Massachusetts Institute of Technology Essay Prompts 2026-27

About 100 to 200 words

1. What field of study appeals to you the most right now? (Note: Applicants select from a drop-down list.) Reflect on what has led you to this interest.

   About 200 words

2. While some reach their goals following well-trodden paths, others blaze their own trails achieving the unexpected. In what ways have you done something different than what was expected in your educational journey?

   About 200 words

3. How have your personal and academic experiences influenced the types of problems you would want to tackle with an MIT education and the impact you aim to make on your community?

   About 200 words

4. How did you manage a situation or challenge that you didn’t expect? What did you learn from it?

   About 200 words

40 to 50 words

1. What do you do just for fun?

   50 words max

2. Who is someone you admire, whether you know them personally or look up to them from afar? Tell us why.

   50 words max

3. What’s a topic, academic or non-academic, that you could talk about for hours?

   50 words max

4. MIT values both “generalists” with varied interests and “specialists” who focus deeply on one or a few passions. Which do you think best describes you, and why?

   50 words max