your whole school or city—make sure your essay still focuses on your own contribution and role. A response to such a prompt needs to follow the classic “show, not tell” advice. Admissions officers won’t be satisfied with just “I helped my family.” You need to dig deeper and convince them through the MIT application essays 2022-2023 that you are the kind of hardworking and passionate individual who can thrive at MIT.

Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced (that you feel comfortable sharing) or something that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? 

MIT values candidates “ who are not only planning to succeed but who are also not afraid to fail .” When admissions officers read prompts about challenges students have overcome, they don’t want to know every single detail about the hurdle. The response should be more focused on the way the student reacted in the situation and how they’ve grown from the circumstances. Don’t pick an experience where you gave up easily after failing to do something. Your essay should highlight your strength and resilience in the face of an obstacle.

The definition of a “challenge” may vary from person to person. The keyword here is “significant.” Avoid writing about situations such as a bad grade or a sprain playing soccer that might be minor in comparison to issues other students have faced. Instead, think about an instance that showcases how your ability to recover from a struggle and proves your determination as well as your humility. Instead of writing general statements, focus your essay on your actions you took during the situation and the lessons you picked up. 

This is a great opportunity to tell admissions officers about the way you respond to tough moments - end your essay on a positive note!

More Tips to Answer the MIT Application Essays 2022-2023

• Use Your Common Application Profile As Inspiration: Chances are, other schools on your list use the Common Application so you’ve already filled it out. The Common App can be a great source of letting you know the kind of context colleges want to know about you. If there’s anything that you’ve mentioned in the Common App that you haven’t gotten a chance to express for MyMIT—whether it’s mentioned in your personal statement topic or an impressive award—you may be able to include it somewhere in your response to the MIT application essays 2022-2023!
• Read the Website Very Carefully: Research is extremely important before sitting down to answer school-specific questions and the MIT application essays 2022-2023 are no different. Luckily, MIT has very detailed information for prospective students that can help you go deeper into admissions officers’ minds. Use the information given on the “ What we look for ” page to get an idea of which characteristics you should emphasize in your responses.
• Use Strong Examples : The MIT application essays 2022-2023 are all about gauging your intellectual pursuits, community involvement, and engagements outside the classroom. Since the word limits for the prompts aren’t generous, each of your essays should focus on being as specific as possible in depicting your personality and interests. Adding specific examples lets admissions officers understand your perspective better and envision the areas of campus where you’d contribute and how you’d fit in with the MIT community.

The questions asked by MIT act as your personal statement and supplemental essays all in one. So when thinking about the MIT application essays 2022-2023 , make sure your responses show your passions and perspective in a way that distinguishes you from other applicants. If admissions officers understand your context and agree with the ways you would be a strong fit for MIT, you’ll be one step closer to that acceptance letter. Good luck!

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How to write the mit supplemental essays 2020-2021: the elite guide (examples included).

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, more commonly known as MIT, has an acceptance rate of 6.7%.

It is a private research university best known for its programs in engineering, science, and technology. The university has fueled technological advances and scientific breakthroughs, like GPS and the concept of the expanding universe.

If that sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, you’ll first have to complete MIT’s application, known as MyMIT, and successfully make it through the university’s competitive admissions process .

Luckily, we’ve got all the tips and info you need to rock one of the most challenging parts of the MIT application: the essay questions.

Let’s get started!

Click above to watch a video on MIT Supplemental Essays.

The MyMIT Application

MIT doesn’t accept the Common Application . Instead, the university has its own application system, called MyMIT.

Even if you’re not applying to colleges soon, it’s a great idea to go ahead and create an account! The account automatically subscribes you to monthly admissions newsletters from MIT. These are useful, as applicants will receive emails about upcoming dates, deadlines, tips, and more.

Beyond receiving material from the MIT admission’s office, signing up for a MyMIT account will also let you examine some of the eccentricities of the application. One of the biggest ones is that MIT only allows you to list four activities. You’ll have a larger word count than the Common App, but you’ll also need to be more selective. When deciding what activities to include, consider asking yourself the following:

• What do I enjoy doing the most?
• Is there an activity I haven’t mentioned elsewhere in my application but that is key to understanding me?
• Is there an activity I mention in an essay that really needs a few more words to explain properly?

Remember, the goal of every application is to create a holistic picture of who you are, and that involves every step of the process. Now, let’s get to the essays.

MyMIT Essays

Instead of asking you to write one long essay, MIT asks five short-answer essay questions. Currently, the five questions are:

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. (No word limit on admissions website.) 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 the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words)

General Tips for Answering MIT’s Essay Questions

Let’s start with a piece of advice from the university itself:

“Remember that this is not a writing test. These are the places in the application where we look for your voice—who you are, what drives you, what’s important to you, what makes you tick. Be honest, be open, be authentic—this is your opportunity to connect with us.”

As you respond to MIT’s questions, try not to overthink them. Tell the truth, write in your own voice, and let the admissions officers get to know you.

The advice you’ll find in this article is meant to give you some inspiration, but it’s most important to be yourself . Don’t try too hard to impress or to say what you think the admissions officers want to hear.

Beyond general advice that is applicable to any essay, here are some tips specific to MIT:

• MIT’s motto is “mind and hand” because they value doing just as much as intellectual capacity. When you’re brainstorming ideas for your essays, always try to highlight this connection when possible.
• All of the MIT essays are short. This is partly because they recognize that MIT students are often less skilled writers. Use this to your advantage, as the format encourages getting straight to the point rather than finding the perfect anecdote.
• MIT cares about being able to transform good ideas into actions, so it is extra important that you show in these essays, not tell.

Now we’ll take an in-depth look at each of MIT’s five essay questions.

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Mit essay 1: describe your world.

The first question asks you to talk about something in your life that has shaped your dreams. This can literally be anything, but I would encourage you to consider the mundane. It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention, and this is the type of thinking that MIT encourages. What everyday problems have you encountered? How have you thought about them? Did any of them influence my choice of career or activity I’m interested in?

As with the other essays, you only have 250 words, so there’s no need for an introduction or a conclusion. Instead, jump right into answering the question. One of the best ways to do this is with vivid details or an anecdote that gives the admissions officers a peek into who you are. After all, that’s the main goal of all the essays!

MIT Essay 1 Example Essay

One of the reasons I like this essay is that it’s about fixing a toilet. Unremarkable, yet remarkable because of how mundane it is.

Walking down the hall, my 6-year-old ears hear the unmistakable sound of gushing water. Skidding on the now wet floor, I race into the bathroom and see a fountain burgeoning from the toilet tank. My Grandfather is steadily getting soaked as he attempts to plug the leak. Seeing me in the room, he beckons me over, gently guiding my tinier hands to cover a hole he can’t quite reach. With the cascade of water stilled, he impresses me with the importance of staying still while he gets his tools. Up to my ankles in water, I am delighted to be helping and learning, all at the same time. A farmer, my Grandfather spent his entire life relying on his ingenuity to solve problems with his own hands. Despite being pulled out of school in 8th grade, he is one of the cleverest people I know, yet he always welcomes help and input. (Even when his grandchildren became klutzy teenagers!) Because of him, I aspire to be the type of person who can solve problems with duct-tape and a shoestring, yet always humble and willing to accept help, recognizing the individual strengths of others.

