essay for mit

First-year applicants: Essays, activities & academics

Rather than asking you to write one long essay, the MIT application consists of several short response questions and essays designed to help us get to know you. Remember that this is not a writing test. Be honest, be open, be authentic—this is your opportunity to connect with us.

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.

Our questions

For the 2023–2024 application, we’re asking these short answer essay questions:

• 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.
• 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.
• How has the world you come from—including your opportunities, experiences, and challenges—shaped your dreams and aspirations?
• 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.
• How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it?

Depending on the question, we’re looking for responses of approximately 100–200 words each. 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.

Please use our form, not a resume, to list your activities. There is only enough space to list four things—please choose the four that mean the most to you and tell us a bit about them.

Self-reported Coursework Form

How you fill out this form will not make or break your application, so don’t stress about it. Use your best judgment—we’re simply trying to get a clear picture of your academic preparation by subject area. We see thousands of different transcripts, so it really helps us to view your coursework and grades in a consistent format.

Here are a few quick tips to help you complete this section:

• The self-reported coursework should be completed by students in U.S. school systems only. If you attend an international school, we’ll just use your transcript.
• The information you provide does not replace your official high school transcript, which must be sent to us from your school to verify your self-reported information (in order to avoid accidental misrepresentation, it might help to have a copy of your high school transcript in front of you while completing this form).
• Avoid abbreviations, if at all possible, and enter the names of your school courses by subject area. Please include all classes you have taken and are currently taking. If your courses were taken outside of your high school (at a local junior college or university, for example), tell us where they were taken in the “Class Name” field.
• In the “Grade Received” field, list term and/or final grades for each class, as found on your school transcript (semester, trimester, quarter, final, etc.). Use one entry only per class. For example, it’s not necessary to use a separate entry for each semester of the same class. Place all grades for a class in the same field, separating grades with commas.

MIT Essays that Worked

Mit essays that worked – introduction.

In this guide, we’ll provide you with several MIT essays that worked. After each, we’ll discuss elements of these MIT essay examples in depth. By reading these sample MIT essays and our expert analysis, you’ll be better prepared to write your own MIT essay. Before you apply to MIT, read on for six MIT essays that worked.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university in Cambridge , Massachusetts. Since its founding in 1861, MIT has become one of the world’s foremost institutions for science and technology . With MIT ranking highly year after year, the low MIT acceptance rate is no surprise. Knowing how to get into MIT means knowing about MIT admissions, the MIT application, and how to write MIT supplemental essays.

MIT Supplemental Essay Requirements

The MIT application for 2022–2023 requires four short essays. Each essay should be up to 200 words in length.

MIT 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., describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). how has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations.

• 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.
• 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?

MIT changes the wording of these prompts a little bit every year. As a result, our MIT essay examples may look a little different from the prompts to which you will be crafting your own responses. However, there is a lot of overlap between current and past prompts and often the underlying questions are the same. In other words, even if the prompts differ, most of our MIT essays that worked are still helpful. Even MIT essay examples for prompts that are gone can be useful as a general sample college essay.

As one of the best universities worldwide, MIT is nearly impossible to get into without a good strategy . Even if you don’t have a stellar ACT or SAT score , your essays may impress admissions officers. Let’s briefly analyze each prompt so we know what to look for in MIT essays that worked.

MIT Essay Prompt Breakdown

1. extracurricular essay.

First, you’ll write about an activity you enjoy, whether it’s baking, doing magic tricks, or writing fanfiction. Remember, strong MIT essay examples for this prompt show genuine enthusiasm and explain why the activity is meaningful. Choose a hobby you can write about with gusto while also showing what it means to you.

2. Your Background Essay

Next, we have a prompt asking about your background. This is a classic question; in every other sample college essay, you find answers to this prompt. This question is intentionally open-ended, allowing you to write about any aspect of your background you’d like. In the MIT essays that worked, the “world” has something important to say about the author’s values or outlook.

3. Community Essay

Then, the third essay asks how you work with diverse groups to contribute to a larger community. MIT wants to see that you can work toward community goals while valuing diverse perspectives. But don’t worry. They don’t expect you to have solved world hunger—pick something that demonstrates what community means to you.

4. Significant Challenge Essay

Lastly, we have the failure essay, which seeks to answer how you persist in the face of adversity. Notice the prompt doesn’t mention “overcoming,” so this can be a time that you completely flat-out failed. Everyone handles setbacks differently, so effective MIT essay examples illustrate the author’s unique way of managing failure. It doesn’t have to be a particularly unique or unusual failure, although that may help you stand out .

How to Apply to MIT

MIT doesn’t accept the Common or Coalition Application. Instead, there’s a school-specific application for all prospective students. The 2022 Early Action MIT application deadline was November 1. The Regular Action MIT application deadline is usually January 1, but it’s been extended this year to January 5, 2023. The financial aid information deadline is February 15, 2023.

Depending on your admissions round, you need to submit all materials to the Apply MIT portal by the specified deadline.

MIT application requirements

• Basic biographical information, including your intended area of study
• Four supplemental essays
• A brief list of four extracurricular activities that are meaningful to you
• Self-reported coursework information
• A Secondary School Report from your guidance counselor, including your transcript
• Two letters of recommendation : MIT recommends one from a STEM teacher and one from a humanities teacher.
• SAT or ACT scores —MIT is not test-optional for 2022–2023!
• The February Updates form with your midyear grades (goes live in mid-February)

Furthermore, interviews are offered to many—but not all—students; not being offered an interview doesn’t negatively reflect on your application. At the end of this article, we compile more resources regarding the rest of the application. If you have specific questions about your application, reach out to the MIT admissions office .

Now that we’ve discussed the prompts and MIT admissions process, let’s read some MIT essays that worked. We have six sample MIT essays to help you learn how to write MIT supplemental essays. And, if you’re looking for more tips on managing the application process, watch our webinar on Building Your College Applications Timeline!

MIT Essay Examples #1 – Cultural Background Essay

The first of our MIT essay examples responds to a prompt that isn’t exactly on this year’s list. Let’s take a look. The prompt for this MIT essay that worked is:

Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below (100 word limit). If you need more than 100 words, please use the Optional section on Part 2.

Although the wording isn’t identical to any of this year’s prompts, it is similar to prompt #2. Remember, essay prompt #2 asks about the world you come from, which is essentially your background. However, MIT essay examples for this prompt speak more specifically about cultural background. With a shorter word limit, concise language is even more critical in MIT essays that worked for this prompt.

MIT Essays That Worked #1

My dad is black and my mom is white. But I am a shade of brown somewhere in between. I could never wear my mom’s makeup like other girls. By ten, I was tired seeing confused stares whenever I was with my dad. I became frustrated and confused. I talked to my biracial friends about becoming confident in my divergent ancestral roots. I found having both an understanding of black issues in America and of the middle class’ lack of exposure gave me greater clarity in many social issues. My background enabled me to become a compassionate, understanding biracial woman.

Why This Essay Worked

MIT essays that worked effectively show that the author can think about the bigger picture. This author describes their experiences as a biracial woman while addressing the wider scope of racial issues. While you shouldn’t reach to reference irrelevant societal problems, MIT essays that worked do often incorporate big ideas.

In addition, this author mentions conversations with biracial friends. MIT essay examples often include collaboration and community, and this one is no different. Often, sample MIT essays about cultural background will connect that heritage with one’s community. It shows that you value what makes you unique and can find it in others.

Lastly, strong MIT essay examples display reflection and personal growth. Do you understand the ways your experiences have shaped you, and can you write about them? Can you point to areas where you’ve grown as a result of your experiences? MIT essays that worked link the topic and the writer’s personal growth or values.

MIT Essays That Worked #2 – Activities Essay

The second of our MIT essay examples answers a prompt that’s on this year’s list.

In other words, write about a hobby or extracurricular activity—and what it says about you. As we mentioned above, MIT essays that worked for this prompt aren’t all about lofty ambitions. If you don’t read textbooks in your spare time, don’t write an essay claiming that’s your hobby. Be honest, thoughtful, and enthusiastic while finding a way to make your uniqueness show through. Let’s read one of many MIT essays that worked for this prompt.

MIT Essays That Worked #2

Adventuring. Surrounded by trees wider than I am tall on my right and the clear, blue lake on my left. I made it to the top after a strenuous hike and it was majestic. There is no feeling like the harmony I feel when immersing myself in nature on a hike or running through the mud to train for my sprint triathlon or even fighting for a pair of cute boots on black Friday. I take pleasure in each shade of adventure on my canvas of life, with each deliberate stroke leading me to new ideas, perspectives, and experiences.

MIT essays that worked use precise language to appeal to readers’ emotions. Note words like “strenuous,” “majestic,” “harmony,” and “deliberate.” The strategic use of vivid words like this can strengthen MIT essay examples and heighten their impact. But don’t overuse them—like paintings use a variety of shades, you should play with the intensity of your words.

Another benefit of colorful language is conveying meaning more deeply and precisely. Well-written MIT essay examples layer on meaning: this author likes adventuring through nature as well as life. With effective diction, you can make the most of the words you’re given. Consider using metaphors like in this MIT essay conclusion, comparing life to a canvas.

Now, think about your impression of the author after reading this. They’re active, ambitious, and, above all, adventurous. We know they like to challenge themselves (training for a triathlon) but also like fashion (buying cute boots). And we see from their concluding sentence that they have no intention of slowing down or pulling back. In under 100 words, we’ve got a clear snapshot of their worldview and see their adventuring spirit fits MIT.

MIT Essay Examples #3 – Why Major Essay

The third of our MIT essays that worked answers a prompt that isn’t on our list for 2022.

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why?

This is a classic “Why Major” essay, asked by hundreds of colleges every year. Obviously, the prompt asks about your academic interests . However, it subtly asks about school fit : why is MIT the best place for you to pursue this interest? Although this sample college essay prompt isn’t in this cycle, you should read as many sample MIT essays as possible. MIT essays that worked for the “Why Major” essay prompt illustrated the author’s academic interests and motivations. Let’s see what the next of our sample MIT essays has to say.

MIT Essays That Worked #3

My first step in to the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research was magical. My eyes lit up like Christmas lights and my mind was racing faster than Usain Bolt. I was finally at home, in a community where my passions for biology, chemistry, math, and engineering collided, producing treatments to save lives everywhere.

I pictured myself in a tie-dyed lab coat, watching a tumor grow in a Petri disk then determining my treatment’s effectiveness. If I am admitted to MIT, I look forward to majoring in bioengineering and shaping and contributing to the forefront of bioengineering research.

Earlier, we said that MIT essays that worked use vivid language to drive home their point. This sample college essay is no different. Describing their instantaneous reaction, the author pulls us into their headspace to share in their delight. Following that, they show us their vision for the future. Finally, they state directly how they’ll work toward that vision at MIT.

This author points out that bioengineering aligns with their interests across math and the sciences. There’s no rule saying you can’t be purely into math, but MIT strives to cultivate the world’s leading minds. Many MIT essays that worked present the author as a multifaceted person and intellectual. If you write a Why Major essay for a STEM field, it may be worth your while to take an interdisciplinary angle.

Among other parts of these MIT essays that worked in the author’s favor is the mention of an experience. Many model MIT essay examples directly reference the author’s life experiences to connect them with their interest. For instance, this author frames their essay with a visit to a cancer research institute. We don’t know if it’s a tour or an internship—the reason for their visit is less important than the impact.

MIT Essay Examples #4 – Community Essay

At this point, we’ve gone through half of our MIT essay examples. Moving on, we’ll read three MIT essays that worked for prompts (nearly) identical to this year’s. Next, we’ve got a prompt asking about community contributions.

At MIT, we bring people together to better the lives of others. MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways,  from tackling the world’s biggest challenges to being a good friend. Describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc.

It’s very similar to this year’s third prompt, with one crucial difference. The current prompt asks for “one way you have collaborated with people who are different from you .” While past MIT essay examples for this prompt could have focused on individual efforts, now you should focus on group efforts. In particular, groups where “people who are different from you” also play key roles. This is intentionally open-ended, allowing for endless kinds of differences.

With that said, let’s continue with our MIT essay examples.

MIT Essays That Worked #4

“I’m going to Harvard,” my brother proclaimed to me. My jaw dropped. My little brother, the one who I taught to pee in the toilet, the one who played in the pool with me every day of the summer for 7 years, the one who threw me in the trash can 3 months ago, had finally realized the potential I have seen in him since he was a little kid. And I was thrilled.

He told me that after attending the Harvard basketball program, he knew that attending college was the perfect opportunity for him to continue playing the sport he loved as well as get a very good education. His end goal (this is where I almost cried) was to become an engineer at Nike. The best part, though, is that he asked me to help him achieve it. 

I was astounded that he thought so highly of me that he trusted me to help him. That night, we began discussing various fields of engineering that he could pursue, as well as the internship opportunities that he classified as “so cool.” As soon as school started, I bought him a planner and taught him to keep his activities organized. I go over homework with him and my baby brother almost every night.

I love using my knowledge to contribute to my family with my knowledge. I am so proud of my brother and our progress. I cannot wait to see him grow as he works to achieve his dream.

Perhaps while reading the prompt, you thought all MIT essays that worked discussed setting up a food bank or working at a hospital. Not so! What really matters for this essay is the impact the community has on you. In sample MIT essays like this one, we see just how important the writer’s family is to them. If your family means the world to you, don’t shy away from writing about them!

On the other hand, while many sample MIT essays discuss family, the best ones remember to center the author. It may seem selfish, but in an applicant pool of over 30,000 , you must stand out. You have to beat that low MIT acceptance rate by putting your best foot forward. Notice how the author’s feelings and thoughts show through in their interactions and reactions. Even in recounting their past with their little brother, you see them as a caring, playful older sibling. They’re thoroughly proud of their brother, his ambitions, and the trust he’s placed in them.

MIT Essay Examples #5 – Describe Your World 

The fifth of our MIT essay examples answers a prompt in circulation this year. Hooray!

This “world” is open-ended to allow writers to explore the communities and people that have shaped them. This essay calls for deep introspection; can you find a common thread connecting you to your “world”? Some MIT essays that worked discuss family traditions, other city identities, etc. Whatever you choose, it should reflect who you are now and who you want to become.

MIT Essays That Worked #5

I was standing on the top row of the choir risers with my fellow third graders. We were beside the fourth graders who were beside the fifth graders. My teacher struck the first chords of our favorite song and we sang together, in proud call and response “Ujima, let us work together. To make better our community. We can solve! Solve our problems with collective work and responsibility.”

Then the students playing African drums and the xylophones on the floor began the harmonious percussion section and we sang again with as much passion as nine-year-olds can muster. This was my world. As a child, my community was centered around my school. At my school we discovered that if you love something enough, and work hard enough for it, you can do great things for both yourself and others around you.

In the years since I left, I reflected back on the lessons I learned at school. I determined I wanted to focus on the things I love – mathematics, science, and helping others. I also want to harmonize my abilities with those of other people so that we can work together to make the world a better place. Today I aspire to work in integrative research as a bioengineer to address the pressing medical issues of today.

For those who don’t know, ujima is the Swahili word for collective work and responsibility. The most well-crafted MIT essay examples employ narrative devices like framing and theme to leave a lasting impression. This essay, for example, introduces ujima with the choir scene—which itself is collective work—then reflects on the general concept. In every sentence, this writer works with the idea of collaboration and the positive power of the collective.

Among sample MIT essays, this can be challenging if you haven’t thought critically about your past and present. This writer clearly values collective responsibility and sees their future through that lens. They speak directly to their interests and their aspirations of bioengineering. All in all, they show careful consideration of ideas that have influenced them and the direction they want to take.

MIT Essay Examples #6 – Significant Challenge

The last of our MIT essays that worked answers a prompt nearly identical to one from this year.

Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? 

The only difference is that this year’s prompt indicates you should feel comfortable sharing what you write about. This seems obvious, but you may be surprised how many students dredge up traumatic experiences in sample college essays. The issue isn’t that these experiences are unpleasant to read; on the contrary, they may be painful to write about. Although many MIT sample essays are somewhat vulnerable, you don’t have to write about experiences you’d rather keep to yourself.

With that said, let’s read the last of our MIT essay examples.

*Please be advised that the following essay example contains discussions of anxiety and panic attacks. 

Mit essays that worked #6.

Ten o’clock on Wednesday, April 2016. Ten o’clock and I was sobbing, heaving, and gasping for air. Ten o’clock and I felt like all my hard work, passion, and perseverance had amounted to nothing and I was not enough. It was ten o’clock on a Wednesday, but it all started in August of 2015. I moved cities in August 2015. I knew the adjustment would be hard, but I thought if I immersed myself in challenging activities and classes I loved, I would get through the year just fine.

I was wrong. With each passing month I experienced increased anxiety attacks, lack of satisfaction in any and every activity, and constant degradation of my personal happiness. By April, I was broken. Naked, bent over the toilet, sweating, shaking, choking on the tightening of my own throat, thinking “not enough, not enough, not enough.” 

It was extremely challenging to pick myself up after such a hard fall. When I finally made it out of the bathroom, I crawled to my room and read “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. Her struggle encouraged me to rise to this challenge stronger than I had been before. I prioritized my own happiness and fulfillment, taking care of my body and mind.

I finally realized I did not have to do everything on my own, and began collaborating with my peers to finish the year strong and begin initiatives for the next year. I became a stronger, more confident woman than ever before.

Now, you may understand why this year’s wording includes “that you feel comfortable sharing.” While the author’s vivid description helps immerse us in the moment, a reader may hope they’re okay now. Again, you don’t need to strictly avoid traumatizing moments—but don’t feel obligated to share anything you don’t want to. In any case, the diction is indeed very precise and helps convey just how shaken the author was.

Furthermore, we see how the author dealt with this challenge: they were inspired by Maya Angelou. This ability to seek and find strength beyond yourself is crucial, especially in an ever more connected world. At the end of the essay, the writer notes how they’ve changed by working with others to accomplish goals. Their renewed confidence has made them even stronger and more willing to face challenges.

MIT Essay Examples – Key Takeaways

So after reading six sample MIT essays, what do you think? What are the takeaways from these MIT essays that worked? It goes without saying that you should read more sample MIT essays if you can. Additionally, when you draft your own MIT essays, take time to revise them and have other people read them.

MIT Essays that Worked Takeaways

1. discuss experiences.

The best MIT essay examples keep it real by talking about the author’s experiences. Can you think critically about how they have made you who you are? Find ways to address the prompt with your background and life experiences. You may also find sample MIT essays easier to write when they’re rooted in your reality.

2. Use precise language

Two hundred words are, in fact, not that much space. MIT essays that worked use every word to paint a vivid picture of the writer and their world. Mark Twain said it best: “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is … the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Choose your words carefully to refine your meaning and strengthen your impact.

3. Reflect on yourself

In college essays, it’s all about you and your personal narrative . So don’t miss any opportunity to introspect on your experiences, community, and personal growth. Demonstrate that you know yourself well enough to point to specific influences on your worldview. We all move through the world in different ways—why do you move the way you do?

4. Be genuine

You’ve heard this a thousand times, and we’ll say it again: be yourself . While you hear all about the typical MIT student and what MIT looks for , we’re all unique individuals. As, or even more, important than good scores or a huge activities list is an accurate representation of you . Write about extracurriculars and subjects and communities that are important to you—not what you think will sound impressive.

Additional MIT Resources from CollegeAdvisor

We have a wealth of resources on how to get into MIT here at CollegeAdvisor.com. We’ve got a comprehensive article on the MIT admissions process, from the MIT acceptance rate to deadlines.

MIT Admissions

Speaking of the acceptance rate, we take a closer look at that, too.

MIT Acceptance Rate

If you’re wondering about MIT tuition and costs, read our breakdown .

MIT Tuition & MIT Cost

Finally, we’ve got a guide covering application strategy from start to finish.

Strategizing Your MIT Application

MIT Essays that Worked – Final thoughts

Placing among the top American universities, we see MIT ranking highly every year, and for good reason. By the same token, it’s very challenging to get admitted. So, in order to get in, you need to know how to write MIT supplemental essays.

We read through several MIT essays that worked and identified strengths in our MIT essay examples. Use these tips when writing your own essays to craft a strong application!

This article was written by  Gina Goosby . 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.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

How to Write the MIT Essays 2020-2021

The recording will load in a moment., about this livestream, massachusetts institute of technology | mit.

Learn how to write the MIT essays and distinguish yourself as an applicant that is the right fit for MIT.

Hale Jaeger will provide an in-depth breakdown of each of the essays, discussing how to optimize and tailor a response to each one by breaking down the purpose of the prompts.

He'll also open up the floor to answer any and all questions about the MIT-specific essay prompts. If you’re not sure where to start, this livestream will help you figure out the best plan for you.

Video Transcript:

In today's presentation on writing the MIT application essays for the 2020 2021 cycle, I am a current senior at Yale University. So while I am not an MIT student, and can't necessarily answer all of your questions about what it's like to go to MIT, this is my fifth year working with CollegeVine through the admission cycle. So I have lots of experience with writing these kinds of essays. So I'm really prepared to answer those questions. So please, please feel free to throw those questions into the chat box on your screens throughout the evening. I will try to answer the questions as we go. But if not, if I don't get to your question, in the moment, we are going to end with a q&a session. So if I don't get to your questions in the beginning, I'll try to make sure to answer them by the time we wrap up for the night. Without further ado, though, I'm going to jump right in to the presentation. And so that starts with just what we're going to be covering today. We'll start with a little bit of background about MIT and about the college applications process. And then we'll take take a deep dive into each of the essays that you will be asked to answer and asked to write for the MIT application. And like I said, we'll end with opening the floor for q&a.

So just to jump into the background, MIT is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge is contiguous to Boston. It's also the home of Harvard University. So it has a lot of connections with Boston and with other institutions, namely Harvard, and you can actually take some classes at Harvard if you're an MIT student, and vice versa. It is a really highly regarded institution as well as ranked number three and a tie. US News and World Report's for 2020. And it's especially well known for its STEM programs, though it is also really highly regarded for its business program. It's definitely a selective school, and it offers an early action rather than early decision. But if you're not ready to, if you haven't already submitted your application, if you're watching this presentation, you're likely headed for the regular action deadline, or maybe you're prepping for next year. And so that early action is something to keep in mind.

Just a quick overview on what's important to know about college essays is that these are part of the holistic application process, they are not necessarily going to be considered for exactly 30% of your application, but they do get a pretty heavy weight, because they are the best place for a reader to get to know you and your personality. So usually, these essays are about 700 words or fewer anywhere between really 100 to 700. And some schools ask you to write several and other schools only asked for one or two, as you saw MIT is on the longer end, and that they ask for more than one essay, but they're all fairly short. And these are a great place to reveal something about yourself who you are, again, this is part of that personal component of the application. And so you want to be sure to convey something meaningful about your personality and who you are beyond your grades and your test scores. And whatever else is on your resume. It's important to know that MIT is not on the common app. It has its own application. And so for that reason, they asked a bunch of questions. And none of them is a personal statement per se, but they have questions that span the entire spectrum of what a college might ask. And so they're fairly straightforward. But that doesn't mean you can give generic answers, you definitely want to make them personal to you and to MIT, in order to build a connection with the school as we go forward. And so make sure you are using authentic reasoning and specific details that added personal dimension to your writing, and helps you to stand out.

And the case of a school like MIT that has so many essays, you have to treat them sort of as a portfolio. What that means is that they shouldn't all be considered in a vacuum. Each of them is going to be one facet of your application and the same reader is going to look at all the essays you submit. So they'll have some context that That being said, they don't necessarily read them all. In order, so you don't want to rely on one or site one in another essay, they should each stand alone, but they should provide a different dimension of your cohesive application, they should complement one another, not be repetitive.

So jumping into the MIT essays, as I said, they're not using the common application, they use my MIT their own proprietary application product. And so what that looks like is five unique supplementary essays, plus one additional optional essay that I'll talk about at the very end. And so as you're starting those off, we're just going to read through what the prompts are that you're going to be asked to respond to. The first prompt is describe the world you come from, for example, you're fed family clubs, school, community, city or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations 250 words or fewer. The second prompt asks you to 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 in 100 words or fewer. The third prompt asks, 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 in 200 to 250 words. And then the last two prompts here are at MIT, we can bring people together to better the lives of others, MIT students work to improve their communities in different ways from tackling the world's biggest challenges to being a good friend, describe one way in which you have contributed to your community, whether in your family, the classroom, your neighborhood, etc. 200 to 250 words. And lastly, tell us about the most significant challenge you faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation 200 to 250 words. Like I said, there's also that optional essay at the end, which asks you to in 150 words, or fewer talk about your cultural background if it's been important to you.

So jumping forward into the first prompt, as we do that, I want to throw a question to you guys. So I'll be launching a poll, it'll be great to get some feedback from you just to understand where everyone is in the cycle. So I'll be asking you some questions throughout, please do give me some answers there, because it'll be really helpful for us. But without any further ado, we're going to talk about the first question about the world you came from. Whether that means your family clubs, school, community, city or town, and they want to know how it shaped your dreams and aspirations. So what this essay is asking you to do is reflect on your past and your present, to see how it's shaped your future. And so this is a pretty common essay type. It's asking you about your community and the place that you call home. So start maybe by thinking about your aspirations, and working backwards, what are your goals? What do you hope to achieve, especially after college, and how has your community helped you to realize those goals to understand and recognize them. You can also work you know from in a chronological kind of way, rather than working backwards from your aspirations. You can think about it in terms of what is a community that's really important to me, which community is really formative in my life? And what has it taught me and which goals and aspirations because has that influenced, so you can work at it from either direction. But as this last bullet says, you're reflecting on the past and present, to take a look into the future, that's going to be something that you hear me say a lot in this presentation. And in every other one. It's all about taking your past experiences, and seeing where they're headed and seeing where they're directing you to.

So, to give an example of what this kind of essay might look like, we have an example here about breathing fresh air. Okay. So maybe you are somebody who has grown up in a very smoggy city like Los Angeles or Beijing. Beijing is a really interesting example because it's a place where the air quality is so bad, a lot of the time that people are often seen wearing masks, even pre pandemic. And so, you grew up in this place, or maybe you spent a couple years there, and it made you realize how important it is for us to transition towards green energy and that has sort of fueled your passion for sustainability and green technologies and eco friendly practice. And so now you want to study environmental engineering, and architecture. And that's what you're interested in pursuing as a career. It doesn't necessarily have to be a career goal that you explore here, especially because you do answer a question about your major in the next product. But that's a usually a pretty good concrete place to pin an aspiration, you don't necessarily have to stick to what this is, this is not asking you to set your future in stone, of course, but it's an example for you to keep in the back of your mind.

Another example of an essay, responding to this prompt might be about a children's hospital, for example, if your parents work as pediatric nurses at the Children's Hospital nearby, and you spent a lot of time there watching your parents work with these kids. And to the point where the hospital is basically your second home, and you're observing, and you're learning and you're taking it all in, and maybe you grew up and you started volunteering at the hospital. And you could focus on a lot of different things. Why, for example, you know, if it was really painful for you to see kids suffer, but you also get to see this glimpse of hope, and people who really care about getting better and making other people better. And seeing how much joy The staff was able to bring to the patients to their families, and the community around you. So maybe this is, you know, undercutting your, or underscoring your motivation to go to medical school or to become a nurse yourself, like your parents and spread hope, you know, in this kind of setting.

So just sort of in conclusion on this type of essay, and this particular prompt, every one of the examples that I mentioned here is recreating or retelling an important story, and maybe a moment a single anecdote that analyzes how the world that you're talking about, led to the realization of the goals and aspirations you have for the future. So it's that it's that future look that forward facing direction, towards personal growth, that shows what this essay is really asking you to do, which is to reflect on what your dreams are, and where they came from. And while this, this says, preferably tied to your career, and missions, partly because that's an easy way to put it in perspective of your own future. But it doesn't necessarily have to be related to your career, it can absolutely be a more personal goal, especially if you're like me, and you had no clue what you wanted to do when you graduated upon applying to college.

One key thing here, as is going to be important for pretty much every essay you write from here on out, specificity conveys authenticity. So the danger of writing a generic essay is that it doesn't actually share very much about you personally, as but so the more detail you can include, the more if this feels like you, this feels like your voice. And I can get a sense as a reader of who you are and what you'll bring to my campus at MIT. And so that's a really good rule of thumb, that you should be thinking of whenever you write a personal essay like this, you know, am I being as specific as I can be? I haven't stopped to check for questions yet. So I just want to take a quick moment to see if you guys have any questions. So far, I'm not seeing any. So I'm going to keep on going I'm also going to throw another poll your way, just to see where we are in the process. Prompt two is a why major question. They're asking you which field of study that MIT offers is going to be appealing to you right now. And tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. So it's really just asking you, why do you want to study what you want to study. And the key phrase here that a lot of schools don't include, but which everyone implies is right now, this is not something you are signing with. In blood, these are not writing this in stone, you are 100% free to change your major. Most people change their major at least once during their college career. I changed my major twice in the last couple years. So you are absolutely by no means committed to the major that you write this essay about.

And you'll notice you'll know only got 100 words maximum to write this essay. So you have to really condense what you want to say down into this and while specificity is still important or A lot less room here for detail. And in the other 200 to 250 words that MIT is asking you to write. This is a really standard, straightforward question. None of MIT's questions are kind of out to get you or fool you or trick, you may just want to know, what are the reasons that you want to study this field. And you want to give something that we call authentic reason? These are not things related to prestige, or post graduation salary. Or just because what's what your parents want you to do. They want to know what you're passionate about, and why. What are the past experiences you've had, that have influenced your decision to pursue this further in the future? How have you interacted with this in ways that have been meaningful to you. And so you want to be able to tie this from your past into your future at MIT. And MIT actually has pretty distinctive majors, I think they call them courses rather than majors. So you're gonna want to check out what their programs are called, because they do have unique titles. And as a result also might have some interesting curricular emphases that aren't necessarily common at every single school. So you want to check that out for sure. So you want to see what resources they have on offer, and talk about how you'll be taking advantage of those. So this functions primarily as the Why Major essay, but it's really asking you why do you want to study this at MIT? So you want to make sure that it's not a generic essay, it's specific to MIT programs and what they have on offer. If you're undecided at the moment, that's totally okay. Like I said, most people change their majors a couple times, I actually gave another presentation a little while ago, about how to write a wide major essay if you're undecided. And so I won't go too much into it here. But basically, you just want to find a couple things, one or two things that you're interested in pursuing or exploring, maybe you're not, you know, committed to, but you want to check it out a little more. And talk about why you think these might be potential areas of interest for you. Even if they're not things you want to solidly say, this is what I'm studying. And again, as always, specificity is going to be your best friend here.

So for example, with MIT, you might want to study electrical engineering, and computer science or eeks. Because that's going to really help you start a startup in your future, and helps you look at both the hardware and the software sides of things. And it has a new curriculum in place at MIT with more flexibility and interdisciplinary study and independence for the undergrads. So you have the opportunity to explore eeks, as a department, specifically at MIT. And you also might want to talk about entrepreneurship, Since launching a startup obviously, takes some business acumen. And so, as I said, at the beginning of the presentation, MIT has a very strong business program and economics program. So you might want to be able to connect with those programs, and see what's going on, and the Sloan School of Business. And that'll really help you to get yourself off the ground with this kind of essay.

