What does your GPA need to be? What about SAT/ACT and other

[abhikesbhat]

What does your GPA need to be? What about SAT/ACT and other activities? (To get accepted)

 

[j93]

Nothing you do outside of winning Intel Science or some olympiad or being valedictorian at Phillips Exeter is going to approximately guarantee being admitted to MIT or any top 7 school. You could do well enough to approximately guarantee getting into one of top 7 but not all or a specific one.

 

[Vanadium 50]

MIT rejects students with 4.0 GPAs or perfect SATs. Grades and test scores are important, but they are not everything. Letters, essays, interview, character and activities are all important.

 

[TMFKAN64]

MIT (or any other top-ranked school) isn't looking for high grades or test scores. They just *expect* these. They are looking for something that makes you stand out from the crowd.

 

[G01]

Having low test scores and GPA will definitely keep you out of MIT, but having perfect SATs and GPA will not get you accepted by themselves.

As mentioned, MIT rejects applicants with perfect GPA's and SATs. In order to get into MIT for undergrad you will need to present yourself as not just a good student but also extraordinary in other respects. This is where your interview and letters and activities come into play. You have to make yourself seem unique.

It'll be tough. Nothing is going to garantee your acceptance into a school like MIT. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try though! Just don't be too disappointed if you don't get in. You do not need to go to a school like MIT to have a good career in any field.

 

[elfboy]

MIT is NOT the be all end all of success or validation of one's worth.

Keep your mind and possibilities open

 

[Oxygenne]

You do not need to go to a school like MIT to have a good career in any field.

I do not know how is MIT for grad students but I know for undergrad and postdocs does no guarantee you will have a successful career.

I know many people that after their PhD or postdoc at MIT are unemployed and moreover not having papers because of poor equipment in the lab they were not able to get the experiments done.
Their prof was not interested because he was tenure prof.

 

[Mapes]

I know many people that after their PhD or postdoc at MIT are unemployed and moreover not having papers because of poor equipment in the lab they were not able to get the experiments done.

Just out of curiosity, how would you define "many"? 10? 25? 100?

 

[qntty]

I'd like to link to this http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_selection_process_application_reading_committee_and_decisions/its_more_than_a_job.shtml made by an MIT admissions official staff member. In short, there's no area that's considered the minimum or maximum for a school like MIT (but if you want some numbers, look http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/admissions_statistics/index.shtml). If you want to get into MIT or any elite school, just do your best but don't fret if you get rejected.