Trivia: This year's admit rate was 11.9%. What was the admit rate for my class, the MIT Class of 2000, when we were admitted in 1996?
[answer at the end of the entry]
Probably the most popular questions asked at any information session are statistical. What is the average SAT score? How many students were admitted Early Action?
Luckily, I can refer most folks to our website, where we offer a plethora of numbers for any statistical junkie. Recently, we updated the admissions statistics page for this year's application cycle. Here's a quick summary of what you'll find...
Freshman Applications 13,396
Freshman Admits 1,589
Early action
Applicants 3,925
Admitted 522
Deferred to regular action 2,903
Deferred applicants admitted during regular action 279
Regular action
Applicants 9,471
Total considered during regular action (including deferred students) 12,375
Admitted (including deferred students) 1,032
Waitlisted 741
International students
Applied 3,052
Admitted 119
Middle 50% score range of admitted students:
SAT Reasoning Test - Critical Reading [670, 770]
SAT Reasoning Test - Math [730, 800]
ACT Composite [31, 35]
SAT Subject Test - Math [740, 800]
SAT Subject Test - Science [710, 800]
There are lots more statistics available on mitadmissions.org on the freshman class profile and the admissions statistics pages.
Trivia answer: The MIT Class of 2000 admit rate was 24.3% -- more than 2x this year's rate. That could mean that if my admissions colleague McGreggor Crowley '00 and I had applied this year, perhaps only one of us might have been admitted!
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Posted by: Bethan on August 26, 2008
I really need to read before I post. >.*competitive this year
I really need to read before I post. >.<
Posted by: Bethan on August 26, 2008
Posted by: 0 on August 26, 2008
Posted by: Arantxa on August 26, 2008
Posted by: anonymous on August 26, 2008
Posted by: neuron39 on August 26, 2008
Also, could we see statistics on the relationship between (successful) participation in science fairs and admission probability? The statistics provided just seem to show that the quantitative factors represented have a relatively weak correlation with admission rate. Is there, like, a secret (measurable) factor that has a surprisingly strong correlation? Or do you feel that it is better for the final decision to be a qualitative description of the psychological make-up of the applicant? (Sorry if I sound querulous, but the comment on “statistical junkies” energized me into action.)
This is tangential, but I’ve been dabbling a bit in 3D computer graphics and animation with open source software called Blender. This probably will be helpful in engineering visualization. My renderings and a few short pieces of creative writing are on my blog: http://geniosity-corner.blogspot.com/ Go Open Source!
Posted by: Tautologizer on August 26, 2008
Posted by: Kasey on August 26, 2008
I TAKE YO STEREOTYPE. I BREAK YO STEReOTYPE.
Posted by: 0 on August 26, 2008
the male female question is a good question.
doesn't MIT have one of the lowest admit rate for male applicants?
=/
Posted by: mynameiscabbage on August 27, 2008
Posted by: JU on August 27, 2008
Posted by: Kishan on August 27, 2008
Females are more self-selective in the admission process. They take themselves out of the pool more often then males. For further reference, there was a famous lawsuit against Berkeley about their grad school discriminating against gender. (or you can just take a Statistics class) Basically, it doesn't help your admission probability if you're female (or just list yourself as female).
@Tautologizer
There isn't really a "secret free-admission ticket" even though everybody wishes there was one. MIT admissions (and almost all college admissions) looks at the whole applicant.
Posted by: Albert Wang '12 on August 27, 2008
It's been stated many times that great scores and other statistics get you consideration only. Everyone who applies to MIT looks good on paper. It's the other parts of the application - essays, the interview, an in-depth extracurricular or two, that distinguish successful applicatants.
Posted by: 0 on August 27, 2008
I guessed that was the subtext of giving those statistics, but my point was that there may be some measurable factor of an applicant that just *happens* to exist very often in acceptable applicants, like successful ISEF participation or something. I am very anxious because it otherwise seems (in practicality) random: only about twenty to thirty percent of applicants with near perfect SAT scores were accepted, and the qualitative factors that the admissions personnel *do* look at seriously are indelible personality traits. To change these would be contrived (not to mention humbling) and would tend to make you undesirable, but to leave them the way they are leaves your undesirable character traits the same. Doh! I guess I'll just work on whatever is in my control to improve and go to whichever college is okay with that.
Posted by: Tautologizer on August 27, 2008
Maybe this post from Ben will help you understand that some things can't be categorized or quantified. Some items that might shine on an application have nothing to do with scores or accomplishments. There might be a revelation as to why an applicant is the person he/she is because of a childhood experience or even a family tradition. These types of things are immeasurable, but they speak loudly about the applicant and shed light on the individual. Here's Ben's post -
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_selection_process_application_reading_committee_and_decisions/there_is_no_formula.shtml
Posted by: anonymous on August 27, 2008
If the admit rate continues dropping at the present pace, what will be the percentage of students admitted in the year 2013?
Actually, I'm not sure I want to know!
Posted by: Claire on August 27, 2008
Thanks, that clarified things. I was thinking about it in totally the wrong framework.
