How to Get Into MIT: Acceptance Rate & Strategies

Most of the 26,000+ annual applicants to MIT would qualify as “geniuses” when measured by sheer IQ and traditional academic achievement. Yet, somehow the majority of this highly capable applicant pool gets left behind each year as the MIT acceptance rate remains under 5%. Back in the early 1990s, the applicant pool was only one-fifth as large, and 30% or more were let through the gates each cycle. In 1992, for example, the average test score of an MIT freshman was 1,389; today it is roughly 1540. Grades, however, were similar, as 40% of the Class of 1996 finished first in their class and 97th were in the top decile. So, what can we learn from this little journey back to the last millennium? Essentially, MIT has always accepted only brilliant and highly accomplished teens, but today it rejects the vast majority of students fitting that description.

Every successful MIT applicant possesses a sparkling transcript, perfect or near-perfect standardized test scores, and prodigious talents that extend outside of the classroom. Unfortunately, these attributes are necessary but often not sufficient, as MIT rejects valedictorians every single day of the admissions cycle.

The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to MIT a thorough understanding of the following topics:

• Will I get into MIT?
• Where is MIT located?
• Is MIT Ivy League?
• MIT’s Class of 2028 acceptance rate
• MIT’s Class of 2028 EA acceptance rate
• SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted MIT applicants
• Admissions trends from the Class of 2027 and 2028
• How MIT rates applicants
• A look at the demographics of MIT undergraduates
• MIT’s yield rate
• Tips for applying
• MIT essay prompts
• How to assess whether applying to MIT is worth the $75 application fee (for you)

MIT Admissions Calculator

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Where is MIT located?

MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The campus is set along the Charles River, where it has been since Abraham Lincoln ascended to the presidency. Of course, MIT—one of the most prestigious schools in the world—is not even the most famed school in the city of Cambridge (Harvard is located just a couple of miles away).

Is MIT Ivy League?

MIT is not one of the Ivy League schools. However, it is every bit as selective and highly respected as the Ivies. We sometimes refer to MIT as “Ivy-Equivalent.” Other “Ivy-Equivalents” are Caltech and Stanford.

MIT Acceptance Rate – Class of 2028

There were 28,232 total applications submitted for a place in the 2024-25 freshman class; just 1,275 were accepted. This means that the overall MIT acceptance rate is 4.5%.

However, it’s important to break this number down according to the regular decision and early action rounds. MIT admits and defers a number of applicants during its early action round (see below). When we take those numbers into account, MIT ultimately reviewed 23,821 applications during the regular decision (RD) round—including deferrals—and accepted just 614 of them, for an RD acceptance rate of 2.6%.

For comparison, here are historical overall MIT acceptance rates:

MIT Early Action Acceptance Rate – Class of 2028

A total of 12,563 students applied early action for a place in the MIT Class of 2028. In the 2023-24 cycle, 661 of those applicants were offered admission, equating to a 5.2% acceptance rate (slightly lower than the previous year). The school deferred 8,052 applicants to the regular round and outright rejected 3,251 individuals.

What GPA do you need to get into MIT?

While MIT does not release information on average GPA, it is fair to say that most admitted students have an unweighted 4.0 (or very close to it) earned within a full roster of AP/IB courses.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to MIT?

Among enrolled 2022-23 first-year students (most recent data available), 97% hailed from the top 10%, while 100% earned a place in the top quarter.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for MIT?

According to school-published data for the Class of 2027, the mid-50% SAT range was 740-780 for SAT Verbal and 780-800 for SAT Math. These numbers are in line with data from the Class of 2026—among accepted students, the mid-50% SAT range was 1520-1570, and the mid-50% ACT range was 35-36.

Essentially, you’ll need near-perfect scores to be the most competitive. That said, MIT does evaluate student scores in light of their individual context as well as the access they have to standardized test prep resources and opportunities.

Admissions Trends & Notes

• MIT ceased being test-optional with applicants to the Class of 2027. This means you will be required to submit SAT or ACT test scores if you choose to apply.
• As a result of the testing policy change, the total number of applicants decreased from 33,796 for the Class of 2026 to 26,914 last year. However, applications rose by 5% for the Class of 2028.
• Those accepted into the Class of 2027 came from 49 states and 59 countries.
• 66% of the admitted Class of 2027 attended public high schools.
• First-generation students comprised 18% of the Class of 2027.
• The 2022-23 admissions cycle saw the lowest number of admitted students in recent history. Although the acceptance rate has risen ever-so-slightly, expect it to stay under 5% due to MIT’s increasing yield rate and desire to keep the freshman class size around 1,100 students.