You might also want to be talking about specific researchers that you want to work with, or specific classes that you're excited to take. So you don't want to necessarily pin yourself down if you're undecided. And they get that. But there are lots of ways to make this specific without feeling like you're committing to something you're not passionate about. Again, I want you to make sure that you're talking about this in a way that shows how clear your passion is. Whether that's for research, or for entrepreneurship, or anything that you're thinking of pursuing a major and because prestige and clout are not going to translate as passion, it's going to be really easy to tell. So if you are interested in something it makes for a great story, make sure you just focus on those long term goals and what you are hoping to get out of this program at MIT and tie it back to your past experiences. I know that that's a really tall order to place into a very short essay. So the art attire, there's not a ton of room for detail, but you can make sure that you get some good information in there.

The next piece of the application puzzle that we're putting together here is about question about something that you enjoy. You know, what is something that you do not because you have to, but because you want to 200-250 words is a pretty generous margin here. And it lets you really explore something, this is probably one of your extracurricular activities. But it also might just be a hobby. So what do you do in your free time. And you're going to want to use this opportunity to discuss something you haven't talked about in other essays. And that goes back to the idea of essays as a portfolio. And again, like with the major, you want to be honest, here, you don't choose something that sounds impressive. You rather you'd rather put something forward that demonstrates your genuine, authentic passion, or something.

That being said, being honest, doesn't necessarily mean using an idea that isn't reflective of who you are, and what you will bring to MIT, you still want to be putting your best foot forward. So for example, you want to choose something that is going to show that you can think meaningfully and maturely about something, scrolling through your Tik tok, or looking at memes all day isn't going to be something that resonates really strongly with an admissions reader. You probably want something a little more substantive here, volunteering, maybe if that's meaningful to you, it might be a job that you have, it might be babysitting for your younger siblings or cousins, this can be one of those things that you just love to do. And you do it without being asked, because it's something you want to do. And so you can approach this essay structure, once you have a topic in your mind, you can take it in one of two directions, okay? Either stick to the moment in time method, which is you know, a brief anecdote about a specific episode in which you were doing this activity. And you want to just tell that story recreating a single moment in time, I can raise how much you love it, or you want to look at it from a longitudinal method, you know, saying, This is what I love. This is how I discovered it. This is how I've engaged with it and how I've grown through it, this is what it's taught me, and this is how I hope to continue doing it in the future. Um, you're going to want to incorporate some elements of both, for example, even if you're doing the longitudinal method, you want to include details of a meaningful moment, to give authenticity to it. But the moment in time also has to have some context to it some explanation, you can't just drop yourself right in the middle of the story and never explain how we got there. And so I want to give an example to show what this might look like. So if your passions when you love to do is sunset photography, maybe you want to tell a moment in time story about when you were sitting on a pier, and watching the sun go down and you lift up the camera. And as the colors on the sky just sort of turned this gorgeous gradient and the sun hits the horizon, you take a photo, and you hear the click and you just feel all your stress melt away. That's a great moment in time that shows what really vivid imagery, something that makes you feel right.

But maybe you want to approach it a different way. Talking about the first time you ever took a photo personally ever had a camera in your hands. And you went on this sort of long journey, taking pictures of lots of different things until you finally settled on sunsets. And what does that mean for you? You know, what have you gotten out of this? Maybe it's a question of understanding balance and perspective. Either way, no matter what direction you're taking this, you want to be telling us what you do that you love, why you love it, and while how this activity has shaped you and what you've learned from it, what you've gained from it. Okay, so the lessons you've learned are going to be important here. And make sure again, try to throw in some good details here. It makes it seem really authentic and meaningful and personalizes the essay and makes you stand out. A second option here Another example might be to talk about Rubik's cubes. You love doing Rubik's cubes, you've been doing them forever, you know all sizes from the force side. Now four sided the two by two grid, two things that are huge. Maybe not even cubes at all. So you just love to solve puzzles, you love challenges, and you love trying to do better than you did last time. And so you can do this again moment in time focusing on a single solve. Or you can make it more of a narrative from growing and from the basic Rubik's cube to the more complex ones and how you see challenges. And you know that there's some method, and you're just trying to figure out what that looks like and how to make it work. And yes, this is kind of a nerdy thing. But again, this is the MIT application after all, so you're in good company, if you are worried about it being too nerdy. Just to summarize, you want to use good imagery, good details to tell a compelling story. This is a very show don't tell, because this isn't a new love. This is something you're passionate about, you shouldn't have to describe it. And then bullet point kind of way, this is very pathos filled essay, ideally.

Moving on to the next of the essays, I want to ask you guys another quick question. So feel free to answer in the polls again. This essay, number four here is about your impact, and your community and the people around you, and how you work to improve the lives of those around you. And whether that's your community, family, classroom, neighborhood, whatever that means. And so this is a really broad question asking you to talk about a time or a way in which you cared about other people. And so, if you look at the examples, they give family, classroom neighborhood, big challenges being a good friend, you don't need to go with something massive, it doesn't have to be I have created lasting peace in the Middle East. Like that's not really what they're going for here. They want to know, what human interactions Do you have, that you use to improve the world. And so you don't have to panic if you haven't cured cancer, you're okay. It can be as simple as being a good friend having the ability to support people who need to be supported in your life. That's totally okay. So just think about a time where you made a positive impact in the world around you and the community around you in the lives of the people around you. Show that you're generous that you want to make a difference that you work hard to make a difference, and put in good emphasis on what that outcome looks like. What did you do? And how did it pay off for the other people involved? In addition, this is another essay where you want to have gotten something out of this experience. We want to know what it changed about you. Why does this matter to you? And how did you grow is really sort of the key here. So maybe you volunteered with the Red Cross or at a local retirement home, maybe you found it a club at school that was about bringing education to children in need, it doesn't matter what your cause is, or how it word you can take. Maybe it was just a time that you stood up for someone who was being picked on. Um, do you just have to give meaning to it? If it's meaningful for you that'll come across? Maybe so tying in that personal significance that personal development is going to make it seem like it matters in ways that we might not get otherwise from such a short essay. So give that act personal meaning, and we want to know what we're supposed to learn about you from this, you know, maybe you'd want to compare yourself before and after. But that might be a stretch given the length of the essay.

So an example here might be you tutored a teammate or a friend, somebody on your varsity sports team was struggling in math, for example, worried about failing and didn't really see the point. Just thought that they were bad at math. And that was it. So you decided you were going to help to tutor that friend and do it for free every week, and just help as in any way you can? Because it's something that makes sense to you. And maybe you work with them every week for a month or two months and finally they get their first a on a test or a homework. And they're really excited by that they are not just getting it not understanding Getting the concepts but understanding why they're important. And maybe they even start to like math, maybe they don't. But just what is the outcome there? And then what did you get out of it, maybe you learned that you really like to teach maybe that maybe you gained a new appreciation for math or learned new study tactics, that help you to understand concepts in ways that bring other subjects together in ways you hadn't anticipated. So maybe was a What do you get out of it, but in a way that is very spiritual and not material. Make sure you're emphasizing your generosity here in a humble way, by getting that outcome and what you got out of it as well. Um, so that's one example.

A second example might center on food waste, for example, perhaps you realize that your school has just a huge amount of food waste going on. So you work with administration, and maybe the student council and sustainability group and you push for composting as a system within your school. And you help to reduce waste in that way, and you work with the principal and the school board, and you make it happen, not just in your school, but all over the district, you know, and this sparks, you know, an interest in sustainability and environmental engineering or environmental studies, it doesn't have to start that it doesn't have to jumpstart it, per se, but maybe it furthers it, or it gives it a new perspective. Now, which one of the ways in which you've grown? Okay, so the situation, the way you did the outcome, and what you how you grew from that.

Um, we have one more of the main essays here, before we get to this sort of optional secret essay that they've hidden on their application. And this last one is about the most significant challenge that you faced, or something that didn't go according to plan and how you manage that. Cuse me, I'm sorry. So it's asking you about either the most significant challenge you faced, or something important that didn't go to plan. Either away, you can't, you're not going to go wrong with this essay. I will say you don't have to necessarily focus on the most significant challenge that you faced, okay. But you do want to focus on something that has some weight, some gravity to it. Because you want to make sure that you're not trivializing this. They're trying to figure out how you handle truly difficult situations, and what you take away from them, and what you put into them. So as you go through it, make sure you are describing the significance of this situation, why it's important to you. Because, again, if it is too trivial, it'll look like you're not taking it seriously, or you don't know how to engage with real challenges.

And so that's not to say you have to write about something that is really difficult for you to talk about still. But you shouldn't be writing about getting a B on a calculus test, you know, it should be something that does have some meaning, some significance to it. And so you want to think about what happened, what you did, and the steps that you took, and you want to show what came with it, you know, what was the outcome in general? And also, how did you grow? Again, just like the last essay and some of the other ones before that. We want to know what happened in your past? And where is it leading in your future? Why was this challenge so important to you? You know, what was your reaction in the moment? What was your reaction leader and how did you approach a solution? And how did this challenge you to grow and mature in important ways. Again, common mistakes include choosing something that's just far too trivial, like doing poorly on one task is not really going to help here. You also want to avoid things that are really cliche. For example, a sports injury. Okay, that's something that lots of readers have read a million times. And so you want to be able to put a unique spin on something like this. Something that you definitely want to try to avoid often includes romantic relationships and breakups, those are often a little too personal and difficult to make serious and mature. So you want to stick to something a little more workable.

For example, if you didn't want to do something about the sports injury, so it's a really significant challenge, you want to spin it in a new way. Maybe instead of classic story, which you can picture as, like a training montage in your head, no, I got injured, I couldn't play in a big game, I had to go through rehab and physical therapy, eventually, I got back on the field the next season, and we and I was, was able to lead the team to a state championship title, that story is a little played out. A more unique approach might be you got injured, and then you were forced to stay away from the sport. And so you picked up a new hobby, like writing. And now you love English, and you want to go into journalism. And so, you know, maybe, or maybe you got injured, and you started to sell on the sidelines a lot and you love realize you love the strategy and sort of the philosophy of the game more than you actually like playing it. And that's how you got into political science, or chess or something new and different, you know, so it's, you're skipping the cliche, and you're going in a new direction, something that is surprising to a reader.

Another example might be something, we have the Bandung Conference. If you went to Model United Nations, and you were on this panel, in this conference, you showed up, you've been preparing for months and months and months, but one of the other delegates couldn't make it got sick. So you needed to suddenly switch sides, you had to be on the opposite side from the one you'd prepared for. This could be very scary. But instead of panicking, you get as much information as you can in a short time. And maybe you get there and they call on you and you still blank, you still have no idea what to say you ask them to come back to you. And so they circle back and you still make, you know, a confident, articulate argument. And even if you don't come out on top, in this situation, you've learned something about the importance of preparation, but also the importance of being flexible, being adaptable to new situations and changing conditions.

a different example might be about a robotics club experience, where you start the competitive Robotics Competition club at your school, you get the interest in students together, and you get it approved. But for some reason, the administration decides they don't want this club around. And they reject your proposal. And then you get other people to rally around you, you get support from other peers and maybe faculty, and you figure out exactly why this would be beneficial to your school community. Maybe they still say no, even if you don't persuade this school board, maybe you realize you enjoyed the research of it and the debate. And so you've gone now and joined the debate club instead, and you found your people there. And something has been really important to helping you discover this new passion that you wouldn't have otherwise realized. So this is a sort of way to spin a different type of essay out of something that could be a really typical question.

Before we go into the last, sort of what we've labeled the secret essay. I have a cup and one more poll for you for now. Another one's coming soon. Don't worry, I know you were worried about more polls. So please do give us a little bit of feedback. But as I'm going into the secret prompt, what I want to say about it, is that we call it the secret prompt because it's not listed on their website. Rather, it only appears on the application and it's an optional prompt. Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below 150 words or fewer. And so it is optional, technically here and there is some overlap with prompt one. But you should still consider answering this question. We like to say the most optional things on these applications are not truly optional, you should still consider them as mandatory. There are very few exceptions. For example, Duke University asks about being a member of the LGBTQIA plus community? And if that's an important part of your identity, and if it's not, you should definitely not answer that question. But this kind of question is one that a lot of applicants can relate to, you have something in your background that's meaningful and has had some influence on your life experience. So this might relate to your minority status in some way, your religion, or your ethnicity or your nationality, but it could also relate to other aspects of your identity. And so you don't want to rule it out just because it says it's optional. And again, here, you have the option to do more moment in time or more longitudinal. Now, is there one example of a story that really helps display why your background is important to you? Or is it something that's easier told, by talking about the entire course if your life, you know, either approaches valid, you might want to think about, you know, your weekly family dinners, say, if you, you know, have lots of big families, and within your larger extended family, you have lots of cousins and aunts and uncles, and they all converge for dinner every Sunday. And you get to tell stories, your you know, your older relatives tell stories about the old country, and they have celebrations that are specific to your culture, maybe that's something that's really important. And you want to focus in on something like that. But again, narrative show don't tell specificities, your best friend and these kinds of things.

And that does bring us right towards the end, I want to summarize, before we move to the q&a portion of this call here of this presentation, the most important things I want you to take away from this presentation are that you want to be articulating your active role, your past and present in something and how it points to your future, the ways you've grown from what you do, and where you are and who you are. You want to use specific details so you can show and not tell and convey your passion in an authentic way. And you want to, you know, get feedback throughout the process. Ask the people around you, teachers, advisors, parents, or you could use college vines free tools to get your essay peer reviewed. So feel free to get other perspectives on this, throw other eyes at these essays, once you've written drafts, because you want to be able to give these the best you can and show off who you are.

And that does sort of bring us to the end of this presentation. So I'm going to stop sharing my screen. And I am going to open up for questions from you guys. Because I want to be able to answer the questions that you have about these types of essays and these options here. And what that looks like. I know I've talked a lot at you in the last 45 minutes or so. So I don't want to keep blathering at you if you have specific questions or specific specific things that you want to know. So please start putting those questions in the chat box. I haven't seen any just yet. So I'm really excited to see what you guys are interested in learning about writing these essays. A brief note is that the presentation that I've just given here is being recorded. And so you'll be able to access it at any point in the future. Just by going back to this website, you'll be able to share it if you would like or you can just revisit. And that same that same thing is true for all of the presentations that we give here at CollegeVine. They're always free and they're always available. So if there's anything that you are interested in, that you think there might be another presentation about already, for example, writing the Why major essay, especially if you're undecided. You can go back and check that out. Um, and it will be in our archives You can also go back and check out our college fair from a couple weeks ago, where we had students from all different universities, giving panels and talks about what their student experiences like. You can go back and see, you know, what do MIT students have to say about being at MIT? So these are things that you can absolutely investigate further for free through CollegeVine. But at the same time, I'm here live right now to answer questions that you have. So please, please do give those questions up to us. Or if you have any feedback on how this presentation went for you what you're hoping to see more from CollegeVine in the future, you can put that in the box as well. And we'll review it and we'll take it into account. I am going to continue talking until I have some questions.

Great. We have one question here. Because these prompts are on the shorter side, should students aim to write in a narrative style or to summarize events so that there's more room for the meaning? This is a great question. And one that's not necessarily confined to these essays, you know, short essays, I think, are some of the most difficult ones to write. Because you have so much to say, I would still recommend using anecdotes here, because they are much more personal, and can show a lot about you and how you think and what your voice sounds like. You should definitely be reserving room for explicit analysis, you know, so in a 250 word essay, you should be devoting at least 50-75 words to analysis here. And that's not a hard and fast rule, it's rule of thumb, you should be telling a story, and then telling us why that story is important and what it means for your food. And that might take a couple tries to write something and then cut it back and then cut it back and then cut it back. But it's always easier to write more and then cut stuff out than it is to work with a skeleton and try to flesh it out. Because if you think about the word count, you might leave out the most important thing because you just don't get there. So I recommend writing everything you have to say. And then cutting out the fluff and making things more concise and condensing it from there rather than working the other direction. That's a great question.

