mit college admission essays

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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Complete Guide to the MIT Application

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT, consistently ranks among the top five universities in the country, if not the world. This year, it tied for the US News and World Report’s #4 spot in National Universities, and received Times Higher Education’s worldwide #1 ranking for economics and business.

MIT is located in Cambridge, MA, alongside its famous neighbor Harvard University. Due to its name and reputation, many people think of MIT as a specialized school for the STEM fields. It’s true that most students are drawn to its science and technology programs, with nearly half enrolled in the School of Engineering, and the School of Science accounting for many more. But the school offers a wide range of other programs as well, ranging from business and humanities to public policy and gender studies.

Of course, with so much to offer, MIT isn’t easy to get into. For the class of 2024, applications totaled over 20,000. Ultimately, though, only 1,457 acceptances were extended. This resulted in an overall acceptance rate of just 6.7%, putting MIT’s selectivity on par with top Ivy Leagues such as Brown and Yale.

Lucky for you, though, we at CollegeVine have helped countless students towards their MIT acceptances and we know what works. In this guide, we’ll give you a comprehensive, detailed outline encompassing the MIT application process, and what you can do to maximize your shot at an acceptance.

MIT Application Platform

The first thing you should know is that MIT does not accept the Common Application, Coalition Application or any other general applications. Instead, it has its own online system for applications called MyMIT. The application fee is $75, but if needed, applicants can request a fee waiver to reduce the price.

Furthermore, MIT is also affiliated with the QuestBridge National College Match program, which is geared towards helping low-income students attend top American universities. To learn more about the QuestBridge program and if it’s a viable option for you, check out CollegeVine’s article on QuestBridge eligibility .

Although the idea of an additional application process might be intimidating, the MIT application asks for much of the same information as the Common Application, including biographical information, a list of your activities and accomplishments, teacher recommendations, and essays. Many students find that they are able to cut and paste most of the demographic information straight from a Common App into MyMIT.

MIT Application Deadlines

MIT has two application deadlines, Early Action and Regular Decision. Early Action is open to all applicants and is not single-choice or binding in any manner. This means that you could turn in your application early and not be obligated to the school in any way.

Many people think that it is easier to get accepted if they apply Early Action, and for a lot of schools, this is true. For example, at Harvard the overall acceptance rate is 4.7%, compared to an acceptance rate of 13.9% for Early Action applicants.

At MIT, though, this doesn’t hold true. The acceptance rate for its 9,557 Early Action applicants was just 6.9% through the Early Action program. More than 6,000 hopefuls were deferred to regular decision. If you’ve prepared an early application that you feel is strong, you can definitely submit it under EA, but don’t expect this timeline to increase your chances of acceptance.

MIT Application Components

Now that you have the background information, let’s break down the application itself into its relevant components. To apply to MIT, you’ll need to submit following:

Part 1: Biographical Information
Part 2: Essays, activities, and academics
Evaluation A: Math or science teacher
Evaluation B: Humanities, social science, or language teacher
Secondary School Report (SSR), including high school transcript
Standardized tests (although this admissions cycle is test-optional): SAT or ACT; and two SAT Subject Tests, one of which must be Math I or II, and the other of which must be Physics, Chemistry, or Biology
Optional Interview
February Updates & Notes Form (including midyear grades)

Now that we’ve listed out what the requirements are, let’s delve into how the admissions committee will weigh all the information from these materials.

What Does It Take to Get Into MIT?

MIT has a holistic approach to the application process, meaning in lieu of grade and score cutoffs and required extracurriculars, the admissions process takes many different factors into account, including the interaction of your life experience and the more objective academic data.

However, because the admissions process at MIT and other top universities is so competitive, all applications are not weighted the same. There is a difference between the minimal admissions requirements that are stated openly and those that are left unsaid.

Selective college admissions involves several key factors. First, there are minimum academic qualifications that must be met at all costs. This includes the requirements listed on their website, such as subjects and courses that you must take. It also means meeting the minimum within the range of implicit standardized test scores and GPAs for students of your background.

You also need to have good teacher recommendations and a balance of extracurriculars that demonstrates leadership and positive character traits in a way that fits the school’s culture.

This article will give general guidelines, but if you want an assessment of your personal profile, try CollegeVine’s free chancing engine to see how you measure up against other applicants.

Standardized Testing

Let’s start by tackling how MIT approaches standardized testing. In the past, MIT required students to take either the SAT or the ACT, but due to the recent pandemic, the school is now test-optional. Test scores can still be reported and will be considered, so you might still want to consider submitting them depending on your score. Check out CollegeVine’s blog article Should You Apply Test-Optional for the 2020-2021 Cycle? to learn more about what decision is right for you.

If you do choose to send them in, know that MIT superscores the SAT and ACT, meaning the admissions committee will only consider your highest test scores on each section of each test, r egardless of whether those scores occurred on the same test. This admissions cycle is also self-reported, with verification only occurring after enrollment, so feel free to hold off on sending subpar scores and only report those you wish to.

In the past, applicants were required to submit two SAT subject tests, one of which had to be Math I or II, and the other of which had to be Physics, Chemistry, or Biology. However, during this admissions cycle, MIT will not even consider subject test scores.

On the Reading and Evidence-based Writing section of the SAT, the middle 50 percent of accepted students at MIT scored between 730-780. On the Math section of the SAT, the middle 50 percent of accepted students scored between 790-800. This makes for an ultra-high average composite SAT score of 1520-1580. On the ACT, the composite score range is equally impressive, at 35-36.

While these ranges make up the 25th – 75th percentile, keep in mind that if you’re applying with special circumstances or a hook of some sort, being on the lower end of these ranges may be more acceptable. This includes under-represented minorities, low-income students, or those with extremely rare accomplishments.

High School Academic Profile

As far as your high school coursework, MIT doesn’t require a specific course load. That being said, it does recommend the following classes:

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

These courses are self-reported, but the school also receives your transcript, so this section is an opportunity to delineate subject areas and use non-abbreviated terms to optimize clarity. Give each class only one entry and separate semester grades by commas. We recommend you use your transcript as a reference to avoid any accidental errors.

Regardless of MIT’s suggested classes, you should strive to take as rigorous a course load as you’re capable of succeeding in. The specifics will depend on your unique interests and profile, and MIT does not release admitted students’ average GPA. That being said, 97% of admitted students were in the top tenth of their graduating class, so your grades need to be excellent, and you should take plenty of AP or IB and honors courses (if they’re offered at your school).

A Note About Stated vs. Unstated Requirements

Now that you’ve gotten a look at the academic standards for getting into MIT, let’s take a look at the other factors that come into play. After all, tens of thousands of students meet these academic standards, so there are other factors weighed to separate the 1,500 accepted students from the 10,000+ academically-qualified applicants.

These more nuanced facets of the application include the strength of your extracurricular accomplishments, the quality of your essays and writing, and your alignment with what MIT is looking for on a cultural and skillset basis. You get a chance to highlight these in your teacher recommendations, extracurriculars, and essays. Let’s take a closer look at each of these, starting with teacher recommendations.

Letters of Recommendation

MIT requires one recommendation from a teacher in math or science, and one from the humanities.

It can be hard to choose who writes your recommendations. Consider these questions as you think back on all the teachers you’ve had in high school:

Which ones did you know well? Which ones knew you the best?
Were there a few teachers whose classes you really excelled in?
On the flip side, was there a class that you struggled in but took the initiative to seek help from the teacher and improve your performance?
Who is the most reliable and invested in your success?
Which teachers did you have recently, or which ones remember you best?

To learn more about letters of recommendation, don’t miss our blog post about how you can get a great recommendation letter .

Extracurricular Profile

Another opportunity for showcasing some of your personal skills and qualities comes in the extracurricular section of your application. MIT only gives you the space to list four activities, so you need to make them count – depth is much better than breadth.

Here, you have a chance to really show alignment with MIT’s culture of deep academic inquiry and theoretical foundations. It’s not about STEM alone; that’s a misconception many people have about MIT. Anyone at MIT who pursues disciplines such as English and History approaches the field with that ethos of theoretical inquiry. Another common archetype is the tinkerer or researcher, someone who pursues projects on their own and shows initiative. If this describes you, it must come across in your extracurriculars.

This is especially relevant during the current pandemic, where it can be hard to stay involved in your current sports and clubs. But don’t worry – you can take this opportunity to revamp or add onto your extracurricular involvement.

CollegeVine measures extracurriculars using a multi-tiered system. Tier 1 contains activities that demonstrate exceptional achievement or leadership, and the fourth involves the most common, yet valuable general involvements.

