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Advice On The Essay by Ben Jones

The rules are simple: write your own.

September 25, 2007

• in Admissions ,
• Best of the Blogs ,
• Process & Statistics

I recently opened my in-box to find an email from someone who "would love to interview an admissions officer from your prestigious university to measure the impact of the admissions essay on today's college applicant." The email included a bunch of questions.

Seemed harmless enough, so without thinking too much about it, I wrote the following in response:

Essays are a wonderful way to connect with the selection committee on a human level, i.e. beyond all of the test scores, grades, etc – so we read them very carefully. Quite simply, we are looking for the applicant's true voice when we read his or her essay. Not some perfect piece of prose worthy of a magazine, or something that has been edited and edited and edited by a variety of different people. Just a voice, and therefore, a connection. We can always tell when an applicant's essay has been edited to be something other than his or her true voice.

Encourage students to write from the heart and to not have their essays edited by any counselor, service, parent, etc – I can't speak for all schools, but here at MIT, that's what we're looking for.

Best wishes, Ben

After sending the email I got curious about the URL in the recipient's email address, so I checked out the site. Turns out it's run by a "team of professional journalists" who will help you craft the perfect essay… for a price, of course. (Anywhere from a few bucks for basic proofreading to three figures for a full-blown rewrite – the irony being this: the more you pay, the less it will be your voice!)

Oooops. I guess my response wasn't very helpful to them. But hopefully it will be helpful to you.

The rules are simple: write your own essays. That's the best advice anyone can give to you. Your application is full of grades and test scores and teachers writing things about you and interviewers writing things about you and things inferred from your participation in clubs and sports and whatever else you do… the essay is the one place where you get to say "hey, I'm a human being, let me connect with you on that level, here is my voice, here is who I am." That's all we're really looking for.

To clarify, I'm not telling you to shut your parents or counselors out of the process entirely. It's always nice to have someone look over your writing and fix the things that spell-check doesn't catch, like when you spell "here" as "hear" or "their" as "there" or "they're." Or, if you're so close to an experience that you take for granted that the reader will know what you're talking about, it's nice to have someone say "don't take for granted that your reader will know what you're talking about." Stuff like that is fine.

But there's a big difference between those little things and the act of someone else rewriting your essay for you to the point that it's no longer your work – or, even worse, your voice. So don't go there.

To summarize: be yourself, and let your essay be a perfect window into that person. You're the best only person who can truly translate that into words.

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65 responses to “Advice On The Essay”

Great advice. Thanks.

Thanks for the great advice, came at a very good time too!

So true Ben. And really, I don’t get it; I *want* to be the one writing my essay, how could anyone else write what I want to say? Even though I’m not such a great writer, it’s the one part of the application that I’m actually excited to write. Although I’ll probably be singing a very different tune in a month or two, after 20 drafts of the essay, when I still can’t get my point across like I want to…

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, essays.

Uhm… Yeah… this is second thing hear from MIT about essays in two days. The first one was about MIT and several other schools(but mostly MIT) not taking SAT essay into account when decision time comes. Looks like MIT is really taking this seriously.

Great advices Ben ! A little to late for me ^^’ but still great advices !

This IS good advice. EVERYONE, FOLLOW IT.

I had a particularly awesome English teacher sophomore year, so I asked her to edit my essays. She never changed much – usually, my issues were minor grammatical errors (COMMAS) or just putting random words down. In the past I’ve written…

“Cherry personality” instead of a “cheery” one “Saving American livers” instead of “lives” Etc etc.

And then there was the optional essay, which I wrote the night of submission on a whim and therefore was not edited.

Oh applications.

BEN JONES IS GOD DO AS HE SAYS. Just a suggestion.

I SECOND THE MOTION THAT BEN JONES IS GOD.

I KEEP TRYING TO VISIT YOU BUT YOU’RE NEVER IN YOUR OFFICE GOD!

I’ve heard a story about someone who wrote that he “tortured students every day after school.”

Sort of makes you wonder if he was actually a good tutor, doesn’t it?

Ha, essays!

I kind of have to agree with Snively and Harrison on this one, Ben is God, listen to him. Write from the heart, don’t write whatever you think they want to read about. Try to make it easier for them to read your essay; reading the 1,037th essay about how your father is your biggest role model is kind of lame (unless, of course, you write a kick-ass essay about your dad that somehow stands out from the rest). Choose a topic that describes you in the most unique way, whatever it may be. My essay was a little tragic, but I know people that wrote fantastic funny essays and got into their top choice. Point is, use your essay as a way for them to get to know you!

lol! Love the irony.

Thanks a ton Ben(or God, should I say?;)!!! Its fantastic how MIT throws a completely new light onto the application essay. Hope all the applicants this season do exactly as you say.(Come on ppl!…Its “Gods wish!”..haha:D)

Thanks a lot Ben. Your advice will be very helpful to poor souls like us who are still trying to figure out what kind of essay should we write because we don’t want anyone else to fabricate our essays. By the way, though its good that you found out who those guys were (who sent that email), i hope that you don’t start doubting/ignoring all the emails your receive. Still, most of the applicants do need your advice many a times, be it through blogs or emails or personal meetings. here’s a bow to GOD. Good bye. Take care.

http://mit.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2223270251

@Sanja – MIT will not use your Literature score for the admissions decision. They only require a Math and a Science subject test, so that’s what they’ll be looking at.

Thank you so much!