MIT Essay 2: Pick a Field of Study

While the first question lends itself well to a creative response, this question requires a more straightforward answer. Start by considering the following questions:

• What are your long-term goals?
• What career(s) are you thinking of pursuing?
• Based on this, what major might be a good fit for you? Or, if you already know your major, what are you planning to study?
• What department or program at MIT will help you pursue your interests and reach your goals?

Even if you don’t have a concrete answer to all of these questions, try to choose one or two major areas of interest to focus on for this essay. While the official MIT admissions website didn’t list a word count, keep it short, as the other essays are all limited to 250 words.

Once you have a clear idea of what area of interest you’ll discuss, you need to connect your interest to the resources MIT can offer. The admissions officers are trying to gauge if you really have a genuine interest in MIT, so don’t disappoint them. They want to know that you’ve already spent time picturing yourself on campus and that you’ll be a good fit.

Before you can write your essay, you’ll need to do some research. Beyond just basics about MIT’s departments, explore:

• Available courses
• Research opportunities
• Accomplishments, projects, or other news related to your department of choice

The more specific you can get, the better.

Avoid general statements like, “MIT is one of the most renowned universities in the nation,” or, “MIT’s Biological Engineering department has spurred innovation in the field.”

In short, try to follow these guidelines:

• Briefly introduce your aspirations, interests, and department of choice
• Provide specifics about courses you’d love to take, professors you’d like to do research with, or organizations or opportunities you’d love to take part in
• If you talk about your ambitions and career goals, make sure to connect this to MIT and why you’re a good fit with the school

Your goal here is to indicate that you’re both informed and excited about MIT, and you’re confident that the school can help you further your interests and reach your goals.

MIT Essay 2 Example Essay

Not everyone knows what they want to study when applying to college. This essay embraces that uncertainty and uses it to explore a variety of different ongoing research projects, all the while being specific about what is attractive about MIT.

For me, there is nothing more satisfying than getting my hands dirty solving problems. As I progressed through high-school, I realized this paired with my love of mathematics and physics, which is why I’m interested in becoming an engineer. In the long-term, I haven’t decided if I’m going to design quantum computers, ion drives for spaceships, or widely-accessible medical equipment, but I know that I want to spend my life learning and creating.   This is why I long to attend MIT; it’s the perfect place for me to explore different aspects of engineering. Whether joining Dr. Jarillo-Herrero in studying twistronics, which looks at the quantum-mechanical effects of 2D crystals, working with Dr. Barrett to create a plane that uses electroaerodynamic thrust, which is a form of ionic propulsion, or building an inexpensive ventilator with the E-Vent team, I can delve into a variety of projects at MIT that will aid me in finding the area I am most passionate about, even as I build a unshakable foundation of engineering knowledge.

MIT Essay 3: A Fun Activity

This is another opportunity for you to showcase who you are, not as a student, but as an individual. Ask yourself:

• Do I have an activity that is unusual for a high school student?
• When am I most relaxed?
• What activities do I do because I want to, instead of checking a box?

Again, this doesn’t need to be building nuclear reactors in your garage . Being a decent human being capable of collaborating with others is hugely important to MIT, so don’t be afraid to talk about something “normal” to demonstrate this point. However, you may want to avoid answers like, “Snapchatting” or “binge-watching Netflix,” as these are difficult to write about while showcasing an interesting quality.

If possible, this shouldn’t be something you haven already mentioned in your application. So, if it’s clear that you’re the captain of your soccer team, don’t write an essay about how you love to kick a soccer ball around for fun. Share something new with MIT’s admissions officers.

Above all else, have fun with this essay. It’s only 250 words, but that should be plenty of time to talk about whatever it is that you enjoy. It could be one of the few activities you selected or something else entirely: neither is incorrect.

MIT Essay 3 Example Essay

Pay attention to the descriptions present in this essay:

The wails of a two-year old relentlessly beat against my eardrums. Despite the gentle rocking motion and my attempts at a lullaby, the little girl is desperate to be away from strangers and back with her mother. I don’t mind; I’m used to it.  I started learning how to ride a horse when I was 10. Now, 7 years later, I’m perfectly comfortable riding bareback, keeping myself on the horse only using the strength in my legs and long years of practice. However, the toddler I’m holding in place in front of me is downright terrified, creating an arm work out I wasn’t expecting! To an outsider, it would probably appear like psychological torture, but there is a purpose: helping the girl learn how to walk. Hippotherapy was developed in the 1960’s, but I had never heard of it until the small farm where I learned to ride began looking for volunteers to start their own program. My instructor explained that the walking gait of a horse actually strengthens hip muscles, which is perfect for children who can’t walk. Spending time with the graceful, empathic animals is one of my favorite activities, so I couldn’t resist the opportunity. While most people wouldn’t consider a fun activity to involve the cacophony of small children bawling, I do. With the breeze on my face, a random tune on my lips, and the steady rhythm of the horse on the dirt, I can’t imagine a better way to start off my weekend. Nothing starts my Saturday mornings off quite as well as the breeze caressing my face, a cacophony of small children bawling as they are placed on horses, and the feeling that I’ve done started my weekend off right: helping someone. 

While this essay lacks words like “exciting, playful, or entertaining” the author does a marvelous job of contrasting an inside and outside view of a hippotherapy program, illustrating why the writer enjoys it, rather than telling.

MIT Essay 4: Contributing to Your Community

This is a more serious essay, requiring some thought. So, what contribution should you write about? Ask yourself:

• What are your most selfless moments?
• Where do you volunteer?
• What challenges are most prevalent in your community? Have you addressed any of them?

It could be something formal, like volunteering at a homeless shelter or a pet rescue. It could also be something simple, like comforting a friend during a time of need or helping your teacher grade papers. Sometimes writing about smaller gestures can lead to a more personal and memorable essay, so don’t shy away from those.

If you select a more informal contribution, try to connect it to the bigger picture.

• Did this motivate you to help others on a grander scale, or raise your awareness of a social issue?
• Did you learn something about yourself or discover a new skill/interest?

Whatever you write about, be sure to demonstrate how your actions had a positive impact. You may also wish to write about your motivations. Consider:

• What made you decide to take action and help your community, family, or friends?
• What did you learn along the way?
• How did you grow or develop as an individual as a result?

As you answer these questions in your essay, remember to use concrete, specific details instead of generic platitudes or clichés. Remember, MIT is trying to get to know you .

MIT Essay 4 Example Essay

Not everyone has something to brag about, and that’s okay. One of the reasons this essay stands out is because of its use of imagery, all centered around the sea.