Achieving Tier 1 is the most rare because it is difficult to achieve. These usually involve recognition at the national or even international level. Examples of this could be winning first place at the Science Olympiad National Tournament, or winning an Intel Award.

You can also attend a prestigious summer program through a renowned university, and MIT has its fair share of these. During the Research Science Institute (RSI), students experience an intensive introduction to the research cycle and complete individual projects that they present at the end of the program. MIT’s Women’s Technology Program (WTP) is a four-week course for female students in engineering. Students can choose to focus on mechanical or electrical engineering and engage in labs, hands-on classes, and team-based projects.

The next tier, Tier 2, involves activities that are more common than those in tier one but still show leadership and a high level of achievement. An example could be holding a high rank, such as president or chair, in a well-known club such as Math Olympiad, academic decathlon, or Key Club. Achievements like making an all-state selection in a sport or through playing an instrument, or winning a regional competition like your state Spelling Bee, are also good Tier 2 activities.

Tier 3 activities are a step below Tier 2 in that they show depth of involvement, but to a lesser extent. This could be being secretary or treasurer of a club, or making it to the city-level League Championships in a sport. These positions still show commitment to an activity and could potentially include leadership components.

Finally, Tier 4 encompasses the most common activities that admissions committees come across in student applications. This usually involves membership or participation in a club, sport, or community service organization. While Tier 4 doesn’t carry the same weight as its higher counterparts, it still offers admissions staff some insight into your life outside of academics.

For more information on CollegeVine’s extracurricular ranking methodology, check out this article that breaks the tier system down and provides more examples.

On your MIT application, you should try to aim to have at least a couple Tier 2 activities, and maybe even a Tier 1 activity. At highly-selective schools, the best way to stand out is to have one or two highly-developed interests, rather than multiple above-average activities.

Another type of extracurricular you should consider is the self-driven activity . MIT is home to innovative and creative people, so your path to the school might need to take unconventional means in order to stand out to admissions officers. Brainstorm what your interests or passions are and how you can pursue them safely during these unprecedented times.

For MIT, you might want to take on some technical pursuits, such as coding your own website or even creating an app. You could also do a more research-based project such as creating a YouTube series about different sustainable agricultural methods around the world. For community service, you could create a pandemic response organization or work with your local charitable organizations to keep your community informed about local needs. See our article on remote extracurriculars for more ideas.

The final component of your application is one most students struggle with – the essays. Essays are a chance to let your voice shine through and to highlight areas that might otherwise go unnoticed on your application. In lieu of a personal statement, MIT has five short answer essay questions. Even though they are all under 250 words, this is still no easy feat. Here are the prompts:

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)

This prompt asks students to describe one of their communities and how it has impacted them. This can be misleading because the wording might make students feel inclined to overshare about a specific community they are a part of. However, the community is merely the lens through which the admissions committee wishes to learn more about you and your personal growth. Thus, focus mainly on your personal pursuit of your dreams and aspirations and ground your anecdotes and narrative within the context of a community you are a part of.

Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words or fewer)

This prompt has the smallest word maximum out of the five, so you’ll have to be succinct. The purpose of a “Why This Major?” essay is to gauge your interest in an academic subject and learn more about your past and potential future pursuits in the subject area. For more information on this essay prompt, check out CollegeVine’s guide to the “Why Major?” essay .

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)

This question is asking about an extracurricular activity outside of what is mandated or even structured. For example, an essay about joining the track team would not be appropriate but an ode to your love of running could be. When you write about this activity, give tangible evidence as to how you have pursued it outside of the classroom.

For example, if you’re a history buff, don’t just tell admissions officers about topics that have interested you; rather, show them how you’ve researched them outside of the classroom. Maybe you started a podcast where you reenact historic battles as if they were set in the 21st century. Or maybe you make your younger cousins costumes of famous historical figures to teach them autobiographical histories of renowned individuals.

Whatever your spin is on your passion, make sure it is creative and uniquely you. The more detailed you are about your pursuit of this activity, the more genuine your voice will sound as it shines through your essay to underscore your passion.

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)

This essay prompt asks individuals to recount how they have improved their environment, whether it be addressing a global issue or touching the life of one person. Whatever you choose to write about, do not lose focus of the subject admissions officers want to learn most about – you!

If you’re writing about a worldwide issue, don’t zoom out too far, but rather, detail your personal contribution to creating awareness for and combating the problem. If you’re speaking about helping an individual, make sure that the essay is still your narrative and not a biography of their life. Though it may seem paradoxical to focus on yourself within an essay about being selfless, giving specific details about your contributions to a community is key in helping admissions officers learn more about your fit at the university.

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)

This is a classic example of the overcoming challenges essay . Colleges ask about the obstacles you’ve faced because they want to gain a better understanding of how you have overcome them. The multiple years you spend on campus will no doubt be full of changes and challenges, and your previous life experience can help colleges better fathom how you will fare in response to adversity. This is also a means of learning more about you and your leadership qualities without you explicitly telling colleges what your traits are. Take this opportunity to show how you personally dealt with an issue and what tangible, specific steps you took on in order to ameliorate a situation.

There’s a lot more we could say here about how to optimize your essays for MIT, but your best bet is to head over to our ultimate guide to college essays and check out the many posts we already have written. In particular, don’t miss our post How to Write the MIT Application Essays 2020-2021 . In our post, we will walk you through each of the prompts specific to MIT’s application and talk about the best strategies for approaching them. If you’re applying to MIT, you definitely don’t want to miss these tips.

In addition, MIT encourages an interview with members of the MIT Educational Council whenever possible. These can last anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours. Due to COVID-19, all interviews will be held virtually, although they have been in-person in the past. An educational counselor from MIT will contact you to schedule the interview after you submit the first two parts of your application.

While this step in the application process is not technically required, we highly recommend that you make every effort to complete it. An interview gives you a unique chance to tell admissions officers more about yourself and your interest in MIT.

To prepare, MIT recommends that you speak with people from previous admissions cycles and read MIT blog posts about the interview . You should be prepared to share stories about your goals and passions with your interviewer using specific examples. While MIT says you do not have to dress up, we recommend dressing at least business casual to put your best foot forward.

Final Thoughts

That wraps up all of our tips for the MIT application. Now that we’ve discussed all of the relevant components, we hope you have a better idea of what the school is looking for in prospective candidates, and that you feel better equipped to navigate the nuances of the application process!

If you want to know your chances of getting into MIT, check out CollegeVine’s free chancing engine . It’ll let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and it’ll also give you tips for improving your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account to get started!

Successful MIT Essays

Mit essays →, mit mentors →.

MIT Essay: Most Significant Challenge | Joseph

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? I’d…...

MIT Essay: Describe the world you come from | Joseph

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?…...

MIT Essay: Which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? | Joseph

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

MIT Essay: Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it | Joseph

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…...

MIT Essay: Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.

Mit essay: which department or program at mit appeals to you and why.

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

MIT Essay Prompts

MIT does NOT require the Common Application. MIT’s own short essay questions are included below.

MIT Application Essay Questions

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September 8, 2023

2023-2024 MIT Supplemental Essay Prompts

One of the Maclaurin Buildings, Building 10, with the great dome at MIT.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has released its essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2028. The Institute, one of the last highly selective universities to release its essay prompts for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle , poses five required essay prompts to this year’s applicants in addition to an optional text box in which applicants can include anything else they wish to share. So what are this year’s MIT essay prompts? Let’s check them out!

2023-2024 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Essay Topics and Questions

Required essays.

MIT applicants are asked to answer the following five short answer essay prompts in 100-200 words.

1. 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.

This essay is an opportunity for students to articulate the origin story of their interest in a specific discipline — a discipline that is ideally showcased through their activities section and other MIT essays (always in complementary, never redundant ways). Students should focus on how they became interested in the field as high schoolers rather than as children.

2. 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.

When answering this essay prompt, so many students choose to write about an activity that brings them joy that fails to showcase intellectual curiosity. The activity an applicant chooses need not relate to their hook that they’ve ideally showcased in other essays and their activities section. But it must showcase how an applicant thinks. Tie-dyeing a t-shirt isn’t an intellectual pursuit — until a student zeroes in on the math behind tie-dyeing. Do you get the idea?

3. How has the world you come from—including your opportunities, experiences, and challenges—shaped your dreams and aspirations?

In the majority opinion striking down Affirmative Action , Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts penned a loophole for colleges to still factor in the influence of a student’s race or background. This essay is an opportunity for applicants to capitalize on this loophole.