I'd love to see some other questions as well, about this or about the essays in general for MIT, or just the college applications process? Um, what are the questions that you have about what this might look like and what is expected from you? I definitely want to be able to give you guys the answers that you're looking for. In whatever realm that is that you feel you need guidance in. In the meantime, launching the very last poll while I wait for questions, that's the thing, love. If you guys don't ask me questions, I have time to ask you questions. So we're going to need you to put in some participation here to make sure that we're getting everything shipshape here and answering the questions that you guys feel we haven't yet addressed.

I'm not seeing any new questions rolling in at the moment. So I'm going to give it another minute. I'm going to let it keep keep and keep tabulating and keeping you know, pulling in the things that you guys are putting into the box. But I'm not seeing too much. So it looks like we're sort of drawing to the end of our presentation. I know every time I say that I'm going to wrap it up. That's when the questions start flooding in, because it's just how the karma of the universe works out for these things. But even though I've said the words wrap up, I'm still not seeing lots of new questions. So I'm just going to give it another minute. Before I do call it a night. And again, you guys totally have the option here to come back and watch later. You can also check out which live streams we have coming up and register for those. For example tomorrow we have a live essay review. We have another how to write essays kind of presentation coming up for Georgetown. So I'm going to show you guys that one in case you were hoping to register for something like that. Um I'm sorry if that pulls is coming up for you again, you can feel free to ignore it the second time. But, again, if there's anything that you guys feel was missing from this, please put it in the box. And I'll try to answer it now or we'll take it into consideration for the future. Alrighty, I am still not seeing any new questions coming on in. So I am going to Oh, here we go.

There's one. Usually you're told not to write about personal issues such as politics. What about talking about specific companies that you want to investigate or that you admire? So I'm not exactly sure what context you're thinking of this end. But it's always okay to be talking about the experiences you've had. Um, so if you worked at a company, and it was a really formative experience for you, it changed what you want it to do in the future, for example, that's a really valid experience to write about, because it shaped you into the person who is applying to college today. If you're thinking about it in the future, where you're saying, okay, I had this one experience. And I think I like consulting, for example. And so now I want to explore x consulting firm, that's not necessarily the direction I would take it, you want to think about more resources that are available at MIT, you know, maybe they have a campus consulting firm that you want to explore or business clubs or economics clubs, or things that, you know, are being operated through the Sloan School for business. So you have MIT specific opportunities there. So if that's answering your question, I hope it is, if it's not feel free to put a follow up in the box, and I'll try to address it. But the my general advice is, feel free to talk about your past experiences as they've influenced your future. When thinking about the future, think more in fields and sub topics, and not so much in specific companies, unless that company's doing something truly unique. But you can think about it in this way. And for years, a lot is going to change by the time you graduate from college. The odds that that company is the only one doing what they do is pretty those odds are pretty slim. So maybe I would talk more about the field or the research or the work rather than name dropping a company, especially if it has nothing to do with being a student at MIT.

Right, What other questions do we have? Is there anything else that's sort of outstanding, that we haven't had the opportunity to discuss together? I want to make sure that I'm getting you guys the answers that you're hoping to hear, or that you are excited to hear or need to hear, though those aren't always the same thing. Is there anything else that you guys are missing that you feel we haven't yet touched on that you are hoping to hear more about? Alright, I'm not seeing any new questions. But I'm going to talk pretty slowly. So that I'm making sure not to miss a new question right at the buzzer. Because I know that you guys are hearing me a little bit after I'm talking. So I want to account for that lag. But otherwise, it seems like I can go ahead and wrap this presentation up and bring us home. So thank you guys for asking your questions. Thank you for tuning in tonight. We're always excited to be able to bring you some information that's going to be helpful for you and your application process. As always, best of luck. You guys are excellent and I hope to see you in the future at some of our other streams. Have a great rest of your night.

Undergrad College: Yale University '21

Work Experience: I am a senior at Yale and excited to begin my fifth admissions cycle working with CollegeVine. After four years of working directly with students, I can't wait to engage with the people and the process in new and innovative ways online.

Other recordings about Massachusetts Institute of Technology

How to write the MIT essays

In for the win: how to get into MIT

MIT Student Panel

How to do research in high school

Try Before You Buy - The Benefits of Pre-College Residential Experiences

Stand Out: Strategies for Resume Building

Tips for Getting into Harvard from a Harvard Graduate

Popular recent recordings

Teaching Text and Image

Make the Most of Your Summer Break with the NSLC!

Making the Most of your Summer with Matriculate

Physics Preparation for PreMedical, PreDental, and PreHealth College Students

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 7 steps to a successful mit application.

College Admissions , College Info

In 2021/2022, MIT admitted only 3.96% of students who applied to the school. With such a low admissions rate, it may seem like getting accepted is close to impossible, but we're here to help!

In this guide, we'll explain everything you need to know to complete the MIT application, including when every important MIT application deadline is, what exactly you need to submit with your application, what admissions officers are really looking for when they review your application, and how you can make each part of your MIT application stand out from the pack.

Key Info for the MIT Application

You should know all the important information about the MIT application well before you plan on applying to make sure you gather all your materials and meet all the deadlines.

• Where to find the MIT application: You can find the MIT application here . The application opens in August of each year.
• How to submit the MIT application: When you've completed the MIT application, you can submit it by hitting the "Submit" button at the end of the application. SAT and/or ACT scores, as well as your official transcript, must be sent directly to MIT.
• When to submit the MIT application: It's very important to know the MIT application deadline. MIT offers both early action and regular action application submissions. Below is a chart of the key deadlines for each option. It's important to know every deadline since missing just one could mean your application won't be looked at.

Early Action

Regular action.

If you're applying early action , you'll need to have both parts of the application completed, and your transcript and letters of recommendation sent, by November. You can still take the November SAT , however. You'll receive your admission decision in mid-December.

For students applying regular action, you'll need to have all parts of the application completed/sent by January 5, and you can take your standardized tests no later than December. You'll receive your admission decision as early as mid-March and no later than April 1.

Should You Apply Early Action or Regular Action?

There are two options for applying to MIT, early action and regular action. Is one better than the other? If you apply early action, you do have a slightly better chance of getting accepted. According to MIT's admission statistics , if you apply early action, you do have a slightly better chance of getting accepted than if you apply regular action.

However, MIT specifically states this about its early action cycle: "We do not have a preference, and there is no strategic benefit to applying one vs the other. We have two cycles for two reasons: 1) it helps us spread our work out over a longer period, devoting more time to each application and 2) it provides applicants with more options so they can choose which works best for them."

Additionally, the majority (about 70%) of students who apply early action end up getting deferred and considered in the regular action applicant pool. So an early decision is by no means guaranteed if you apply early action.

Bottom line? Apply early action if you can get all the materials in before the deadline, but don't stress too much about it if you can't since it likely won't impact your chance of getting admitted.

How to Apply to MIT

There are six main steps you need to follow to submit your MIT application. Below are the steps, numbered in the rough order you should complete them in.

Step 1: Create an MyMIT Account and Start Your Application

The first step to applying to MIT is simple; you just need to create a MyMIT account through the MIT application portal. Creating an account only takes a few minutes, and once you do this you'll be able to complete an application, track the pieces of the application you've submitted, join the MIT mailing list, and get your interviewer's name and contact information.

To create an account you'll have to fill out some basic demographic information such as your birth date, high school name, and home address.

Step 2: Complete the Online Application

This is the bulk of the MIT application. To complete the online application, you'll log in to the MIT account you created and fill out all of the requested information. The application begins with biographical information, the application deadline you've chosen, and your academic history and test scores. You'll round out your application by providing info about your activities, employment, and awards, and writing three short essay responses.

Filling out the initial pieces of the application should only take you about 30 minutes to complete. You'll fill out information about whether you're applying early action or regular action, what your parents' jobs and highest level of education are, if you have siblings and where they attend college (if applicable), and all the high schools you attended, among other information.

While this part of the application is mostly selecting options from drop-down boxes and filling in blanks, keep in mind that there are a few short answer questions as well. You'll be required to answer questions about how your cultural experiences have shaped your aspirations and why your chosen field of study appeals to you, for instance.

After that, you'll move onto the part of the application where you really get to shine. You'll get to enter information about all the extracurriculars and jobs you've participated in, advanced classes you've taken, awards you've won, and your exam scores.

You'll also self-report all the classes you've taken and the grades you got in them although, again, you'll still need to submit your official transcript.

Once you've entered information about your academics and extracurriculars, you'll get to respond to MIT's short response essay questions. Unlike many other schools, MIT doesn't require one long essay; instead, you'll answer three short prompts. Here are the essay prompts, along with the word count requirement:

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. (200-250 words)

Describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? (200-250 words)

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. (200-250 words)

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? (200-250 words)

Finally, you'll enter the information about the two teachers who are writing evaluations for you (see Step 5 for more info) and submit any supplemental materials (see Step 6 for more info).

After you've finished each of these sections and reviewed them, you can submit them. After you submit the application, you'll be prompted to pay the $75 MIT application fee.

Step 3: Submit Your Secondary School Report and Standardized Test Scores

You'll need to send your official high school transcript to MIT. After several years of being test optional due to COVID-19, MIT once again requires SAT or ACT scores from all applicants. You'll need to have official score reports sent to MIT. You can learn exactly how to send SAT scores and ACT scores in our in-depth guides.

Step 4: Ask Two Teachers to Fill Out Your Evaluations

You'll need two letters of recommendation for MIT, one from a math/science teacher and one from a humanities/language teacher. In your MIT Application account, you'll fill out each of your recommender's names and email addresses so the form can be sent to them. Your recommendations are due the same day as the rest of your application.

Step 5: Set Up and Complete an Interview

Interviews are not technically required, but MIT highly recommends them and admits very few applicants who didn't interview, so you'll want to do one if it's at all possible. Once you complete and submit your application, you'll be contacted by an Educational Counselor (EC), who will be the person doing your interview. The EC is an alum of MIT who conducts interviews, and there are over 5,000 of them around the world.

You and your EC will either meet virtually or set up an interview at a place near you. Most early action interviews take place in November, and most regular action interviews take place in January. In non-COVID times, the interview typically lasts an hour and often takes place in a location such as a coffee shop, restaurant, or library. Some may also take place over Skype or otherwise virtually. MIT recommends thinking about questions you might be asked before the interview, and here are 14 of the most common college interview questions.

Step 6: (Optional) Submit Supplementary Materials

You also have the option to submit supplementary materials. This is a completely optional step and is typically done by students with a fine arts or music portfolio, those with research experience, and/or those who hope to play a varsity sport for MIT. There are five different kinds of supplemental materials you can send.

You can find more information about each of these options on the MIT Admissions Blo g . If you choose to complete any of these materials, you'll submit them separately from the rest of your application.

Here are the options for supplementary materials:

• Maker Portfolio
• Music & Theater Arts Portfolio
• Research Portfolio
• Supplemental Recommendations
• Varsity Sports Interest

If you need to submit any of these materials, you can do so by emailing or faxing them to the MIT Admissions office.

Step 7: Submit Your February Updates and Notes Form

If you applied Early Action and were accepted or applied Regular Action (you won't have your admission decision yet), you'll also need to submit your February Updates and Notes form by February 15th. You'll be emailed information about this form which will mostly consist of letting MIT know what your fall semester grades were and what classes you're taking for your spring semester.

MIT Application Checklist

Below is everything you need to submit with your MIT application. You can use this application checklist to stay organized and make sure you've submitted all the required materials.

• The online MIT Application
• Evaluation A: Letter of recommendation from a math or science teacher
• Evaluation B: Letter of recommendation from a humanities, social science, or language teacher
• Scheduled Interview (if possible)
• SAT or ACT scores (optional)
• February Updates & Notes Form (due in February)
• $75 MIT application fee

How to Do Well on Key Sections of the MIT Application

How can you have a stellar MIT application? Because MIT is so competitive, your application will need to be strong in all the key areas MIT evaluates. MIT is looking primarily for academic excellence, leadership experience, passion for learning and your future major, and sociability. There are numerous ways you can show you have these qualities on your MIT application.

In this section we go over the five most essential parts of your application and explain exactly what you need in order to stand out and show MIT you have what it takes to succeed there.

#1: High School Transcript

Your high school transcript is often the single most important piece of your application, so you want it to shine. Your goal here is to show admissions officers that you took difficult classes and got top grades in them, particularly the math and science classes.

MIT has rigorous classes, and they're looking for applicants who have already challenged themselves by taking advanced classes in high school. If your school offers honors, AP, and/or IB classes, you should aim to take at least some of these advanced classes, especially those in the field you plan to major in. If your school doesn't offer these classes MIT also has suggestions for alternative ways to challenge yourself.

MIT has no requirements for classes you had to have taken in high school but it recommends the following:

• One year of physics
• One year of chemistry
• One year of biology
• Math, through calculus
• Two years of a foreign language
• Four years of English
• Two years of history and/or social sciences

Remember, this is the minimum MIT recommends; you'll likely have to go above and beyond in some areas to be a competitive applicant. Most applicants will have taken at least four years each of math and science, including multiple advanced classes.

Your GPA is also a crucial part of your MIT application since taking difficult classes but doing poorly in them doesn't show that you're prepared for the rigor of MIT. The average weighted GPA of MIT admitted students is about 4.16 , which means you should aim to get as many A's as possible in your classes.

#2: Standardized Test Scores

MIT doesn't have a minimum score requirement for the SAT/ACT, but because admission is so competitive, you should aim for a high standardized test score. Your goal should be to reach the 75th percentile score for admitted MIT students . Meeting this score for either the SAT or ACT means you will have scored higher than 75% of other admitted students, which puts you in a strong position during the admissions process.

For the SAT, a 75th percentile score is an 800 in Math and a 780 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. For the ACT, it's a composite score of 36. You can get scores lower than this and still get accepted to MIT, but these are good goal scores to try to aim for. Note that, for either exam, you need a pretty much perfect score to get the 75th percentile.

#3: Letters of Recommendation

You'll need two letters of recommendation for MIT, and they should both come from teachers who know you well and can write convincingly about your strengths. A strong letter of rec will include specific examples of your academic abilities and personal skills; it will also explain why you're an excellent applicant for MIT.

Speak to the people you'd like to write your letters fairly early, ideally at the end of your junior year or beginning of your senior year. Check out our guide on letters of rec for more information on who to ask to write your letter of recommendation and a step-by-step guide on how to ask.

#4: MIT Essays

For MIT, you'll need to write four short essays, each 250 words or less. MIT requires multiple short essays to get a more complete view of who you are, so make sure you show your personality and what you care about.

There are three main goals for your MIT essays:

• Show who you are
• Show what's important to you
• Show why MIT is the best school for you

For tips and strategies on how to answer every one of the MIT essay prompts, check out our in-depth guide to answering the MIT essays.

#5: Extracurriculars

Your extracurriculars are also a key part of your MIT application. The best way to stand out with your extracurriculars is to emphasize your passion and leadership skills. You can do this by pursuing extracurriculars in a field related to your future major, sticking with them, and achieving leadership roles in them. Learn more about the types of extracurriculars you'll need to get into top-tier schools.

It's also important to note that you should choose your extracurriculars based on what you're interested in and passionate about, not what you think will impress MIT. On their website, MIT specifically counsels against this, as they'd rather have students doing what they love than those spending their time on things they don't care about just to try and look impressive.

Recap: MIT Application

Because MIT only accepts 4% of applicants, your application needs to stand out if you want a chance of getting in. Before you do anything else, make sure you know the MIT application deadlines. They differ depending on whether you're applying Early Action or Regular Action.