Helping an elderly woman reach the top shelf in a grocery store. Dropping off cookies at random houses along the street. Sorting cereal into boxes at the food bank. None of these actions are earth shattering, yet each changes an individual world.  One of my favorite stories was originally told by Loren Eisley. Adapted many times over the years, there are always at least two figures set against a beach of starfish, dying as they lie on the shore, desperate for water. The first character is steadily throwing them back into the ocean, while the second questions the practicality of the action, since the first person has no hope of saving all the starfish. The first character usually acknowledges this point, but continues anyway, noting that it makes a difference to each starfish that ends up back in the ocean. When I think of my life, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the ginormous problems that are swirling around humanity, creating a riptide that threatens to drag us all under. While I aspire to work on the figurative lifeboats that will save us, it’s equally important to not let the needs of the individual drown. That’s why I don’t let the little opportunities to assist others pass me by.  In a world that can be so divided, I want to always be ready to aid the starfish I find around me, because that attitude is what transforms a group of people into a community.

In describing a life philosophy, the author demonstrates their view of the world. More than an action, the essay describes an approach to life that makes you want to be friends with them, or at least have them around if you’re ever in trouble!

MIT Essay 5: Describe a Significant Challenge or Failure

With an essay topic like this one, it’s best to focus more on solutions than problems. Your goal is to demonstrate your resilience, problem-solving skills, or determination. Start by briefly introducing the problem or challenge you’ve faced, then provide insight into why this challenge was significant to you.

The prompt asks about a challenge that’s significant, so avoid trite topics like earning a “B” on a paper or getting a bad haircut. Many people talk about a divorce in the family, the death of a pet or family member, or an athletic injury. While these definitely can cause long-term impact, if you choose a common topic, you’ll need to highlight a specific anecdote or provide personal, meaningful details to make your essay stand out.

Once you’ve introduced the challenge, the majority of your essay should focus on how you solved the problem and what you learned. Consider:

• What steps did you take to create a solution?
• What was the ultimate outcome? Don’t be afraid to talk about a failure; sometimes those stories are more meaningful than a success.
• How did you mature as an individual?
• What, if anything, would you do differently next time?

Remember to focus on the positive, rather than whining about life. Whatever you talk about, the structure should be the same: you experienced a challenge or hardship, took specific steps to address it, and learned and grew as a result.

MIT Essay 5 Example Essay

This essay does a great job of setting up the challenge with only a few sentences. It also spends time showcasing the author’s reaction and how it motivates the writer to make changes. 

As I approach my temple for Friday night services, I am appalled by what I see. The familiar Star of David is marred by a swastika, the red spray paint dripping down the mosaic. Beyond simply vandalizing the property, it was difficult for me to comprehend the amount of hate necessary to draw a symbol charged with such terror and antisemitism.  I wish I could have interrupted the individual who drew the swastika, asking what caused his or her hate. I wish I could have prevented the deaths of the thousands killed in temples, churches, mosques, and other holy places around the world. Yet, neither is within my power. I cannot change how history has unfolded, nor restore the dead to life.  However, I do have the power to shape the future. I intend to advocate for legislation that will make bias awareness programs mandatory for elementary schools across the nation. Within the classroom, especially at a young age, more is learned than just math and social studies. Rather, our childhood experiences develop the morals that serve as the basis for our lives. If we can teach the young to celebrate and embrace diversity, we can begin to eliminate the hatred surrounding race, gender, and religion.  Both now and in college, I want to embody and spread the message that differences are what make us unique and, when unified, we are stronger.

Conclusion: How to Write the MIT Supplemental Essays

To gain admittance to MIT, you’ll have to answer five short-answer essay questions. As you prepare to hit the submit button, here are a few items to double-check:

• Did you write in first person, which means using words like I, me, and my?
• Did you avoid using passive voice, inappropriate information, slang, or overly informal language?
• Were you true to yourself?
• Did you give admissions officers new information in each essay? Were there specific details in the essays to help them get to know you?
• Have you proofread, edited, and revised your essays, checking for correct grammar and spelling? While this isn’t a writing test, you want to present yourself intelligently and make a good impression.
• Have you asked family members, teachers, or trusted friends to look over your essays? Do they say your essays sound like you?

If you follow the tips provided here, your essays just might push your MIT application into the “Yes” pile.  Good luck!

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MIT Essays that Worked

MIT Essays that Worked – Introduction

In this guide, we’ll provide you with several MIT essays that worked. After each, we’ll discuss elements of these MIT essay examples in depth. By reading these sample MIT essays and our expert analysis, you’ll be better prepared to write your own MIT essay. Before you apply to MIT, read on for six MIT essays that worked.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university in Cambridge , Massachusetts. Since its founding in 1861, MIT has become one of the world’s foremost institutions for science and technology . With MIT ranking highly year after year, the low MIT acceptance rate is no surprise. Knowing how to get into MIT means knowing about MIT admissions, the MIT application, and how to write MIT supplemental essays.

MIT Supplemental Essay Requirements

The MIT application for 2022–2023 requires four short essays. Each essay should be up to 200 words in length.

MIT essay prompts :

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., describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). how has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations.

• MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds and experiences together to better the lives of others. Our students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you to contribute to your community.
• Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced (that you feel comfortable sharing) or something that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?

MIT changes the wording of these prompts a little bit every year. As a result, our MIT essay examples may look a little different from the prompts to which you will be crafting your own responses. However, there is a lot of overlap between current and past prompts and often the underlying questions are the same. In other words, even if the prompts differ, most of our MIT essays that worked are still helpful. Even MIT essay examples for prompts that are gone can be useful as a general sample college essay.

As one of the best universities worldwide, MIT is nearly impossible to get into without a good strategy . Even if you don’t have a stellar ACT or SAT score , your essays may impress admissions officers. Let’s briefly analyze each prompt so we know what to look for in MIT essays that worked.

MIT Essay Prompt Breakdown

1. Extracurricular essay

First, you’ll write about an activity you enjoy, whether it’s baking, doing magic tricks, or writing fanfiction. Remember, strong MIT essay examples for this prompt show genuine enthusiasm and explain why the activity is meaningful. Choose a hobby you can write about with gusto while also showing what it means to you.

2. Your Background Essay

Next, we have a prompt asking about your background. This is a classic question; in every other sample college essay, you find answers to this prompt. This question is intentionally open-ended, allowing you to write about any aspect of your background you’d like. In the MIT essays that worked, the “world” has something important to say about the author’s values or outlook.

3. Community Essay

Then, the third essay asks how you work with diverse groups to contribute to a larger community. MIT wants to see that you can work toward community goals while valuing diverse perspectives. But don’t worry. They don’t expect you to have solved world hunger—pick something that demonstrates what community means to you.

4. Significant Challenge Essay

Lastly, we have the failure essay, which seeks to answer how you persist in the face of adversity. Notice the prompt doesn’t mention “overcoming,” so this can be a time that you completely flat-out failed. Everyone handles setbacks differently, so effective MIT essay examples illustrate the author’s unique way of managing failure. It doesn’t have to be a particularly unique or unusual failure, although that may help you stand out .