Of course, students need not be underrepresented minorities to answer this prompt. Applicants could instead focus on their faith, community, or experiences that have shaped who they are and who they hope to be.

4. 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.

MIT’s admissions committee wants to see that an applicant can play well in the sandbox with others. Too many know-it-alls apply to MIT. MIT is sifting through applications to identify students who have strong opinions but are malleable to change them when presented with differing viewpoints.

Through a specific anecdote, applicants should describe an example of a time they worked with others to address a problem in their community — ideally related to their hook so that their application sings with a singular talent rather than well-roundedness. If an applicant’s hook is environmental science, their answer will hopefully focus on an environmental issue in their community.

5. How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it?

Too many applicants choose to write about tough graders or rigorous exams. It’s a mistake. MIT’s admissions committee seek to admit students for whom learning comes easily rather than students who have to work hard to get great grades and scores. Besides, by writing about grades and tests, it implies that’s what matters to the applicant.

Students should instead focus on an anecdote that showcases their love of learning. It could be a time when an applicant was debating a hot-button political issue with a classmate in a political science course. Maybe the fellow student they were discussing raised a point the applicant didn’t foresee and for which they didn’t have a retort. So the applicant hit the library and learned more about the issue, only to come back the next day to either counter or further substantiate the fellow student’s position.

Optional Open-Ended Additional Information Textbox

MIT’s admissions committee also includes a final, open-ended text box with the below instructions and 650 words available in the text box:

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.

In this free response, many students include their Common Application Personal Statement. So long as it fits like a puzzle piece with the MIT supplemental essays, we at Ivy Coach fully support that since any optional essay in elite college admissions should not be considered optional . Instead, it should be viewed as an opportunity to inspire admissions officers to root for an applicant.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with MIT Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, fill out Ivy Coach ’s free consultation form , and we’ll be in touch to delineate our college counseling services for seniors.

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TOWARD THE CONQUEST OF ADMISSION

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46 Essays that Worked at MIT

Updated for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.

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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a world-renowned research university based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Known for its prioritization of intellectual freedom and innovation, MIT offers students an education that’s constantly on the cutting-edge of academia. The school’s star-studded roster of professors includes Nobel prize winners and MacArthur fellows in disciplines like technology, biology, and social science. A deeply-technical school, MIT offers students with the resources they need to become specialists in a range of STEM subjects. In many ways, MIT is the gold standard for creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving.

Unique traditions at MIT

1. "Ring Knocking": During the weeks preceding the MIT Commencement Ceremony, graduating students celebrate by finding a way to touch the MIT seal in the lobby of Building 10 with their newly-received class rings. 2. "Steer Roast": Every year in May, the MIT Science Fiction Society hosts a traditional event on the Killian Court lawn for incoming freshmen. During the Steer Roast, attendees cook (and sometimes eat) a sacrificial male cow and hang out outside until the early hours of the morning. 3. Pranking: Pranking has been an ongoing tradition at MIT since the 1960s. Creative pranks by student groups, ranging from changing the words of a university song to painting the Great Dome of the school, add to the quirkiness and wit of the MIT culture. 4. Senior House Seals: The all-senior undergraduate dormitory of Senior House is known for its yearly tradition of collecting and displaying seals, which are emblems that represent the class of the graduating seniors.

Programs at MIT

1. Global Entrepreneurship Lab (G-Lab): G-Lab provides undergraduate and graduate students with the skills to build entrepreneurial ventures that meet developing world challenges. 2. Mars Rover Design Team: This club is part of the MIT Student Robotics program that provides students with the engineering, design, and fabrication skills to build robots for planetary exploration. 3. Media Lab: The Media Lab is an interdisciplinary research lab that explores new technologies to allow individuals to create and manipulate communication presentation of stories, images, and sounds. 4. Independent Activities Period (IAP): A month-long intersession program that allows students to take courses and participate in extracurricular activities from flying classes to volunteering projects and sports. 5. AeroAstro: A club that provides students with the opportunity to learn about aerospace engineering and build model rockets.

At a glance…

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Real Essays from MIT Admits

Prompt: 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..

Last year, my European History teacher asked me to host weekly workshops for AP test preparation and credit recovery opportunities: David, Michelangelo 1504. “*Why* is this the answer?” my tutee asked. I tried re-explaining the Renaissance. Michelangelo? The Papacy? I finally asked: “Do you know the story of David and Goliath?” Raised Catholic, I knew the story but her family was Hindu. I naively hadn’t considered she wouldn’t know the story. After I explained, she relayed a similar story from her culture. As sessions grew to upwards of 15 students, I recruited more tutors so everyone could receive more individualized support. While my school is nearly half Hispanic, AP classes are overwhelmingly White and Asian, so I’ve learned to understand the diverse and often unfamiliar backgrounds of my tutees. One student struggled to write idiomatically despite possessing extensive historical knowledge. Although she was initially nervous, we discovered common ground after I asked about her Rohan Kishibe keychain, a character from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. She opened up; I learned she recently immigrated from China and was having difficulty adjusting to writing in English. With a clearer understanding of her background, I could now consider her situation to better address her needs. Together, we combed out grammar mistakes and studied English syntax. The bond we formed over anime facilitated honest dialogue, and therefore genuine learning.

Essay by Víctor

i love cities <3

Prompt: 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.

I slam the ball onto the concrete of our dorm’s courtyard, and it whizzes past my opponents. ******, which is a mashup of tennis, squash, and volleyball, is not only a spring term pastime but also an important dorm tradition. It can only be played using the eccentric layout of our dorm’s architecture and thus cultivates a special feeling of community that transcends grade or friend groups. I will always remember the amazing outplays from yearly tournaments that we celebrate together. Our dorm’s collective GPA may go significantly down during the spring, but it’s worth it.

Essay by Brian

CS, math, and economics at MIT

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

The fragile glass beaker shattered on the ground, and hydrogen peroxide, flowing furiously like lava, began to conquer the floor with every inch the flammable puddle expanded. This was my solace. As an assistant teacher for a middle school STEM class on the weekends, mistakes were common, especially those that made me mentally pinpoint where we kept the fire extinguishers. However, these mishaps reminded me exactly why I loved this job (besides the obvious luxury of cleaning up spills): every failure was a chance to learn in the purest form. As we conducted chemical experiments or explored electronics kits, I was comforted by the kids’ genuine enthusiasm for exploration—a sentiment often lost in the grade-obsessed world of high school. Accordingly, I tried to help my students recognize that mistakes are often the most productive way to grow and learn. I encouraged my students to persist when faced with failure, especially those who might not have been encouraged in their everyday lives. I was there for students like Nathan, a child on the autism spectrum who reminded me of my older brother with autism. I was there for the two girls in a class of 17, reminding me of my own journey navigating the male-dominated world of STEM. I wanted to encourage them into a lifelong journey of pursuing knowledge and embracing mistakes. I may have been their mentor, but these lessons also serve as a crucial reminder to me that mistakes are not representative of one’s overall worth.

Essay by Sarah J.

cs @ stanford!! lover of STEM, taylor swift, and dogs!

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How to Write the MIT Application Essays 2021-2022

Padya Paramita

May 3, 2021

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 2021-2022 .

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 7.3% 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 2021-2022 .

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)

It’s crucial that you go through all of the prompts offered by the MIT application essays 2021-2022 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 in order for admission officers to better visualize the impact.

Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words or fewer)

This is an accelerated version of the “why this school” essay. Remember that your response shouldn’t revolve around broad categories that make MIT wonderful—everyone knows it’s a great school. Plus, you have a very tight word limit. Think about how an MIT education pertains to your goals. Even if you’re not sure what specific major you’re interested in, you should have an idea of one or two programs you like the most in order to connect your experiences and aspirations with why you’ve chosen the school.

Research is the key to any “why this school” essay. Before you write this response, it’s important to sit down and look through the majors and course offerings. Once you’ve decided which major appeals to you, it’s time to think about your own experiences. How did your love for the field begin? How have you honed your skills in the discipline since then? If you’ve taken any challenging courses or started relevant clubs, how is MIT the perfect place for you to continue your exploration? No matter which MIT major you’ve chosen, it’s important to show admissions officers why your interest makes sense for you and that your dedication to the field is real.

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)

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 hobby that is highly meaningful that isn’t a conventional extracurricular per say, 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 which 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.

Since the prompt clearly states that there are no specific boxes which 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 2021-2022 that you are the kind of hardworking and passionate individual who can thrive at MIT.

