Students should be aware that it takes a lot to stand out from the other 33,000+ students they are competing against when applying to MIT, a school with a 4% acceptance rate where a 1500 SAT would place you below the average enrolled student. Indeed, it takes a lot to get accepted. While it may seem frightening to strive to be one of the 1 in 25 people who will finally get admitted, every year about 1,300 people manage to accomplish this impressive achievement.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is one of the rare universities that offers quite so many essay options. Each applicant must answer five questions when they complete the MIT application. Your goal is to create memorable, captivating essays that demonstrate your excellent writing skills and tell readers more about you as a person. The MIT supplemental essay prompts for the 2022–2023 admissions cycle are listed here, along with advice on how to respond to each one.
The MIT Supplemental Essay Prompts
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.
MIT has made it clear that you should abandon your résumé and withdraw from mentioning organised activities. It’s more important to show what you love to do than to demonstrate your skills. In other words, the topic of this question is self-care: What makes you smile every single time, without fail? What aids in your battery recharging? When you’re upset, what do you do and where do you go? You’re on the right track when you begin to consider ideas that seem a little ridiculous or intimate. You should choose a casual hobby that is special to you.MIT welcomes your candour, but we also advise that you temper it with specifics and storytelling. Let your character and preferences come through!
Describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?
The word “community” can signify anything, which is the wonderful part about writings about communities. It might be something conventional like your extended family or place of worship, but it might also be any other group you identify with. If you’re having trouble, try to think of a few specific persons who have had a positive influence on your life. Incorporate them into a wider community after that. If you chose your grandfather, consider how your larger family has influenced who you are today. What perspectives on the world have your family customs provided you? How can you convince the admissions committee to view you in a different light?
MIT brings people with diverse backgrounds and experiences together to better the lives of others. Our students work to improve their communities in different ways, from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you to contribute to your community.
This prompt is best approached from the backwards angle because the final statement encapsulates everything. A theatrical club or an entire city can be considered a part of your community. You probably already have a specific community service project in mind, but before you get started, we urge you to stop and consider some simpler, more casual possibilities. Additionally, you should consider how your work relates to “the world’s major concerns,” but beginning small may help you create a more original and in-depth essay. Consider a time when you worked with individuals that are different from you and felt as though you had a positive impact on your community. It doesn’t matter how small it is as long as it means a lot to you. Whatever you decide, make sure it’s a story or experience that has personal significance for you.
Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced (that you feel comfortable sharing) or something that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?
Of course, some teenagers have experienced greater hardship than others. The challenge or scenario itself is less significant than what it reveals about your character and personality, which is something you should always keep in mind. It’s okay if you want to write about a common subject, such as getting kicked off a sports team or having difficulty in a certain advanced course. Any story can connect with an admissions reader if it is told in an authentic, emotive, and connected way. There are only cliché responses in this situation; there are no cliché themes.
Your essay must be incredibly tight and polished due to the somewhat strict 250 word limit.
Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words or fewer)
This is MIT’s take on the traditional “Why Us Essay.” Even if you aren’t quite sure what you want to major in, MIT is interested in learning about your academic passions and how their programs will fit them. You will be well on your way to proving your fit if you can create a link between your personal interests and the resources offered at MIT. So set aside some time to conduct in-depth research on the MIT website. Look for information about news and research coming from your department of interest, the types of courses offered, and the chances other undergrads have had studying in your field of interest in addition to the standard departmental listings. Even if you have a diverse range of interests, think about describing how two or three departments may complement one another or help you pursue your passion in the context of a wider subject. Your ultimate objective is to demonstrate how deeply invested you are in MIT and how intellectually curious you are.
Essays with Rostrum
The supplemental essays are a crucial component of your application, and writing them on your own can be very difficult. Every step of the essay writing process can be aided by the team of highly qualified college counsellors at Rostrum Education. Every one of our students gets individualised essay assistance, which might include everything from coming up with essay topic ideas to editing the essay. We will assist you in presenting a convincing argument to the admissions committee about who you are and your experiences. To learn more, contact us for a free consultation.