How to Apply to MIT

MIT doesn’t accept the Common or Coalition Application. Instead, there’s a school-specific application for all prospective students. The 2022 Early Action MIT application deadline was November 1. The Regular Action MIT application deadline is usually January 1, but it’s been extended this year to January 5, 2023. The financial aid information deadline is February 15, 2023.

Depending on your admissions round, you need to submit all materials to the Apply MIT portal by the specified deadline.

MIT application requirements

• Basic biographical information, including your intended area of study
• Four supplemental essays
• A brief list of four extracurricular activities that are meaningful to you
• Self-reported coursework information
• A Secondary School Report from your guidance counselor, including your transcript
• Two letters of recommendation : MIT recommends one from a STEM teacher and one from a humanities teacher.
• SAT or ACT scores —MIT is not test-optional for 2022–2023!
• The February Updates form with your midyear grades (goes live in mid-February)

Furthermore, interviews are offered to many—but not all—students; not being offered an interview doesn’t negatively reflect on your application. At the end of this article, we compile more resources regarding the rest of the application. If you have specific questions about your application, reach out to the MIT admissions office .

Now that we’ve discussed the prompts and MIT admissions process, let’s read some MIT essays that worked. We have six sample MIT essays to help you learn how to write MIT supplemental essays. And, if you’re looking for more tips on managing the application process, watch our webinar on Building Your College Applications Timeline!

MIT Essay Examples #1 – Cultural Background Essay

The first of our MIT essay examples responds to a prompt that isn’t exactly on this year’s list. Let’s take a look. The prompt for this MIT essay that worked is:

Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below (100 word limit). If you need more than 100 words, please use the Optional section on Part 2.

Although the wording isn’t identical to any of this year’s prompts, it is similar to prompt #2. Remember, essay prompt #2 asks about the world you come from, which is essentially your background. However, MIT essay examples for this prompt speak more specifically about cultural background. With a shorter word limit, concise language is even more critical in MIT essays that worked for this prompt.

MIT Essays That Worked #1

My dad is black and my mom is white. But I am a shade of brown somewhere in between. I could never wear my mom’s makeup like other girls. By ten, I was tired seeing confused stares whenever I was with my dad. I became frustrated and confused. I talked to my biracial friends about becoming confident in my divergent ancestral roots. I found having both an understanding of black issues in America and of the middle class’ lack of exposure gave me greater clarity in many social issues. My background enabled me to become a compassionate, understanding biracial woman.

Why This Essay Worked

MIT essays that worked effectively show that the author can think about the bigger picture. This author describes their experiences as a biracial woman while addressing the wider scope of racial issues. While you shouldn’t reach to reference irrelevant societal problems, MIT essays that worked do often incorporate big ideas.

In addition, this author mentions conversations with biracial friends. MIT essay examples often include collaboration and community, and this one is no different. Often, sample MIT essays about cultural background will connect that heritage with one’s community. It shows that you value what makes you unique and can find it in others.

Lastly, strong MIT essay examples display reflection and personal growth. Do you understand the ways your experiences have shaped you, and can you write about them? Can you point to areas where you’ve grown as a result of your experiences? MIT essays that worked link the topic and the writer’s personal growth or values.

MIT Essays That Worked #2 – Activities Essay

The second of our MIT essay examples answers a prompt that’s on this year’s list.

In other words, write about a hobby or extracurricular activity—and what it says about you. As we mentioned above, MIT essays that worked for this prompt aren’t all about lofty ambitions. If you don’t read textbooks in your spare time, don’t write an essay claiming that’s your hobby. Be honest, thoughtful, and enthusiastic while finding a way to make your uniqueness show through. Let’s read one of many MIT essays that worked for this prompt.

MIT Essays That Worked #2

Adventuring. Surrounded by trees wider than I am tall on my right and the clear, blue lake on my left. I made it to the top after a strenuous hike and it was majestic. There is no feeling like the harmony I feel when immersing myself in nature on a hike or running through the mud to train for my sprint triathlon or even fighting for a pair of cute boots on black Friday. I take pleasure in each shade of adventure on my canvas of life, with each deliberate stroke leading me to new ideas, perspectives, and experiences.

MIT essays that worked use precise language to appeal to readers’ emotions. Note words like “strenuous,” “majestic,” “harmony,” and “deliberate.” The strategic use of vivid words like this can strengthen MIT essay examples and heighten their impact. But don’t overuse them—like paintings use a variety of shades, you should play with the intensity of your words.

Another benefit of colorful language is conveying meaning more deeply and precisely. Well-written MIT essay examples layer on meaning: this author likes adventuring through nature as well as life. With effective diction, you can make the most of the words you’re given. Consider using metaphors like in this MIT essay conclusion, comparing life to a canvas.

Now, think about your impression of the author after reading this. They’re active, ambitious, and, above all, adventurous. We know they like to challenge themselves (training for a triathlon) but also like fashion (buying cute boots). And we see from their concluding sentence that they have no intention of slowing down or pulling back. In under 100 words, we’ve got a clear snapshot of their worldview and see their adventuring spirit fits MIT.

MIT Essay Examples #3 – Why Major Essay

The third of our MIT essays that worked answers a prompt that isn’t on our list for 2022.

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why?

This is a classic “Why Major” essay, asked by hundreds of colleges every year. Obviously, the prompt asks about your academic interests . However, it subtly asks about school fit : why is MIT the best place for you to pursue this interest? Although this sample college essay prompt isn’t in this cycle, you should read as many sample MIT essays as possible. MIT essays that worked for the “Why Major” essay prompt illustrated the author’s academic interests and motivations. Let’s see what the next of our sample MIT essays has to say.

MIT Essays That Worked #3

My first step in to the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research was magical. My eyes lit up like Christmas lights and my mind was racing faster than Usain Bolt. I was finally at home, in a community where my passions for biology, chemistry, math, and engineering collided, producing treatments to save lives everywhere.

I pictured myself in a tie-dyed lab coat, watching a tumor grow in a Petri disk then determining my treatment’s effectiveness. If I am admitted to MIT, I look forward to majoring in bioengineering and shaping and contributing to the forefront of bioengineering research.

Earlier, we said that MIT essays that worked use vivid language to drive home their point. This sample college essay is no different. Describing their instantaneous reaction, the author pulls us into their headspace to share in their delight. Following that, they show us their vision for the future. Finally, they state directly how they’ll work toward that vision at MIT.

This author points out that bioengineering aligns with their interests across math and the sciences. There’s no rule saying you can’t be purely into math, but MIT strives to cultivate the world’s leading minds. Many MIT essays that worked present the author as a multifaceted person and intellectual. If you write a Why Major essay for a STEM field, it may be worth your while to take an interdisciplinary angle.

Among other parts of these MIT essays that worked in the author’s favor is the mention of an experience. Many model MIT essay examples directly reference the author’s life experiences to connect them with their interest. For instance, this author frames their essay with a visit to a cancer research institute. We don’t know if it’s a tour or an internship—the reason for their visit is less important than the impact.

