MIT Essays 2024-2025

MIT Essays

As regular decision deadlines draw closer, many students will be submitting applications to MIT. Don’t let your first time learning about the MIT essays be when you open up their application portal: read this guide on the MIT essays to put your best foot forward.

MIT is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States: the most recent MIT ranking is #2, right behind Princeton and in front of Harvard. You probably won’t be surprised to find out that MIT’s acceptance rate is quite low. That’s all the more reason to focus on acing your MIT essays as part of your MIT application. 

In this guide to the MIT essays, we’ll go over:

• Basic facts, like where is MIT? How many MIT essays do you need to write?
• The MIT essay prompts
• Approaching and writing the MIT supplemental essays
• Tips for acing each of the MIT essays
• What makes the MIT essays different
• Important deadlines and dates for your MIT essays
• Helpful resources for writing and revising MIT supplemental essays

First, let’s go over some quick facts about the MIT essays and MIT essay prompts.

MIT Essay Prompts: Quick Facts

Does MIT have supplemental essays?

Does MIT have essays? To put it simply, yes. If you’re wondering about the specifics of MIT supplemental essays, the answer can be a bit complicated. Unlike other schools where the essays are “supplemental” to the Common App, the MIT supplemental essays are the only essays of the application. In other words, they aren’t truly supplemental. 

There are five total MIT essays, and five MIT essay prompts to match. You must write all of the MIT essays in order to be considered. There’s also an optional section for any additional information, like special circumstances or an explanation for a gap in your transcript.

We’ll refer to the MIT essays sometimes as MIT supplemental essays because they share the same structure, format, and topics as other schools’ supplemental essays. In addition, the MIT essay prompts are similar to those of other schools’ supplemental essays. Functionally, they can be thought of as MIT supplemental essays. Whether you think of them as MIT essays or MIT supplemental essays, just remember that they are mandatory, and that they are the only essay component of the MIT application. 

We’re going to go into more detail on the MIT essay prompts below, but they might look a bit familiar. The MIT essay prompts and their word counts are similar to those of other schools. The MIT essays for 2024 are only 100-200 words. 

Next, let’s dive into the MIT essay prompts.

MIT Essay Prompts

The MIT essay prompts are a way for you to tell the admissions committee more about who you are. Focus on questions like, what matters to you, what are your values, and what makes you unique. In general, college essays enrich your application by allowing you space to describe yourself rather than just relying on transcripts. The MIT essays are no exception.

The MIT essay prompts fall into well-known college essay categories. They ask you to explain things like what you want to study and why, your extracurricular activities, unique points, how you collaborate with others, and experiences with adversity. 

To learn more about each of the MIT essay prompts, keep reading. 

MIT Essay #1 – Field of Study

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.

The first of your MIT essays asks you to reflect on what you want to study at MIT and why. This isn’t a quiz, and you won’t be held to your answer. In fact, MIT students don’t declare their majors until the end of their first year at the school. 

Instead, the first of the MIT essays is meant to describe what interests you and how you’d pursue it at MIT. Since this essay is only 100—200 words, remember to be direct: say what you want to study, and say why. 

Many students have an idea of what they want to study but get a bit tripped up when asked “why.” We won’t say there are no wrong answers — probably don’t say “to make a lot of money,” or “because my parents want me to.” However, as we’ve said, your MIT essays are a place for admissions to learn about you and what you care about. Don’t stress, just be honest!

Your “why” also doesn’t have to be grand. You don’t need to say you’re trying to cure world hunger or invent the next iPhone (though if you are, go for it!). It could be something as simple as you like the way that problem-solving stretches your brain. Maybe you read about the way that you can apply your field to innovations in medicine. Perhaps you never felt interested in school until the first time you studied proofs in math class. 

The most important tip is just to be honest.

MIT Essay Prompt #2 – Extracurricular 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.