I just started part II of my application, and your entry came just in time! ^.^

Thanks again! -Josh

Do you know anything about sending in essays separately? The MyMIT account sent my Part II before I’d attached the essay. Of course, it was probably just my own mistake and had nothing to do with the account, but I still want to send my essay!

And yes, a vegetable metaphor was completely necessary to express my point.

Ah, this is indeed a truly refreshing perspective.

It takes off the usual weight put on the essay by faculty and fellow students; allowing us to be ourselves.

But, alas, what if I tend to write meticulously enough for a paper to seem déjà revised?

Hey Caitlin – yikes! Probably the simplest way to send in your essay it is to send a hard copy of the essay to the Admissions Office (address is at the bottom of the page), perhaps with a cover letter explaining your situation.

You can also email or call the Admissions Office, and I’m sure someone will be able to help you more specifically.

Hi Ben, thx a lot for your advice. appreciate it..By the way, do you mind to furnish me with more information about what kind of person MIT basically is looking for?and how can i actually get to catch the eye of the admission officer when i send in my application?

I try not to give a ton of advice on here, but Caitlin, don’t worry too much. You’ve submitted your application really early, so there’s probably not a ton of paper floating around the admissions office yet. Also, they’re very understanding about stuff like this (Unlike Harvard or Stanford) so they more than likely just tell you to hard-copy it to them so they can staple it to your application. Don’t worry about this at all, Admissions is really cool about all this stuff.

essays, oh sweet *cough* memories :D

haha hunter’s comment about the typo ‘saving American livers’ (lives) cracks me up!

Hey Ben, Being an International Student, I am considering taking the TOEFL since i am eligible. I read about the minimum scores required as stated by Matt. He also stated specific scores that we should aim for or exceed. For the Internet Based Testing this particular score was 100/120. Although i know this is incomparable to the SAT Reasoning Test, I curious as to how you would compare a 100/120 in TOEFL iBT to an SAT score.

Great advice (as always), Ben. Obviously, its always better to write an original essay.

I had an enquiry about financial aid for international students. I’m an international applicant, about to apply for the class of 2012. I’m also going to apply for financial aid. On the MIT Financial Aid web site, it is stated that the first $ 5250 of the undergraduate student’s need is covered in loans and/or jobs. If there is any remaining need, then it is covered in scholarships and grants, which is money that doesn’t have to be paid back.

I would like to know whether the process of granting financial aid at MIT is the same, or different, for U.S. and international undergrad students. Is the maximum amount of need covered in loans/jobs equal to $ 5250, even for international students? Or can it be more?

In the MIT Freshman Application (PDF format), it is stated that MIT “may favor US citizens or residents in admissions and financial aid”. But it’s also stated that MIT meets “100% of a family’s calculated need”.

So does MIT meet 100% of the need of international students? If an international student’s need is large (e.g. more than $ 45,000), then will that international student get all the aid (incuding scholarships and grants) that he needs? And will scholarships and grants be the major aid component? (More than $ 39,750 in the example above.)

I’ll be glad if someone here can answer my queries.

hey, thanks for the advice!

I’ve recently been getting frustrated over the MIT essay topics because they do confine you into choosing one topic or the other, thus ruling out an essay that I wrote for my other top choices that I’m really sure represents me well.

so I’m just curious – why did MIT choose these two topics specifically, and do you know how the admissions at MIT would review essays differently than, say, Harvard, which does give you the option to choose “A topic of your choice”?

@Emma Hi! I’m no expert (not even in yet), but they need to know if you have “the match” to come to MIT. So I think they choose specific essays that can tell if you have it or not, and maybe that’s why they don’t give you the right to write about anything, in fear that they won’t have the informations about you they want. But that’s just a guess. But I find restrictions sometimes better because you have a direction to follow.

@Emma – I think the topics have been carefully crafted to produce the type of response that tells the admissions committee what they need to know. As effectively as you believe some things may represent you, if they didn’t help you overcome an “end of the world” situation, and if they weren’t part of the world that “shaped your dreams and aspirations”, MIT may not need to hear about them.

But then again, there’s always the completely optional question 14 on Part 2 of the app:

“No admission application can meet the needs of every individual. If you think that additional information or material will give us a more thorough impression of you, please respond on a separate sheet.”

Sounds like a topic of your choice is still an option. =)

@Caitlin – Nice vegetable metaphor. =) As many have said, the admissions office is totally amazing and cool about things like this. No worries, just send them a copy and let them know what you’re doing (Ben probably already knows, as we’re all talking about it on his blog, lol).

@Eldrick Saw – Try the What We Look For in Applicants page. The Match Between You and MIT page has some good info as well.

To correct Isshak, I would like to say that we might now what CAN happen(like a meteorite striking me 15 seconds after I post this comment), but we certainly don’t know what WILL happen and that makes life fun.

No meteorite, what a shame…

Ben, this was hard for me, because I had such great ideas for my son’s essays!

His disability gave him the perfect topic for Essay A: the heartbreak of not being able to attend mainstream school, the struggle with speech therapy and physical therapy, the search for a diagnosis, the years of home schooling, the fight for access to GCSE exam centres as a private candidate, and then finally his successful return to mainstream school. A heart-warming story about overcoming adversity. Perfect!

Well, he would have none of it. “That’s your story, not mine,” he said, and he was right. I was the one crying buckets over school, searching for a diagnosis, fighting for access to exam centres. He didn’t see himself as a victim; he was just getting on with it.

All right, then how about Essay B? We live near Stratford-upon-Avon, home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and as a result he knows the works of Shakespeare as well as others know the works of J K Rowling. What a fantastic opportunity to show off his literary erudition!

