The MIT 2019-20 essays are here!
MIT announced the prompts for this year’s college application essays. Since MIT does not use the popular Common Application system, their application always looks a little different.
Luckily, the prompts remain the same as last year.
The 2019-20 essay and short answer prompts are:
- 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. (100 words or fewer)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
One of their admission officer’s wrote a bit of advice on interpreting the MIT 2019-20 essays: “…[W]orry less about coming up with something we’ve never read before (because we most likely have anyways), and focus more on making sure your essays authentically convey who you are (or some aspect of who you are). If I, the reader, am able to learn something new about you, then you’ve written a great response and the essay has served its purpose.”
I couldn’t agree more!
Unsure how to start on the MIT 2019-20 essay prompts or looking for an actual former college admissions officer to provide insight into your drafts? Get started with a free thirty-minute chat with me to see if we’re a good fit! Or, check out my undergraduate application page to see what all I can help with and learn more about my counseling philosophy.