Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2026-27 · own portal

Hand-verified, August 2026.

Early Action November 1, 2026Regular Decision January 5, 2027
  1. why major100-200 words (hard cap)required
    What field of study appeals to you the most right now? Reflect on what has led you to this interest.
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  2. challenge adversity100-200 words (hard cap)required
    While some reach their goals following well-trodden paths, others blaze their own trails achieving the unexpected. In what ways have you done something different than what was expected in your educational journey?
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  3. intellectual curiosity100-200 words (hard cap)required
    Reflect on how your personal and academic experiences have influenced the types of problems you would want to tackle with an MIT education, and who you would like to work on those problems with.
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  4. challenge adversity100-200 words (hard cap)required
    How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it?
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  5. short take40-50 words (hard cap)required
    Tell us about something you do simply for the pleasure of it.
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  6. short take40-50 words (hard cap)required
    Who is someone you admire, whether you know them personally or look up to them from afar? Tell us why.
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  7. short take40-50 words (hard cap)required
    What’s a topic, academic or non-academic, that you could talk about for hours?
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4 essays 100-200w + 3 short takes 40-50w + open additional-info box. Confirmed.

Source: https://mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/essays/