No, not interested. If he’s honest, he, too, prefers Harry Potter to Hamlet.

In the end, he wrote about a disappointment of great significance to him that meant absolutely nothing to me. At least no one will ever think that his essay was penned by an expensive college preparation service! I can’t imagine what the admissions committee will make of it, but it’s all his.

@Mum in England Do not give up! The essay is not te only part of the application ; and do not forget that they MIT wants a picture of your son, and maybe his essay that doesn’t mean anything to you will reveal a lot of things to MIT, who knows ? I’ve been told many times not to give up, so you too don’t give up! We never know what can happen.

MIT Office of Admissions, will you hate me if I send in a resume listing my community service? Because I’ve done so much more than just 5 activities during high school. But I won’t send it in if it will give you guys an automatic reason to reject me ! Thanks.

Hi, quick question: I was at MIT and was told by a tour guide that my teacher recommendations need to come from a teacher who’s known me for at least a year and has had me in junior or senior year. Is this true, or can I submit a recommendation from a sophomore year teacher?

Writing your own eassay is certainly the way that MIT can understand the candidate. Only writing onself can reveal his/her originality which MIT wants to know.But does not it mean that to reveal yourself you should get a chance to select the topic of your own.For the easasy1 I shall be telling a story of mine but i have no context to write something like i like making freinds , I hate discrimination and lookism etc.

Thanks so much for this blog entry, it made me feel 100000x better about my essays.

I have a question for you regarding the optional “Tell us about something that you have created” essay. Does this have to be something unique? Say, for example, that I really love to bake apple pies (I don’t, but use your imagination). Could I write my optional essay on a pie that I’d made, even if it had been from a recipe in a cookbook and had little or no relation to math or science? Am I stretching the question too far to fit my hobby?

I have a question about length of the essay. My essay is around 550 words. Are the admissions counselors going to get mad over that?

I have a quick question about the online application…

there doesn’t seem to be an area for the required-but-not-core-classes section of the self-reported course work and there wasn’t enough room in the Additional Classes for all the art/computer/PE/Health/Theory of Knowledge classes I took.

…should I just fill them in other spaces?

Hello Ben, My son is applying for early action at MIT. We are coming to the information session in East Brunswick next week. I have been reading your blog entries and have found them very helpful. I do have a question, why doesn’t MIT accept the National Merit Scholarship money? Looking forward to seeing you in person, Haya

@Self-Advocator – The adcom will not hate you if you send them a resume, but they may think you’ve missed the point. Most every applicant has more than five activities they can rattle off, but your application readers want to see what is most important to you. The intensity of your involvement is much more important here than the number of activities you’ve done.

@Ginger – Your recommendation can come from any teacher who knows you well. I got recommendations for my app from my teachers after I had been out of high school for more than two years, but it was fine because they knew me well enough to write good recommendations.

@Ally – I don’t think you’re stretching it at all. Your creation could be anything, even an apple pie. The point is simply to hear about how much fun you had creating something of your very own and why you chose to do so.

@Akshay – I doubt they’ll get mad ; the word limit is a guideline (as opposed to a strict rule). But be nice to the admissions people and see if you can shorten it a bit. They have over 10,000 applications to read.

For the first essay prompt about overcoming a situation that seemed like “the end of the world”, does the situation have to be serious? Or can it be something that was discouraging while I was a child but seems funny now?

Thanks for the post, It was very helpful

A tip for applicants – Choose what you are going to write about, make an outline and just write. You may end up closer to 1000 words than 500. Restructure sentences to convey the meaning in fewer words. Look for whole sentences that you can remove without losing continuity and impact. Beleive me, there will be quite a few lines in the essay that can be taken out this way. You may have to make a few iterations. You may find you are down to 550 and that’s the best that can be done for what you are trying to convey. Good enough. Proofread, get one or two pairs of eyes to look it over and send it in. One more advice – Don’t wait until the last moment. If you finish the essays ahead of time, you can put them aside for a week and read them over. There is a good chance that you will be able to make it at least a notch better.

hi, Thanks alot for your advice. I believe you are absolutely right and it will be way easier for me to write from the heart and with my voice than composing an essay even i do not understand.

Essay that is written the goodest you can will be liked muchly. Y do peepel tries to be somthin they is not just to oppress otters and unknown individuals. I Like Mit and their fresh approach. If yer stupid, but honest they while leht you in.

thanks for all the comments and suggestions, they are in really good time.

could i know that approximately how many applicants to MIT were there from india and how many were accepted?

Woot! can’t wait until you come to NJ for the info session. Anyways, I have a question. I am a transfer student who switched his major. On one MIT admissions site it says that I am ineligible for transfer if i’ve been at my current college for more than 5 semesters (which I will be upon my applying for transfer), the other site says that I need to spend at least 4 semesters at MIT to be eligible ( which I will be upon applying). Are they both correct?

I agree with your comment on how the essays should be written.

However, I don’t think that the prompts encourage it. I am applying to MIT early, and I don’t feel that most of the prompts allow you to really connect and let someone know my real personality.

Thanks for the advice.

I’m working on my essay right now. Actually, I’m doing two essays and then figuring out which one I want to use, because I have two different ideas and I’m not sure which would represent me best.

Would it be best to include an essay that demonstrates my love of math and science or an essay that talks about something unique that I do? I want to make myself stand out, but I also want to make sure MIT knows that I love Chemistry.

Do 3-letter words count in the word counting process. My English teacher claims they do not. Just wondering- Thanks.