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)

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 which showcases how your ability to recover from a struggle and proves your determination as well as 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!

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.

Next, MIT gives you a space of 500 words to describe any additional information you might wish to share with the admissions officers that has not yet been mentioned in the application.

You should always be very careful when filling out this section. Admissions officers go through a lot of applications. You do not want to waste their time with something that could have been mentioned elsewhere in the application. It could be used to provide context on whether any unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or a death in the family, impacted your school performance. You could use it to build upon any research abstract or include your art or writing portfolio. You could also use it to address any disciplinary action that might exist on your record.

This section is not a place to extend your essays or add to your activities list. Those word limits and guidelines exist for a reason. You absolutely do not have to fill out this section if you don’t have anything else to add. It will not make or break your application.

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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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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.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2023-24 Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 4

You Have:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

MIT Requirements: 3 essays of 200-225 words each, 1 essay of 150 words, 1 essay of 100 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why , Community , Activity , Diversity

There’s an old cheesy joke that goes like this: A college student is standing in the “10 items or less” checkout lane at a grocery store in Boston. When she finally gets to the register, it turns out she has 12 items. The cashier rolls her eyes and says, “Okay, so either you’re from Harvard and you can’t count or you’re from MIT and you can’t read.” (Badum-chhh!) Sadly, you will be expected to read and write in college—even at MIT! In fact, MIT admissions cares so much about your writing that they’ve concocted their own separate application with five short essays. Don’t worry, though, you’ll also get to show off your counting skills thanks to each essay’s tight word count. So the real challenge of this application is crafting tight, incisive essays that tell focused stories about your life. Got it? Okay!

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.

Alright, now let’s dig in!

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

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. (150 words or fewer).

MIT is explicitly asking you to back away from the resume, and forget your structured activities. It’s not about proving what you can do, but revealing what you love to do. Put another way, this prompt is about self-care: What always, without fail, brings a smile to your face? What helps you recharge your batteries? What do you do and where do you go when you’re feeling down? When you start to think of things that feel a little silly or personal, you’re heading in the right direction. The activity you choose should be informal and unique to you.

Although MIT invites you to be honest, we also suggest you balance your honesty with specific details and storytelling. You might want to try to come up with something a little more original than sleep, read, or hang out with friends, but if these are your options, then you have to commit. If you like to spend time with your friends, what sorts of things do you do together? If you like to sleep, have you perfected the art of the power nap ? What are your favorite things to read and how do you organize your personal library? Let your personality and tastes shine through! And before you start to say, “But I really do love volunteering at the soup kitchen during my spare time,” don’t worry. There’s a community service essay a little later in this supplement.

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. (100 words or fewer)

This is MIT’s version of a classic Why Essay . Even if you’re not completely sure what you want to major in yet, MIT wants to both learn about your academic interests, and see how their offerings will suit your passions. If you can build a bridge between your own interests and the resources available at MIT, you’ll be well on your way to demonstrating your fit. So set aside a few hours and commit to some hardcore research on the MIT website. (Sorry, there’s no way around this, folks!) Beyond the basic departmental listings, look up information about news and research coming out of your department of interest, the kinds of courses available, and the opportunities other undergrads have had studying in your area of choice. Even if you have a wide array of interests, consider explaining how two or three departments might complement each other or foster your interest in a larger theme or cross-pollinating kind of way. Your ultimate goal is to show that your interest in MIT (just like your intellectual curiosity) runs deep!

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

Admissions wants to know how your background, whether it was full of opportunity or obstacles, has shaped your dreams and aspirations. So, tell them a story, the more specific the better, that demonstrates your journey to your current goals. Maybe you watched your parents struggle to make ends meet, which is why you hope to pursue a degree in Economics, so you can teach financial literacy to communities in need. Perhaps you grew up solving relational and logic puzzles with your grandpa every weekend, which led to a love of complex problem solving and a dream of a career in engineering. Whatever your story is, use this opportunity to give admissions a clearer picture of the goals you’re striving to achieve and how they came to be in the first place.

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 or fewer)

This question asks for a specific story: a collaborative one in which you either sought to learn from others or contributed to your community together. This is a great opportunity to write about a professional experience (your first time working in the kitchen as a line cook!) or community service (delivering meals to families in need!). Ideally, you should describe an experience that spans a decent amount of time—a few weeks or even months—so you can describe the phases of your collaboration and the end result. You should be driving at a lesson that you will be able to carry with you into the future (e.g., there’s something to learn from each person you meet or the power of local organizing). In other words: a takeaway that will positively impact your collaborative contributions at MIT.

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

We’ve all had curveballs thrown our way, and admissions wants to hear about a time when you adjusted your sails. The situation or challenge you discuss here can really run the gamut, from covering for a colleague and taking on new responsibilities at your after-school diner job to dealing with a serious injury, though you’ll want to avoid topics that may seem trite (a pop quiz you didn’t study for!). Once you explain the situation or challenge to admissions, focus on what you took away from your experience. Maybe you learned that you work well under pressure (and can hold three milkshake glasses in one hand!) or that you are more resilient than you realized and capable of the hard work required to heal and rehabilitate after surgery. Give yourself time to brainstorm for this prompt, because we’re willing to bet you have a few stories to choose from here.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the MIT essay prompts? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the MIT essay questions will show you exactly how to write engaging MIT essays and maximize your chances of admission. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on MIT, click here . Want help crafting your MIT essays? Create your free account or schedule a free consultation by calling (844) 505-4682.

MIT Essay Guide Quick Facts:

MIT has an acceptance rate of 4%— U.S. News ranks MIT as a highly competitive school.
We recommend answering all MIT essays comprehensively and thoughtfully.

Does MIT require supplemental essays?

Yes. In addition to the Common App personal statement , there are MIT essay questions . Most of these MIT essays have 250-word requirements, but one of the MIT essays is limited to just 100 words.

Need tips on writing your Common App essay? Check out our blog article .

How many supplemental essays does MIT require?

There are five total MIT essays: one MIT essay with a 100-word maximum, one MIT essay with a 250-word maximum, and three MIT essay prompts that are required to fall between 200 and 250 words. You’ll want to pay careful attention to word count when writing your MIT essays; it is likely admissions officers will be checking for your attention to detail in these MIT essay prompts.

What essays do you need to write for MIT?

All five MIT essay questions mentioned above are required—no shortcuts or optional MIT essay prompts here! You’ll find the MIT essay examples below.

What does MIT look for in essays?

This guide will break down exactly how to respond to each of the MIT essays. If you want to do additional research for the MIT essays (and you should!), we recommend that you visit the MIT website and observe the language they use when describing the type of student that they’re looking for. When you respond to the MIT essay prompts, keep this language in mind. How do you fit in with what they’re looking for in a student? These MIT essay questions are the place in your application to make that even clearer.

Of course, you will want to avoid any grammatical errors that could weaken your MIT essays. You should also strive for clarity of tone and phrasing in all of your MIT essay questions. Use all of your standard exemplary essay-writing practices! Read on for some MIT essay examples to guide your writing.

Does MIT have a main essay?

This is a great question, but no—none of the MIT essays are really the “main” essay you should focus on. We recommend paying equal attention to each of the five MIT essay prompts; just because they vary in length does not make one more or less important than another!

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 1

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)

How do you write an MIT essay?

By breaking down each of the MIT essay examples, this guide will explain how to write an MIT essay.

This first MIT essay is the classic “Tell us more about yourself” college essay question. MIT wants to learn what made you you. With this MIT essay, you should think first about your dreams and aspirations. Maybe you want to be a veterinarian; maybe you want to be an engineer.

Once you know how you want to answer the second half of this question, it will provide direction for the first half. Why do you want to be a veterinarian or an engineer? For instance, maybe your community has felt the increasing effects of climate change, which has made you passionate about environmental engineering.

The best way to answer this prompt is to be specific. Pick one aspect that has been influential in your youth, give a brief anecdote explaining it, and then turn to the how. For instance, you won’t want to use up too many words describing each and every detail of your school’s journalism club. Instead, succinctly paint a picture that provides insight into why journalism has become so important to you and what you feel you can do with the skills you have learned from it.

MIT Essay Draft Key Questions :

Do you use concise and descriptive words to depict your world?
Do you focus on the why and not just the what ?
Does your response teach the reader something new about you?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 2

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)

This MIT essay just asks what you do for fun! Don’t think your answer has to be scholarly; you don’t have to say that you read textbooks about quantum mechanics in this MIT essay for them to admit you. In all of the MIT essay questions, MIT wants you to be honest. This is a chance to discuss something you haven’t talked about in your other MIT essay questions or the rest of your application.