The second of the MIT essay prompts is what we call an extracurricular essay. Where the first MIT essay prompt asked about your academic interests, this one asks about your interests outside of school. 

The prompt gives you a lot of freedom to choose which activity to write about. If there’s an activity that pops into your head first, that one is likely the best one! What do you do outside of school that matters to you, and why? 

As a high school student, it may be hard to find something you do “simply” for pleasure, because extracurricular activities don’t always feel optional. However, as long as you’ve chosen to do the activity, and you care about it, feel free to write about it!

When writing an extracurricular activity essay, make sure you’re not just restating your activities list. As it happens, after the MIT essays comes a section specifically about meaningful activities. Instead, focus on telling the admissions committee something new. This could be a brief anecdote that encapsulates why this activity matters to you or why you’re doing it. You might also explain how you see this activity factoring into your future career or academic plans.

You can also use this one of the MIT essays to just write about something you love doing, like reading, hiking, or watching movies. Just be sure to state why you enjoy these things, and elaborate on basic answers. For example, don’t just say you like hiking because it’s relaxing: what about it relaxes you?

MIT Supplemental Essay #3 – Something Different

While some reach their goals following well-trodden paths, others blaze their own trails achieving the unexpected. In what ways have you done something different than what was expected in your educational journey?

MIT states on its website that it is looking for students who are “intensely curious and driven to explore.” The third of your MIT essays is meant to learn more about the unique side of you. What have you done that wasn’t expected of you?

If you read this prompt and think “I’ve never done something different than what was expected on my educational journey,” then reflect on your high school experience. The “something different” could be anything from taking a class that your friends weren’t taking, to pursuing academics outside of school. Some MIT essays for this prompt even describe deciding not to take advice from a parent or teacher when pursuing an educational goal. 

The unstated part of many MIT essay prompts is the “why:” why did you do something unexpected, and what did you learn from it? More than just stating what you did that was out of the ordinary, you need to explain the motivation and outcome. Remember, your MIT essays are there so that admissions can learn more about you. Don’t just say, “I took higher-level math classes at a nearby college,” since they can already see that on your transcript. Your MIT essays must provide new information. 

MIT Essay #4 – Community Essay

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.

For the next of the MIT essays, think of a time when you have worked with someone different than you. What did you learn from them? How did you implement that knowledge? Collaboration and open-mindedness are essential skills for college students, and strong MIT essays show that you know how to work with people different from yourself. 

Have you ever overcome a language barrier? Did you work with people older or younger than you, or from a different place? Or, if you just worked with other students who share similar backgrounds, what did you learn from the collaboration and how did it enrich your community? Think about these questions when answering this MIT essay prompt.

As with the other MIT essay prompts, ensure you bring new information to light with this piece. Highlight impactful lessons from this collaboration; if possible, relate it to your broader narrative. The contributions and insights from this experience should align with the personality and worldview presented in other essays.

MIT Essay #5 – Unexpected Challenges

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

If you don’t like this question, sorry: you’re going to hear it in college applications and job interviews for the rest of your life.

Many students applying to MIT will say that they are “problem solvers.” This is MIT’s response to that. Okay, you’re a problem solver — recount a time you solved a (non-academic) problem. 

As with all of the other MIT essays, this is a short answer, and your answer should only be 100–200 words. That means you must be concise to explain the situation and challenge, as well as your approach and takeaways all in one. Don’t worry about your writing style: just focus on getting the information across. 

As for the topic of the final one of your MIT essays, think about your extracurriculars, classes, and the relationships you’ve formed in those spaces. Were you ever planning an event and encountered a problem? Did you ever struggle to collaborate with a team member? Maybe your circumstances changed when you were growing up — did you ever move, or change schools? How did you handle that challenge, and what did you learn from it?

Remember that your challenge doesn’t need to be completely unique; indeed, very few people will have a completely unique topic. Focus instead on conveying your authentic experience and approach to the situation.