I just sent in my application online – and it completely ruined the format of my essay – taking out all quotation marks and making reading it very confusing. I uploaded a plain text file as my essay that was formatted with indentations and spaces between the paragraphs, but on viewing it in PDF, all the formating and quotation marks are gone.

Is there any way to fix this or will this just be a hard-learned lesson?

Hi im a sophmore at cass technical high school and am striving to go to MIT. but i know my english has always been a challegened for me and have never done real well on standarized test and was wondering if you could give me tips on writing better and for my vocabulary skills as well.

Even after reading this blog and all of the comments about it, I am still unsure about my essay decision. I was planning to write an essay, which would describe a particular day of my life, but is not exactly the answer to either of the prompts. Once I started writing it, it became quite obvious that 500 words is definitely not enough to say what I want to say. On the other hand, I feel that I could write a 500 word essay that described one particular side of me. I know that the first essay is way too long (1000 – 2000) words, but the smaller one would not show all of what I want to show about myself. I have been trying to make decision about what to do, but I just keep going in circles about it. Any advice?

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to get into mit: 5 expert admissions tips.

College Admissions , College Info

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the best schools in the world. If you want to be one of the few students accepted into MIT every year, you'll need to make sure your application is up to snuff.

In this article, we'll break down exactly how to get into MIT, from the test scores you need to the tips and tricks that'll help your application stand out.

How Hard Is It to Get Into MIT?

MIT is one of the most selective schools in the world. Currently, MIT's acceptance rate is 4.1%, which means it only accepts around 4 applicants for every 100 people that apply.

A 4.1% acceptance rate means that MIT is extremely competitive to get into. You'll need excellent grades, test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation to even be considered.

What Is MIT Looking for in Its Students?

You can learn a lot about what MIT is looking for in its students from the university's website :

"The MIT community is driven by a shared purpose: to make a better world through education, research, and innovation. We are fun and quirky, elite but not elitist, inventive and artistic, obsessed with numbers, and welcoming to talented people regardless of where they come from."

This statement, while not MIT's formal mission statement ( which is worth reading, too ), tells a lot about what MIT is looking for in its applicants.

MIT want students who break molds —they're incredibly intelligent, but they also think outside of the box. Don't follow everyone else's path if you want to get into MIT—create your own.

MIT students are genuinely excited to learn and innovate. They're not interested in accolades (though they certainly earn them)— they're motivated by discovery and intellectual stimulation more than recognition.

MIT students don't fit into any particular profile, except that they're all highly, highly talented.

Can You Apply to MIT Early?

MIT allows students to apply early action. That means that you can apply to MIT and receive notification of your acceptance months before other students, but you don't have to commit to MIT if you're accepted.

MIT's early application deadline is November 1 and students are notified in mid-December.

According to the MIT admissions statistics for the Class of 2026, applicants who applied early action had a fairly significant advantage over students who applied at the regular deadline (a 4.7% acceptance rate for early action applicants vs a 2.2% acceptance rate for regular action applicants + those whose early action applications were deferred). 

MIT Application Deadlines and Requirements

MIT has its own application. It doesn't accept the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal Application. To complete the MIT application you'll need to submit:

• SAT or ACT scores
• Four short essays
• Two letters of recommendation, one from a math or science teacher and one from a humanities, social science, or language teacher
• Your high school transcript, though are no specific coursework requirements for MIT applicants

The MIT Early Action deadline is November 1 . Applicants are notified of their status in mid-December.

The MIT regular admission deadline is January 5 . Applicants are notified of their status in mid-March.

What GPA Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

MIT has a very low acceptance rate, so it's important that your application is as strong as possible to be considered. One of the most important parts of your MIT application is your high school coursework.

MIT doesn't specify a minimum GPA requirement and doesn't release the average GPA of admitted applicants. (The school does provide other admissions statistics like average test scores .) That being said, due to the caliber of students accepted at MIT, we can assume that the average GPA is quite high . You should look to get mainly As, with a high few Bs on your transcript.

MIT will also be paying attention to your course load—are you challenging yourself, or are you coasting on easy classes? You should take the most rigorous classes your school offers —whether that's honors, AP, or IB courses—or even look into taking courses at the local community college to show that you're not afraid of an academic challenge… and that you can succeed at one, too!

What Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

You don't just need great grades to get into MIT—you need great test scores, too. Let's take a closer look at what scores you need to get into MIT.

What SAT Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

The middle 50% of MIT applicants earn between a 1510 and a 1580 on a 1600 SAT scale. In other words, 75% of admitted students score above a 1510 on the SAT. Put another way, you'll need get as close to a perfect score as possible to make sure you're putting yourself in a good position to get in (if you choose to submit test scores).

If you do submit test scores, you'll need to have extremely high SAT scores to be able to get into MIT. Fortunately, MIT uses "Highest Section" scoring (also known as " superscoring "). Basically, superscoring means that MIT will consider your highest section scores across all the SAT test dates you submit.

MIT's superscoring policy is good news for applicants—it means that you can prep and retake the score without worrying about hurting your previous scores. If you're wondering how many times you can (or should!) take the SAT, be sure to check out this article .

What ACT Test Scores Do I Need to Get Into MIT?

It's no surprise that admitted students have high ACT scores, too. The top 75% of admitted students score a 34 or above on the ACT. With so many applicants scoring 34 and above, a lower score won't be very impressive.

Fortunately, MIT also superscores ACT scores for applicants. That means that, if you take the ACT multiple times, MIT will consider the highest score achieved in each section. You can learn more about taking the ACT multiple times here.