Give yourself enough time to complete all parts of the application, which will include entering in all your grades and classes, completing five MIT essay prompts, and entering in your test scores. Don't forget to send in additional materials such as your transcript, official test scores, and letters of recommendation. MIT also highly recommends doing an interview.

To give yourself the best chance of getting admitted, you want your MIT application to be strong across the board. The five most important parts of your application are your: transcript, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, essays, and extracurriculars.

What's Next?

Want to see what an MIT acceptance letter look like? Take a look at an actual MIT acceptance letter and learn tips for getting in.

Essays are an important part of the MIT application. Learn how to write stellar MIT essays by checking out our guide to the four tips you need to know when writing MIT essays.

Want to know how to make your extracurriculars stand out even more? Check out this guide to four amazing extracurricular activities and learn why they're so impressive to colleges.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Add Project Key Words

How to Write the MIT Application Essays 2023-2024

October 13, 2023

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a coveted university for students who are passionate about STEM subjects. Known for its highly selective admissions process, it is no surprise that MIT is considered one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. If you have your sights set on majoring in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Computation and Cognition, or any of the other specialized programs offered at MIT, it is crucial to effectively communicate your unique qualities and contributions through the MIT application essays for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Unlike other universities that use the Common App, MIT has its own application system called MyMIT . This means that you do not have to worry about repeating your Common App personal statement topic . However, it also means that the essays you submit to MIT serve as both your personal statement and supplemental responses. It is important to make the most of these essays by showcasing your passion for MIT and providing essential context about your interests and background. With only a 4% acceptance rate, MIT is highly competitive, and you have five prompts to convince the admissions officers why you are the perfect fit for this esteemed Boston institution. To assist you through the writing process, I have provided an outline of each prompt, along with dos and don'ts for your responses, and additional tips for the MIT application essays in 2023-2024.

MIT Application Essays 2023-2024

What field of study appeals to you the most right now tell us more about why this field of study at mit appeals to you..

The diverse range of fields of study offered at MIT allows students to find their true calling and embrace their passions. One effective strategy for approaching this prompt is to reflect on the subjects that have consistently captivated and motivated you. Are you drawn to the intricacies of artificial intelligence or the potential of renewable energy? By introspecting and exploring your genuine curiosity, you can authentically articulate your passion for a specific field of study at MIT.

Moreover, it is crucial to research the resources and opportunities that MIT provides in the chosen field. As a world-renowned institution, MIT offers unparalleled facilities and renowned professors in various fields. You can highlight your awareness of these resources to further strengthen your response. Whether it is the cutting-edge laboratories equipped with the latest technology or the interdisciplinary collaborations that foster innovation, demonstrating an understanding of how MIT's offerings align with your interests will showcase your commitment and enthusiasm.

By carefully considering your own interests and conducting thorough research about what MIT has to offer, you can effectively convey your unwavering dedication and motivation for a specific field of study at MIT. This prompt serves as a gateway for you to showcase your perspectives, aspirations, and how you envision contributing to the academic community at MIT.

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 values students who are particularly invested in activities and topics that are meaningful to them, no matter what the scale. If you have a highly meaningful hobby that isn’t a conventional extracurricular per se, MIT is telling you to go for it. Just the introductory paragraph to most essays requires over 100 words—you might find it difficult to restrain yourself while talking about your favorite activity. In order to get your point across, you need to put less emphasis on describing the activity—limit it to one or two sentences - and more on what brings you joy about it. Why is it your favorite? How does it recharge you in a way others may not? Has it shaped your perspective in a significant way?

Since admissions officers will see your activities list through MyMIT, you should find ways to include anecdotes that will convey additional information about yourself. While you should not pick a purely academic activity or something that you think MIT wants to hear, you also should think of something beyond sleeping, eating, or hanging out with friends. Your outlook on the activity should be unique and help you stand out among your peers.

How has the world you come from—including your opportunities, experiences, and challenges—shaped your dreams and aspirations?

It’s crucial that you go through all of the prompts offered by the MIT application essays 2023-2024 before you decide on a topic for each of them because what you cover in this first prompt might also be a good fit for Prompt 4. And if you are invested in more than one community, then you’re in luck! Either way, your answer to questions 1 and 4 should not cover the same topic because each essay is meant to add new information about you.

A good clue on what to write here comes from the second part of the question, “how has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?” It’s time to think about your goals again. Is there any community or group which has played a strong role in solidifying your goals? If the answer is yes, there’s your answer. Start your essay by introducing the chosen world—keep it brief as you have another segment to cover. The major focus of your essay should lie in elaborating on the connection between the topic you’ve chosen and your career aspirations. Use anecdotes as evidence to drive your point home for admission officers to better visualize the impact. 

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.

Since the prompt clearly states that there are no specific boxes that your choice of community has to check, think about a place where you’ve actually made an impact. Think about how to differentiate yourself—while service trips abroad definitely could count as community service, they won’t help paint a memorable picture of you because lots of students participate in them. You could write about the smaller circles such as your family, friend group, or neighborhood. You may have helped the community as a whole or you could have helped one or two individuals who belong to it. 

To think about the kinds of contributions to elaborate on, ask yourself the following questions:

• How have you collaborated with others in your community?
• Have you taken any risks to help others? How have they paid off?
• Have you spearheaded any initiatives towards change?
• Are there any service examples that portray your curiosity and creativity?
• Why do you care about this community? How have you shown it? 

If you choose a larger community—like your whole school or city—make sure your essay still focuses on your own contribution and role. A response to such a prompt needs to follow the classic “show, not tell” advice. Admissions officers won’t be satisfied with just “I helped my family.” You need to dig deeper and convince them through the MIT application essays 2023-2024 that you are the kind of hardworking and passionate individual who can thrive at MIT.

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

MIT values candidates “ who are not only planning to succeed but who are also not afraid to fail .” When admissions officers read prompts about challenges students have overcome, they don’t want to know every single detail about the hurdle. The response should be more focused on the way the student reacted in the situation and how they’ve grown from the circumstances. Don’t pick an experience where you gave up easily after failing to do something. Your essay should highlight your strength and resilience in the face of an obstacle.

The definition of a “challenge” may vary from person to person. The keyword here is “significant.” Avoid writing about situations such as a bad grade or a sprain playing soccer that might be minor in comparison to issues other students have faced. Instead, think about an instance that showcases how your ability to recover from a struggle and proves your determination as well as your humility. Instead of writing general statements, focus your essay on your actions you took during the situation and the lessons you picked up. 

This is a great opportunity to tell admissions officers about the way you respond to tough moments - end your essay on a positive note!

Additional Tips for Writing the MIT Application Essays 2023-2024

• Use Your Common Application Profile As Inspiration: Chances are, other schools on your list use the Common Application so you’ve already filled it out. The Common App can be a great source of letting you know the kind of context colleges want to know about you. If there’s anything that you’ve mentioned in the Common App that you haven’t gotten a chance to express for MyMIT—whether it’s mentioned in your personal statement topic or an impressive award—you may be able to include it somewhere in your response to the MIT application essays 2023-2024!
• Read the Website Very Carefully: Research is extremely important before sitting down to answer school-specific questions and the MIT application essays 2023-2024 are no different. Luckily, MIT has very detailed information for prospective students that can help you go deeper into admissions officers’ minds. Use the information given on the “ What we look for ” page to get an idea of which characteristics you should emphasize in your responses.
• Use Strong Examples : The MIT application essays 2023-2024 are all about gauging your intellectual pursuits, community involvement, and engagements outside the classroom. Since the word limits for the prompts aren’t generous, each of your essays should focus on being as specific as possible in depicting your personality and interests. Adding specific examples lets admissions officers understand your perspective better and envision the areas of campus where you’d contribute and how you’d fit in with the MIT community.

When considering the MIT application essays for the 2023-2024 academic year, it is crucial to craft your responses in a manner that showcases your passions and unique perspective, setting you apart from other applicants. These essays serve as both your personal statement and supplemental essays, so make sure to put forth your most compelling arguments to convince admissions officers that you are a perfect fit for MIT. If they grasp your context and agree with your potential contributions to the institute, you will be one step closer to receiving that coveted acceptance letter. Best of luck on your journey!

If you are looking for a college admissions counselor to help maximize your chances of getting into your dream school, we can help! InGenius Prep has helped more than 6,000 students around the world gain admission into the most competitive schools including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, and more. Sign up for a free strategy call today and join the 6,000+ students we've helped get accepted into their dream schools. 

Tags : applying to mit , mymit , MIT application essays , MIT essays , how to get into MIT

Schedule a free consultation

to find out how we can help you get accepted.

MIT Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Tips

September 8, 2023

When applying to MIT, a school with a 4% acceptance rate where a 1500 SAT would place you below the average enrolled student (seriously), teens should be aware that it takes a lot to separate yourself from the other 26,000+ applicants you are competing against. While trying to be among the 1 in 25 who will ultimately be accepted sounds like (and is) a rather intimidating proposition, every year around 1,300 individuals accomplish this epic feat. We’ve worked with many of these students personally and can tell you one thing they all had in common—exceptionally strong MIT supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into MIT? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into MIT: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

There are few schools that offer as many essays as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All applicants are required to respond to five prompts as they work through the MIT application. Your mission is to write compelling, standout compositions that showcase your superior writing ability and reveal more about who you are as an individual. Below are the MIT supplemental essays for the 2023-24 admissions cycle along with tips about how to address each one.

MIT Supplemental Essays – Prompt #1: 

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. (200-250 words)

There are many different ways that you can approach this prompt, but the first step is to take MIT at their word that they are sincerely interested in what you do “simply for the pleasure of it.” While this may be something that also happens to be high-minded and/or STEM-oriented in nature, there is no expectation that this will be the case.

In essence, you want to ask yourself, what brings you great pleasure and happiness? Universal experiences of joy like family, a beautiful sunset, smiling children, or your cat or dog curled on your lap are perfectly acceptable answers here. However, you could also talk about dreams for the future, more bittersweet moments, abstract thoughts, moments of glorious introversion, or even something semi-embarrassing and vulnerable. The only “wrong” answer to this question would be an insincere one. As you enter the brainstorming phase, just make sure to turn off your “resume mode” setting. Instead, allow yourself to embrace the limitless possibilities of this essay.

Essay Prompt #2 

What field of study appeals to you the most right now? Tell us more about why this field of study at MIT appeals to you. (Note: You’ll select your preferred field of study from a drop-down list.) (100 words or fewer)

Generally speaking, we all have a story of what drives us to pursue a certain academic pathway and career. How did your interest initially develop? What was the spark? How have you nurtured this passion and how has it evolved over time? If you desire to go into engineering, this is a chance to talk about everything from your childhood fascination with how things work to your participation in an award-winning robotics program at your high school. Share a compelling (and, of course, true!) narrative about how your love of your future area of study has blossomed to its present levels.

In other words, this essay should show evidence of intense hunger for knowledge that extends well outside of the classroom. How do you learn about your favorite subjects? What books have you read on the subject? Which podcasts have you listened to? What museums have you visited?

You can also tie your passions into specific academic opportunities at MIT including courses , professors , hands-on research programs , or any other aspects of your desired major that appeals most to you.

MIT Supplemental Essays – Prompt #3 

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. (225 words)

How you interact with your present surroundings is the strongest indicator of what kind of community member you will be in your future collegiate home. This prompt asks you to discuss how you have collaborated with others (in any setting) in order to learn from them or contribute to a particular community. This could mean how you’ve collaborated with others during a group project, internship, extracurricular opportunity, sports event, or service project, to name a few.

Some words of warning: don’t get too grandiose in explaining the positive change that you brought about. Of course, if you and your team truly brought peace to a war-torn nation or influenced climate change policy on a global scale, share away. However, nothing this high-profile is expected. Essentially, MIT wants to understand how you’ve worked with other people—in any capacity—to expand your thinking or reach a common goal.

A few potential ideas for areas where you may have worked with/alongside others include:

• Racial injustice
• Assisting those with special needs
• Climate justice/the environment
• Making outsiders in a group feel welcome
• The economically disadvantaged
• Mental health awareness
• Clean-up projects
• Tutoring peers or younger students
• Charitable work through a religious organization

This is, of course, by no means a comprehensive list of potential topics. Most importantly, your story should be personal, sincere, and revealing of your core character and developing values system.

Essay Prompt #4

How has the world you come from—including your opportunities, experiences, and challenges—shaped your dreams and aspirations? (225 words or fewer)

This essay encourages you to describe how your world has shaped your aspirations. We all have any number of “worlds” to choose from, and MIT is inviting you to share more about one of these worlds through the lens of how that has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Take note of the wide-open nature of this prompt. You are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience/challenge you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your religious background
• Your family background
• Your sexual orientation or gender identity

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within on other areas of your application. What important aspect(s) of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)? The admissions officer reading your essay is hoping to connect with you through your written words, so—within your essay’s reflection—be open, humble, thoughtful, inquisitive, emotionally honest, mature, and/or insightful about what you learned and how you grew.

You’ll then need to discuss how your chosen “world” has influenced your future, and in what ways.

MIT Supplemental Essays – Prompt #5

How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it? (225 words)

Note this prompt’s new wording: How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect ? Can you think of a time when you felt surprisingly overwhelmed? When something out-of-the-ordinary occurred? When you were caught off guard? Basically, MIT is trying to discover how you deal with unforeseen setbacks, and the important thing to keep in mind is that the challenge/story itself is  less important  than what it reveals about your character and personality.

Of course, some teens have faced more challenges than others, potentially related to an illness or medical emergency, frequent moving, socioeconomic situation, natural disaster, or learning disability, to name a few. However, you don’t have to have faced a significant challenge to write a compelling essay (and even if you have faced a significant challenge, you don’t have to write about it if you’re not comfortable doing so). Writing about a common topic like getting cut from a sports team, struggling in a particular advanced course, or facing an obstacle within a group project or extracurricular activity is perfectly fine. Any story told in an emotionally compelling, honest, and connective manner can resonate with an admissions reader. The bottom line here is that there are no trite topics, only trite answers.

Given the 225-word limit, your essay needs to be extremely tight and polished. In all likelihood, getting this one precisely right will involve a round or two of revision, ideally with some insight/feedback from a trusted adult or peer in the process.

Some tips to keep in mind include:

• Firstly, make sure you share what you were feeling and experiencing. This piece should demonstrate openness and vulnerability.
• Additionally, you don’t need to be a superhero in the story. You can just be an ordinary human trying their best to learn how to navigate a challenging world.
• Don’t feel boxed into one particular structure for this essay. The most common (which there is nothing wrong with), is 1) introducing the problem 2) explaining your internal and external decision-making in response to the problem 3) Revealing the resolution to the problem and what you learned along the way.
• Lastly, don’t be afraid that your “problem” might sound “trite” in comparison to those of others. This essay is about you. Y our job is to make sure that your response to the problem shows your maturity and resilience in an authentic way. That matters far more than the original challenge itself.

Essay Prompt #6 (Optional)

Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below. (150 words)

Unlike other optional essays, this one truly is optional. You don’t need to respond unless you have something significant to share about your cultural background and identity that hasn’t already been shared elsewhere on the application.

How important are the MIT supplemental essays?

There are 8 factors that MIT considers to be “very important” to their evaluation process. They are: rigor of secondary school record, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and most relevant to this blog—the MIT supplemental essays.

Moreover, character/personal qualities are the only factor that is “very important” to the MIT admissions committee. Of course, part of how they assess your character and personal qualities is through what they read in your essays.

Want personalized assistance with your MIT supplemental essays?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your MIT supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Private High School Spotlight
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

46 Essays that Worked at MIT

Updated for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.