MIT Essay Examples #4 – Community Essay

At this point, we’ve gone through half of our MIT essay examples. Moving on, we’ll read three MIT essays that worked for prompts (nearly) identical to this year’s. Next, we’ve got a prompt asking about community contributions.

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.

It’s very similar to this year’s third prompt, with one crucial difference. The current prompt asks for “one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you .” While past MIT essay examples for this prompt could have focused on individual efforts, now you should focus on group efforts. In particular, groups where “people who are different from you” also play key roles. This is intentionally open-ended, allowing for endless kinds of differences.

With that said, let’s continue with our MIT essay examples.

MIT Essays That Worked #4

“I’m going to Harvard,” my brother proclaimed to me. My jaw dropped. My little brother, the one who I taught to pee in the toilet, the one who played in the pool with me every day of the summer for 7 years, the one who threw me in the trash can 3 months ago, had finally realized the potential I have seen in him since he was a little kid. And I was thrilled.

He told me that after attending the Harvard basketball program, he knew that attending college was the perfect opportunity for him to continue playing the sport he loved as well as get a very good education. His end goal (this is where I almost cried) was to become an engineer at Nike. The best part, though, is that he asked me to help him achieve it. 

I was astounded that he thought so highly of me that he trusted me to help him. That night, we began discussing various fields of engineering that he could pursue, as well as the internship opportunities that he classified as “so cool.” As soon as school started, I bought him a planner and taught him to keep his activities organized. I go over homework with him and my baby brother almost every night.

I love using my knowledge to contribute to my family with my knowledge. I am so proud of my brother and our progress. I cannot wait to see him grow as he works to achieve his dream.

Perhaps while reading the prompt, you thought all MIT essays that worked discussed setting up a food bank or working at a hospital. Not so! What really matters for this essay is the impact the community has on you. In sample MIT essays like this one, we see just how important the writer’s family is to them. If your family means the world to you, don’t shy away from writing about them!

On the other hand, while many sample MIT essays discuss family, the best ones remember to center the author. It may seem selfish, but in an applicant pool of over 30,000 , you must stand out. You have to beat that low MIT acceptance rate by putting your best foot forward. Notice how the author’s feelings and thoughts show through in their interactions and reactions. Even in recounting their past with their little brother, you see them as a caring, playful older sibling. They’re thoroughly proud of their brother, his ambitions, and the trust he’s placed in them.

MIT Essay Examples #5 – Describe Your World 

The fifth of our MIT essay examples answers a prompt in circulation this year. Hooray!

This “world” is open-ended to allow writers to explore the communities and people that have shaped them. This essay calls for deep introspection; can you find a common thread connecting you to your “world”? Some MIT essays that worked discuss family traditions, other city identities, etc. Whatever you choose, it should reflect who you are now and who you want to become.

MIT Essays That Worked #5

I was standing on the top row of the choir risers with my fellow third graders. We were beside the fourth graders who were beside the fifth graders. My teacher struck the first chords of our favorite song and we sang together, in proud call and response “Ujima, let us work together. To make better our community. We can solve! Solve our problems with collective work and responsibility.”

Then the students playing African drums and the xylophones on the floor began the harmonious percussion section and we sang again with as much passion as nine-year-olds can muster. This was my world. As a child, my community was centered around my school. At my school we discovered that if you love something enough, and work hard enough for it, you can do great things for both yourself and others around you.

In the years since I left, I reflected back on the lessons I learned at school. I determined I wanted to focus on the things I love – mathematics, science, and helping others. I also want to harmonize my abilities with those of other people so that we can work together to make the world a better place. Today I aspire to work in integrative research as a bioengineer to address the pressing medical issues of today.

For those who don’t know, ujima is the Swahili word for collective work and responsibility. The most well-crafted MIT essay examples employ narrative devices like framing and theme to leave a lasting impression. This essay, for example, introduces ujima with the choir scene—which itself is collective work—then reflects on the general concept. In every sentence, this writer works with the idea of collaboration and the positive power of the collective.

Among sample MIT essays, this can be challenging if you haven’t thought critically about your past and present. This writer clearly values collective responsibility and sees their future through that lens. They speak directly to their interests and their aspirations of bioengineering. All in all, they show careful consideration of ideas that have influenced them and the direction they want to take.

MIT Essay Examples #6 – Significant Challenge

The last of our MIT essays that worked answers a prompt nearly identical to one from this year.

Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? 

The only difference is that this year’s prompt indicates you should feel comfortable sharing what you write about. This seems obvious, but you may be surprised how many students dredge up traumatic experiences in sample college essays. The issue isn’t that these experiences are unpleasant to read; on the contrary, they may be painful to write about. Although many MIT sample essays are somewhat vulnerable, you don’t have to write about experiences you’d rather keep to yourself.

With that said, let’s read the last of our MIT essay examples.

*Please be advised that the following essay example contains discussions of anxiety and panic attacks. 

Mit essays that worked #6.

Ten o’clock on Wednesday, April 2016. Ten o’clock and I was sobbing, heaving, and gasping for air. Ten o’clock and I felt like all my hard work, passion, and perseverance had amounted to nothing and I was not enough. It was ten o’clock on a Wednesday, but it all started in August of 2015. I moved cities in August 2015. I knew the adjustment would be hard, but I thought if I immersed myself in challenging activities and classes I loved, I would get through the year just fine.

I was wrong. With each passing month I experienced increased anxiety attacks, lack of satisfaction in any and every activity, and constant degradation of my personal happiness. By April, I was broken. Naked, bent over the toilet, sweating, shaking, choking on the tightening of my own throat, thinking “not enough, not enough, not enough.” 

It was extremely challenging to pick myself up after such a hard fall. When I finally made it out of the bathroom, I crawled to my room and read “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. Her struggle encouraged me to rise to this challenge stronger than I had been before. I prioritized my own happiness and fulfillment, taking care of my body and mind.

I finally realized I did not have to do everything on my own, and began collaborating with my peers to finish the year strong and begin initiatives for the next year. I became a stronger, more confident woman than ever before.

Now, you may understand why this year’s wording includes “that you feel comfortable sharing.” While the author’s vivid description helps immerse us in the moment, a reader may hope they’re okay now. Again, you don’t need to strictly avoid traumatizing moments—but don’t feel obligated to share anything you don’t want to. In any case, the diction is indeed very precise and helps convey just how shaken the author was.

Furthermore, we see how the author dealt with this challenge: they were inspired by Maya Angelou. This ability to seek and find strength beyond yourself is crucial, especially in an ever more connected world. At the end of the essay, the writer notes how they’ve changed by working with others to accomplish goals. Their renewed confidence has made them even stronger and more willing to face challenges.

MIT Essay Examples – Key Takeaways

So after reading six sample MIT essays, what do you think? What are the takeaways from these MIT essays that worked? It goes without saying that you should read more sample MIT essays if you can. Additionally, when you draft your own MIT essays, take time to revise them and have other people read them.

MIT Essays that Worked Takeaways

1. discuss experiences.