Do I Need TOEFL Scores to Get Into MIT?

Non-native English speakers are encouraged (but not required) to submit scores from an English proficiency exam . MIT accepts the following tests, with the given minimum and recommended scores.

MIT Application Essays

MIT requires that you answer a few short questions , rather than write one long essay. You'll need to answer four short prompts (each answer should be roughly 200 words ) on various aspects of your life: a description of your background, what department you're interested in at MIT, what you do for fun, a way that you contribute to your community, and a challenge that you have faced in your life.

The MIT essay prompts are designed specifically to get to the heart of what makes you...well, you . Remember, MIT wants applicants that are interesting as people. MIT places a high value on having students with quirks and unique passions, not just high test scores.

You'll submit your MIT application essays along with an activities list and a self-reported coursework form as Part 2 of your MIT application, regardless of whether you're applying for the early action deadline or the regular admission deadline.

Here are the 2022-2023 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?

You can learn more about how to ace your MIT essays in our in-depth article on the topic .

5 Tips for Getting Into MIT

It's very difficult to get into MIT, but it's not impossible. MIT admits around 1,400 students a year, and you can definitely be one of them! Follow these tips for how to get into MIT by making sure your application stands out from the crowd.

#1: Highlight the Unique Aspects of Your Identity

We've said it already and we'll say it again: MIT likes unique applicants. They say so on their website! Your essays are an opportunity to highlight the special facets of your personality. If you built a video game about pickles for fun, this is the time to share it!

The more unique you are, the better! Your application will stand out even more if you take those interests and apply them to academic pursuits. Show that your academic curiosity intersects with your passions.

#2: Put a Lot of Effort Into Your Academics

MIT students are high-achievers. To be accepted, you need to be one, too. You should have a strong plan for studying for the SAT or ACT so that you achieve the best score possible.

If you're still in your freshman, sophomore, or junior year of high school, plan to take some advanced classes to up your GPA. You'll need to be disciplined and work hard to compete with the other applicants.

MIT wants students who will succeed on their campus—you need to demonstrate that you're up to MIT's academic challenge.

#3: Ace Your Essays

Your essays are the best opportunity to show off your skills and your unique interests. You should put a lot of effort into every one of the five MIT essays. Don't wait until the last minute to write your MIT essays—start them with plenty of time so that you can revise and receive feedback.

Keep in mind that while there are no right ways to write an admissions essay, there are definitely some wrong ones! Be sure to check out this article before you get started so you can avoid any pitfalls.

#4: Convince MIT That You'll Do Something Great With Your Education

MIT doesn't want to admit students who will be content to take their expensive diploma and sit at home doing nothing with it. MIT wants to accept students who are going to accomplish world-changing things, who contribute positively to their communities while in college, and who help other students accomplish great things as well.

The best way to convince MIT that you'll do this while there? Contribute positively to your community while you're in high school. Past behavior is a predictor of future behavior. If you show that positive contributions are a part of your modus operandi as a student, MIT will feel confident that you'll bring that attitude to its campus, too.

#5: Hyper-Focus

You don't need to be captain of the football team, the co-chair of the debate team, and the first chair violinist in the school orchestra to get into MIT. Don't try to be great at every—pick one (or two) activities and pursue it relentlessly.

This is called having a spike and helps you stand out more. Don't aim to be generically good at a lot of things—be hugely, amazingly good at one thing.

Instead of trying to lead twenty different committees, pick the one that's the most special to you and give it everything you have. Put down the football and the debate notecards and focus on violin if that's what you love. Audition for world-class ensembles, enter competitions, basically just stand out.

Don't strive for above average at a lot of things—be excellent at one.

What's Next?

Starting your MIT application? Check out our in-depth guide on how to apply to MIT .

Your MIT essays will help your application stand out. Read our in-depth guide on these five short answer questions to know exactly what to do .

Wondering what your chances of getting into an Ivy Leave or Ivy League caliber school is? Check out our complete guide to Ivy League acceptance rates.

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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How To Write the MIT ‘Why Major’ 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:

Understanding the prompt, choosing a major, the reasons why, example: studying electrical engineering and computer science.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is ranked consistently 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 math), 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 second essay prompt reads:

“Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words)”

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 please review how to write the MIT application essays .

This prompt is a “Why Major” question that asks you what you want to study and why you want to study it. Most importantly, it asks you why you want to study this major at MIT. Ultimately, the most compelling response to this essay prompt is one that:

• Demonstrates clearly your passion for the major that you have chosen.
• Integrates your past and present studies and interests seamlessly with your future at MIT and your long-term academic and professional goals.
• Addresses specifically why MIT―its campus, resources, faculty, programs, and opportunities―is the place where you need and want to study.

MIT has a unique list of distinctive majors . Before you start brainstorming and drafting a response to this prompt, spend ample time exploring the various courses on the MIT website. You should pinpoint a few courses of study that appeal to you and then dive deeper into what the curricular emphasis is of each course of study, what resources and opportunities are available, and which faculty might you be interested in studying with or whose research you find compelling. 

The key phrase in this prompt is “right now,” which many schools don’t include in their “Why Major” essay prompt, but which all schools imply. This key phrase means that if you matriculate at MIT, you will in no way be required to major in the field of study that you write about in response to this prompt. You are free to choose and change your major, and most students change their major at least once during their college career.

