Widely regarded as the #1 school globally by US News and CWUR, MIT is known for its intense STEM curriculum and the influence of an MIT degree. Although this fact is well known, the reasoning behind this high position expands beyond the students time at MIT and begins at the admissions process.
MIT has a separate application portal, not allowing any materials to be submitted through Common App. What’s unique about their applications can be seen through their activities and supplemental questions. The form is full of short responses. These include a “why major,” “what do you do for fun,” and an optional additional information section. Within the activities portion, only 4 activities can be submitted. They ask afterwards for a list of all summer activities, such as reading, relaxing, travelling, etc. MIT takes an individual path as they attempt to limit a student’s “marketing” of themselves and their extracurriculars and focus more on how they spend their time.
After submitting the application, MIT has a distinct interview process unlike any other school of their caliber. An MIT alum, known as an Educational Counselor (EC), reaches out promptly following a submission to set up an interview online or in person. Although this is not required, it is highly encouraged. According to the MIT blog, “it’s a chance to tell your story and for us to get to know you as a three-dimensional person.” What is so special about their specific interview process is the context of this “conversation.” The interviews are casual, they are to display who you are, without the added stress of an admissions officer present. The EC has zero access to your application previously and can only supplement if they deem necessary. They upload a report following your meeting and continue to communicate with admissions officers if they deem it necessary.
The questions are individual to you and your conversation. For example, with my EC I discussed the personal impact of athletics and my time working with my mother’s veterinary business. So, some of my questions were, “why is your (soccer) position the most important?” and “what is the most interesting case you’ve seen while working with your mother?” With their unusual approach to this process, they can gain an impressive understanding of you as a person and an applicant, holistically reviewing your application.
As much as their admissions are eccentric, there are some more basic aspects of the school that give it the “#1” title. MIT is unparalleled when it comes to undergraduate research opportunities. Freshmen are encouraged to engage in research, earning an hourly wage of $16 while participating. In addition, the professors are considered experts in each of their fields, including 12 Nobel Laureates, 26 MacArthur Fellows, and one Pulitzer Prize winner at the school.
Although the ratings vary annually, MIT consistently holds their position at the top, never wavering lower than the top 5. Their holistic approach is individualized as it goes above and beyond to prevent students from adding “fluff” and goes out of its way to weed out applicants that will not be academically up to par through required score reporting and 6+ supplement questions. MIT emphasizes the importance of the admissions system and how a top school must also have a top-notch review process
