First-year application – MIT Admissions

What if I don’t have letter grades for some of my coursework or have chosen to take a class pass/fail?

christine — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 19:51:32 +0000

At MIT Admissions, we understand that there have been many disruptions over the past few years. Some of these may have impacted your grading systems. We want you to know that we accept whatever grades your school can make available to us and consider them in the context of your school, whether that be letter grades, numerical grades, narrative assessments, or something else.

In some cases, you may have the ability to choose the type of grades you want to send us. Numerical or letter grades help us get a better understanding of your mastery in a subject. We encourage students to send those types of grades if they have them, because they help us make better decisions. Grades that are pass/fail give us confidence you have the minimum proficiency in a course to successfully pass.

Please remember that no matter which type kind of grades you send, they are only one piece of the overall application. We look at other factors such as testing, what your teachers say, etc., in order to understand your academic preparation for MIT. If there is an extenuating circumstance that has impacted your performance in a class, or a decision to take a course pass/fail instead of with a letter grade, you can use the additional information section on the self-reported coursework page to provide additional insight.

How can I explain the context of my grades/scores, and/or provide additional information?

Julia Davis — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:28:44 +0000

On the application, there are designated spaces to provide additional context on how the pandemic or other circumstances may have disrupted your coursework, access to testing, and extracurricular activities. If you feel it would be helpful for us to know about your circumstances, you are welcome to use those spaces to share more.

Can I request that my scores not be considered after submitting my application?

Julia Davis — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:28:03 +0000

Scores cannot be redacted from applications after they have been submitted. We encourage you to look at this blog post to better understand the rationale and details of our testing requirement.

How does MIT use my test scores?

Julia Davis — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:24:59 +0000

MIT uses a holistic admissions process, so test scores are just one factor among many for evaluating your preparedness for MIT. Test scores are evaluated alongside other components of the application such as curriculum, grades, and other examinations. Test scores are not the single factor that determines an admission decision (there is no single factor), but they do help us better evaluate academic preparation.

If you are planning on applying to MIT and would like to see our testing requirements, please visit our Tests and scores page.

Does my transcript count as official?

Julia Davis — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 21:20:16 +0000

Transcripts must be sent in by your school counselor or another school representative to fulfill our requirements for an official transcript. This applies for high school and college transcripts. If your school does not have a school counselor, your transcript may be submitted by your registrar’s office, principal/headmaster, or other official entity.

Our Transcripts page has information on how to have your counselor submit your transcript to us.

Please note: If you send us a copy of your transcript while we are waiting for your official transcript to be submitted and processed, we will add it to your application as a placeholder until we receive your official transcript.

How do I send in my transcript?

Julia Davis — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 21:20:09 +0000

All transcripts must be submitted by a school counselor or another school representative to be considered official. This applies for high school and college transcripts. If your school does not have a school counselor, your transcript may be submitted by your registrar’s office, principal/headmaster, or other official entity.

Our Transcripts page has more information on how to have your counselor submit your transcript.

Do letters of recommendation have to be submitted in the MIT application portal?

Julia Davis — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 19:51:09 +0000

Our preference is for recommenders to use our application portal to submit documents. However, they do have the option to submit their additional documents via Naviance, SOCIR, or other methods. Applications will not be disadvantaged if recommenders submit their recommendations through a third-party service other than the MIT application portal.

Applicants should enter their recommender and counselor (or equivalent) information into the Recommendations section of the application, regardless of how the recommender intends to submit their materials, because it will help us match the materials to their application.

What if my application is disrupted by a major event beyond my control?

Chris Peterson SM '13 — Sat, 20 Oct 2018 01:55:56 +0000

If your ability to apply to MIT has been affected by disasters or other serious disruptions—severe weather, military conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, infrastructure failures, civil unrest, or other crises—please know that our hearts go out to you. We understand that there is a lot on your mind, and that you may need to focus on other things, or be temporarily unable to complete your application by our deadlines.

In the interim:

Focus on taking care of yourself, your family, your community, and your safety. You will not be penalized in the application process because of delays caused by major disruptions outside of your control.
We try to be as flexible as possible in these situations. When you’re able to do so, reach out to us at 617.253.3400 or email us at admissions@mit.edu. We’ll be here to talk to you and figure out a way to make sure we get your application and supporting materials.
As always, if the application fee poses a financial hardship, we’ll waive it.
If you had been planning, but are unable, to apply for Early Action, please remember that there is no benefit or advantage in doing so, and you should feel at ease applying during Regular Action.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions, and please take care of yourself.

May I include supplementary materials with my application?

Diane Stillman — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 17:25:06 +0000

Our admissions process is designed to be completed online. Creative portfolios in SlideRoom are available for researchers, performing artists, visual artists, and makers to submit supplemental materials.

If you must mail materials to MIT, please use this address:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room E38-200
Cambridge, MA 02139

I’m taking college classes, do I apply for transfer admission?

Diane Stillman — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:48:22 +0000

The transfer process is intended for students who have finished high school and completed at least one year of college. If you’re still in high school, you’re considered a first-year applicant regardless of how many classes you’ve taken at the university level.