.css-1l736oi{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;gap:var(--chakra-space-4);font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-heading);} .css-1dkm51f{border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-full);border:1px solid black;} .css-1wp7s2d{margin:var(--chakra-space-3);position:relative;width:1em;height:1em;} .css-cfkose{display:inline;width:1em;height:1em;} About MIT .css-17xejub{-webkit-flex:1;-ms-flex:1;flex:1;justify-self:stretch;-webkit-align-self:stretch;-ms-flex-item-align:stretch;align-self:stretch;}

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a world-renowned research university based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Known for its prioritization of intellectual freedom and innovation, MIT offers students an education that’s constantly on the cutting-edge of academia. The school’s star-studded roster of professors includes Nobel prize winners and MacArthur fellows in disciplines like technology, biology, and social science. A deeply-technical school, MIT offers students with the resources they need to become specialists in a range of STEM subjects. In many ways, MIT is the gold standard for creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving.

Unique traditions at MIT

1. "Ring Knocking": During the weeks preceding the MIT Commencement Ceremony, graduating students celebrate by finding a way to touch the MIT seal in the lobby of Building 10 with their newly-received class rings. 2. "Steer Roast": Every year in May, the MIT Science Fiction Society hosts a traditional event on the Killian Court lawn for incoming freshmen. During the Steer Roast, attendees cook (and sometimes eat) a sacrificial male cow and hang out outside until the early hours of the morning. 3. Pranking: Pranking has been an ongoing tradition at MIT since the 1960s. Creative pranks by student groups, ranging from changing the words of a university song to painting the Great Dome of the school, add to the quirkiness and wit of the MIT culture. 4. Senior House Seals: The all-senior undergraduate dormitory of Senior House is known for its yearly tradition of collecting and displaying seals, which are emblems that represent the class of the graduating seniors.

Programs at MIT

1. Global Entrepreneurship Lab (G-Lab): G-Lab provides undergraduate and graduate students with the skills to build entrepreneurial ventures that meet developing world challenges. 2. Mars Rover Design Team: This club is part of the MIT Student Robotics program that provides students with the engineering, design, and fabrication skills to build robots for planetary exploration. 3. Media Lab: The Media Lab is an interdisciplinary research lab that explores new technologies to allow individuals to create and manipulate communication presentation of stories, images, and sounds. 4. Independent Activities Period (IAP): A month-long intersession program that allows students to take courses and participate in extracurricular activities from flying classes to volunteering projects and sports. 5. AeroAstro: A club that provides students with the opportunity to learn about aerospace engineering and build model rockets.

At a glance…

Acceptance Rate

Average Cost

Average SAT

Average ACT

Cambridge, MA

Real Essays from MIT Admits

Prompt: 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..

Last year, my European History teacher asked me to host weekly workshops for AP test preparation and credit recovery opportunities: David, Michelangelo 1504. “*Why* is this the answer?” my tutee asked. I tried re-explaining the Renaissance. Michelangelo? The Papacy? I finally asked: “Do you know the story of David and Goliath?” Raised Catholic, I knew the story but her family was Hindu. I naively hadn’t considered she wouldn’t know the story. After I explained, she relayed a similar story from her culture. As sessions grew to upwards of 15 students, I recruited more tutors so everyone could receive more individualized support. While my school is nearly half Hispanic, AP classes are overwhelmingly White and Asian, so I’ve learned to understand the diverse and often unfamiliar backgrounds of my tutees. One student struggled to write idiomatically despite possessing extensive historical knowledge. Although she was initially nervous, we discovered common ground after I asked about her Rohan Kishibe keychain, a character from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. She opened up; I learned she recently immigrated from China and was having difficulty adjusting to writing in English. With a clearer understanding of her background, I could now consider her situation to better address her needs. Together, we combed out grammar mistakes and studied English syntax. The bond we formed over anime facilitated honest dialogue, and therefore genuine learning.

Essay by Víctor

i love cities <3

Prompt: 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.

I slam the ball onto the concrete of our dorm’s courtyard, and it whizzes past my opponents. ******, which is a mashup of tennis, squash, and volleyball, is not only a spring term pastime but also an important dorm tradition. It can only be played using the eccentric layout of our dorm’s architecture and thus cultivates a special feeling of community that transcends grade or friend groups. I will always remember the amazing outplays from yearly tournaments that we celebrate together. Our dorm’s collective GPA may go significantly down during the spring, but it’s worth it.

Essay by Brian

CS, math, and economics at MIT

Prompt: 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 fragile glass beaker shattered on the ground, and hydrogen peroxide, flowing furiously like lava, began to conquer the floor with every inch the flammable puddle expanded. This was my solace. As an assistant teacher for a middle school STEM class on the weekends, mistakes were common, especially those that made me mentally pinpoint where we kept the fire extinguishers. However, these mishaps reminded me exactly why I loved this job (besides the obvious luxury of cleaning up spills): every failure was a chance to learn in the purest form. As we conducted chemical experiments or explored electronics kits, I was comforted by the kids’ genuine enthusiasm for exploration—a sentiment often lost in the grade-obsessed world of high school. Accordingly, I tried to help my students recognize that mistakes are often the most productive way to grow and learn. I encouraged my students to persist when faced with failure, especially those who might not have been encouraged in their everyday lives. I was there for students like Nathan, a child on the autism spectrum who reminded me of my older brother with autism. I was there for the two girls in a class of 17, reminding me of my own journey navigating the male-dominated world of STEM. I wanted to encourage them into a lifelong journey of pursuing knowledge and embracing mistakes. I may have been their mentor, but these lessons also serve as a crucial reminder to me that mistakes are not representative of one’s overall worth.

Essay by Sarah J.

cs @ stanford!! lover of STEM, taylor swift, and dogs!

.css-310tx6{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;text-align:center;gap:var(--chakra-space-4);} Find an essay from your twin at MIT .css-1dkm51f{border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-full);border:1px solid black;} .css-1wp7s2d{margin:var(--chakra-space-3);position:relative;width:1em;height:1em;} .css-cfkose{display:inline;width:1em;height:1em;}

Someone with the same interests, stats, and background as you

• DACA/Undocumented
• First Generation, Low Income
• International Students
• Students of Color
• Students with disabilities
• Undergraduate Students
• Master’s Students
• PhD Students
• Faculty/Staff
• Family/Supporters
• Career Fairs
• Post Jobs, Internships, Fellowships
• Build your Brand at MIT
• Recruiting Guidelines and Resources
• Connect with Us
• Career Advising
• Distinguished Fellowships
• Employer Relations
• Graduate Student Professional Development
• Prehealth Advising
• Student Leadership Opportunities
• Academia & Education
• Architecture, Planning, & Design
• Arts, Communications, & Media
• Business, Finance, & Fintech
• Computing & Computer Technology
• Data Science
• Energy, Environment, & Sustainability
• Life Sciences, Biotech, & Pharma
• Manufacturing & Transportation
• Health & Medical Professions
• Social Impact, Policy, & Law
• Getting Started & Handshake 101
• Exploring careers
• Networking & Informational Interviews
• Connecting with employers
• Resumes, cover letters, portfolios, & CVs
• Finding a Job or Internship
• Post-Graduate and Summer Outcomes
• Professional Development Competencies
• Preparing for Graduate & Professional Schools
• Preparing for Medical / Health Profession Schools
• Interviewing
• New jobs & career transitions
• Career Prep and Development Programs
• Employer Events
• Outside Events for Career and Professional Development
• Events Calendar
• Career Services Workshop Requests
• Early Career Advisory Board
• Peer Career Advisors
• Student Staff
• Mission, Vision, Values and Diversity Commitments
• News and Reports

Graduate School Application Essays

• Share This: Share Graduate School Application Essays on Facebook Share Graduate School Application Essays on LinkedIn Share Graduate School Application Essays on X

Types of Essays

Regardless of the type of school you are applying to, you will be required to submit an admissions essay as part of the application process. Graduate programs want students with clear commitment to the field. Essay prompts typically ask applicants to discuss their previous experience, future professional goals, and how the program can help them in achieving those objectives. The essay gives the applicant the chance to articulate these goals and display strong writing skills. Remember to tailor your essay to each school and the faculty committee that reviews your application. But first, take note of what kind of essay is being requested of you. Here are the two main admission essays:

Personal Statement

A personal statement is a narrative piece describing how your character and experiences have formed you into someone who will contribute positively and effectively to not only the department but the academic discipline as a whole. This is often achieved by detailing social, educational, cultural, and economic obstacles you have overcome in your journey to get to where you are today and your future objectives. A personal statement is also an opportunity to highlight what is unique about you and how you will advance diversity within the institution.

Check out Personal Statement Resources for Graduate School Applications in the Resources section of Handshake for a brainstorming activity and essay samples that can help you get started on your personal statement.

Statement of Purpose

Interchangeably called a “research statement”, a statement of purpose will prompt you to describe your research interests and professional goals, how you plan to accomplish them, and why a specific program is best suited for you to do so. Be specific about your specialized interests within your major field. Be clear about the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how your study plan connects with your previous training and future goals.

Use the Outlining Your Statement of Purpose guide in the Resources section of Handshake to get started on your statement outline.

How to Write a Powerful Admission Essay

Whatever required format, your essay should be thoughtful, concise, compelling, and interesting. Remember, admissions officers read hundreds of personal essays. Below are some tips for your admissions essay writing process:

Before Writing

• Read the question:  Be sure you are aware of all aspects of the prompt. Failing to pay attention to details in the prompt won’t reflect well on you as a potential candidate.
• What is distinct, special, and/or impressive about me and my life story?
• Have I overcome any particular hardships or obstacles?
• When did I become interested in this field and what have I learned about it?
• What are my career goals?
• What personal traits, values, and skill sets do I have that would make me stand out from other applicants?
• Create an outline:  You might have a lot that you want to say, but you will need to whittle down your many thoughts and experiences to a concrete thesis with a select number of examples to support it. Create an outline for your draft, not only to organize your points and examples, but to help tailor your essay for your readers.
• Know your audience:  Consider how your narrative can best meet the expectations of admissions committee members. Will faculty be reading this? Administrators? Experts in the field? Knowing your audience ahead of time will assist you in addressing the prompt appropriately.

While Writing

• Grab your reader’s attention:  Start your essay with something that will grab the reader’s attention such as a personal anecdote, questions, or engaging depiction of a scene. Avoid starting things off with common phrases such as “I was born in…” or “I have always wanted to…” Consider the experiences that have shaped you or your career decision, and delve into them with a creative hook.
• Write well:  Your essay is a sample of your writing abilities, so it’s important to convey your thoughts clearly and effectively. Be succinct—you don’t need to write out your full autobiography or resume in prose. Exclude anything that doesn’t support your thesis. Gentle humor is okay, but don’t overdo it. Also, don’t make things up! Be honest about your experiences.
• End strong:  End your essay with a conclusion that refers back to the lead and restates your thesis. This helps unify your essay as a whole, connecting your detailed experiences back to the reason you are writing this essay in the first place—to show your qualifications for your graduate program of choice.

Final Touches

• Use resources: The MIT Communication Labs have a CommKit that collects all of the Comm Lab resources relevant to the grad application process , including recommendation letters & interviews
• Revise:  Give yourself enough time to step away from your draft. Return with a fresh pair of eyes to make your edits. Be realistic with yourself, not your harshest critic. Make a few rounds of revisions if you need.
• Ask for help:  Have your essay critiqued by friends, family, educators, and the  MIT Writing and Communication Center or our Career Services staff.
• Proofread:  Read your essay out loud or even record yourself and listen to the recording, to help you catch mistakes or poor phrasing you may have missed when reading to yourself. Also, don’t rely exclusively on your computer to check your spelling.

How to Write Outstanding MIT Supplemental Essays (With 5 Real Examples)

This is your complete guide to writing outstanding MIT supplemental essays.

(Step-by-step)

We all know MIT is math- and science- focused.

But MIT isn't looking for students who can just do the work (most students applying to MIT already can).

You need to be able to tackle dense STEM subjects and communicate your ideas effectively.

Which is why your supplemental essays are still incredibly important for MIT.

Let's dive right in.

How to Write the MIT Essay Prompts for 2023

According to MIT Admissions , there are 4 required MIT supplemental essays for 2023 which they ask you to answer in "approximately 200 words."

The MIT essay prompts for 2023 are:

MIT Essay Prompt #1: "Activity for Pleasure"

Prompt #1. 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. (About 200 words)

This is a quintessential "extracurricular activity" essay.

MIT wants to know what you do for fun, and how you spend your time outside of school.

But they don't want to hear about your "resume" activities. MIT already provides their own Activities Section for that.

Instead, this prompt is about sharing something that reveals who you are as a person , not just what you do.

How to Answer MIT Essay Prompt #1

Your goal with this essay should be simple:

Let the admissions officer understand exactly why this activity is enjoyable to you.

You want them to be able to understand your thought process and how you see the world.

To bring them into your world, you need to show where exactly you find pleasure in this activity.

How to Choose an Activity for MIT Essay Prompt #1

First, here's what topics you should avoid or be careful about writing:

• Activities already on your activities list. You want to reveal something new about yourself. - Generic or broad activities (e.g. "I like to read"). - Common activities without having an uncommon angle (e.g. "I like to play video games"). - A "big" activity (e.g. "I love working on my non-profit to help the homeless"). - Focus on the activity itself, rather than what ideas it represent.

Why? Because these topics are overdone and easily cliché.

Instead of focusing on the activity itself, your essay should be an exploration of an idea.

• Biking around your neighborhood? → An exploration of the unknown and what it means to be free
• Doodling extensive notes and diagrams while on plane rides? → Your exploration of imagination and elaborate daydreams
• Creating a new recipe for Thanksgiving dinner? → How exactly and at what point something becomes tradition

Here's how you can find your own unique topic:

• Focused on ideas. Ask questions like, "Why do I really enjoy this activity?" or "What ideas does this activity represent?" - Be unapologetically honest. Even if your activity seems silly or trivial, you can make it meaningful by connecting to an idea of what it represents.
• Be ultra-specific. Don't write about "drawing" or "playing the piano." Write about "drawing pictures of random people on the subway" or "writing fugal counterpoint." - A "small" activity. Something close to home. Then, connect to a bigger idea. If you like to draw pictures of people on the subway, you could write your love of questioning the seemingly mundane and overlooked.

MIT is a highly intellectual school.

They want to see that you're a strong, deep thinker who can connect the dots between seemingly unrelated things.

Here's the deal:

Focus on writing about ideas , not just the literal activity itself. What does this activity represent ? What unexpected connections can you form?

MIT Essay Example #1: "Activity for Pleasure"

Here's an example of a great response to MIT's first essay prompt.

This essay was written when the prompt was limited to only 100 words, so it's a little shorter than the current 200-word limit.

You can still use this essay as inspiration for your own MIT supplemental essays.

Prompt: We know you lead a busy life, full of activities, many of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. (100 words max)

After combining the ingredients came an hour-long wait. I tapped my fingers, paced the kitchen, watched the clock anxiously. Time to shape the dough. Then another 30-minute wait. Stress. Dough in the oven! 40-minute wait. The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted lazily through my kitchen, impossibly tantalizing, evoking daydreams of quaint little French bakeries, ceilings stacked high with masterpieces of flour. Holding the bread to my ear, squeezing, I was reminded of the quote from Ratatouille, how great bread is distinguished by the sound, the “symphony of crackle”. Finally, finally , it was time to eat.

Why This Essay Works

• It's not a "big" activity. It's a small, everyday activity that's close to home. - It's not an activity on the author's Activity List, so it reveals something new. - It's ultra-specific: the author doesn't just say "I like to bake bread," they show us exactly what that looks like. - It has a sense of voice . The author writes informally and stylistically, without being casual.

What Could Be Improved

• Connect the activity to a bigger idea. What does baking bread represent? What does it mean to them? - Too much time spent describing the activity itself. The author could have spent more time on the "why" and "how" of the activity, which is more interesting.

