MIT Freshman Class Size

September 8, 2022
By AdmissionSight

MIT Freshman Class Size

How Big Is the Freshman Class At MIT?

How big is the freshman class at MIT? There is a 2% rise in the number of applicants over the previous year, with both years being much more than the pre-pandemic baseline of roughly 20,000 applications. MIT admitted 1,337 out of 33,796 students, for an overall acceptance percentage of 3.96%. The MIT freshman class size has 1,139 members⁠ who eventually enrolled according to the Class of 2026 data as of June 2022.

MIT canceled the SAT/ACT requirement last year because to problems faced by many students in arranging testing because of the pandemic. Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services Stu Schmill ’86 had linked the rise in applications to this suspension. However, although the SAT/ACT requirement was not dropped this year, application numbers were similarly high.

The acceptance rate from this year is a tiny reduction from last year (4.03%), with both reflecting a considerable decrease from pre-pandemic acceptance rates (around 7%).

As per MIT custom, the decisions were revealed on Pi Day, March 14, at 6:28 p.m. Students who have been accepted are required to make a decision regarding their attendance by May 2.

Students writing in a desk.

Chris Peterson SM ’13, Director of Special Projects at MIT, sent an email to The Tech in which he discussed the admissions process. In the email, he stated that “With this many applications, it really takes a tremendous amount of dedicated work from our entire team, many of whom spent 8+ hours a day in Zoom committee for weeks on end, trying to select the best class possible.”

Where Are Most MIT Students From?

If you’re curious about “Where are most MIT students from?”, here’s the number of US citizens and international students who applied and were admitted to the Class of 2026:

US Citizens/Permanent Residents International Students
Applied 24,165 9,602
Admitted 1,201 136

To add, the geographic distribution of the MIT freshman class size admits is distributed as follows:

Area Percentage
New England 10%
Mid-Atlantic 20%
South & Puerto Rico 14%
Midwest & Plains states 11%
Southwest & Mountain 12%
West Coast, Alaska & Hawaii 20%
Other U.S. Territories 1%
International 11%

Looking back, let’s examine the characteristics of the Class of 2025 statistics. In terms of location, the following countries were represented in the Class of 2025:

  • International Students: 13%
  • Mid-Atlantic States: 20%
  • Southern States: 16%
  • Western States: 18%
  • Southwest and Mountain: 14%
  • Midwestern States: 9%
  • New England: 9%

Those who hail from states that consistently produce an overwhelming number of competent applicants face the most intense levels of competition (the entire Northeast, the West Coast). It is more likely that your location will provide a boost to your admissions prospects if you are from the rural parts of the South or from a state with a lower population density, such as Wyoming or North Dakota.

What Are the Demographics of MIT?

At MIT, diversity is more than just a buzzword; rather, it is ingrained in the very fabric of what it means to be an MIT student. The Office of Admissions at MIT is dedicated to connecting with students of all different kinds of backgrounds.

Young man smiling while on a hallway.

We are aware that attending a prestigious institution like MIT may appear to be nothing more than a pipe dream for some individuals, but there are many students currently enrolled at MIT who were in the same position before their dreams came true. The aim of the MIT Institute Community & Equity Office is to advance a respectful and caring community that embraces diversity and empowers everyone to learn and accomplish their best at MIT.

To answer “What are the demographics of MIT?”, when it comes to their ethnic identities, the incoming MIT freshman class size is broken down as follows:

  • White/Caucasian: 37%
  • Asian American: 40%
  • Hispanic/Latinx: 14%
  • African American: 13%
  • American Indian/Alaskan Native: 1%
  • Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 1%

*The total is more than 100% of the class due to the fact that students may select more than one race or ethnicity.

An investigation of the kinds of high schools that students in the Class of 2026 attended reveals the following information:

  • Public: 66%
  • Independent: 15%
  • Religious Schools: 8%
  • Foreign: 9%
  • Home Schooled: 1%
  • Other: 1%

The gender distribution among members of the MIT freshman class size is somewhat balanced for the Class of 2026:

  • Male: 44%
  • Female: 43%
  • Other gender identities: 3%
  • Did not share gender: 10%

What Are the Top Majors At MIT?

