the short answer
because we care about you, and we know you like the short answer.
| mit average sat score | mit average act score | mit acceptance rate | mit average gpa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,550 | 35.5 | 7.3% | 4.17 |
pretty intimidating stuff…but don’t worry, there’s a lot more to a successful college application than just your gpa and test scores!
however, almost all schools require that applicants submit either sat or act results to be considered for admission. so tackling those tests is a great place to start. and we’re here to help!
now keep reading for a whole lot of information about mit admissions: mit sat scores (…or mit act scores, if that’s what you’re into), gpa, and heaps of demographics and admissions data.
once you know what to aim for, we’ll talk about how to get into mit, especially when it comes to getting your scores where they need to be.
and now…the long answer
so you’re thinking about applying the massachusetts institute of technology. what’s that about?
well–whether you come from an mit legacy family, or just recently learned what the acronym stands for–there are a ton of reasons to set your sights on this gem of a university:
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- mit has huge name recognition worldwide…the school is currently ranked as the 3th best national university, the 4th best value school, and holds the number 1 spot in best undergraduate engineering programs
at schools whose highest degree is a doctorate. it’s definitely one of the best universities out there!
- mit has huge name recognition worldwide…the school is currently ranked as the 3th best national university, the 4th best value school, and holds the number 1 spot in best undergraduate engineering programs
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- mit’s median alumni starting salary of $76,900. not bad for a starting salary!
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- the student-faculty ratio at mit is 3:1, and the school has 69.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, which is especially impressive for a large research institution.
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- mit is known for it’s engineering school, but it also boasts top rated programs in finance and in economics.
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- 58% of full-time mit undergraduates receive need-based financial aid, averaging $47,593, which is a nice chunk of change to help offset your costs before that starting salary kicks in.
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- you’ll get to spend four years (and then probably also all the years after that) around super smart, inspiring people. you belong together!
mit sat scores
okay, let’s dive in. here are the most recent mit sat scores for students who submitted sat scores and were admitted to mit in 2020!
| mit average sat score | mit 25th-75th percentile sat score range: composite | mit 25th-75th percentile sat score range: ebrw | mit 25th-75th percentile sat score range: math |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1550 | [1520, 1580] | [730, 780] | [790, 800] |
what does all this mean?
well, for a start, it means the top 25% of students admitted to mit this year earned a combined sat score of over 1580 (which most likely means scoring well over 750 on both parts of the sat).
the middle 50% earned between 1520 and 1580.
and the bottom 25% earned below 1520. therefore, 75% of mit’s current sophomore class scored above a 1520 on the sat…pretty impressive!
it’s generally a good practice to aim for an sat score around the 75th percentile of whatever the school you’re looking at has recently admitted. having a concrete goal will help you focus your studying, and hitting the 75th percentile of mit sat scores will give you a really nice cushion as you go into the admissions process.
check out the tables below for more detailed breakdowns how students scored on what portions of the sat.
| mit sat scores (math) | applicants | admits | admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 750-800 | 11,342 | 1,081 | 10% |
| 700-740 | 1,613 | 23 | 1% |
| 650-690 | 758 | 0 | 0% |
| 600-640 | 312 | 0 | 0% |
| < 600 | 254 | 0 | 0% |
| mit sat scores (ebrw) | applicants | admits | admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 750-800 | 6,557 | 736 | 11% |
| 700-740 | 4,200 | 276 | 7% |
| 650-690 | 2,099 | 73 | 3% |
| 600-640 | 869 | 12 | 1% |
| < 600 | 554 | 7 | 1% |
while mit may be your dream school, chances are that there other schools on your list too. for that reason, we’ve put together a post covering the sat score range for each of the top 100 colleges and universities in america. more than one goal score never hurt anyone!
mit act scores
moving on!
| mit 25th-75th percentile act score range: composite | mit 25th-75th percentile act score range: english | mit 25th-75th percentile act score range: math |
|---|---|---|
| [35, 36] | [35, 36] | [35, 36] |
same drill as before.
for students who submitted act scores and were admitted to mit in 2020, the 25th percentile of mit act scores came in at 35; the 75th percentile of mit act scores landed one point higher at 36.
shooting for the 75th percentile of mit act scores will make your own score competitive, so try to aim for that perfect 36!