The best MIT essay examples keep it real by talking about the author’s experiences. Can you think critically about how they have made you who you are? Find ways to address the prompt with your background and life experiences. You may also find sample MIT essays easier to write when they’re rooted in your reality.

2. Use precise language

Two hundred words are, in fact, not that much space. MIT essays that worked use every word to paint a vivid picture of the writer and their world. Mark Twain said it best: “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is … the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Choose your words carefully to refine your meaning and strengthen your impact.

3. Reflect on yourself

In college essays, it’s all about you and your personal narrative . So don’t miss any opportunity to introspect on your experiences, community, and personal growth. Demonstrate that you know yourself well enough to point to specific influences on your worldview. We all move through the world in different ways—why do you move the way you do?

4. Be genuine

You’ve heard this a thousand times, and we’ll say it again: be yourself . While you hear all about the typical MIT student and what MIT looks for , we’re all unique individuals. As, or even more, important than good scores or a huge activities list is an accurate representation of you . Write about extracurriculars and subjects and communities that are important to you—not what you think will sound impressive.

Additional MIT Resources from CollegeAdvisor

We have a wealth of resources on how to get into MIT here at CollegeAdvisor.com. We’ve got a comprehensive article on the MIT admissions process, from the MIT acceptance rate to deadlines.

MIT Admissions

Speaking of the acceptance rate, we take a closer look at that, too.

MIT Acceptance Rate

If you’re wondering about MIT tuition and costs, read our breakdown .

MIT Tuition & MIT Cost

Finally, we’ve got a guide covering application strategy from start to finish.

Strategizing Your MIT Application

MIT Essays that Worked – Final thoughts

Placing among the top American universities, we see MIT ranking highly every year, and for good reason. By the same token, it’s very challenging to get admitted. So, in order to get in, you need to know how to write MIT supplemental essays.

We read through several MIT essays that worked and identified strengths in our MIT essay examples. Use these tips when writing your own essays to craft a strong application!

This article was written by  Gina Goosby . Looking for more admissions support? Click  here  to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how  CollegeAdvisor.com  can support you in the college application process.

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Essay requirements.

Academic Requirements

Costs & Scholarships

Rather than asking you to write one long essay, the MIT application consists of several short response questions and essays designed to help us get to know you.

Besides the essays, MIT requires an activities list and a self-reported coursework form .

Short Answer Questions

All questions have to be answered. There is also one final, open-ended, additional-information text box where you can tell anything else you think MIT really ought to know.

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.

Describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?

MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds and experiences together to better the lives of others. Our students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you to contribute to your community.

Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced (that you feel comfortable sharing) or something that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?

Helpful Resources

How To Answer The “Why This College” Essay Prompt

We’ll go over the best ways to approach the 'Why This College" essay and provide helpful tips to help you write an effective essay that impresses admission officers.

How To Format & Structure Your College Application Essay

Your essays are a chance for admissions officers to get to know you beyond your grades, test scores, and ECLs. But how do you craft essays that reflect who you are AND impress the admissions officers?

Everything You Need To Know About The Supplemental Essays

Supplemental essays are required by many highly selective institutions in addition to the personal essay included in your Common Application. You can learn all about what they are and why they’re important here.

Get Your Essay Reviewed

Feel confident when submitting your college application essay by getting it reviewed by a professional admissions expert..

2024 Global Economic Prosperity Challenge

The cheapest/affordable essay writing services

Delores Forbes

Our Organization

CollegeEssay.org

What is the name of your solution?

Provide a one-line summary of your solution..

Affordable essay writing services like MyPerfectWords.com and CollegeEssay.org offer quality work at competitive prices

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

In what country is your solution team headquartered.

• United States

What type of organization is your solution team?

Film your elevator pitch., what specific problem are you solving.

The specific problem being addressed is the challenge faced by students in accessing affordable and reliable essay writing services. Many students struggle to find affordable options that deliver high-quality work, leading to academic stress and compromised performance. This problem is significant globally, affecting millions of students who require assistance with academic writing tasks. 

Factors contributing to this problem include the rising cost of education, increased academic workload, and the need for professional assistance in producing quality essays. Our solution focuses on connecting students with affordable essay writing services like:

• MyPerfectWords.com 

They offer competitive pricing without compromising on quality, thereby alleviating the financial burden and academic pressure faced by students.

What is your solution?

Connecting Students with Affordable and Reliable Essay Writing Services

Our solution aims to address the challenge faced by students in accessing affordable and reliable essay writing services. We provide a platform that connects students with two reputable services: CollegeEssay.org and MyPerfectWords.com. These services offer competitive pricing without compromising on quality, ensuring that students receive professionally written essays tailored to their academic needs. Our platform simplifies the process of finding and hiring these services, providing a convenient and efficient way for students to access assistance with their academic writing tasks.

CollegeEssay.org is the best essay writing service known for its quality, professionalism, and affordability. They have a team of experienced writers who specialize in various academic disciplines, ensuring that students receive well-researched and original essays. CollegeEssay.org offers a range of services, including essay writing, editing, proofreading, and more. Their competitive pricing makes them an excellent choice for students looking for affordable yet high-quality writing assistance. Our platform connects students with CollegeEssay.org's services seamlessly, allowing them to submit their writing tasks and receive professionally crafted essays within their specified deadlines.

MyPerfectWords.com

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How It Works

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Our platform utilizes secure payment systems to facilitate transactions between students and the chosen essay writing services. We also employ encryption technologies to safeguard students' personal and payment information. Additionally, we integrate customer support features such as live chat and email support to provide timely assistance to students. Overall, our technology ensures a seamless and secure experience for students seeking affordable and high-quality essay writing services.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Our solution serves students, particularly those facing financial constraints or struggling to find reliable essay writing services. This includes students from various educational levels, such as high school, college, and university. Many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with busy schedules, are underserved in terms of access to affordable and trustworthy essay writing services. Our solution addresses their needs by providing a platform where they can easily find and hire affordable services like MyPerfectWords.com and CollegeEssay.org. This improves their lives by reducing academic stress, helping them achieve better grades, and allowing them to focus on other aspects of their education and personal development.

How are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?

The team comprises skilled writers, editors, and quality assurance specialists committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and integrity in our work.

Expertise : With expertise in various subjects and academic disciplines, we tackle a wide range of writing assignments confidently and proficiently.

Experience : With years of experience in the writing industry, we consistently deliver high-quality and original content through honed skills in research, writing, editing, and proofreading.

Quality Assurance: Robust processes ensure every piece meets stringent standards for originality, accuracy, and coherence, including plagiarism detection tools and thorough reviews.

Customer Satisfaction: Prioritizing customer satisfaction, our dedicated support team addresses inquiries promptly and ensures we exceed client expectations.

Adaptability: Tailoring our approach to meet unique needs and preferences, we are adaptable and responsive, whether it's meeting tight deadlines or accommodating specific requirements.

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In summary, our team's expertise, experience, commitment to quality assurance, focus on customer satisfaction, adaptability, and adherence to ethical standards uniquely position us to deliver guaranteed original writing, ensuring non-plagiarized essays of the highest quality.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Which of the un sustainable development goals does your solution address.