For anyone who has many interests, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to choose just one major to write about. It is completely fine, and even expected, that you may be undecided, but spend time condensing your list of potential majors to one or two that you are truly interested in pursuing further. If you cannot decide on one major to write about, you can use your essay as a space to discuss the disciplines that you want to explore further and why. 

This straightforward prompt requires a concise response since it has only a 100-word limit. While specificity is still important, there is less space for detail than in the other 200- to 250-word prompts that MIT asks you to write. 

Once you have introduced the field of study that most appeals to you, you will need to discuss why this field appeals to you. The reasons that you give need to be authentic reasons, such as ones that are based on pure intellectual curiosity, personal goals, and strongly held values. Reasons that will not interest or impress admissions officers will be those related to clout, prestige, post-graduation salary, or because that is what your parents want you to do. The admissions committee wants to know what you are genuinely passionate about and why. 

Here are some key questions to consider before writing Prompt 2: 

• What past experiences of yours have influenced your decision to study this field at MIT? 
• What coursework or independent study have you pursued in this field?
• What classes are you interested in taking at MIT?
• Who are the teachers that you have had, thought leaders in this field, or other role models that inspire you to pursue this course of study?
• Who are the professors or researchers at MIT that you would want to learn from or work with? 
• Who are the people that you wish to serve, or whose lives you hope to improve, through working or doing research in this field? 
• How did you first discover this field of study? 
• How do you engage with this field of study inside and outside of the classroom?
• How do you envision yourself using this field of study in your future career?
• Why is this field of study personally meaningful to you?

Take, for example, an applicant who wants to pursue the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) major at MIT. In their response, they should explain that they want to study EECS because it will help them develop a rigorous understanding of the hardware and software sides of technology and build the technical skills that they need for the start-up that they aspire to run in the future. 

At MIT specifically, there is a new curriculum, and the applicant should discuss how the increased flexibility and emphasis on this interdisciplinary study will benefit them since their interests span electrical engineering, computer science, environmental science, and public policy. The applicant also recognizes that entrepreneurship and business acumen are skills that they will need to develop to run a successful start-up. Consequently, they should talk about the classes, faculty, and extracurricular programming they may want to explore at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Supplemental Essays Guide: 2021-2022

Not sure how to approach the MIT essay prompts? With tips from an Ivy League graduate, CollegeAdvisor.com’s guide to the MIT essay questions will show you exactly how to write engaging MIT essays and maximize your chances of admission. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on MIT,  click here . Want help crafting your MIT essays? Create your  free account  or  schedule a free consultation  by calling (844) 505-4682.

MIT  Essay Guide Quick Facts:

• MIT has an acceptance rate of 4%— U.S. News  ranks MIT as a  highly competitive  school.
• We recommend answering all MIT essays comprehensively and thoughtfully.

Does MIT require supplemental essays?

Yes. In addition to the Common App  personal statement , there are MIT essay  questions . Most of these MIT essays have 250-word requirements, but one of the MIT essays is limited to just 100 words.

Need tips on writing your Common App essay? Check out our blog  article .

How many supplemental essays does MIT require?

There are five total MIT essays: one MIT essay with a 100-word maximum, one MIT essay with a 250-word maximum, and three MIT essay prompts that are required to fall between 200 and 250 words. You’ll want to pay careful attention to word count when writing your MIT essays; it is likely admissions officers will be checking for your attention to detail in these MIT essay prompts.

What essays do you need to write for MIT?

All five MIT essay questions mentioned above are required—no shortcuts or optional MIT essay prompts here! You’ll find the MIT essay examples below.

What does MIT look for in essays?

This guide will break down exactly how to respond to each of the MIT essays. If you want to do additional research for the MIT essays (and you should!), we recommend that you visit the  MIT website  and observe the language they use when describing the type of student that they’re looking for. When you respond to the MIT essay prompts, keep this language in mind. How do you fit in with what they’re looking for in a student? These MIT essay questions are the place in your application to make that even clearer.

Of course, you will want to avoid any grammatical errors that could weaken your MIT essays. You should also strive for clarity of tone and phrasing in all of your MIT essay questions. Use all of your standard exemplary essay-writing practices! Read on for some MIT essay examples to guide your writing.

Does MIT have a main essay?

This is a great question, but no—none of the MIT essays are really the “main” essay you should focus on. We recommend paying equal attention to each of the five MIT essay prompts; just because they vary in length does not make one more or less important than another!

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 1

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? (250 words or fewer)

How do you write an MIT essay?

By breaking down each of the MIT essay examples, this guide will explain how to write an MIT essay.

This first MIT essay is the classic “Tell us more about yourself” college essay question. MIT wants to learn what made you  you.  With this MIT essay, you should think first about your dreams and aspirations. Maybe you want to be a veterinarian; maybe you want to be an engineer.

Once you know how you want to answer the second half of this question, it will provide direction for the first half. Why do you want to be a veterinarian or an engineer? For instance, maybe your community has felt the increasing effects of climate change, which has made you passionate about environmental engineering.

The best way to answer this prompt is to be specific. Pick one aspect that has been influential in your youth, give a brief anecdote explaining it, and then turn to the  how.  For instance, you won’t want to use up too many words describing each and every detail of your school’s journalism club. Instead, succinctly paint a picture that provides insight into why journalism has become so important to you and what you feel you can do with the skills you have learned from it.

MIT  Essay Draft Key Questions :

• Do you use concise and descriptive words to depict your world?
• Do you focus on the  why  and not just the  what ?
• Does your response teach the reader something new about you?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 2

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)

This MIT essay just asks what you do for fun! Don’t think your answer has to be scholarly; you don’t have to say that you read textbooks about quantum mechanics in this MIT essay for them to admit you. In all of the MIT essay questions, MIT wants you to be honest. This is a chance to discuss something you haven’t talked about in your other MIT essay questions or the rest of your application.

