Does MIT Interview Everyone?

Students who are interested in getting into some of the most competitive and prestigious colleges and universities in the United States very often end up targeting one or more schools within the Ivy League such as Harvard, Yale or Princeton.

While that is currently the case, has been for hundreds of years, and likely will continue to be the case for hundreds of years going forward, there are schools that are considered on the very same level as the Ivy League. One such school is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, otherwise commonly known as MIT.

The admissions process at MIT is rigorous and competitive, and one of the components of the application process is an undergraduate interview in which an applicant meets (either in person or remotely) with a member of the MIT alumnus to discuss the applicant’s interest in the school as well as their goals going forward. But does MIT interview everyone?

If you are considering applying to MIT and want to know more about the intricacies of the admissions process, are curious about how much an MIT interview matters, or simply want to learn a bit more about this incredible school, then you have come to the right place!

At AdmissionSight, we have worked with students from all over the world to help them improve their chances of getting into the top 10 schools in the United States such as MIT, Harvard, Columbia, and more. While we can help students with many different aspects of their preparation to get into the schools of their dreams, one of the most common things that students contact us about is getting help with the actual application process (which, of course, includes the interview process at some schools).

Our years of experience and knowledge within the ecosystem of the most selective and elite schools in the world have helped us offer the students that we work with a well of experience. That’s just one of the reasons why 75 percent of the students that we work with end up getting into the Ivy League or other top 10 schools that are not within the Ivy League!

So, if you want to know the answers to questions like “Does MIT interview everyone” or “Who will my MIT interview be” then all you have to do is keep reading. We can answer all those questions and more together.

Does MIT give interviews?

If you are interested in applying to MIT or have already sent in your application to MIT, then you are surely curious to learn more about what you can expect in the weeks and months ahead. You may have some questions regarding an undergraduate interview option.

After all, it is a well-known fact that a lot of the most competitive and prestigious schools in the United States tend to have unique aspects of their admissions and application process that are not offered or needed at other schools that have higher acceptance rates.

One such component is indeed the interview. At a lot of schools, admissions officers get the chance to learn about applicants’ passions, goals, and more through their personal essays, letters of recommendation, and more. Schools that offer interviews want the chance to learn even more about the students who are applying to their schools through this process.

So, does MIT give interviews? It absolutely does, and the admissions officers at MIT see the interview process as a valuable and important aspect of the application process.

After each MIT hopeful submits an online application – complete with their test scores, transcripts, personal essays, and more – the vast majority of these students will sign up for an interview with a Harvard alumnus that is working with the school directly and tasked with evaluating the candidate.

Here is what the school itself has to say about the MIT interview process:

“Interviews are conducted from October through November for Early Action and December through January for Regular Action,” the school writes. “To ensure everyone’s health and safety, we will hold all interviews virtually for the 2021–2022 application.

“After you submit your application, you may be contacted by an Educational Counselor (EC) if there’s one available. ECs will typically use the email address you provided on your application to contact you, so please monitor your inbox and respond promptly.

“Interviews are not a required part of the MIT application. While we try to offer as many interviews as we can, we have limited availability and may not be able to offer interviews to all applicants. If your interview is waived, it will not put you at a disadvantage in the admissions process.”

So, while interviews are – as you now know – not required and the answer to the question, “does MIT interview all applicants?” is no, it does not mean that you should not jump at the opportunity to take part in the interview process if you are offered one. The reasons for that are many!

First off, the simple truth is that the MIT interview – though relatively small – can play a role in helping any student achieve their dream of getting into this highly selective school. If you are curious about the current acceptance rate at MIT, here are some facts in relation to the most recent application cycle, the 2021-22 application cycle, that was for students who will be part of the 2026 graduating class at MIT.

In all, between Early Action and Regular Decision, 33,796 students applied to MIT’s Class of 2026. Of these applicants, 1,337 earned admission. This marks an overall admission rate of 3.96 percent for the MIT Class of 2026. That means that 96.4 percent of applicants to this year’s incoming class didn’t get in.

Those basic numbers alone should offer students who are thinking of applying to MIT and wondering if they should take advantage of the interview process if they are offered to take part. Simply put, the acceptance rate at MIT is so profoundly low (and projected to likely only get lower as the years go on) that an applying student should take part in any and all opportunities that they have to even slightly improve their chances of getting into the school!

So, if you are contacted by one of the 5000 MIT interviewers who are part of the school’s alumni community shortly after you submit your application, there is absolutely no question that you should reply promptly to get your interview on the books.

How much does an MIT interview matter?

One thing that MIT applicants should know about the interview process is that just because you apply and make it clear that you want to take part in the optional interview process does not mean that you are guaranteed to get an interview.

It is understandable why a student, after expressing interest in taking part in the interview process at MIT, would be disheartened not to be contacted for one. However, it is important to know that being called for an interview is not going to necessarily mean that you have a better chance of getting into MIT compared to a student who does get offered an interview.