• 4. Quality Education

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Please share details about why you selected the stage above..

One of the most important skills that a student should acquire during their academic career is the art of academic writing.

Why are you applying to Solve?

The team is applying to Solve because we believe in the power of collaboration and collective impact to drive positive change. While we have made significant progress in developing our platform to connect students with affordable and reliable essay writing services, we recognize that there are barriers and challenges that we may face in scaling our solution effectively.

Specifically, we hope that Solve can help us overcome the following barriers:

Market Access: Solve can provide us with valuable connections to potential partners, investors, and stakeholders who can help us expand our reach and impact in the education sector.

Technical Support: Solve's network of experts and mentors can offer technical guidance and expertise to enhance the functionality and scalability of our platform.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Solve can provide insights and resources to navigate legal and regulatory challenges related to our solution, ensuring that we operate ethically and within the bounds of the law.

Cultural Awareness: Solve's diverse community can offer perspectives and cultural insights that help us better understand and address the needs of students from different backgrounds and regions.

Financial Sustainability: While our primary goal is not solely to raise funds, Solve can help us explore sustainable funding models, partnerships, and revenue streams that support the long-term viability of our solution.

Overall, we see Solve as a valuable platform that can provide us with strategic support, resources, and partnerships to overcome barriers and accelerate the impact of our solution in improving access to affordable and high-quality essay writing services for students globally.

In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?

• Public Relations (e.g. branding/marketing strategy, social and global media)
• Technology (e.g. software or hardware, web development/design)

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

What makes your solution innovative.

Our solution is innovative in several ways that set it apart from traditional approaches to accessing essay writing services for students:

Aggregating Reliable Services: Our platform aggregates reputable and reliable essay writing services like CollegeEssay.org and MyPerfectWords.com in one place. This eliminates the need for students to spend time researching and vetting multiple services, streamlining the process and ensuring access to trusted providers.

Affordability and Quality: By focusing on connecting students with affordable services that prioritize quality, our solution addresses the dual challenge of cost and reliability that many students face. This approach ensures that students receive professionally written essays without breaking the bank.

User-Friendly Interface: Our platform features a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of placing orders, communicating with writers, and accessing customer support. This enhances the overall user experience and makes academic assistance more accessible to students.

Quality Assurance: Both CollegeEssay.org and MyPerfectWords.com have robust quality assurance processes in place to ensure that every essay meets high standards of originality, accuracy, and coherence. This commitment to quality sets our solution apart and instills confidence in students using these services.

Technology Integration: Our platform utilizes secure payment systems, encryption technologies, and customer support features to ensure a seamless and secure experience for students. This technological integration enhances trust and reliability in the services we connect students with.

Our solution has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the education space by:

Empowering Students: By providing affordable and reliable access to essay writing services, we empower students to focus on learning, achieve academic success, and overcome challenges related to writing assignments.

Promoting Academic Integrity: Our solution promotes academic integrity by connecting students with services that uphold ethical standards, including plagiarism detection and adherence to citation guidelines. This contributes to a culture of honesty and accountability in academia.

Supporting Education Equity: Our focus on affordability and quality ensures that students from diverse backgrounds and financial situations have equal opportunities to access academic assistance. This promotes education equity and inclusivity.

Driving Innovation in the Industry: By aggregating reputable services and promoting transparency and accountability, our solution encourages innovation and improvement within the essay writing services industry. This could lead to higher standards, better practices, and increased trust among students and providers.

Overall, our innovative approach to connecting students with affordable and reliable essay writing services has the potential to catalyze positive impacts not only for individual students but also for the broader education landscape by promoting accessibility, integrity, and excellence in academic writing support.

Describe in simple terms how and why you expect your solution to have an impact on the problem.

Our solution expects to have a significant impact on the problem by directly addressing the key barriers that students face in accessing affordable and reliable essay writing services. By aggregating reputable services like CollegeEssay.org and MyPerfectWords.com and providing a user-friendly platform for students to connect with these services, we aim to streamline the process and make academic assistance more accessible. This approach is expected to lead to immediate outputs such as increased usage of affordable writing services, improved academic performance, and reduced stress for students. In the longer term, we anticipate outcomes such as enhanced academic success, improved education equity, and a positive shift in the culture of academic writing towards integrity and transparency. These logical links are supported by research on the impact of academic support services on student outcomes and feedback from interviews with students highlighting the challenges they face in accessing affordable and quality writing assistance.

What are your impact goals for your solution and how are you measuring your progress towards them?

Our impact goals for our solution are:

Increased Access to Affordable Writing Services: Our goal is to increase the number of students who can access affordable and reliable essay writing services, thereby reducing financial barriers to academic success.

Improved Academic Performance: We aim to measure improvements in academic performance among students who utilize our platform and the connected services, as evidenced by higher grades, better writing skills, and increased confidence in their academic abilities.

Enhanced Education Equity: By providing equal opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to access academic assistance, we aim to contribute to education equity and bridge the gap between students with varying levels of resources and support.

Promotion of Academic Integrity: We seek to promote a culture of academic integrity by connecting students with services that uphold ethical standards, including originality, proper citation, and adherence to academic guidelines.

• Number of Students Served: We track the number of students who use our platform to access writing services, providing insights into the reach and impact of our solution.
• Customer Satisfaction: We gather feedback and ratings from students who use the connected services, assessing their satisfaction levels and the quality of the writing assistance they receive.
• Academic Performance Metrics: We collect data on the academic performance of students before and after using our platform, including GPA improvements, grades on writing assignments, and feedback from instructors.
• Diversity and Inclusion Metrics: We monitor the diversity of students using our platform, including factors such as socioeconomic background, geographical location, and educational level, to ensure inclusivity and equity in access to academic support.
• Ethical Standards Compliance: We conduct audits and assessments of the connected services to ensure they adhere to ethical standards related to plagiarism, originality, citation, and academic integrity.

Describe the core technology that powers your solution.

The core technology that powers our solution is a sophisticated online platform that leverages modern digital tools and systems to connect students with affordable and reliable essay writing services. This platform incorporates several key technological components:

User Interface Design: Our platform features a user-friendly interface designed to enhance the user experience for students seeking academic writing assistance. It includes intuitive navigation, clear instructions, and interactive elements to facilitate seamless interaction.

Database Management: We utilize database management systems to store and organize information related to students, service providers, orders, payments, and feedback. This allows for efficient data retrieval, analysis, and management.

Secure Payment Systems: Our platform integrates secure payment gateways to facilitate online transactions between students and the connected essay writing services. We prioritize data security and encryption to protect sensitive financial information.

Communication Tools: We incorporate communication tools such as live chat, messaging systems, and email support to enable seamless communication between students, service providers, and customer support representatives. This ensures timely responses to inquiries and feedback.

Quality Assurance Technologies: We leverage technologies for quality assurance, including plagiarism detection tools, grammar checking software, and editing programs. These tools help ensure that essays delivered to students meet high standards of originality, accuracy, and coherence.