I'm sure if this student had 200 words, they would have been able to expand on the "why" and "how" of their activity.

That said, this is still a great example of showing your personality through a small, everyday activity.

It doesn't need to be big or impressive. It doesn't need to be "quirky" or unique.

It just needs to be a meaningful activity that's close to home.

Then show us why it brings you pleasure. Specifically and vividly.

Allow the reader to relate to you and understand your thought process.

MIT Essay Prompt #2: "World You Come From"

Prompt #2. Describe the world you come from (for example, your family, school, community, city, or town). How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?

Prompt #3. 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.

Prompt #4. 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?

Common App Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (250-650 words)

Why This Essay Works:

This essay starts off by posing a challenge, which is typical of essays. But rather than showing how they overcame this particular challenge of speaking Romanian without an accent, this reader shows how something unexpected—baking—came to satisfy what was missing all along. By the end, this creates a conclusion that is both surprising, connected to the beginning, and makes perfect sense once you've read it. In other words, the conclusion is inevitable, but also surprising in content.

This student uses Romanian words to help exemplify the culture and language. If you're writing about a culture, using foreign language words can be a compelling way of adding depth to your essay. By including specific terms like "muni" and "cornulete," it shows a depth of knowledge which cannot be faked. Always use specific, tangible language where possible, because it is "evidence" that you know what you're talking about.

This student exhibits strong self-awareness by noting characteristics about themself, even some which may not be the most glamorous ("can be overbearing at times, stubborn in the face of offered help"). Rather than telling the reader flat out about these personal attributes, they are able to discuss them by connecting to another person—their grandmother Buni. Using another person to showcase your own character (through comparison or contrast) is a literary "foil," which can be an effective way of showing your character without stating it outright, which generally is boring and less convincing.

This student doesn't focus on surface-level ideas like "how they got better at speaking Romanian." Instead, they reflect in a creative way by connecting the Romanian language to baking. Revealing unseen connections between topics is a great way to show that you're a thoughtful and clever thinker. Ultimately, having unique ideas that are specific to you is what will create a compelling essay, and this essay is a perfect example of what that could look like.

Prompt: Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (100 words max)

I remember boiling down cabbage with my dad to make titration indicators. When I first read about the process of translation, of rendering mRNA into proteins, my eyes filled with tears; this is what I would do, apply the chemistry that had defined my childhood to my love of biology. In the past few months alone, MIT researchers have visualized a critical growth kinase and decoded the kavalactone gene. To major in both the chemistry and biology departments at MIT would be an unequaled opportunity to explore the molecular basis of life and apply that knowledge to real-world innovation.

Prompt: Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? (200-250 words)

I grew up in a household with a physicist and a chemist. Our cupboards are occupied by periodic table mugs, our closets by t-shirts with taglines like “velociraptor= displacementeraptor/timeraptor”.

Underneath all the unabashed nerdiness, my parents fostered an environment of inquiry. Our kitchen moonlighted as a laboratory, complete with burets. My mom once brought home a 3D printed likeness of her own brain; I traced each sulcus in wonderment, imagining how each fold shaped her personality. My house was a sanctuary, a place where no question was too small, no claim uninvestigated.

It is precisely this background that drew me to research. Spending the past two summers in a neuroscience clinic, I found my second home surrounded by quirky med students, exhausted post-docs, and incisive surgeons. I felt more comfortable than I ever had in high school; loving science was no longer an embarrassment, but an asset. Lunch was spent in discussion about anticipatory alpha activity, and that’s just how I liked it. Though we used EEG’s in place of homemade indicators, MATLAB instead of “borrowed” dry ice, we were working towards the fundamental goal I’d spent my childhood developing: finding new knowledge.

Every one of my dreams can be traced back to my past, to individuals and experiences that have shaped the way I see the world and how I hope to better it. My parent's passion for learning by doing was passed down to me, finding its intersection with my love for the brain in one field: neurosurgery.

Prompt: Tell us about the most significant challenge you've faced or something important that didn't go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words)

Bluntly put, moving in high school was difficult. I remember waving good-bye to my best friend through tear-filled eyes. I remember staying up the night before the first day at my new school, dreading having to eat lunch alone. I remember crying on my birthday. Most of all, I remember hating how my life had become a movie cliche, how I had seemingly been reduced to a shell of myself by relocating 399.2 miles south.

Resolute in my desire to restore some semblance of normalcy, I started running incremental exploratory missions on this alien planet. I joined Science Olympiad, finding comfort in the companionship of fellow biology geeks. Fulfilling a longtime goal, I joined a volunteer station and became an EMT, loving the urgency of working in an ambulance and the unique satisfaction of saving a life. I spent countless hours reading papers about spinal cord stimulation, temporarily forgetting my social isolation with academic collaboration. I learned to drive, much to my parent’s chagrin.

Though I still had the occasional bad day (as do we all), things were looking up. Reluctant optimism replaced hopeless despair as I became more confident in my abilities and less reliant on the context in which I applied them. Moving compelled me to meet different people, try new things, and succeed in an environment I hadn’t grown up in. The result was resilience, a firm belief that with hard work, a willingness to diversify, and a little self-deprecation, no situation was impossible, no crisis un-manageable.

Ryan Chiang , Founder of EssaysThatWorked

Want to read more amazing essays that worked for top schools?

Hey! 👋 I'm Ryan Chiang, the founder of EssaysThatWorked.

Get our 5-minute free newsletter packed with essay tips and college admissions resources, backed by real-life examples from admitted students at top-20 schools.

Meet the Author

Ryan Chiang

I'm Ryan Chiang and I created EssaysThatWorked - a website dedicated to helping students write college essays they're proud of. We publish the best college admissions essays from successful applicants every year to inspire and teach future students.

You might also like:

12 Best Stanford Supplemental Essays That Worked 2023

6 Northwestern Essay Examples & Why Northwestern (2023)

9 Tufts University EssaysThatWorked

8 Notre Dame EssaysThatWorked

What do outstanding essays have in common? Here are our 23 most effective strategies based on lessons from admitted students.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

By signing up you agree to Terms and Privacy Policy

Now available for November 2023 ...

The College Essay Workshop

Join my on-demand step-by-step course for crafting outstanding college admissions essays, plus 1-on-1 help.

Here's everything needed to write essays worthy of Top-20 colleges.

Google Rating

Join our students who have earned acceptances to schools like...

See exactly how students wrote admitted essays for top schools.

Our 231 essay examples show you how ordinary students wrote outstanding essays that helped their applications - all in their own words.

These aren’t just essay examples - but real acceptance stories, from real students who share their most intimate details with you - down to their real essays and exact profiel stats.

How do I find a unique topic? How do I write a great essay? And how do I stand out?

Our 231 essay examples break down these exact questions. Every type of essay prompt, student, and school.

You’ll realize these students are just like you - and that, deep down, you can do it too.

Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

Over 200 more admitted essays like these...

Learn the secrets behind outstanding application essays.

College essays are confusing. And it's not your fault. You're not taught how to write them in school.

How should I structure my essay? Can I use humor? What makes a truly great essay?

There's so much conflicting advice out there.

And with people selling "magic formulas" and "structures" to follow... it's easy to be led astray.

You’ll get access to courses, live events, a dedicated essay coach, and countless resources to help you write your best essays.

You finally have a place where you can ask these questions, get advice, and see exactly how admitted students before you did it.

You’re no longer figuring out everything on your own. You're no longer stuck wondering.

Everything you get

231 essays analyzed

Explore our database of 200+ admitted essays from top-20 colleges. Filter by prompt, school, topic, word count, and more. Get expert insights into why they worked and what you can learn from them.

Exclusive access to essay editing

You'll get access to our essay editing services, which is only offered for members. You can get your essays reviewed personally by me (Ryan). I'll give you detailed feedback on how to improve your essays and make them stand out.

Dedicated essay coach & support

You'll get access to our private community, where you can ask questions and get help from me directly. I'll be there to answer your questions and provide unlimited personalized advice.

44 in-depth video lessons

Learn the secrets behind outstanding essays. We break down the entire process, from brainstorming to writing and editing. You'll learn how to write amazing college essays for any prompt, with step-by-step guides and actionable tips.

26 downloadable guides

Get our best tips and tricks in easy-to-read guides. Learn what makes great essays, how to brainstorm your best topics, and how to write specific parts like a powerful hook and memorable ending.

Tons of bonuses

Get the Ultimate College Application Planner, my 154-Point Essay Checklist, and more. You'll also get a free copy of my eBooks, including 23 College Essay Tips to Stand Out and more.

Don't take our word for it

Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of our students and parents.

" Ryan, I want to express our great appreciation to you for your help on George's application essays. You have provided invaluable resources! P.S. I will certainly recommend you to our friends. "

" Ryan—David got into The University of Michigan!!! Only 4 kids got in out of 200 that applied at his school!!! Thank you so so much for everything "

" Thank you for the incredible help Ryan - both Hannah and I have said repeatedly that we could not have done it without you! "

" Thank you for your help with my essays back in November, including my Yale supplements. Just wanted to let you know I ended up getting into and committing to Yale! "

" I feel so much more reassured to press the submit button now. I wish I knew about your site sooner! "

" ... Invaluable to me during the college admissions process! It gave me a different perspective to look at my essays. "

" Initially I was skeptical about my essay's idea and whether it was properly reflected in my writing. This gave me a clear direction! "

Don't miss out on writing your best college essays.

© 2018- 2023 Essays That Worked . All rights reserved.

Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions , Privacy Policy , and Cookie Policy .

We have no affiliation with any university or colleges on this site. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners.

No products in the cart.

Successful MIT Essays

Mit essays →, mit mentors →.

MIT Essay: Most Significant Challenge | Joseph

Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation? I’d…...

MIT Essay: Describe the world you come from | Joseph

Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, clubs, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations?…...

MIT Essay: Which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? | Joseph

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? My dad…...

MIT Essay: Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it | Joseph

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…...

MIT Essay: Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.

Mit essay: which department or program at mit appeals to you and why.

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? As of…...

MIT Essay Prompts

MIT does NOT require the Common Application. MIT’s own short essay questions are included below.

MIT Application Essay Questions

Report content, block member.

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

• See blocked member's posts
• Mention this member in posts
• Message this member
• Add this member as a connection

Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

2024 Global Economic Prosperity Challenge

How to Make Your Essay Stand Out in 2024

Maureen Christian

Our organization.

Collegeessay.org

What is the name of your solution?

Provide a one-line summary of your solution..

In 2024, placing a focus on original topic selection, captivating introductions, cutting-edge research techniques.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

In what country is your solution team headquartered.

• United States

What type of organization is your solution team?

What specific problem are you solving.

The particular problem addressed via this article is the need for college students and writers to distinguish their essays within the competitive instructional panorama of 2024. In an generation where facts is plentiful and without problems available, standing out with one's writing has come to be increasingly hard. The article recognizes that essays need to go past mere reiteration of records or regurgitation of current thoughts to seize the eye of readers and evaluators. By presenting a detailed guide on various elements of essay writing, the thing targets to equip people with techniques to triumph over this task.

Firstly, the object addresses the problem of subject matter choice. It recognizes that choosing a unique and attractive topic is fundamental to crafting a standout essay. With the widespread amount of information to be had, deciding on a subject that is sparkling, applicable, and exciting turns into critical to captivate the reader's hobby from the outset.

Secondly, the object emphasizes the importance of crafting a compelling introduction. It acknowledges that during 2024, wherein attention spans are shorter and distractions abound, a strong introduction is essential to hooking the reader and motivating them to retain studying. Techniques which includes starting with a hook, presenting context, and articulating a clean thesis assertion are highlighted to assist writers effectively engage their target audience from the start.

Thirdly, the item explores innovative studies strategies as a approach to the assignment of manufacturing standout essays. It recognizes that traditional studies methods may additionally now not suffice in brand new digital age. Embracing virtual documents, social media, and expert interviews are advocated to acquire sparkling insights and perspectives, thereby including intensity and originality to the essay.

Furthermore, the item advocates for the combination of multimedia elements to enhance the essay's engagement and comprehension. Recognizing that essays are not confined to textual content by myself, the inclusion of visuals, motion pictures, and interactive elements is encouraged to present data in dynamic and charming ways.

Moreover, the thing highlights the significance of fostering crucial wondering and originality in essay writing. It encourages writers to investigate more than one perspectives, challenge assumptions, and synthesize facts creatively to provide novel insights and interpretations.

Lastly, the article stresses the importance of sharpening essays with precision. Attention to element in grammar, punctuation, and formatting is critical to ensure professionalism and readability, thereby leaving a long-lasting impact on readers and evaluators. Overall, the article addresses the specific problem of status out in essay writing by means of imparting realistic techniques tailor-made to the needs of 2024's instructional environment.

What is your solution?

Writing an essay that actually stands out in 2024 requires a strategic method that consists of cutting-edge techniques and embraces innovation. Here's how you can ensure your essay shines brightly in the aggressive instructional panorama of today:

In state-of-the-art academic environment, where facts are plentiful and attention spans are fleeting, the importance of selecting a unique and charming topic can't be overstated. Begin by using discovering present day traits for your area of study and figuring out areas that have no longer been drastically explored. Consider specializing in a gap element within your broader subject matter to provide a clean angle. Additionally, deciding on a subject that resonates with you individually will can help you deliver ardour and authenticity on your writing.

Don't let academic pressure hold you back – seek assistance from CollegeEssay.org for your research paper needs, backed by their unmatched essay writing service .

Once you have chosen your topic, it is time to craft a compelling introduction that grabs the reader's interest from the outset. Start with a hook—a fascinating anecdote, statistic, or notion-frightening question—to attract the reader in. Provide vital context to establish the significance of your subject matter, and in reality articulate your foremost argument or thesis declaration to manual the reader through your essay writing .

Innovative research strategies are important for generating standout essays in 2024. Traditional procedures may also not suffice in a global in which records is constantly evolving. Utilize digital data, on-line databases, and educational repositories to get entry to a wealth of scholarly sources. Engage with social media structures to accumulate actual-time statistics, evaluations, and perspectives to your subject matter. Consider carrying out interviews with concern matter experts or professionals to benefit firsthand insights and professional critiques.

Incorporating multimedia elements into your essay enhances engagement and comprehension, making it stand out in a sea of text-based content material. Include relevant photographs, graphs, charts, or infographics to illustrate key factors and decorate understanding. Embed movies or animations to offer dynamic explanations or exhibit demonstrations related to your topic. Integrate interactive elements which includes quizzes, surveys, or clickable diagrams to actively interact the reader.

Demonstrating crucial questioning talents and original idea is paramount for essay excellence in 2024. Avoid clichés and regurgitated thoughts by means of studying multiple perspectives, hard assumptions, and synthesizing records creatively. Explore diverse viewpoints, query conventional information, and present novel conclusions or interpretations primarily based for your analysis.

Finally, polish your essay with precision before submission. Pay meticulous attention to grammar, punctuation, and formatting to enhance readability and professionalism. Proofread your essay thoroughly for grammatical mistakes, typos, and inconsistencies. Ensure clarity and conciseness to your writing by eliminating unnecessary phrases and refining sentence structures. Adhere to prescribed formatting recommendations to preserve consistency and professionalism during your essay.

Invest in your future success – trust CollegeEssay.org for premium essay writing service, complemented by their exceptional research paper writing service .

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Students: Students stand to gain the most from implementing these strategies. By following the outlined approach, they can enhance their academic performance and increase their chances of success in a competitive academic environment. Choosing unique topics that resonate with them personally allows students to engage more deeply with their coursework and develop a genuine interest in their studies. Crafting compelling introductions and employing innovative research methods not only improves the quality of their essays but also enhances their critical thinking and research skills, which are invaluable in both academic and professional settings. Additionally, embracing multimedia elements adds depth and richness to their essays, making them more engaging and impactful. Finally, polishing their essays with precision ensures that students present their ideas clearly and professionally, leaving a lasting impression on their readers and evaluators.