The number of students – and which students – that are offered an applicant interview are based heavily on factors such as how many available MIT interviewer volunteers there are, as well as where the student is located. Beyond that, interviews are scheduled prior to any kind of screening process at the school, so getting an interview does not mean that your application has been promoted to a level where you are more likely to get in, and not getting one does not represent some kind of relegation of your interview.

To be clear, getting an interview does not mean that you are more likely to get in, and not getting an interview does not hurt your chances. In the end, the most important aspects of any student’s application to MIT is going to be in their academic record, their standardized test scores, their extracurricular activities, and achievements, as well as their personal essays and letters of recommendation.

An interview, if you are offered one, can be seen more as a supplementary application component. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to how much the MIT interviews matter is that for students who express their interest in an interview and then are offered one, not taking part in that interview would be a major mistake.

Not only are you not taking advantage of something that many students who apply to MIT would love to be a part of, but you may also be signaling to the admissions office at MIT that you are not all that interested in attending MIT. Of course, just like students want to feel wanted by elite schools, elite schools also want to feel wanted by students that apply to them.

If you are giving signals that you would not accept a spot at MIT if you were offered one, the admissions office may be more inclined to offer a spot to another deserving student who is more interested in attending.

What are MIT interviews like?

Before we break down some of the most specific things that students can expect from the MIT interview, here are some useful Frequently Asked Questions that MIT itself offers for students who are curious about the interview process.

When is the interview deadline?

There isn’t a specific deadline for the interview. Students submit their applications by November 1 for Early Action or January 1 for Regular Action.

After you submit your application, you may be contacted by an Educational Counselor (EC) if there’s one available. ECs will typically use the email address you provided on your application to contact you, so please monitor your inbox and respond promptly.

What is the interview process?

Interviews are conducted from October through November for Early Action and December through January for Regular Action. To ensure everyone’s health and safety, we will hold all interviews virtually for the 2021–2022 application.

After you submit your application, you may be contacted by an Educational Counselor (EC) if there’s one available. ECs will typically use the email address you provided on your application to contact you, so please monitor your inbox and respond promptly.

Interviews are not a required part of the MIT application. While we try to offer as many interviews as we can, we have limited availability and may not be able to offer interviews to all applicants. If your interview is waived, it will not put you at a disadvantage in the admissions process.

What if my interview is waived?

Unfortunately, even with over 5,000 alumni volunteer Educational Counselors all over the world, we may not be able to arrange an interview for every applicant.

If we are unable to offer you an interview, your interview will be waived, and your application will not be adversely affected. The interview is not a required component of the application, and the admissions committee will be aware that we were unable to offer you an interview.

How am I assigned to be an MIT interviewer?

After submitting your application, you will be notified if there is an Educational Counselor (EC) available to conduct an interview. To ensure everyone’s health and safety, we will hold all interviews virtually for the 2021–2022 application.

If an EC is available, they will reach out via email to schedule a virtual interview with you. Please check the email address used on your application frequently.

What are some sample questions from an MIT interview?

One important thing to know is that the questions that you are asked will be partially determined by your specific interest. You should also know that the interview will feel more like an open-ended conversation and they are not known – or meant – to be all that formal. You are supposed to feel comfortable, enjoy the experience and learn a few new things about MIT along the way.

Here are some sample questions that you may be asked during your MIT interview:

• How would you describe yourself?
• What are your interests?
• What do you think about MIT’s campus?
• What is your favorite book?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What makes you unique?
• What do you like most about yourself?
• Why do you want to be at MIT?
• What is your most significant achievement?
• What are your plans for the future?
• Who is the most influential person in your life?
• What questions do you have for us?

In regards to that final example question, it is really wise for you to spend some time thinking of questions that you will want to ask your MIT interviewer. You should consider these a major opportunity to gather useful information about the school, and getting answers to those questions could absolutely help you in your journey to determine whether or not MIT really is the best school for you!

If you are worried you may forget your questions during all of the excitement of the interview itself, it is perfectly acceptable for you to write your questions down on a notecard or in your phone and reference those notes when your turn to ask questions arrives.

Other tips to prepare for the MIT interview.

• Dress semi-formal for the interview so that you feel both professional and comfortable. There is no reason to overdress, but you also don’t want to look and feel like you just rolled out of bed either!
• Go over sample questions from different sources and contemplate or talk about with a peer or parent what your answers might be. You don’t want to come off as over-rehearsed during your interview, but you also do not want to come off as someone who has few answers to the questions that are being presented to you.
• If you’re given the interviewer’s name, look them up on LinkedIn before the interview to find out their career, what their major was, and any additional information about them that you can potentially relate to or ask about.
• Prepare at least 3 questions for the interviewer that are relevant to them, such as what they enjoyed about their experience, what most surprised them about their school, or how their major relates to their current career.

Succeed in the MIT interview

While taking part in an MIT interview is not going to be the single deciding factor in whether or not you end up getting into the school, a great interview can certainly help your chances! On top of that, taking part in the interview can help you better determine whether MIT is the best destination for you in the event that you are lucky enough to get in.

If you want to learn more about how to prepare for your MIT interview or any of the other aspects of the application process, contact AdmissionSight today to schedule a free consultation.