The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is well renowned for its focus to research and technology. The distinguished institution has inspired and created various noteworthy discoveries and innovations throughout the years, including: the development of radar, contributions to mapping the human genome project, identifying quarks, and the invention of the GPS to mention a few.
With such a remarkable heritage, it should come as no surprise to anybody that MIT has stringent criteria for individuals who apply. More over 18,000 applicants submit in their applications to MIT each year, and of them around 1,450 are approved.
With a 7.9% admission rate and an average GPA of 4.13, it is no easy challenge being admitted to this institution; those that are admitted are at the top of their class and succeed in academics and tests.
MIT ACT and SAT Scores
So, what about the admission exams? What type of scores would you need to make it into MIT sat requirements? A helpful method to utilise is to look at the average scores between the 25th percentile and 75th percentile to see how the middle 50% of accepted students score, finding averages makes comparisons simpler.
ACT
36 is the highest attainable score for this test, although MIT acceptees tend to average between 33 and 35 score-wise. This makes MIT score averages among of the highest in the nation. The national ACT average composite score is 21.
Let’s take a deeper look at the English and Arithmetic components of the ACT. For English, the middle 50% of MIT students scored between 33-35. Nationwide, that figure is an average of 20.4. It may not come as much of a surprise that MIT students scored higher in the Math part, with an average 34-36. The national average is 20.8.
SAT
For MIT, the typical SAT score is between 1500–1570. Nationwide, the average composite score is 1000.
For Math, MIT admitted students averaged a score of 770–800; nationwide the average score was 511. For Reading (often called Verbal) MIT earned an average 750–800. The average reading score for the nation, 495. (All on the 1600 scale).
How MIT Acceptees Compare
MIT’s average composite scores for the ACT and SAT are 34 and 2220 (old scale) correspondingly. This indicates MIT students are nationally placed in the 99th percentile on both assessments.
But, according cite MIT’s admissions page “[test results] are not the sole criteria, or even the most significant element” when it comes to selecting whether or not to accept a student. “What this means is that you shouldn’t worry out too much about your results, since we admit individuals, not numbers. With that said, tests are undoubtedly essential, and you should prepare for them as best you can.”
Prerequisites for MIT include: an exceptional GPA, two letters of reference (one from a math/science instructor, one from humanities), either the SAT or ACT (writing component not necessary for either), a few essays, and if feasible an interview.