How to get into Massachusetts Institute of Technology from India?

Early Action vs Regular Action at MIT

When to Apply at MIT from India?: There are two application cycles at MIT, one is the Early Action (EA) where the maximum number of students apply and the competition is very high. Second is the Regular Action (RA), where those who have deferred their admissions in early action join MIT and those who could not apply during the early action apply in the regular action. Following are the deadlines for both EA and RA at MIT: 

Understanding how to get into MIT from India is majorly based on the deadlines. Indian applicants should ideally apply for the early action deadline at MIT for the following reasons: 

• This is because there is a gap of about four months between the class XII exam result declaration and the application submission for MIT.
• There is enough time to prepare for standardised exams and English language proficiency tests. 
• The application in early action can prove the Indian applicant’s strong inclination to take admission to MIT in the first place.
• The chances of a scholarship are usually higher if applying for an early action deadline at MIT. 
• Finally, if the applicants are admitted to MIT, they will have sufficient time to prepare for their US student visa, finances, and F1 visa interview. 

For those Indian applicants wondering if Regular Action could be a safe bet at MIT, then they can take the chance. 

• They should consider regular action only if they need more time to prepare their application materials or wish to re-appear for their standardised exams in those cases where they do not score well. 
• The competition is usually higher for this deadline, plus those who defer their admissions from the early action are also considered in this deadline. 
• Applicants may not get a good scholarship if they qualify by this deadline. Check out Scholarships in USA

So Indian applicants should carefully choose their MIT admission deadlines. Carefully weigh all the pros and cons of each option before making a decision. 

MIT Admission Challenges for Indian Applicants

There are a couple of challenges for Indian applicants planning to apply for MIT admissions. When discussing around how to get into MIT from India, applicants must closely look at some of the challenges they may come across. Check out the following pointers to understand them in detail:

• Admission rate fluctuates between 3-4.5%, thus, MIT records low acceptance rates annually. Hence, there is a higher selectivity and competition for Indian applicants. To get admission, applicants would need exceptional standardised test scores and academic scores to get admitted.
• MIT expects top academic performance, especially in STEM education subjects. Thus, Indian applicants should be at the top of their class and excel in math and science olympiads or similar competitions.
• Though MIT requires SAT/ACT and GRE/GMAT exam scores, there are no minimum or recommended cutoffs. However, applicants must show an at-par excellence in these exams to make it to MIT’s admission list.

• For an all-rounder application, Indian students should prove how to balance academic excellence with meaningful extracurricular activities.

• Irrespective of the need-blind scholarships at MIT, Indian applicants still have to prepare to fund their education and compete for limited financial aid at MIT.

• Indian students applying for MIT admissions must demonstrate their readiness to adapt to and contribute to the American culture and environment.

• Indian applicants should tailor their applications to MIT's expectations, which may differ from other US universities.

Building a strong academic profile is necssary keeping in sync with MIT’s selection criteria to overcome hurdles of admission process. 

How to get into MIT from India?: Selection Criteria

To have a well-rounded application for submission at MIT is crucial for selection. There are a couple of selection criteria at MIT and these are as follows:

• Applications received at MIT must align with the university’s missions.
• Applicants who are competent and show cooperation can be an added advantage. 
• Those who show an unparalleled inclination towards initiating tasks can also benefit.
• Risk takers and those with high creativity are also an integral part of MIT’s selection process.
• Enthusiastic students who are passionate in their fields are also considered at MIT.
• Applicants should be able to prioritise balance.
• Finally, responsible applicants towards their MIT communities will help shape policies in the long run.

Thus, based on the selection criteria at MIT, Indian applicants can create a compelling admission application. 

10 Tips for a Compelling MIT Admission Application

Once Indian applicants decide to apply at MIT, they can begin brainstorming their admission applications. Here is how Indian applicants can follow some tips for a compelling MIT admission application:

1. Begin your preparation early, start by identifying the right deadline to apply at MIT. Based on your deadline, prepare for your standardised exams and ELP tests.
2. After you have your scores, you can begin drafting the admission essays because there will be at least 5-6 to attempt. Stick to the word limit of essays and be specific with your answers.
3. Choose the right recommenders especially those who know you well. Tell them why you want to study at MIT based on this info your recommender can write in your LOR how you can be a good fit. 
4. Include about your exceptional curricular and extra-curricular achievements at school or college.  
5. If you took any initiatives, mention them. Explain briefly how everyone was benefitted. Plus, do talk about your collaborations and teamwork if there are any.
6. In case, you are pursuing a STEM-based course, elaborate on your consistent performance in Maths and Science courses. Also, mention if you have been awarded for your performance at school or college. 
7. If you are creative and have given shape to certain projects, here is the place to shed light on it. 
8. Amalgamate pointers of cultural adaptation and how your ideologies can be deemed fit with MIT’s mission.
9. Do not plagiarise and make your essays unique, intriguing and genuine to read to avoid getting rejected in the initial review.
10. Finally, seek help from our team of expert counsellors for your application in case you need advice/ you can sign up here - Shiksha Abroad Counselling

When in doubt, Indian students can contact a senior or a teacher for help. Or you can refer to some of the specially curated blogs available at MIT from over 7,000+ students to help you navigate. 

Indian applicants who have scored 75+ percentiles in the GMAT, GRE or SAT exams can opt for Shiksha Topper Counselling to get admission to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.