Out of all the MIT essay examples, this is the hobby question—maybe you’re an amateur magician, or you make short nature documentaries, or you love fishing. No matter what it is, MIT wants to hear about it. You would do best here to use descriptive language to briefly describe your activity of choice. Then, explain why it means so much to you. Why do you enjoy it? Maybe it’s the rush of knowing you have succeeded in bamboozling your friends and family with a difficult card trick it took weeks to master. Maybe capturing a snail’s slow journey across a beach reminds you to have patience and perseverance.

Any example like the ones above is great as—just make sure to talk about something you do purely for enjoyment. Most of the MIT essay questions do not ask you to talk about something that sparks joy for you. In this MIT essay, be sure to demonstrate how much you genuinely love the activity you discuss.

Does your draft clearly communicate your chosen activity?
Do you articulate why your chosen activity matters to you and how it has influenced your growth and identity?
Does your supplement provide information not present in the rest of your application?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 3

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)

This MIT essay asks you to demonstrate your willingness to help others. The answer to this prompt does not have to be extreme; it can be as simple as watching, cooking for, and cleaning up after your younger siblings while your parents both work full-time, tutoring a friend who’s struggling in calculus, or starting a food pantry at your local library. The scale of the contribution is not as important as the heart behind it.

You can spend the first half of the essay discussing the activity, and then you should turn to an analysis of why or how it has an impact. It doesn’t have to be big; MIT isn’t expecting you to have saved hundreds of lives. Even an action that seems small can have a big impact—it’s your job to showcase this. And remember that a community can be anything; you just have to define what community means to you in the context of this MIT essay.

Do you talk about a specific action you’ve done to improve your community?
Does your essay focus on how the action was impactful, rather than just describing it?
Do you address how you grew from this experience?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 4

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

Here, MIT asks how you manage failure. They want to see that one, or two, or however many setbacks will not prevent you from overcoming a challenge or an obstacle. For this essay, choose a time when you faced a challenge, then mention why the challenge was particularly important to you. Try to find an original example; a sports injury or getting a C on a test can sometimes seem cliché.

Try to pick something a little more outside the box. Think of a challenge that not many other people applying to MIT have likely faced. If you’re struggling to come up with an interesting challenge, try to put a unique spin on how you overcame the challenge.

Whatever you write, make it specific to you. You also want to make sure not to focus too much on describing the challenge itself. Rather, MIT wants to know how the challenge pushed you to grow as an individual. You should try to demonstrate what you learned from the experience. You can also be honest about how scary or frustrating the situation was at first. The important thing is to end with the confidence and knowledge you gained from an ability to adapt and be flexible.

Do you explain why this challenge was so important to you?
Does your draft demonstrate how you solved or addressed the challenge?
Do you reflect on the impact of overcoming this challenge?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 5

Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words or fewer)

This is MIT’s combination version of the “Why us?” and the “What do you want to study?” questions. It requires you to name a field of study, rather than discuss the college as a whole, but you’ll still want to make your answer MIT-specific. Start by looking through all of the undergraduate programs MIT offers. Once you list your desired major, jump straight into the why .

This is the shortest MIT essay you’ll write, so concision is paramount. This is the space to show off your expert investigation and analytical skills: name-drop courses and professors and analyze why they would benefit your academic growth. You can also allude to your previous academic track record and how an MIT education would build on your past intellectual experiences.

Did you pick a major that MIT definitely offers?
Do you connect the specifics of this major directly to your own academic passions?
Does your response supplement and/or complicate the other aspects of your application, with special regard to academic preferences?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Final Thoughts

The MIT essay prompts can seem daunting, but don’t let that discourage you from applying. The MIT essays are a great opportunity to demonstrate who you are for admissions officers reading your application. We hope the above MIT essay examples helped to jumpstart your thinking! These MIT essays can boost your application if you have a lower than average SAT score or GPA.

Use this guide as a step-by-step aid when approaching the MIT essay prompts, and start earlier than you think you should. You may believe it will be easy to answer the MIT essay prompts quickly, but it is always better to have more time to draft than less. Don’t be afraid to ask for revisions from someone; it’s helpful to have another set of eyes checking your MIT essays for grammatical errors, tone, and clarity. Good luck!

This essay guide on MIT was written by Laura Frustaci , ‘21. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on MIT, click here . Want help crafting your MIT essays? Create your free account or schedule a free consultation by calling (844) 505-4682.

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See also the MIT EECS Comm Lab’s advice on how to write a Graduate School Statement of Purpose .

Hal Abelson

I’m looking for leadership and initiative. My group has a large number of undergraduate students and I look to our grad students to be role models and leaders. Compelling application essays should talk about actual accomplishments: applications you’ve created that others are using, technical organizations you’ve started or where you play a major role. There of course needs to be a track record of academic excellence. But the centerpiece of my group is empowering people of all ages through technology, as users and creators. That passion should come through in the essay–and it’s even better if there’s a track record to point to.

Karl Berggren

An application essay provides a number of useful information points when I’m reading a candidate’s application. I’m mostly looking to see if the person can communicate clearly. Second, I’m trying to find out a bit about the person, especially their personality and motivation, and how they think about science and engineering. Finally, I’m interested in learning a bit about what circumstances have shaped the candidate’s life. This is the place where I want to know if someone has faced exceptional challenges or took advantage of a unique opportunity to do something special. Because of the importance of writing in an academic environment, I’m looking to see if there is structure to the essay, and if paragraphs are well formed. For me, the essay is really not usually the main compelling reason to admit a student, but an essay that is over the top, or is poorly written or poorly structured, sometimes puts me off a candidate who otherwise would be a possible admit.

Adam Chlipala

I think it’s useful to think of PhD applications as more like job applications than earlier educational applications. You are applying to be an apprentice researcher, and thus concrete research experience (attested to by knowledgeable supervisors in letters) is most useful to give evidence that you will succeed. Then the specifics vary by research area. I’m looking for specific technical skills and bigger-picture direction-setting skills. In my area, the former are a mix of software/hardware implementation at a decently large scale and comfort with rigorous math and logic. The latter come down to finding ways that computer systems are developed ineffectively today, and thinking up ways we could change the development tools–ideally applicants can point to cases where they were the ones driving that brainstorming, not just implementing ideas coming from supervisors. Giving some examples of project directions you want to explore is helpful both for showing that kind of initiative, and for helping potential advisors gauge fit with their own interests. However, don’t worry that anyone will hold you to working on any of the specific ideas you list!

Frédo Durand:

Mostly two things:

1/ Can the applicant think and write deeply and intelligently about state-of-the-art technical issues?

2/ What kind of technical area (very broadly speaking) are they interested in?

One challenge for applicants is that the two answers sometimes conflict: the first question requires narrowness, but you probably want to show you’re interested in a broader set of topics to maximize the number of faculty members who feel they may want to work with you. So, I usually advise students not to restrict their essay to their past research, but have a paragraph or two at the end or beginning to list the areas that appeal to them. Ideally, the letter would give me a sense of how they attack an open problem, through the example of past projects (ideally research projects).

Regarding recommendation letters, I want to read about a candidate’s potential to do research. The most insightful letters are from people who have supervised you on a research project, or on a project that involves a fair amount of independence and creativity. I find letters from people who only know a candidate in a class context less useful, unless the student has done a particularly remarkable project. Letters from mentors in industry can be useful, especially if they do or have done research. However, not all applicants (including successful ones) have three letters that are equally thorough, and it’s quite common to have 1 or 2 letters from people who really know you well from a research perspective, and 1 or 2 that are a little more superficial.

Polina Golland

The essay should focus on your interests and look to the future. Describe what problem you would like to tackle in the future and approaches you might want to take. Even if I disagree with what the applicants write, it is revealing on how they think and gets me interested. Keep the description of your (very impressive) past projects to the minimum, mention them only as support for what you want to do in the future. Your CV, other sections of the applications, and recommendation letters will talk about past projects, and it’s a pity to use your essay to rehash it again.

Piotr Indyk

For me, the most important aspect of the application is the evidence of research skills. In the ideal case, it would take the form of publications/manuscripts describing the research project(s) and results, which I can read and review. Descriptions of research projects in recommendation letters and/or the research statement are less optimal, but also OK. However, it is understandable that not all applicants have the same opportunities to pursue undergraduate research. In such cases, I try to infer from other parts of the applications, such as grades (esp. for relevant technical subjects), recommendation letters and other activities like olympiad participation. Regarding the research statement, I find it to be useful as a broad indicator of applicant research interests, but since interests of many (most?) applicants evolve, I do not put that much weight on it.

