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? I was chosen to be the leader of the percussion section of the marching band in my sophomore year. I knew it was going to be difficult; not only did I have to lead a group with lots of personality, but also many of them were older than I was. I especially had difficulty...

Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? Although math and science appeal to me, I find great satisfaction in applying these skills to practical applications. For this reason, the engineering department interests me most. My life goal is to create something that will change the world and the people on it, resulting in a better place to live. The satisfaction I feel after designing...

Tell us more about your cultural background and identity (100 word limit) My parents taught me to always be honest, and at this point in my life I can honestly say that my cultural background, my ancestors, means little to me. My personality has been shaped more by the individuals in my life than society as a whole. I’m only seventeen, and I don’t know what the rest of the world is like, so I don’t feel my...

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. Listening to music has always been a passion of mine, and when I first learned to play the drums, I fell in love with it. However, as I progressed as a musician I wanted to do more: to compose cadences for my drum line to play. I was then asked by...

What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you’d like to tell us about. Curiosity has been my most prominent trait ever since I was young, to the extent that my classmates would get angry with me for asking the teacher so many questions. I tried not to let it bother me, but nearly...

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? My parents required me to get my first job, but I found I enjoyed working and I soon sought two more jobs, all of which have influenced they way I work and interact with other people. Ever since I started working at McDonald’s, I was amazed by how simple the jobs actually were. I...

At MIT, all of the essays are prompts you have to answer with a word limit, which is why mine are all short. Read my advice section for my recommendations on essays for MIT.

Hi everyone! I really hope my advice can help you. I thought there was NO WAY I would ever get in to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. No way in a million years. But I did, and since that event, and after spending a year here, I think I have some valuable insights as to why that is. I hope you regard my advice very highly, more than anything else you might find in my profile. Despite what you may hear, it’s not about SAT scores or extracurricular activities here at MIT. Let me describe the MIT application review...

My favorite course was called 2.00B, which stands for Toy...

Personally, I would have changed how I acted to other...

Get a job. Its easy to forget what that kind of job is like...

I applied for a bunch of scholarships, but didn't get any, so I ended up taking out loans. Be sure to...