MIT Additional Information Essay

The last of the MIT essays is optional — you should only answer it if you genuinely have something to add. 

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.

This is not the place to add information just for the sake of it. Here, you should let MIT know if you experienced any extenuating circumstances when preparing your application or during high school. If you ever had to take time off , or your grades dipped (significantly) because of personal hardship, explain that here.

As a rule of thumb, you should only write something here if you feel that your MIT application would be incomplete without it. Would the MIT admissions committee make an uninformed decision based on the information you already provided them? Is the information missing in your MIT essays, your class and activities lists, your letters of recommendation, and your test scores?

More MIT Supplemental Materials to look out for

There are a few other MIT supplemental materials that you can submit. Unlike the MIT essay prompts and MIT essays, these materials are genuinely supplemental. They are additional, optional things that you can submit to enrich your application if the situation applies to you.

The MIT supplemental materials are known as a “creative portfolio,” and you can submit four different types: a research supplement, a music and theater arts portfolio, a visual art and architecture portfolio, and a maker portfolio. 

All of these portfolios are optional; however, you should consider submitting one of these MIT supplemental portfolios if you’ve done one of the following:

• You have done significant research
• You have created something significant through engineering, crafting, or coding
• You are applying with the intent to study theater or design. 

How long are the MIT essays?

The MIT essays are each 100–200 words. This isn’t that long, but it’s long enough to write a few concise paragraphs answering each question. It’s also short enough that you must think very carefully about your words.

For short essays like the MIT supplemental essays, the clarity of your writing is paramount. Don’t waste time on unnecessary sentences or anecdotes, and get to your point as quickly as possible. 

When you’re brainstorming your essays for MIT, don’t worry about the length too much. Try not to overshoot it a serious amount, like by more than 100 or so words. But when you’re just free writing or writing a first draft, don’t get too preoccupied with meeting the word count. It’s always better to overwrite and edit down than to have to beef up something minimal. 

Does MIT require a Common App Essay?

So does MIT require a Common App essay alongside the 5 MIT supplemental essays?

No, it does not. MIT has its own application and does not accept the Common App or the Coalition Application. The application asks for nearly identical information: transcripts, letters of recommendation, a list of your activities, and test scores, which are mandatory at MIT. However, there is no long personal statement like on the Common App. 

The five MIT essays that we covered earlier are the only essays for MIT. 

What does MIT look for in essays?

When writing your essays for MIT, it’s important to think about what the MIT admissions committee is looking for. Sometimes students interpret this recommendation as meaning that they have to write something impressive, or tell a story that’s especially unique or impactful. It’s important to remember that MIT isn’t looking for the students with the most accolades or accomplishments. They want intelligent, curious, passionate individuals who will go on to make a difference in the world.

On their website, MIT is clear that in essays, they want students to be “honest, be open, be authentic.” 

“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.”

Write authentically

So what does this mean? Just be yourself. Schools like MIT have the privilege of choosing from an enormous pool of people for a very selective class. They want to know what makes you, you. Every person is different, even if you don’t always feel like the most unique, or struggle to articulate what separates you from the pack. 

If you’re stuck — which is totally fine, since it doesn’t come naturally to most people to brainstorm their unique qualities — think about what you’re passionate about. What do you care about more than other people do? Are there certain things that spark your curiosity? What could you spend hours talking to a friend about? What do you value? How do you want to impact the world? These are the types of things that MIT would want to hear about in your essays.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try and work your accomplishments into your essays for MIT. Just whatever you do, make sure you are supplying new information to the admissions committee — not just restating your resume. If you’re not telling them something new, they have no reason to read your essays. 

MIT Essay Examples

If you’re still stuck on what your essays for MIT might look like, check out these MIT essay examples.

By reading examples of essays for MIT, you can get a better understanding of what works, and how to structure your essay in just 200 words. Even if essay prompts and word counts from past years are different, the advice remains the same. A successful approach is flexible enough to apply to various prompts and universities.