MIT is a prestigious educational institution that provides its undergraduate students with a wide variety of opportunities thanks to its five schools, college, 34 departments, and 44 different degrees. These include the Sloan School of Management, the Schools of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; the Schools of Architecture and Urban Planning; and the Schools of Engineering and Science (which was the first of its kind in the U.S.). The Whitaker College of Health Sciences and Technology is the name of the institution of higher education.

Students writing in a desk in a classroom.

A lot may wonder “What are the top majors at MIT?” The acronym MIT stands for the school’s emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics or STEM education. Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, General, Mathematics, General, Aerospace, and Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering are the top five most popular majors at MIT. Other popular majors are Mathematics, General, and Aerospace.

Although it is difficult to choose just a few of the school’s many programs to highlight, the following are some of MIT’s most popular majors that prospective students should look into:

Aerospace Engineering

The MIT Department of Aerospace Engineering has been recognized by US News and World Report as having one of the best programs for more than a decade. Students who choose this concentration will have many opportunities to participate in research on a wide variety of subjects, such as the design and engineering of vehicles, transportation and exploration, earth and space sciences, and transportation and exploration.

Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering

Students in bioengineering and biomedical engineering are exposed to a stimulating array of research opportunities while they are learning. Students have the opportunity to pursue degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in this field. In addition, the department offers a variety of joint degrees and programs with other institutions, including the Program in Polymers and Soft Matter, as well as the Departments of Biology, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, and Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Biology

It is not difficult to understand why MIT’s Biology program is considered to be one of the most prestigious majors; its faculty includes three Nobel laureates, four recipients of the National Medal of Science, and fifteen investigators from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The purpose of the program is to educate and guide the next generation of scientific researchers, with a firm commitment to fostering an environment that is diverse and welcoming to all.

Chemical Engineering

The Department of Chemical Engineering at MIT’s primary objective is to provide academic programs that enable students to acquire the knowledge and abilities necessary to grasp physical, chemical, and biological processes, as well as engineering design and synthesis. Students gain the ability to imaginatively design and solve complex challenges, as well as to demonstrate leadership in corporate, academic, and government contexts in the context of contemporary technological, economic, and social difficulties.

Computer Science

This widely studied subject can be segmented into three subfields, which are theory, systems, and human-computer interaction, respectively. The capabilities gained from all of these can be pooled and applied across the fields of science, engineering, medicine, and the social sciences to address the challenges that are faced by society. Applying for undergraduate research opportunities in a wide variety of fields, such as artificial intelligence (AI) for healthcare and life sciences and security and cryptography, is a great way for students to get a head start on their involvement in research.

Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Because electrical engineers have such a wide-ranging impact on society, the Electrical and Electronics Engineering curriculum at MIT is by its very nature an interdisciplinary one. They provide a variety of options for study, some of which are in the fields of communications systems, robotics, nanoscale devices, systems, and materials, and signal processing.

Materials Engineering

The Department of Material Science and Engineering at MIT is widely regarded as the most successful program of its kind anywhere in the world. In the quest of engineering solutions that are to the benefit of society, students who major in material engineering engage in cross-disciplinary research projects including the study of materials.

Students aim to understand the development, composition, structure, characteristics, and performance of materials, ranging from those used in building to virus-grown nanostructures. This understanding will allow students to develop novel, effective, and environmentally friendly alternatives.

Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT provides an education of the highest caliber by combining in-depth analysis with experiential learning opportunities. According to US News & World Report’s rankings for 2022, the Mechanical Engineering program at MIT is the best in the world for both graduate and undergraduate students interested in the field of mechanical engineering.

Mathematics

It should come as no surprise that mathematics is one of the most popular majors at MIT given the institution’s strong focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. There are various chances for undergraduates to participate in mathematical research with faculty, and the department also offers a mentorship program that connects students with graduate student mentors. These possibilities are available to undergraduates.