Customer Support Systems: Our platform includes customer support systems powered by AI chatbots, automated responses, and human agents. This enables 24/7 support for students, addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and providing guidance throughout the process.

Analytics and Reporting: We utilize analytics tools and reporting systems to gather data on platform usage, user behavior, service performance, customer satisfaction, and academic outcomes. This data-driven approach allows us to assess the effectiveness of our solution and make informed decisions for continuous improvement.

Overall, our solution harnesses the power of modern technology to address the challenges students face in accessing affordable and high-quality academic writing services, ensuring a seamless and beneficial experience for users while benefiting both people and the planet through improved educational outcomes and academic integrity.

Which of the following categories best describes your solution?

A new technology

Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:

• Internet of Things

If your solution has a website or an app, provide the links here:

In which countries do you currently operate, which, if any, additional countries will you be operating in within the next year.

• United Arab Emirates

How many people work on your solution team?

There are 6 people.

How long have you been working on your solution?

Our team has been actively working on our solution for approximately two years. During this time, we have conducted extensive research, development, and testing to refine our platform and ensure its effectiveness in addressing the challenges students face in accessing affordable and reliable essay writing services. We have collaborated with experts in the education and technology sectors, gathered feedback from students and stakeholders, and iteratively improved our solution to meet the needs of our target audience.

What is your business model?

Our business model focuses on providing value to both students and essay writing services while ensuring financial sustainability and impact. Our key customers are students seeking affordable and reliable academic writing assistance, and our beneficiaries include essay writing services that connect with a larger student base. We provide students with access to reputable and affordable essay writing services through our online platform, offering services such as essay writing, editing, proofreading, and research paper writing. Students benefit from the convenience, quality, and affordability of these services, addressing their academic writing needs and improving their academic performance. We generate revenue through a commission-based model, where we earn a percentage of the transactions made between students and the connected essay writing services. This model incentivizes us to promote high-quality and reliable services that meet students' needs, ensuring alignment between our financial goals and our mission to provide value and impact. Additionally, we may explore partnerships, sponsorships, and premium service offerings to diversify our revenue streams and enhance our sustainability. Overall, our business model is designed to create a win-win scenario, where students receive valuable academic assistance, essay writing services gain access to a larger customer base, and we achieve financial viability while driving positive impact in the education sector.

Do you primarily provide products or services directly to individuals, to other organizations, or to the government?

What is your plan for becoming financially sustainable, and what evidence can you provide that this plan has been successful so far.

What is your plan for becoming financially sustainable, and what evidence can you provide that this plan has been successful so far?Explain how you are bringing/will bring in money to fund your work, whether through sustained donations and grants, selling products or services, service contracts to governments, raising investment capital, or a combination of all. In the long term, your revenue streams should cover your expected expenses. To see some examples, take a look at these  common revenue models . Also, provide examples of how your plans to fund your work have been successful to date: examples may include grants that you have received, revenue you have generated, or investment funding you have raised. We understand that some financial information may not be publicly shareable, but any specifics you can provide (such as funder names or monetary amounts) is helpful to the judges as they assess the potential for success of your solution. Maximum 500 words

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How To Write the MIT ‘Why Major’ Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Hale Jaeger in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Understanding the prompt, choosing a major, the reasons why, example: studying electrical engineering and computer science.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is ranked consistently as one of the top five universities in the nation according to U.S. News and World Report. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT Is known for its rigorous STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), business, and entrepreneurship programs. They use their own application system called MyMIT instead of the Common Application, and applicants are required to submit five essays. The second essay prompt reads:

“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)”

In this article, we will discuss how to approach the prompt as well as some tips for writing your essay. For an overview of the five essay prompts and guidance on how to approach them, check out our post on please review how to write the MIT application essays .

This prompt is a “Why Major” question that asks you what you want to study and why you want to study it. Most importantly, it asks you why you want to study this major at MIT. Ultimately, the most compelling response to this essay prompt is one that:

• Demonstrates clearly your passion for the major that you have chosen.
• Integrates your past and present studies and interests seamlessly with your future at MIT and your long-term academic and professional goals.
• Addresses specifically why MIT―its campus, resources, faculty, programs, and opportunities―is the place where you need and want to study.

MIT has a unique list of distinctive majors . Before you start brainstorming and drafting a response to this prompt, spend ample time exploring the various courses on the MIT website. You should pinpoint a few courses of study that appeal to you and then dive deeper into what the curricular emphasis is of each course of study, what resources and opportunities are available, and which faculty might you be interested in studying with or whose research you find compelling. 

The key phrase in this prompt is “right now,” which many schools don’t include in their “Why Major” essay prompt, but which all schools imply. This key phrase means that if you matriculate at MIT, you will in no way be required to major in the field of study that you write about in response to this prompt. You are free to choose and change your major, and most students change their major at least once during their college career.

For anyone who has many interests, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to choose just one major to write about. It is completely fine, and even expected, that you may be undecided, but spend time condensing your list of potential majors to one or two that you are truly interested in pursuing further. If you cannot decide on one major to write about, you can use your essay as a space to discuss the disciplines that you want to explore further and why. 

This straightforward prompt requires a concise response since it has only a 100-word limit. While specificity is still important, there is less space for detail than in the other 200- to 250-word prompts that MIT asks you to write. 

Once you have introduced the field of study that most appeals to you, you will need to discuss why this field appeals to you. The reasons that you give need to be authentic reasons, such as ones that are based on pure intellectual curiosity, personal goals, and strongly held values. Reasons that will not interest or impress admissions officers will be those related to clout, prestige, post-graduation salary, or because that is what your parents want you to do. The admissions committee wants to know what you are genuinely passionate about and why. 

Here are some key questions to consider before writing Prompt 2: 

• What past experiences of yours have influenced your decision to study this field at MIT? 
• What coursework or independent study have you pursued in this field?
• What classes are you interested in taking at MIT?
• Who are the teachers that you have had, thought leaders in this field, or other role models that inspire you to pursue this course of study?
• Who are the professors or researchers at MIT that you would want to learn from or work with? 
• Who are the people that you wish to serve, or whose lives you hope to improve, through working or doing research in this field? 
• How did you first discover this field of study? 
• How do you engage with this field of study inside and outside of the classroom?
• How do you envision yourself using this field of study in your future career?
• Why is this field of study personally meaningful to you?

Take, for example, an applicant who wants to pursue the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) major at MIT. In their response, they should explain that they want to study EECS because it will help them develop a rigorous understanding of the hardware and software sides of technology and build the technical skills that they need for the start-up that they aspire to run in the future. 

At MIT specifically, there is a new curriculum, and the applicant should discuss how the increased flexibility and emphasis on this interdisciplinary study will benefit them since their interests span electrical engineering, computer science, environmental science, and public policy. The applicant also recognizes that entrepreneurship and business acumen are skills that they will need to develop to run a successful start-up. Consequently, they should talk about the classes, faculty, and extracurricular programming they may want to explore at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

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