Daniel Jackson

When I think about taking on a graduate student, I ask myself: is this a good match? I want to be sure that we’ll enjoy each other’s company and be successful working together. That means you’ll be excited by the kind of work I do, and have a reason to think that working with me will be better for you than working with someone else. The students I tend to gel most with want to reconsider how we design and build software, and like to think deeply (and even a bit philosophically) about the fundamental problems. So I read the statement carefully, looking for someone who thinks clearly and creatively, knows a little bit about what I do, isn’t too distracted by technology or formalism for its own sake, and is eager to pursue big ideas. And if there’s some project you’ve done that shows some promise (especially if one of your letter writers can talk about it), so much the better.

Leslie Kaelbling

For me, the most important thing in an application is the best letter of recommendation, by a large margin. The main research letter should speak to the candidate’s creativity, independence, bravery, and ability to get things done. The other letters usually don’t matter much. I like unusual candidates, and am generally more interested in someone who has done something on their own, or in an unusual place, than someone with a lot of papers who spent four years in a very productive and prominent research group. Most essays are neither a positive nor a negative for the application. The ones I remember and value are ones that I learned something from–essays that are actually interesting to read because they have a strong or novel view or that articulate a clear vision. I also like to get the feeling that the candidate really values research intrinsically–that they are not simply applying to do a PhD because it seems like a good stepping stone to something else, or something that is highly esteemed by others. I don’t worry about a few poor grades, if they have an explanation: early in the student’s career, or during one rough semester, or as the result of exploration. I’d rather see a student with a few Bs or a C, who has taken challenging classes, than someone with a perfect GPA and completely standard undergraduate curriculum. I am completely unimpressed by a student who takes twice the normal course load—they should have been doing research!

David Karger

There are two questions that I ask when I’m looking at an application.

(1) Will this student be interested in working on the kinds of things that excite me?

And (2) do they have the independence and organization necessary to work for a laid back, disorganized advisor like me?

For the first question, I like to hear what specific problems interest you, and why. Not why you’ve loved computer science since you got your first PC at age 4, but why you consider certain specific problems important and interesting, and how you might go about trying to solve them. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have looked at some of the work my group is doing, talk about why it’s interesting to you (not just that it is), and maybe give some thoughts on where it might be interesting to take it further. But hearing your own ideas is wonderful too. You need not have solved them already, although it is great to talk about a problem you have already worked on.

The second question is specific to my advising style. I provide a lot of support and feedback to my students, but I don’t do a lot of management. So it’s important for me to know that a student will take initiative, make choices about what to work on, make decisions about designs and implementations, set their own deadlines and meet them, and come to meetings with ideas and questions to move the work forward. Just claiming this in your statement isn’t particularly meaningful, but I look for signs of it in past work (and recommendation letters).

Manolis Kellis

I’m looking to see several things:

(1) Clarity of thought: this comes through in the essay; the vision they have (for the field, how their works fits in, the broader perspective within, next steps, etc); the way they describe their accomplishments (organization, background, clarity of innovation, are they able to explain the problem, the challenge, the novelty, etc); and, of course, their grades and accomplishments.

(2) Research accomplishment: Show that they can innovate, invent, find problems, frame them, and bring things to completion, writing papers, completing projects, packaging up code, creating tools.

(3) Letters: Evidence of standing out, innovation, novelty, ability to make progress independently, yet team spirit and collaboration.

(4) Technical: Of course, their training, the rigor, the background, grades, competitions, etc.

(5) Passion: Especially for an applied field like genomics/biology/medicine, showing that they truly care about the application area, not just about the algorithms, but that they truly have sought to find something novel in the specific application area that they have chosen, and been able to interpret their results and make conclusions about the applied field.

Stefanie Mueller

For me, the most important is that the applicant can show that they have research experience in my research field. Hiring a PhD student is a 5-6 year commitment, so it is very important for me that the applicant can show me that we will produce exciting research together. When I read an application, I first check if the applicant has publications in my research field on topics related to what my research group works on. After this, I look at the recommendation letter writers and see if they come from faculty in my research field and if they talk about that the applicant can conduct research in my field. Letters from outside my research field are not very useful in determining if the applicant can do research in my area. After this, I read the statement of purpose to see if the applicant has ideas that I would also be excited to work on.

Will Oliver

When I read a graduate student applicant’s research statement, I look to obtain a picture of the student and their research interests. This includes the student’s motivations for research. Who is this person, where did they come from, what sparks their interest in science and engineering, how has that been reflected in their lives and their trajectory? I then look for examples of research experience, broadly defined. This could be an experience as an undergraduate researcher, a summer internship, or even a substantial hobby project (to name a few). I look for tangible outputs from those projects, such as a peer-reviewed publication. I then look for what the student wants to accomplish in graduate school. I appreciate a genuine exposition of intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm in describing these goals. While this approach naturally leads to some specificity in research topics, I also look for some flexibility and breadth. For example, even if the student has one top-choice topic or group, it is a good idea to articulate other (often related) areas that would also be of interest.

Al Oppenheim

A long time ago one of my graduate students asked me what I look for in choosing the students to work with. My quick and somewhat playful answer was that I have four criteria: intelligent, creative out of the box thinker, enjoyable to interact with, and coachable. From applications on paper and without personally meeting the applicant, it’s often hard to assess these and particularly the second, third, and fourth. An approximation to the first can be based somewhat on the transcript. The other three, perhaps mostly from the reference letters and personal statement and when possible personal interaction. The two areas in which applications are often weak are in the choice of references and the lack of detail in the reference letters, and in the crafting of the personal statement. In writing the personal statement I’ve typically advised potential applicants to use it as an opportunity to truly show their motivations, goals and personality, rather than trying to pattern match to what they think readers will give high marks to. If the personal statement is genuine and honest, it shows. And if it isn’t, it also shows.

Gerald Jay Sussman

The problem is that we have too many “excellent” applicants, most of whom would do fine in our graduate program. Most would do good, publishable, but incremental research. We accept plenty of those excellent people. But I am looking for the candidates that could break a paradigm and open up a new field of research.

So what I look for in an application is evidence that the candidate has an unusual perspective, perhaps in conflict with the conventional wisdom of the field. I am open to considering crackpots, but I also look for evidence of technical skill and clarity of thought and expression that separates the interesting characters from crackpots.

Additionally, the most persuasive information in an application is reference letters from previous supervisors or teachers who attest to the skill and creativity of the applicant.

George Verghese

Most of my reading of graduate folders necessarily happens at the initial stage of evaluations, when I’m looking for applicants who seem like they would thrive in, and contribute strongly to, our department or a broad research area within it. The application folders that emerge from this reading then get passed on to other faculty for more focused evaluation. So at the initial stage I am not necessarily looking for a good match to my personal research interests or style; that can come later, when I look at short-listed folders, perhaps sent my way by other faculty who think I might want to take a look.

For the initial reading, I first examine the applicant’s academic record, to be reassured that they will be able to handle at least the course work in our graduate program. A few blemishes in early years may be fine, but anything less than a strong overall academic record is likely to be a non-starter (though I will read quickly all the way through the application, feeling I owe at least that much to a hopeful applicant who has paid their application fee!).

I then look for tangible, documented outcomes of activities that go beyond standard academic efforts, whether unusual and independent projects (not standard lab projects in a class), or in research or internships. An important part of the substantiation is in the letters of reference, which have to reflect genuine, specific, modulated knowledge of the applicant and their work, and corresponding enthusiasm. A letter that sounds generic, though filled with superlatives and rating the candidate as Truly Exceptional, will not count for much. I want to know that the letter writers see stellar achievement (in academics and beyond) and potential, based on the specifics of their interaction with and knowledge of the applicant.

Finally, I turn to the student’s statement to get a sense of their voice, how they see and present themselves and their accomplishments, and what they’re looking to find in/with their graduate work. A well-crafted statement that comes across as mature, genuine, and reasonably aware of the field in which they hope to concentrate counts for a lot.

Ryan Williams

When reading a grad school application, I focus on several things. The first (obvious) thing is whether my interests align well with the applicant. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the applicant is working on the same exact problems as me; it means that I try to understand their taste in problems and topics, and how this fits with what we study in my research group. Another important thing is independence (in research, thought, etc): we get many applications from many talented students from all over the world, but we don’t see too many who showed a significant degree of independence in their thought and behavior, different from those around them (including their mentors). This can come out in the statement of purpose, but often more so in the letters. “Independence” can have various interpretations, and I’m deliberately leaving the term somewhat vague, because I think any of those interpretations can be important. Another important thing is the quality of their communication, especially their writing. I always read the statements of purpose carefully, as well as any writing samples the applicant has provided. Of course, letters of recommendation which attest to all of these qualities are also very helpful.