Male student writing in a white blackboard.

Physics

It is generally stated that the Department of Physics at MIT is the largest Physics Department in the United States. The Department of Physics at MIT has approximately 75 faculty members and 250 undergraduate majors. Research at MIT in the field of physics can be broken down into four basic categories: astrophysics and cosmology; experimental nuclear and particle physics; theoretical nuclear and particle physics; and atomic, biological, condensed matter, and plasma physics. There have been a total of twenty-one winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics, including fourteen alumni of the department and nine current or past members of the faculty.

The core curriculum, also referred to as General Institute Requirements (GIRs), is required to be finished by all undergraduate students. These courses may be broken down into the following categories: communication, humanities and arts, social sciences, and laboratories. A swimming proficiency test will be given to every student, and non-varsity athletes are required to take a total of four quarters of physical education classes.

Many people who are considering applying to MIT may be curious about the demographics of the student body due to the institution’s emphasis on the mathematical and scientific disciplines. Even though science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are unquestionably key focuses at MIT, the student body is anything but uniform.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is dedicated to ensuring that each class year is diverse and well-rounded. During the process of undergraduate recruitment and selection, MIT takes a holistic approach to each application. This means that they take into account a wide variety of factors that have influenced a student’s life, such as their racial and ethnic background, as well as their social, economic, and educational surroundings. The school believes that educating individuals from all different walks of life is necessary to ensure the prosperous future of our planet.

Is MIT A Large University?

Is MIT a large university? The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT as it is more often known, is a private school of higher education that can be found in Cambridge, Massachusetts, close to the city of Boston. The institute was established in the year 1861.

To get a clearer picture, the 168-acre urban campus of the institution has a mandatory on-campus housing policy for first-year students. After their first year at the institution, students are permitted to live off-campus; roughly 70% of all undergraduates choose to remain to reside in school housing.

Aerial view of MIT building.

Total undergraduate enrollment at MIT is 4,368 as of the autumn of 2021, plus an additional 7,296 graduate students. This indicates that the total number of students enrolled at the school is 11,934, which places it in the category of schools that are considered to be on the lower end of the size spectrum.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is organized into five schools, all of which concentrate their efforts on research in the fields of science and technology.

Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, is a notable alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Jonah Peretti, co-founder and CEO of Buzzfeed, is another notable alumnus of MIT. 91 Nobel Prize winners and many other notable public figures are also MIT alumni.

Students at MIT are guaranteed to be able to locate a club on campus that is a good fit for their interests because the school offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities, ranging from those that are relatively typical to those that are more unusual.

More than 450 different student clubs and extracurricular activities call the Massachusetts Institute of Technology its home. This works out to approximately one club for every 10 students who attend the institution.

The rate of students who graduate after four years at MIT is 85%, which is more than 25% higher than the national average. Because of this, MIT students have among the highest chances of graduating on time of any students in the country.

In addition to this, the student-to-faculty ratio at MIT is a remarkable 3:1, making it one of the lowest in the world. Still further, 70.1% of classes at MIT have less than 20 students, which indicates that students have the opportunity to receive regular one-on-one mentoring and support from the school’s highly regarded staff.

Students at MIT enjoy the benefits of a small, close-knit learning community comprised of their peers and professional mentors, coupled with access to state-of-the-art research facilities, housing, and other resources. The average number of students in any class year is approximately one thousand as reflected in the MIT freshman class size of 1,337 students for the Class of 2026.

More than 33,000 MIT aspirants have sent in their applications in hopes of getting into this prestigious university. MIT freshman class size shows how selective MIT is and how they value diversity among their new admits. Getting into MIT might seem impossible but AdmissionSight can help you boost your application and assist you with the requirements.

At AdmissionSight, we have over 10 years of experience guiding students through the competitive admissions process to get accepted to the top universities in the world. On average, 75% of our students are admitted to an Ivy League university, Stanford, MIT, UChicago, and Caltech, one of the highest track records in the industry. Feel free to set up an appointment today to book your initial consultation.

 

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