Out of all the MIT essay examples, this is the hobby question—maybe you’re an amateur magician, or you make short nature documentaries, or you love fishing. No matter what it is, MIT wants to hear about it. You would do best here to use descriptive language to briefly describe your activity of choice. Then, explain  why  it means so much to you. Why do you enjoy it? Maybe it’s the rush of knowing you have succeeded in bamboozling your friends and family with a difficult card trick it took weeks to master. Maybe capturing a snail’s slow journey across a beach reminds you to have patience and perseverance.

Any example like the ones above is great as—just make sure to talk about something you do purely for enjoyment. Most of the MIT essay questions do not ask you to talk about something that sparks joy for you. In this MIT essay, be sure to demonstrate how much you genuinely love the activity you discuss.

• Does your draft clearly communicate your chosen activity?
• Do you articulate why your chosen activity matters to you and how it has influenced your growth and identity?
• Does your supplement provide information not present in the rest of your application?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 3

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. (200–250 words)

This MIT essay asks you to demonstrate your willingness to help others. The answer to this prompt does not have to be extreme; it can be as simple as watching, cooking for, and cleaning up after your younger siblings while your parents both work full-time, tutoring a friend who’s struggling in calculus, or starting a food pantry at your local library. The  scale  of the contribution is not as important as the  heart  behind it.

You can spend the first half of the essay discussing the activity, and then you should turn to an analysis of why or how it has an impact. It doesn’t have to be big; MIT isn’t expecting you to have saved hundreds of lives. Even an action that seems small can have a big impact—it’s your job to showcase this. And remember that a community can be anything; you just have to define what community means to you in the context of this MIT essay.

• Do you talk about a specific action you’ve done to improve your community?
• Does your essay focus on  how  the action was impactful, rather than just describing it?
• Do you address how you grew from this experience?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 4

Tell us about a significant challenge you’ve faced or something that didn’t go according to plan that you feel comfortable sharing. How did you manage the situation? (200-250 words)

Here, MIT asks how you manage failure. They want to see that one, or two, or however many setbacks will not prevent you from overcoming a challenge or an obstacle. For this essay, choose a time when you faced a challenge, then mention why the challenge was particularly important to you. Try to find an original example; a sports injury or getting a C on a test can sometimes seem cliché.

Try to pick something a little more outside the box. Think of a challenge that not many other people applying to MIT have likely faced. If you’re struggling to come up with an interesting challenge, try to put a unique spin on how you overcame the challenge.

Whatever you write, make it specific to  you.  You also want to make sure not to focus too much on describing the challenge itself. Rather, MIT wants to know how the challenge pushed you to grow as an individual. You should try to demonstrate what you learned from the experience. You can also be honest about how scary or frustrating the situation was at first. The important thing is to end with the confidence and knowledge you gained from an ability to adapt and be flexible.

• Do you explain why this challenge was so important to you?
• Does your draft demonstrate how you solved or addressed the challenge?
• Do you reflect on the impact of overcoming this challenge?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Question 5

Pick what field of study at MIT appeals to you the most right now, and tell us more about why this field of study appeals to you. (100 words or fewer)

This is MIT’s combination version of the “Why us?” and the “What do you want to study?” questions. It requires you to name a field of study, rather than discuss the college as a whole, but you’ll still want to make your answer MIT-specific. Start by looking through all of the undergraduate programs MIT offers. Once you list your desired major, jump straight into the  why .

This is the shortest MIT essay you’ll write, so concision is paramount. This is the space to show off your expert investigation and analytical skills: name-drop courses and professors and analyze why they would benefit your academic growth. You can also allude to your previous academic track record and how an MIT education would build on your past intellectual experiences.

• Did you pick a major that MIT definitely offers?
• Do you connect the specifics of this major directly to your own academic passions?
• Does your response supplement and/or complicate the other aspects of your application, with special regard to academic preferences?

MIT Supplemental Essays – Final Thoughts

The MIT essay prompts can seem daunting, but don’t let that discourage you from applying. The MIT essays are a great opportunity to demonstrate who you are for admissions officers reading your application. We hope the above MIT essay examples helped to jumpstart your thinking! These MIT essays can boost your application if you have a  lower than average SAT score  or GPA.

Use this guide as a step-by-step aid when approaching the MIT essay prompts, and start earlier than you think you should. You may believe it will be easy to answer the MIT essay prompts quickly, but it is always better to have more time to draft than less. Don’t be afraid to ask for revisions from someone; it’s helpful to have another set of eyes checking your MIT essays for grammatical errors, tone, and clarity. Good luck!

This essay guide on MIT was written by  Laura Frustaci , ‘21. For more CollegeAdvisor.com resources on MIT,  click here . Want help crafting your MIT essays? Create your  free account  or  schedule a free consultation  by calling (844) 505-4682.

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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.

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MIT Application That Worked

The following application was submitted to MIT in 2019 by Reddit user u/Waubles . Please note that these essays are likely above average in quality, even for MIT. Click here to view more examples of college applications that worked.

Please tell us more about your cultural background and identity in the space below (100 word limit).