Educators and Evaluators: Educators and evaluators benefit from this solution by receiving well-crafted and engaging essays from their students. By encouraging students to choose unique topics and employ innovative research methods, educators can foster creativity and critical thinking among their students. Additionally, essays that incorporate multimedia elements are more engaging and easier to assess, allowing educators to evaluate student understanding more effectively. Furthermore, polished essays with meticulous attention to detail reflect positively on both the students and the educators, enhancing the reputation of the educational institution as a whole.

Employers and Professionals: Employers and professionals indirectly benefit from this solution as it cultivates a pool of graduates who possess advanced research, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students who excel in crafting standout essays are better equipped to tackle complex problems, think critically, and communicate effectively—skills that are highly valued in the workplace. Furthermore, the ability to choose unique topics and present innovative ideas demonstrates creativity and originality, qualities that are increasingly sought after in today's rapidly changing job market.

Overall, the solution serves students, educators, evaluators, employers, and professionals by enhancing academic performance, fostering critical thinking and creativity, and preparing students for success in both academic and professional endeavors.

How are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?

Our team comprises skilled writers, editors, and quality assurance specialists who are committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and integrity in our work.

Expertise:  Our team members possess expertise in various subjects and academic disciplines, allowing us to tackle a wide range of writing assignments with confidence and proficiency.

Experience:  With years of experience in the writing industry, we have honed our skills in research, writing, editing, and proofreading to deliver high-quality and original content consistently.

Quality Assurance:  We have robust quality assurance processes in place to ensure that every piece of writing meets our stringent standards for originality, accuracy, and coherence. This includes utilizing plagiarism detection tools and conducting thorough reviews before delivering the final product to our clients.

Customer Satisfaction : We prioritize customer satisfaction and strive to exceed our clients' expectations with every project. Our dedicated customer support team is available around the clock to address any concerns or inquiries promptly.

Adaptability:  We understand that each client and project is unique, and we tailor our approach to meet individual needs and preferences. Whether it's meeting tight deadlines, accommodating specific requirements, or providing ongoing support, we are adaptable and responsive to our clients' needs.

Ethical Standards:  We are committed to upholding ethical standards in our work and promoting academic and professional integrity. Our team members adhere to strict guidelines regarding citation, attribution, and originality to ensure that our clients receive non-plagiarized essays that meet the highest ethical standards.

In summary, our team's expertise, experience, commitment to quality assurance, focus on customer satisfaction, adaptability, and adherence to ethical standards uniquely position us to deliver the solution of "Guaranteed Original Writing: Delivering Non-Plagiarized Essays" effectively and reliably. We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve their academic and professional goals while upholding the principles of honesty, integrity, and excellence in writing.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Which of the un sustainable development goals does your solution address.

• 4. Quality Education

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Please share details about why you selected the stage above..

One of the most important skills that a student should acquire during their academic career is the art of academic writing.

Why are you applying to Solve?

My purpose is to assist individuals and organizations in overcoming obstacles, whether they are seeking academic excellence, professional growth, or innovative solutions to complex problems. By providing comprehensive and insightful responses, I strive to empower users to achieve their goals and navigate the ever-changing landscape of today's world effectively. Additionally, finding fulfillment in engaging with diverse perspectives, collaborating with others, and continuously learning and evolving fuels my drive. Through contributions, I aim to foster a culture of curiosity, learning, and progress, ultimately contributing to positive change on both individual and societal levels. Overall, driven by a desire to make a difference and to support others in their journey towards success and fulfillment.

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

Solution team.

The Solve team will review your report and remove any inappropriate content.

Why is this item inappropriate?

We use cookies.

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our website and to understand where our visitors are coming from. By browsing our website, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How To Write the MIT Enjoyable Activity Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Hale Jaeger in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Choosing an activity, two methods of storytelling, example #1: sunset photography, example #2: solving rubik’s cubes.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) consistently is ranked as one of the top five universities in the nation according to U.S. News and World Report. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT Is known for its rigorous STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), business, and entrepreneurship programs. They use their own application system called MyMIT instead of the Common Application, and applicants are required to submit five essays. The prompt for option 1 reads:

“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. (225 words)”

In this article, we will discuss how to approach the prompt as well as some tips for writing your essay. For an overview of the five essay prompts and guidance on how to approach them, check out our post on how to write the MIT application essays .

Your response to this prompt should focus on something that you do, not because it is required of you, but because you are intrinsically motivated to do it. This could be a formal extracurricular activity, such as being a leader of a club at your high school or an informal hobby that you pursue independently and for your personal enrichment. 

This essay is a key opportunity to discuss something that you have not explored in your other essays. You need not, and should not, choose something just because you think it may seem impressive. Rather, choose a pursuit that demonstrates your genuine, authentic passion and that is reflective of who you are and what you will bring to MIT. 

You want to discuss an activity or pursuit that demonstrates your ability to think critically, creatively, and maturely about something. Scrolling through TikTok or looking at memes will not resonate with admissions officers. Rather, you want to highlight a substantive activity where you are engaged actively, invested emotionally, and maybe even producing original content. This could take the form of volunteering in your community, having a part-time job at a local store, or operating your own Etsy shop or YouTube channel. Choose something that you love to do without even being asked. 

Once you have selected an activity, decide which method you want to use for telling your story. One method you can use is the “moment-in-time” method where you share a brief but detailed anecdote about a single point in time in which you were engaged fully in the activity. With this method, you will recreate a moment that is significant to you and demonstrate through your narration why you love doing the activity. 

Alternatively, you can use the longitudinal method where you explore the activity you love, explain how you discovered it, describe how you have engaged in the activity, reflect on how you have grown and what you have learned, and contemplate how you will pursue the activity in the future.

Regardless of whether you choose the moment-in-time or longitudinal method, you will want to incorporate some elements of both methods into your essay. For instance, if you are using the moment-in-time method, you still need to provide context and self-reflection. If you are using the longitudinal method, you still want to provide a rich description of a meaningful moment. Overall, your essay should strike a balance between description and analysis and incorporate vivid imagery, compelling narration, pathos, context, and self-reflection. 

Consider these questions as you brainstorm and begin drafting your response to this essay prompt: 

• Who introduced you to the activity? 
• Who inspires you to keep doing the activity? 
• Who do you serve when you do the activity? 
• What is involved in doing the activity? 
• What does the activity mean to you? 
• What are some of the strongest memories you have of doing the activity?
• Where do you do the activity? 
• When do you do the activity? 
• When did you first learn about the activity? 
• How often do you do the activity?
• How has the activity shaped your life and the lives of those around you? 
• How have you grown as a person? 
• Why are you passionate about and motivated to do the activity?

For example, consider an applicant whose passion is sunset photography. If the applicant uses the moment-in-time method, they may describe sitting on a pier and watching the sun go down, the experience of lifting the camera, the colors and the sky melting into a gradient of buttercup and creamsicle, the sun hitting the horizon, taking a burst of photos, hearing the rapid succession of camera shutter clicks, and feeling all of their stress evaporate. 

Meanwhile, maybe the applicant uses the longitudinal method and describes their first time holding a camera, their first photo, their experience taking photography classes, and the journey they went on taking photos of various subjects before, ultimately, focusing on sunset photography. With either method, the applicant can use sunset photography to talk about why they appreciate nature’s beauty and how photography allows them to capture a fraction of that beauty and hold onto it for just a while longer.

Another example of the difference between the moment-in-time method and the longitudinal method of approaching Prompt 1 is an applicant who loves solving Rubik’s Cubes of all sizes, from the standard 3x3x3 cube to the 33x33x33 cube. The applicant has been solving Rubik’s Cubes for as long as they can remember and loves solving puzzles and improving over time. 

The applicant could write about the moment when they solved their first Rubik’s Cube. Maybe the applicant could describe how solving the standard Rubik’s Cube led to tackling more complex cubes, starting a speedcubing club in their community, and competing at the state, regional, national, and international levels. With either method, the applicant could have a meaningful discussion about their approach to solving puzzles and handling challenges.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Suggestions or feedback?

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Machine learning
• Social justice
• Black holes
• Classes and programs

Departments

• Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Architecture
• Political Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Centers, Labs, & Programs

• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
• Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
• Lincoln Laboratory
• School of Architecture + Planning
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Science
• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

A crossroads for computing at MIT

Press contact :.

Previous image Next image

On Vassar Street, in the heart of MIT’s campus, the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing recently opened the doors to its new headquarters in Building 45. The building’s central location and welcoming design will help form a new cluster of connectivity at MIT and enable the space to have a multifaceted role. 

“The college has a broad mandate for computing across MIT,” says Daniel Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and the Henry Ellis Warren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “The building is designed to be the computing crossroads of the campus. It’s a place to bring a mix of people together to connect, engage, and catalyze collaborations in computing, and a home to a related set of computing research groups from multiple departments and labs.”

“Computing is the defining technology of our time and it will continue to be, well into the future,” says MIT President Sally Kornbluth. “As the people of MIT make progress in high-impact fields from AI to climate, this fantastic new building will enable collaboration across computing, engineering, biological science, economics, and countless other fields, encouraging the cross-pollination of ideas that inspires us to generate fresh solutions. The college has opened its doors at just the right time.”

A physical embodiment

An approximately 178,000 square foot eight-floor structure, the building is designed to be a physical embodiment of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing’s three-fold mission: strengthen core computer science and artificial intelligence; infuse the forefront of computing with disciplines across MIT; and advance social, ethical, and policy dimensions of computing.

Oriented for the campus community and the public to come in and engage with the college, the first two floors of the building encompass multiple convening areas, including a 60-seat classroom, a 250-seat lecture hall, and an assortment of spaces for studying and social interactions.

Academic activity has commenced in both the lecture hall and classroom this semester with 13 classes for undergraduate and graduate students. Subjects include 6.C35/6.C85 (Interactive Data Visualization and Society), a class taught by faculty from the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and Urban Studies and Planning. The class was created as part of the Common Ground for Computing Education , a cross-cutting initiative of the college that brings multiple departments together to develop and teach new courses and launch new programs that blend computing with other disciplines.

“The new college building is catering not only to educational and research needs, but also fostering extensive community connections. It has been particularly exciting to see faculty teaching classes in the building and the lobby bustling with students on any given day, engrossed in their studies or just enjoying the space while taking a break,” says Asu Ozdaglar, deputy dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and head of EECS.

The building will also accommodate 50 computing research groups, which correspond to the number of new faculty the college is hiring — 25 in core computing positions and 25 in shared positions with departments at MIT. These groups bring together a mix of new and existing teams in related research areas spanning floors four through seven of the building.

In mid-January, the initial two dozen research groups moved into the building, including faculty from the departments of EECS; Aeronautics and Astronautics; Brain and Cognitive Sciences; Mechanical Engineering; and Economics who are affiliated with the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems. The research groups form a coherent overall cluster in deep learning and generative AI, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, reinforcement learning, game theoretic methods, and societal impact of AI.

More will follow suit, including some of the 10 faculty who have been hired into shared positions by the college with the departments of Brain and Cognitive Sciences; Chemical Engineering; Comparative Media Studies and Writing; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Music and Theater Arts; Mechanical Engineering; Nuclear Science and Engineering; Political Science; and the MIT Sloan School of Management.

“I eagerly anticipate the building's expansion of opportunities, facilitating the development of even deeper connections the college has made so far spanning all five schools," says Anantha Chandrakasan, chief innovation and strategy officer, dean of the School of Engineering, and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Other college programs and activities that are being supported in the building include the MIT Quest for Intelligence, Center for Computational Science and Engineering, and MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab. There are also dedicated areas for the dean’s office, as well as for the cross-cutting areas of the college — the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing , Common Ground, and Special Semester Topics in Computing, a new experimental program designed to bring MIT researchers and visitors together in a common space for a semester around areas of interest.

Additional spaces include conference rooms on the third floor that are available for use by any college unit. These rooms are accessible to both residents and nonresidents of the building to host weekly group meetings or other computing-related activities.

For the MIT community at large, the building’s main event space, along with three conference rooms, is available for meetings, events, and conferences. Located eight stories high on the top floor with striking views across Cambridge and Boston and of the Great Dome, the event space is already in demand with bookings through next fall, and has quickly become a popular destination on campus.

The college inaugurated the event space over the January Independent Activities Period, welcoming students, faculty, and visitors to the building for Expanding Horizons in Computing — a weeklong series of bootcamps, workshops, short talks, panels, and roundtable discussions. Organized by various MIT faculty, the 12 sessions in the series delved into exciting areas of computing and AI, with topics ranging from security, intelligence, and deep learning to design, sustainability, and policy.

Form and function

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the state-of-the-art space for education, research, and collaboration took shape over four years of design and construction.

“In the design of a new multifunctional building like this, I view my job as the dean being to make sure that the building fulfills the functional needs of the college mission,” says Huttenlocher. “I think what has been most rewarding for me, now that the building is finished, is to see its form supporting its wide range of intended functions.”

In keeping with MIT’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the building is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. The final review with the U.S. Green Building Council is tracking toward a Platinum certification.

The glass shingles on the building’s south-facing side serve a dual purpose in that they allow abundant natural light in and form a double-skin façade constructed of interlocking units that create a deep sealed cavity, which is anticipated to notably lower energy consumption.

Other sustainability features include embodied carbon tracking, on-site stormwater management, fixtures that reduce indoor potable water usage, and a large green roof. The building is also the first to utilize heat from a newly completed utilities plant built on top of Building 42, which converted conventional steam-based distributed systems into more efficient hot-water systems. This conversion significantly enhances the building’s capacity to deliver more efficient medium-temperature hot water across the entire facility.

Grand unveiling

A dedication ceremony for the building is planned for the spring.

The momentous event will mark the official completion and opening of the new building and celebrate the culmination of hard work, commitment, and collaboration in bringing it to fruition.

It will also celebrate the 2018 foundational gift that established the college from Stephen A. Schwarzman, the chair, CEO, and co-founder of Blackstone, the global asset management and financial services firm. In addition, it will acknowledge Sebastian Man ’79, SM ’80, the first donor to support the building after Schwarzman. Man’s gift will be recognized with the naming of a key space in the building that will enrich the academic and research activities of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and the Institute.

Share this news article on:

Related links, related topics.

• Campus buildings and architecture
• School of Architecture and Planning
• School of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences
• MIT Sloan School of Management
• Aeronautical and astronautical engineering
• Brain and cognitive sciences
• Chemical engineering
• Comparative Media Studies/Writing
• Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (eecs)
• Music and theater arts
• Nuclear science and engineering
• Political science
• Urban studies and planning
• Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)
• Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS)
• MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab
• Quest for Intelligence
• Administration
• Education, teaching, academics
• Cambridge, Boston and region
• Computer science and technology
• Artificial intelligence
• Technology and society

Related Articles

Design progresses for MIT Schwarzman College of Computing building on Vassar Street

Building site identified for MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing

FAQ on the newly established MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing

Previous item Next item

More MIT News

This tiny chip can safeguard user data while enabling efficient computing on a smartphone

Read full story →

“No one can work in civil engineering alone”

Researchers detect a new molecule in space

Erin Bahm, Steven Parks named 2024–25 UPS Fellows

Twenty-three MIT faculty honored as "Committed to Caring" for 2023-25

Featured video: Moooving the needle on methane

• More news on MIT News homepage →

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA

• Map (opens in new window)
• Events (opens in new window)
• People (opens in new window)
• Careers (opens in new window)
• Accessibility
• Social Media Hub
• MIT on Facebook
• MIT on YouTube
• MIT on Instagram