Posted by: Tautologizer on August 27, 2008
Thanks anonymous. You got the reply out before I could. The reason why MIT likes people who do ISEF (and win) is because they're smart. They don't like ISEF people just because "its ISEF." I don't know about you, Tautologizer, but there's a fair amount of people who just look at the profiles of admitted students and copy them (just go to collegeconfidential). They try for 2400 just to get into college, join science fairs just to get into college, etc. whether or not they themselves want to or like to. MIT admissions looks for smart people (characterized by prizes, good grades, high scores, etc.) but more importantly, they look for people who have passion: (not necessarily science/engineering) people who join science fairs for the thrill of discovery and who try for 2400 because they want to see how good they are.
I can't speak for MIT Admissions but that's what I've gathered since I started looking at college admissions more than a year ago.
Posted by: Albert Wang '12 on August 28, 2008
Way to be named Claire and be a prospective '13. By no effort of your own, and simply because some of your traits match mine, I deem you cool for life.
The end.
Posted by: Claire (another one) on August 28, 2008
I DO FOR ADMISSION .
Posted by: MALAY on August 28, 2008
Posted by: Tristam on August 28, 2008
Posted by: Dimitris(hopefully class of 2015) on August 28, 2008
Posted by: Aditya on August 28, 2008
I think you've got to have a minimum TOEFL score...
Posted by: Aditya on August 28, 2008
9,464 male applicants - 828 admitted @ a rate of 8.8 percent
3,391 female applicants - "a double digit percent increase" from last year with 761 admitted @ a rate of 22.4 percent
"The female applicant pool remains more self-selecting," Schmill said. "We admit the best students regardless of gender, and we are pleased that this turns out to the as balanced as it is."
Considering that the overall undergraduate population in the U.S. is 60% female and 40% male, studies have shown that overall females have a much more difficult time getting admitted to selective universities across the country. Typically, females experience a much lower percentage of admit rates than males. MIT may be the only selective institution where this not the case. I have no doubt that the admitted females have equal qualifications as the admitted male students.
Besides, what incoming freshman male students would want to attend a university where the ratio was 65/35 male to female? That is what would occur if admit rates of males/females were equalized. Your current freshman class would have 681 males and 367 females. That would just be no fun at all.
Here's the article:
http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N34/classof2012.html
Cheers to the increase in female applicants!!!
Posted by: anonymous on August 28, 2008
this is the easy part, the toefl. i know about the scores.SAT i think is a bit difficultier.
something else. i know someone called aditya who won NASA aeronautic competition this year. is it you?
Posted by: Dimitris(hopefully class of 2015) on August 28, 2008
Thank you. Maybe this was misunderstood, i would technically be a prospect '17er. i was hoping for some admissions statistics for entrance year 2013.
Am i still cool for life?
Posted by: 1st Claire on August 28, 2008
Posted by: Anonymous on August 28, 2008
Posted by: Anonymous on August 28, 2008
As people have said before, there is no formula for getting into MIT. 2390 is a great score, but ultimately, just because your friend has a 2390 doesn't mean he's guaranteed acceptance.
Every other part of his application will matter too, it's all taken into consideration.
I hope that helps. =]
Posted by: Bethan on August 28, 2008
Posted by: Paul on August 28, 2008
None at all. Lots of people with perfect scores are rejected, and lots of people with much lower scores are rejected.
It's all in context :]
Posted by: - on August 28, 2008
Posted by: - on August 28, 2008
I have a question, when someone's name is "Someone '11", this means what? His/her entrance year might be 2011 or he/she will graduate in 2011?
Posted by: Vangelis on August 29, 2008
I am an international student from the most populous country in the world who made it to Intel ISEF 2008. How much will that help me in admission to MIT?
Posted by: KongZi on August 29, 2008
@ KongZi - A lot, I imagine. It shows strong interest in science and engineering, skill, determination... congrats, by the way! But it doesn't guarantee your acceptance, of course. Make sure the rest of your application supports what your Intel achievement says about you, too.
Posted by: - on August 29, 2008
Posted by: ao on August 29, 2008
Posted by: Yangrui on August 29, 2008
By the way, I'm reapplying freshman this year. Sorry for the e-mail regard with your decision that I was a bit emotional.
Posted by: Yangrui on August 29, 2008
I'm a foreign student from Brazil. I would like to know if MIT has some visiting program for students from another college. A program to course part (like 1 year) of the graduation at MIT.
Thanks
Posted by: Romulo on August 29, 2008
The web page on international students says that anyone who is not a US citizen or permanent resident must apply as an international student.
I've been in the states for 8 years and am in the process of obtaining a greencard- I have an A Number; do I have to apply as an international student? If so, what do I do if I obtain my greencard during this upcoming school year?
Thanks
Posted by: YT on August 29, 2008
Posted by: Davo on August 30, 2008
What are the chances of that happening? =-----
COMMENT:
AUTHOR: -
EMAIL:
IP: 71.232.145.22
URL:
DATE: 08/30/2008 11:44:37 AM
COMMENT_BODY:
Yangrui: it absolutely will! Talk about your project in that optional section of the application that says "tell us about something you created."
Posted by: Helen '15 on August 30, 2008
Posted by: Yangrui on August 30, 2008
Posted by: Roman K. on August 31, 2008
Posted by: Calvin Griffin on September 2, 2008
Posted by: Dhvanit on September 2, 2008
Posted by: Alan Chestnut on September 3, 2008
i m expecting ur experiences with talent but poor international students.
Posted by: ashis on September 4, 2008
u r responding to it soon aren't u?
from
nepal,asia
Posted by: ashis on September 4, 2008
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