As I step into my room, my eyes fixate on the harlequin tapestry of ornaments adorning the wall: handcrafted sailboats from the Adriatic coast and warrior masks of the Fante tribe. To some, the stark contrast of friendly ships and war façades may seem like a bizarre display. But to me, they’re complimentary; entwined. As they stand side by side, the ornaments on my wall remind me that I’m not divided between two families, nor am I merely a set of labels: Not just Ghanaian or Croatian, nor black or white, but a brand new flavor: simply, and uniquely, me.

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. (Response required in 100 words or fewer)

I love Rubik’s-cubing on the morning subway: not just the challenge of 43 quintillion colorful permutations, but the little moments I share with other riders. I catch a glance of the businessman peeking over his phone, observing the shifting squares, or a preschooler gazing at the cube, bubbling with curiosity. I confide in a stranger the secret strategies behind each twist and meet the rivalrous eyes of another cuber across the aisle: an unspoken invitation to competition. My Rubik’s cube isn’t just a puzzle. It’s a bridge between riders; a shared escape from the monotony of the dreary morning hours.

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 or fewer)

My aspirations of growing up to be an astronaut were always at odds with a laundry list of sicknesses and syndromes. But no matter how disappointingly impossible my ambitions seemed, I always found joy in tinkering with robots late into the night, invigorated by MIT tech videos Mom showed me online. By studying Course 16 and working with the Robust Robotics Group, I can create robots that work in synergy with astronauts. I’ll unite my ardor for space with the thrill of robotics to empower the next generation of spacefarers, even if I won’t be able to stand among them.

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. (200-250 words)

I like to skip free periods and sneak into physics class as an ‘unofficial teacher’s assistant.’ See, my physics teacher likes using programming as a visual aid, meaning students often have to build simulations in Processing3. It’s not exactly an elementary task for the majority of people, whose experiences with code amount to NCIS hackers whispering “I’m in” after ten seconds of fervid typing. Students often sought me out during free periods to ask for help, and one afternoon, a friend even convinced me to slip into his physics class to meet. After answering his questions, I began to dart around the room, assisting others who quietly called me over. No doubt, Dr. Henry quickly became aware of my company, but I suspect she didn’t mind the helping hand, considering the sixteen questioning arms furiously waving in the air.

Since then, I’ve volunteered in other physics classes more times than I can count, my title shifting from ‘very unofficial TA’ to just ‘slightly unofficial TA.’ Dr. Henry has her workload cut in half, and I venture from friend to friend, drifting through color-coded lines and functions as we troubleshoot bugs, or brainstorm how to translate their ideas into code. Sure, I might be sacrificing a few free periods, but as an avid programmer myself, I know the incredible rush of watching the fruits of my labor come to life. Sharing that sensation with my friends as I watch a glowing smile creep across their face is certainly worth that much.

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)

My first engineering course was flower-picking deep in the forests of Zagreb. I still remember my grandmother’s hazel eyes scouring the roots of ancient black pines for therapeutic herbs. Later those nights, enthralled by her cunning creativity, I silently observed as she grounded a delicate concoction of fresh plants into medicine. I was inspired to follow in her footsteps as a crafter, and found my own ingredients in forests of lego bricks back home. Growing older, I watched my uncle face obstacles with savvy schemes, answering clogged sinuses with a headfirst dive into the salty Adriatic, or leaky gutters with a few garden planters hung below. Today, evenings spent designing Javascript games bring back memories of his inventive ideas, emboldening me to find similarly eccentric solutions. And in moments of desperate frustration, I remember my mother’s undying motivation; the lone immigrant who forged a new life in New York and raised me as a single mother. My admiration of her unwavering will drives me to follow suit: to push through until my broken robot arm is rebuilt, or the month-old bug in my code is finally squashed. I’ve grown up watching my family craft, outsmart, and persevere their way through the world, relying on their own talents to succeed. I aspire to become an engineer, if only to live that same self-sufficient life of contrivance and creativity, and strive to carry on my family’s example, inventing my way through life on my own terms, just as generations have before me.

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)

It’s not always the physical pain that hurts most. You quickly become accustomed to nights of twisting and turning, trying to find a position that eases the dull ache. But what truly stings is the shame of being mockingly christened “the Hunchback of New York” by a couple of cruel teenage neighbors, or the pain of having to give up tennis because rapid movements irritate your back.

Afflicted by both scoliosis and severe kyphosis, I had two options: a potentially dangerous eight-hour operation, or months of physical therapy. I chose the latter, determined to fix my spine without risking the side effects of surgery. Four times a week, I rushed across town for an hour and a half of arduous exercise, only to dash back down to the 6-line afterwards, spending the train ride with one hand on a subway pole and the other on a calculus textbook. When I arrived home, I immediately continued my schoolwork, interrupted only by a stint of stretches before heading straight to bed. In the end, with a bit of effort and resolve, I managed to beat the odds, finishing therapy three months ahead of schedule. I may have entered my ordeal crippled, but I emerged with a straight spine and an unwavering resolution to always fight for success. The memory of countless hours of onerous workouts still burns within every muscle fibre of my being, but it also serves as a reminder of just how far I can go through tenacity and willpower.

GPA and Test Scores

• GPA: 3.93 Unweighted

Demographics

• Intended Major: Aerospace Engineering
• No MIT Legacy
• Both parents went to college
• Attended a private school in New York City

Extracurriculars

• Completed college-level math and physics courses
• President of the Robotics Club
• President of the Math Club
• President of the Global Concerns Club
• Tutors 2nd and 3rd grade students
• Math tutor for students at school
• Writing Advisor for students at school
• Personal Robotics Projects
• Programming as a hobby
• National Merit Scholarship Competition Finalist