here’s another breakdown, so you can get a better feel for what you’re dealing with than just “aim for a perfect score!” 😉
| mit act scores (composite) | applicants | admits | admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34-36 | 5,597 | 537 | 10% |
| 31-33 | 1,428 | 54 | 4% |
| 28-30 | 467 | 5 | 1% |
| 25-27 | 236 | 1 | <1% |
| < 25 | 164 | 0 | 0% |
| mit act scores (math) | applicants | admits | admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34-36 | 5,551 | 538 | 10% |
| 31-33 | 1,293 | 55 | 4% |
| 28-30 | 630 | 3 | <1% |
| 25-27 | 304 | 1 | <1% |
| < 25 | 114 | 0 | 0% |
| mit act scores (english) | applicants | admits | admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34-36 | 6,042 | 535 | 9% |
| 31-33 | 868 | 40 | 5% |
| 28-30 | 433 | 15 | 3% |
| 25-27 | 265 | 5 | 2% |
| < 25 | 284 | 2 | 1% |
keep in mind that mit also takes act superscores into consideration, so you may want to consider taking the test multiple times!
mit acceptance rate
as we mentioned in the short answer, the mit admissions rate in 2020 was 7.3%. well strap in, because things are about to get a lot more specific:
| freshman applications | 20,075 |
| freshman admits | 1,457 |
| percentage admitted | 7.3% |
| early action applicants | 8,384 |
| admitted early action | 687 |
| deferred to regular action | 5,880 |
| deferred applicants admitted during regular action |
238 |
| regular action applicants | 10,234 |
| total considered during regular action (including deferred students) | 16,114 |
| admitted regular action (including deferred students) |
770 |
| offered a place on the wait list | 621 |
| number admitted from the wait list | 0 |
| u.s. citizens/permanent residents applied | 15,926 |
| u.s. citizens/permanent residents admitted | 1,315 |
| international students applied | 4,149 |
| international students admitted | 142 |
mit gpa average
mit actually doesn’t officially report the gpas of its admitted students–but based on data from more than 1,000 schools, the average gpa of a freshman at mit is 4.17.
as you probably are aware, high schools generally use a weighted gpa out of 4.0, meaning you would have to be taking plenty of ap or ib classes (and racking up a’s across the board) to be averaging a 4.17.
mit freshmen profile
ready to go all the way down the rabbit hole? if i remember anything about applying to college, it’s that i was obsessed with any and all information about which students were getting into my school of choice (even when it was bad for me, like cate blanchett in indiana jones).
mit freshman profile (2020-2021)
with that in mind, here’s demographic data on mit’s most recent incoming class…almost certainly more than you could ever want to know about how to get into mit.
| male | 51% |
| female | 49% |
| other gender identity | <1% |
| white/caucasian | 39% |
| american indian/alaskan native | 2% |
| black/african american | 11% |
| hispanic/latinx | 14% |
| asian/asian america | 42% |
| native hawaiian/pacific islander | 1% |
| us citizens & permanent residents | 90% |
| international citizens | 10% |
| number of countries represented | 50 |
mit admissions faq
just in case you still have any mit admissions questions, we threw together some handy faqs:
q. tell me how to get into mit…do i need perfect test scores?
a. well, the higher your scores, the better, but honestly you’d be better off applying with average test scores and impressive extracurriculars than with perfect scores and mediocre extracurriculars. mit wants to admit people, not statistics! according to ashley c. from transizion:
as you sit down to work on your application, brainstorm the following:
- how can you convey your passion for science, mathematics, and technology? what do you love about these fields? what makes you curious? how do you pursue these interests in your spare time?
- have you used your stem skills to solve problems or give back to your community?
- how do you envision using these skills in the future, and why is mit the best school to help you achieve your goals?
this doesn’t mean you should only talk about stem in your application; feel free to discuss your basketball handles, love of jazz music, or stellar baking skills as well. but write from the heart about your passion for stem and your innovative, curious spirit.
weave specific details about your relevant interests, intellectual pursuits, and meaningful experiences throughout the application, and you’ll show that you’re a great fit for mit.”
according to ronayw on admitsee, the summer is a great time to pursue the interests that mit likes to see!
q. is mit is super-competitive and cutthroat?
a. actually, mit is a very collaborative place…probably because the programs are so challenging that everyone could use the help!
q. will it be easier to get into mit if i apply as a humanities major?
a. no.
q. can i survive at mit without being a child prodigy?
a. it’s more important to be hardworking than brilliant. everyone meets their boundaries eventually, and when that happens, you’ll need a good work ethic in order to keep on pushing.
the takeaway
mit is extremely selective, so a high standardized test score and gpa will be vital to your chances of getting in. and while you can’t go back in time and change your grades, you can always retake the sat or act if you aren’t satisfied with your scores.
but before you head to the testing center, make sure you’re well prepared. after all, these exams are long, difficult, and cost money.
find a study schedule that suits your needs, using a test prep program that works for you…i recommend checking out the free 1-week sat trial or the free 1-week act trial from magoosh–maybe it’ll be your cup of tea.
we’re here to help you build the best possible college application…but whatever test prep you end up using, just make sure it’s high quality.
if you’ve prepared yourself to the best of your ability, then there’s nothing to regret.
with any luck you’ll be heading to massachusetts in the fall.
but for now, you better get studying! 🙂
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