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The college application season is upon us, and high school students everywhere are staring down at one of the most daunting tasks: the college essay. As someone who has guided countless applicants through the admissions process and reviewed admissions essays on an undergraduate admissions committee, I've pinpointed the essential ingredient to a differentiated candidacy—the core of your college admissions X-factor .

The essential ingredient to your college admissions X-factor is your intellectual vitality. Intellectual vitality is your passion for learning and curiosity. By demonstrating and conveying this passion, you can transform an average essay into a compelling narrative that boosts your chances of getting accepted to your top schools. Here are five dynamic strategies to achieve that goal.

Unleash Your Authentic Voice

Admissions officers sift through thousands of essays every year. What stops them in their tracks? An authentic voice that leaps off the page. Forget trying to guess what the admissions committee wants to hear. Focus on being true to yourself. Share your unique perspective, your passions, and your values. Authenticity resonates deeply with application reviewers, making your essay memorable and impactful. You need not have experienced trauma or tragedy to create a strong narrative. You can write about what you know—intellectually or personally—to convey your enthusiasm, creativity, and leadership. Intellectual vitality shines through when you write with personalized reflection about what lights you up.

Weave A Captivating Story

Everyone loves a good story, and your essay is the perfect place to tell yours. The Common Application personal statement has seven choices of prompts to ground the structure for your narrative. The most compelling stories are often about the smallest moments in life, whether it’s shopping at Costco or about why you wear socks that have holes. Think of the Common Application personal statement as a window into your soul rather than a dry list of your achievements or your overly broad event-based life story. Use vivid anecdotes to bring your experiences to life. A well-told story can showcase your growth, highlight your character, and illustrate how you've overcome challenges. Intellectual vitality often emerges in these narratives, revealing how your curiosity and proactive approach to learning have driven you to explore and innovate.

Reflect And Reveal Insights

It's not just about what you've done—it's about what you've learned along the way. When you are writing about a specific event, you can use the STAR framework—situation, task, action, and result (your learning). Focus most of your writing space on the “R” part of this framework to dive deeply into your experiences and reflect on how they've shaped your aspirations and identity.

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The most insightful college-specific supplement essays demonstrate depth of thought, and the ability to connect past experiences with your future life in college and beyond. Reflecting on your intellectual journey signals maturity and a readiness to embrace the college experience. It shows admissions officers that you engage deeply with your studies and are eager to contribute to the academic community.

Highlight Your Contributions—But Don’t Brag

Whether it's a special talent, an unusual hobby, or a unique perspective, showcasing what you can bring to the college environment can make a significant impact. Recognize that the hard work behind the accomplishment is what colleges are interested in learning more about—not retelling about the accomplishment itself. (Honors and activities can be conveyed in another section of the application.) Walk us through the journey to your summit; don’t just take us to the peak and expect us know how you earned it.

Intellectual vitality can be demonstrated through your proactive approach to solving problems, starting new projects, or leading initiatives that reflect your passion for learning and growth. These experiences often have a place in the college-specific supplement essays. They ground the reasons why you want to study in your major and at the particular college.

Perfect Your Prose

Great writing is essential. Anyone can use AI or a thesaurus to assist with an essay, but AI cannot write your story in the way that you tell it. Admissions officers don’t give out extra credit for choosing the longest words with the most amount of syllables.

The best essays have clear, coherent language and are free of errors. The story is clearly and specifically told. After drafting, take the time to revise and polish your writing. Seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or trusted friends, but ensure the final piece is unmistakably yours. A well-crafted essay showcases your diligence and attention to detail—qualities that admissions officers highly value. Intellectual vitality is also reflected in your writing process, showing your commitment to excellence and your enthusiasm for presenting your best self.

Crafting a standout college essay is about presenting your true self in an engaging, reflective, and polished manner while showcasing your intellectual vitality. Happy writing.

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73 Best Colleges Without Supplemental Essays – 2024

May 27, 2024

When college application season arrives, it’s easy for students to become overwhelmed about the essays. There’s the personal statement , which many students have a general idea about, and then there are the supplemental essays. Supplemental essays can cover a range of college-specific prompts that help the colleges better understand why you’d be a great fit . Due to how personal and varied the supplemental essays can be, students often end up spending weeks, if not months, writing them.

However, across the country, there are colleges that do not require supplemental essays at all. For some students, applying to colleges without supplemental essays can make the overall application process much smoother. Benefits include experiencing less stress in their application preparation and diversifying prospective colleges while focusing more on their priority schools. Sometimes, though, these schools do ask for program-specific essays or optional essays, depending on the applicant.

Best Colleges without Supplemental Essays

1) albion college.

At Albion College, the application essay is not required, but it is recommended. Students are encouraged to provide any more details that they believe the admissions team should consider.

2) Allegheny College

As noted on their website, Allegheny College has not required the supplemental essay since their 2013-2014 application cycle. Students will find more essay questions in the Member Questions section of the Common Application.

3) Augusta University

Augusta University joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays as they do not require a personal essay at all. They do still require SAT or ACT scores and GPA.

4) Bates College

Since 1984, Bates College has not required SAT Subject Tests or ACT scores in their applications. There is an optional arts supplement for students who are applying to study art, creative writing, dance, film, music, and theater.

5) Case Western Reserve University

At Case Western Reserve University, the Common Application personal essay is required. However, if you’re applying to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, then you’ll have to write supplemental essays.

Best Colleges Without Supplemental Essays (Continued)

6) clemson university.

Clemson University does not require students to complete a personal essay with the Common or Coalition Application. There is also a test-optional policy that may appeal to some students.

7) Coe College

At Coe College, the personal essay is optional for students who meet the college’s minimum academic standards. Coe College joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays that also have a test-optional policy.

8) Colby College

Colby College accepts the Common Application, Coalition Application, and QuestBridge Application, and they do not have any additional writing supplements. Test scores are optional for applicants at Colby College, and there is no application fee.

9) Colgate University

Colgate University is one of the colleges without supplemental essays required, but there is the option to write them. As stated on their website, “These prompts are not meant to feel like essays; they are simply an added perspective.

10) College of the Holy Cross

College of the Holy Cross does not require supplemental essays, but the following are optional: personal interview, SAT or ACT scores, and supplementary materials.

11) Denison University

Denison University joins this list of colleges without supplemental essays. Their website states that they wish to provide “equal access” to a Denison education, and they are also test-optional.

12) DePaul University

For first-year student applicants at DePaul University, personal essays are not required but optional. They have also been a test-optional university since 2012.

13) Dillard University

Dillard University is the oldest HBCU in Louisiana and is one of the colleges with no supplemental essay requirements. However, if students do not meet the minimum GPA and standardized test score requirements, then they must submit two letters of recommendation and a personal statement.

14) Drew University

At Drew University, a personal statement is required, along with a counselor evaluation, teacher evaluation, and high school transcript.

15) Drexel University

Drexel University joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays. They do require all students to complete the 250 to 650 essay on the Common or Coalition Application. However, the short answer question is optional.

16) Fairleigh Dickinson University

At Fairleigh Dickinson University, all essays, résumés, and recommendations are optional.

17) Florida Gulf Coast University

The only essay required by Florida Gulf Coast University is a two-page personal essay that discusses academic performance, special talents, and what the student can contribute to the campus.

18) Florida State University

Although Florida State University is one of the colleges without supplemental essays, students should invest time into the Common Application personal statement.

19) Fordham University

At Fordham University, the Common Application essay is required, but there are also optional writing sections. If students choose not to write in these sections, they will not be penalized.

20) Franklin and Marshall College

Franklin and Marshall College joins this list of colleges without supplemental essays. They do require the personal essay in the Common Application, as well as standardized test scores, recommendations and other materials.

21) Furman University

At Furman University, first-year applicants do not need to submit a personal essay, and they are also test-optional.

22) Gannon University

Gannon University does not require students to submit a personal statement. It is optional but recommended for students to submit a statement. However, it is required for LECOM 4+4 Medical Program applicants.

23) Gettysburg College

Although Gettysburg College joins the list of colleges without supplemental essays, it does require a personal statement on the Common Application.

24) Grinnell College

Grinnell College does not require supplemental essays and it also does not have an application fee. Standardized test scores are also optional.