How MIT Rates Applicants

Straight from the mouth of an MIT admissions officer—there is no formula for getting into MIT. The admissions staff truly feels that they could build two or three “perfect” classes out of their annual applicant pool. Since that is an impossibility, many “perfect-fit” applicants will be rejected in the end.

According to the admissions committee, character/personal qualities are the sole factor rated as “very important” while eight other components register as “important.” Those factors are: rigor of coursework, GPA, standardized test scores, essays, recommendations, the interview, extracurricular activities, and talent/ability. Let’s take a deeper dive into those last two, as they play an enormous role in gaining entrance into this esteemed university…

Who is MIT looking for?

Being a so-called Renaissance man (or woman) was impressive in the 16th century. A genius might be the very best person in their town at painting, writing, conducting scientific experiments, jousting, and playing the lute. However, in a technologically modern and globalized world, you don’t need to rely on the neighborhood genius when you have a hankering for some lovely lute music—you can listen to the very best lutenists in the world on Spotify whenever you like.

MIT Acceptance Rate — Continued

What does this have to do with MIT admissions? Simple: MIT (similar to schools like Stanford or Harvard) is looking for young people who are among the best, or have the potential to be among the very best, at something in the world. Just look at the lists of notable MIT alumni and you’ll get a sense of what the University is looking for: the next generation of tech geniuses with strong character whose inventions will literally change the world in which we live, as well as astronauts, Nobel Prize winners, Chairs of the Federal Reserve, and world leaders.

For advice about how to stand out on the curricular front check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

Who Actually Gets Into MIT?

Let’s look at the demographics of the Class of 2027.

Geographically, the Class of 2027 was comprised of:

• International Students: 10%
• Mid-Atlantic States: 20%
• Southern States & Puerto Rico: 19%
• Western States: 16%
• Southwest and Mountain: 12%
• Midwestern & Plains States: 11%
• New England: 10%
• Abroad: 11%

Competition is stiffest amongst those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast, the West Coast). If you hail from the Deep South or a less-populated state like Wyoming or North Dakota, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the 2023-24 freshman cohort was as follows:

• White: 38%
• Asian: 40%
• Hispanic: 16%
• Black/African American: 15%
• American Indian: 2%

MIT Acceptance Rate — Continued

An examination of what type of high schools members of the Class of 2027 attended shows the following:

• Public: 66%
• Independent: 14%
• Religious: 8%
• Foreign: 10%
• Home School: 1%

The gender split for the Class of 2027 was fairly even, even though many more men typically apply than women:

• Male: 49%
• Female: 48%
• Other gender identity: 4%
• Did not disclose: 2%

In this vein, MIT’s most recent data indicates that women are accepted at nearly twice the rate of men. As such, acceptance rates for the Class of 2026, broken down by gender, are as follows:

Men: 3%

Women: 5.5%

MIT Yield Rate

MIT’s yield rate—the number of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted is 85%. This number is absurdly high and helps to explain why the acceptance rate is so very low. For comparison, elite schools such as Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, and Georgetown all have yield rates around or under 50%.

Tips for Applying to MIT

If you plan on joining the 27,000+ MIT hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• MIT uses its own separate application so plan on devoting a good deal of time to this one (sorry, Common App fans).
• Additionally, the school does not consider “demonstrated interest” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
• MIT requires all U.S. applicants to self-report their coursework. In doing so, make sure to avoid abbreviations and only enter the final grade that appears on your official transcript as the “grade received.”
• Also make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay and short answers required by MIT. In the 2023-24 cycle, they were as follows:

Essay Prompts

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.

For detailed advice on how to address each prompt, visit our blog: MIT Essay Prompts and Tips.

Should I apply to MIT?

If you are at the very top of your class, have taken an exceptionally rigorous STEM curriculum, have near-perfect test scores, and possess demonstrated STEM talent/interest (particularly of the project, research, or competition variety), you could have a fighting chance of acceptance at this excellent institution.

MIT Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts

If you are academically qualified, there is no harm in filling out an MIT application, but—as with all uber-elite colleges in 2024—even the best and brightest applicants need to have a rock-solid backup plan. All college-bound teens need to make sure that they formulate an appropriate college list, containing a complement of “target” and “safety” schools. You’ll definitely want to do this in conjunction with an admissions professional (including your own high school counselor).