Applying to MIT

When you’re applying to MIT, there are a few things you should know.

First, some basic facts about the university, like “where is MIT?” MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Neighboring cities Cambridge and Boston are a huge destination for college students. They feature many world-class universities like MIT, Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, and Northeastern.

Now that you can answer, “where is MIT?”, you’ll want to know the MIT ranking: the MIT ranking is #2 in the nation, according to U.S. News. The middle 50% of accepted MIT students have scores that fall between 780-800 on the SAT Math, and 750-780 on SAT reading. There is no required SAT score to apply to MIT, but it’s good to know the average scores of admitted students. Knowing average scores can help you figure out how your academic record stacks up.

If you apply to MIT, there are also significant MIT scholarships. MIT offers need-based financial aid packages, which means that if you fall under a certain income level, you’ll receive an MIT scholarship. More than half of undergraduates at MIT receive MIT scholarships. 

MIT, or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a STEM-focused school. MIT does have majors in non-STEM fields like comparative media studies, economics, and political Science. However, the bulk of the student body is there due to the school’s excellence in fields like computer science, math, and engineering.

If you want to major in a humanities discipline, you might have a better experience at a liberal arts college. These colleges have a more balanced distribution of students in different majors. However, if you plan on majoring in STEM but want to minor in something more artistic or literary, MIT is still a fantastic option.

Your Application

For your application, you’ll need to submit your official transcript, letters of recommendation, and your test scores. MIT also requests that you submit your own list of your classes and grades. This helps them better understand the specific offerings at your school and your academic experiences. For the letters of recommendation, the school specifies that you receive one from a math or science teacher, and one from a humanities, social studies, or language teacher. 

In the activities section of your application, you’ll submit your top four activities and describe what they mean to you. Unlike the Common App, which asks you to list up to 10 activities, the MIT app wants you to be more specific in your list. As a rule of thumb, choose the activities where you have leadership roles and a significant time investment, and that mean the most to you. 

Now, let’s talk about deadlines.

What is the application deadline for MIT?

MIT has a number of application deadlines. 

MIT accepts applicants Early Action and Regular Action. The MIT Early Action deadline is November 1. If you choose this deadline, your entire application package is due on that date: your application, your letters of recommendation, and your transcript.

If you choose to apply Regular Action, your deadline is January 6th. To apply on time, make sure that you’ve taken your SAT by December. Ideally, you will have taken the SAT at least once before this date in order to maximize your chance at a strong score. 

MIT emphasizes that they do not have a preference between Early and Regular action — do what works best for you. Early Action at MIT also isn’t restrictive, meaning that you can apply to multiple schools early alongside MIT. That is to say, you can apply elsewhere as long as those schools aren’t restrictive as well. 

More Resources for your MIT Essays

CollegeAdvisor is here to help you with all of your college essays, including any MIT essays or additional preparation for your application. If you’re looking for general essay examples to help you get into the college essay mindset, check out these guides here of essays that worked at other Ivy League schools.

For a step-by-step guide on how to apply to MIT, check out this article. 

We also have webinars where applicants can hear from current and former MIT students on how they navigated the application. Watch this webinar to learn more. 

MIT Essays- Takeaways

The MIT essays are unique, and acing them is essential to scoring an admission to MIT. MIT is one of the top universities nationally, and worldwide. You want the admissions committee to learn as much as they can about who you are so that they can make an informed decision. 

In this guide, we covered how to write the MIT essays and broke down the different prompts. We also discussed what makes the MIT app different, how to apply to MIT, and more. Here are 5 main takeaways about MIT essays:

Remember, if you’re ever struggling with college applications, CollegeAdvisor is here to help. We have tons of free resources, like essay guides, college deep dives, and explainers on how to master the college application process. We also offer one-on-one advising and essay editing. Need some support in your college application journey? Contact us today!

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