25) Hamilton College

Although Hamilton College joins this list of colleges without supplemental essays, the optional essays are still encouraged.

26) Hampshire College

Hampshire College only requires supplemental essays from international students applying as first-year or transfer students.

27) Hanover College

Hanover College states on their website that the essay or personal statement is optional, alongside test scores, letters of recommendation and résumé.

28) Hollins University

At Hollins University, for first-year students no personal statement is required and standardized test scores are optional.

29) Howard University

Howard University requires students to complete the Common Application essay and there is one optional supplemental essay.

30) Indiana University – Bloomington

Students applying to Indiana University – Bloomington must write the one essay in the Common Application or through Apply IU.

31) Kent State University

At Kent State University, first-year students are not required to submit a personal essay or a letter of recommendation. Test scores are also optional.

32) Kenyon College

Kenyon College joins this list as it is one of the colleges without supplemental essays. For first-year and transfer students, test scores are optional and flexible.

33) Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University does require the Common Application personal statement, but as of its most recent admissions cycle, no supplemental essay is required.

34) Mercer University

At Mercer University, applicants who wish to be test-optional must complete the supplemental essays. They must also have a 3.5 GPA and letter of recommendation.

35) Miami University

Miami University, not to be confused with the University of Miami, requires the Common App personal statement but not the supplemental essays.

36) Michigan State University

Michigan State University requires students to write only one essay on the MSU application, Common Application or Coalition Application.

37) Middlebury College

Middlebury College is one of the best colleges without supplemental essays. They do still require the personal statement on the Common Application.

38) Muhlenberg College

Muhlenberg College requires students to submit the personal essay but no other supplemental essays.

39) New College of Florida

New College of Florida is one of the many colleges with no supplemental essays. However, they do still require a personal statement.

40) New Jersey Institute of Technology

New Jersey Institute of Technology only requires a personal statement included in the Common Application. There is no supplemental essay requirement.

41) New York Institute of Technology

Students applying to the New York Institute of Technology are required to write a 300 to 350 word essay as their only essay. They may require test-optional applicants to submit a graded essay.

42) Northeastern University

Northeastern is one of the best colleges without a supplemental essay requirement. They do require a personal statement, alongside other materials.

43) Nova Southeastern University

At Nova Southeastern University, the essay is entirely optional, and students can self-report their test scores.

44) Oberlin College

Oberlin requires a personal statement, but does not require any supplemental essays.

45) Ohio State University

Ohio State University only requires a personal statement. However, they also offer a COVID-19 impact statement on the Common Application for interested students.

46) Ripon College

At Ripon College, the personal statement itself is optional for applicants, along with other materials.

47) Rhodes College

Rhodes College does not require a supplemental essay, but they have the option for students to record an optional “ Elevator Pitch .”

48) Rowan University

Rowan University requires a personal statement in the Common Application, but joins this list as a college without supplemental essays.

49) St. Lawrence University

St. Lawrence University has no supplemental essay requirement, but it still requires the personal statement essay. They are also test-optional, depending on the applicant.

50) St. Mary’s University (San Antonio)

For students applying to St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, the personal statement is only required if they choose not to submit test scores.

51) Seton Hall University

At Seton Hall University, the personal statement is required, but there are no other supplemental essays.

52) Siena College

Siena College has made the personal statement (open topic) optional for students applying.

53) Skidmore College

While Skidmore College does not require supplemental essays, students do often send in supplemental materials to further support their application.

54) Stony Brook University

At Stony Brook University, only a personal statement is required. However, students applying to the Honors, WISE, University Scholars, Scholars for Medicine, and Scholars for Dental Medicine must write supplemental essays.

55) Sewanee: The University of the South

Sewanee does not require supplemental essays and SAT/ACT scores are also optional.

56) Susquehanna University

Susquehanna University only requires supplemental essay materials for students applying to the creative writing, graphic design, studio art, and music programs.

57) Temple University

Temple University offers an optional essay as part of the Common Application for students to tell more about themselves beyond grades or test scores.

58) Union College

Union College does offer an optional supplemental essay question as part of their application.

59) University of Alabama

At the University of Alabama, essay submissions and letters of recommendation are not required but they are optional.

60) University of Albany

University of Albany joins the list as one of the colleges without supplemental essays. However, it does require a personal essay of at least 250 words on the Common Application of SUNY Application.

61) University of Arkansas

At the University of Arkansas, first-year students are not required to submit a personal essay. They accept self-reported test scores and letters of recommendation are also not required.

62) University of Arizona

Although the University of Arizona does not require an application essay, they strongly encourage students to submit the 500-word personal statement.

63) University of Cincinnati

Students applying to the University of Cincinnati are required to write the Cincinnati personal statement and the Common Application personal statement. However, there are no other required essays.

64) University of Colorado-Denver

University of Colorado-Denver requires the personal statement on the Common Application, but not other supplemental essays.

65) University of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut joins this list as one of the best colleges without supplemental essays. The university does require a personal essay on the Common Application or the Coalition Application.

66) University of Dayton

The University of Dayton does not require any supplemental essays, although it does require a personal statement. The university is also test-optional.

67) University of Denver

The University of Denver only requires the personal statement on the Common Application.

68) University of Houston

Students who apply to the University of Houston without a test score must submit a short admissions essay and extracurricular activities.

69) University of Iowa

The University of Iowa does require a personal statement as part of their application, but there is no supplemental essay requirement.

70) University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a college without supplemental essay requirements for first-year students. However, students applying to the Honors Program or the Engineering SELF Program must submit their responses.

71) University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky requires students to write one personal statement from seven of their given writing prompts.

72) University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

For first-year students applying to the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, the personal essay is not required, although it is encouraged.

73) University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln does not require a personal statement for first-year students. However, those applying to the Honors Program must write a 300-600 word essay.

Whether for the personal statement or any supplemental essay, writing college application essays can prove to be a challenging task. But if students plan ahead about how they want to approach the essays, it helps tremendously. Those who are about to apply to a college without supplemental essays can focus any extra time on other schools that do require them. It’s also great for students who wish to be considered primarily for their grades, test scores, personal statement and other reasons.

Best Colleges Without Supplemental Essays – Additional Resources

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Essays, activities & academics
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.
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MIT Application Components. Now that you have the background information, let's break down the application itself into its relevant components. To apply to MIT, you'll need to submit following: Part 1: Biographical Information. Part 2: Essays, activities, and academics. Evaluation A: Math or science teacher.
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MIT has published its essays for the 2023-2024 college admissions cycle (photo credit: John Phelan). The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has released its essay prompts for applicants to the Class of 2028. The Institute, one of the last highly selective universities to release its essay prompts for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, poses ...
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The questions asked by MIT act as your personal statement and supplemental essays all in one. So when thinking about the MIT application essays 2021-2022, 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 ...
How to Write the MIT Essays 2020-2021
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.
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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 cle…
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Essay Guide 2023-24
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations. *Please note: the information below relates to last year's essay prompts. As soon as the 2024-25 prompts beomce available, we will be updating this guide -- stay tuned! MIT Requirements: 3 essays of 200-225 words each, 1 essay of 150 words, 1 essay of ...
MIT Supplemental Essays 2023-2024
For the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, MIT requires applicants to complete five supplemental essays. This requirement is a significant aspect of the application process, as it allows the admissions committee to understand better who you are beyond your academic achievements and test scores. Each of these essays, ranging between 100 and 200 words ...
MIT Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022
How many supplemental essays does MIT require? There are five total MIT essays: one MIT essay with a 100-word maximum, one MIT essay with a 250-word maximum, and three MIT essay prompts that are required to fall between 200 and 250 words. You'll want to pay careful attention to word count when writing your MIT essays; it is likely admissions ...
What faculty members are looking for in a grad school application essay
Hal Abelson. I'm looking for leadership and initiative. My group has a large number of undergraduate students and I look to our grad students to be role models and leaders. Compelling application essays should talk about actual accomplishments: applications you've created that others are using, technical organizations you've started or ...
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The college application season is upon us, and students everywhere are staring down one of the most daunting tasks: the college essay.
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When college application season arrives, it's easy for students to become overwhelmed about the essays. There's the personal statement, which many students have a general idea about, and then there are the supplemental essays. Supplemental essays can cover a range of college-specific prompts that help the colleges better understand why you'd be a great fit.

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Prompt: 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.

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

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2023-24 Essay Prompt Guide

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2023-24 Application Essay Question Explanations

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.

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. (100 words or fewer)

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

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 or fewer)

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

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