国产第一福利影院草草

Many of the 26,000+ annual applicants to MIT would qualify as 鈥済eniuses鈥� 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:

• MIT’s acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
• Where is MIT located?
• Is MIT Ivy League?
• MIT鈥檚 Class of 2029 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)

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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鈥� one of the most prestigious schools in the world 鈥� isn’t even the most famous 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” include Caltech and Stanford.

MIT Acceptance Rate 鈥� Class of 2029

Though the official numbers haven’t been published, an estimated 29,282 students applied to MIT for the Class of 2029. Of those, 1,324 were accepted, which gives MIT an overall acceptance rate of 4.5%. This rate is roughly the same as the previous year.

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 17,229 applications during the regular decision (RD) round and accepted just 612 of them, for an RD acceptance rate of 3.6%.

For comparison, here are historical overall MIT acceptance rates:

MIT Early Action Acceptance Rate 鈥� Class of 2029

A total of 12,053 students applied early action for a place in the MIT Class of 2029. In the 2024-25 cycle, 721 of those applicants were offered admission, equating to a 6% acceptance rate (which was slightly higher than the previous year). The school deferred 7,486 applicants to the regular round and outright rejected 3,039 individuals. (What’s more, 807 applicants withdrew their applications.)

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 2028, the mid-50% SAT range was 740-780 for SAT Verbal and 780-800 for SAT Math. The mid-50% ACT composite scores were 35-36. These numbers are in line with historical trends.

Essentially, you’ll need near-perfect scores to be the most competitive. That said, MIT .

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 for the Class of 2027. That being said, applications were up for the class of 2028, with 28,232 students vying for admission.
• Those enrolled in the Class of 2028 came from 49 states and 59 countries.
• 67% of the enrolled Class of 2028 attended public high schools.
• First-generation students comprised 20% of the Class of 2028.
• The 2023-24 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鈥攖here is no formula for getting into MIT. The admissions staff truly feels that they could build two or three 鈥減erfect鈥� classes out of their annual applicant pool. Since that is an impossibility, many 鈥減erfect-fit鈥� applicants will be rejected in the end.

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

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鈥檛 need to rely on the neighborhood genius when you have a hankering for some lovely lute music鈥攜ou can listen to the very best lutenists in the world on Spotify whenever you like. Keep this in mind when thinking about MIT’s acceptance rate.

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鈥檒l 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鈥檚 look at the demographics of the Class of 2028.

Geographically, the Class of 2027 was comprised of:

• International Students: 11%
• Mid-Atlantic States: 19%
• Southern States & Puerto Rico: 18%
• Western Coast, Alaska, & Hawaii: 18%
• Southwest and Mountain: 11%
• Midwestern & Plains States: 11%
• New England: 12%
• 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 2024-25 freshman cohort was as follows:

• White: 37%
• Asian: 47%
• Hispanic: 11%
• Black/African American: 5%
• American Indian: 1%

An examination of what type of high schools members of the Class of 2028 attended shows the following:

• Public: 67%
• Independent: 14%
• Religious: 7%
• Foreign: 10%
• Home School: <1%

The gender split for the Class of 2028 was fairly even, even though many more men typically apply than women:

• Male: 50%
• Female: 46%
• Other gender identity: 3%
• Did not disclose: 3%

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 2028, broken down by gender, are as follows:

Men: 3.6%

Women: 7%

MIT Yield Rate

MIT鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he 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 MIT’s 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 26,000+ MIT hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• MIT uses its own so plan on devoting a good deal of time to this one (sorry, Common App fans).
• Additionally, the school does not consider 鈥�demonstrated interest鈥� so you won’t 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 鈥済rade received.鈥�
• Also, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay and short answers required by MIT. In the 2025-26 cycle, they were as follows:

Essay Prompts

• 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)
• 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)
• 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? (225 words)
• MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds together to collaborate, from tackling the world鈥檚 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)
• How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn鈥檛 expect? What did you learn from it? (225 words)

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鈥攁s with all uber-elite colleges in 2025鈥攅ven 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 鈥渢arget鈥� and 鈥渟afety鈥� schools. You鈥檒l definitely want to do this in conjunction with an admissions professional (including your own high school counselor).

Ready to start preparing your applications? You might consider checking out the following:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts