Massachusetts Institute of Technology Review 2015

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1861. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,512, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 168 acres. It utilizes a 4-1-4-based academic calendar. Massachusetts Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 7. Its tuition and fees are $46,704 (2015-16).

MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, across the Charles River from downtown Boston. Only freshmen students are required to live on campus, but about 70 percent of students choose to remain on campus during their four years. MIT offers housing in one of the coolest dorms in the country, commonly called "The Sponge," designed by architect Steven Holl. The MIT Engineers boast more than 30 NCAA Division III teams, and their mascot is a beaver, which MIT chose because of its "remarkable engineering and mechanical skill and its habits of industry."

Each class designs a unique ring called the "Brass Rat" that is revealed during sophomore year, a tradition that dates back to 1929.
MIT focuses on scientific and technological research and is divided into five schools and one college. Among its graduate schools are the highly ranked School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, in addition to strong programs in economics, psychology, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics and mathematics. Research expenditures at MIT have typically exceeded $650 million each year, with funding coming from government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense. The "Independent Activities Program," a four-week term between fall and spring semesters in January, offers special courses, lectures, competitions and projects. Distinguished alumni include Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

The essence of MIT is our appetite for problems-especially those big, intractable, complicated problems whose solutions make a permanent difference. While... Read More

General Information

School type	private, coed college
Year founded	1861
Religious affiliation	N/A
Academic calendar	4-1-4
Setting	urban
2014 Endowment	$12,425,131,000

Applying

When applying to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it's important to note the application deadline is January 1, and the early action deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 15. The application fee at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $75. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 7.9 percent and an early acceptance rate of 9 percent.

Selectivity	most selective
Fall 2014 acceptance rate	7.9%
Application deadline	January 1
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	February 15

Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is 8:1, and the school has 67.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Massachusetts Institute of Technology include: Engineering; Computer Science; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Physical Sciences; and Mathematics, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 98 percent.

Class sizes
Classes with fewer than 20 students (67.3%) 67.3% 20-49 (18.6%) 18.6% 50 or more (14.1%) 14.1%
Student-faculty ratio	8:1
4-year graduation rate	81%
Five most popular majors for 2014 graduates
Engineering 39% Computer Science 23% Biological and Biomedical Sciences 10% Physical Sciences 8% Mathematics, General 7%

Student Life

Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,512, with a gender distribution of 54.5 percent male students and 45.5 percent female students. At this school, 87 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 13 percent of students live off campus. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.

Total enrollment	11,319
Student gender distribution
Male (54.5%) 54.5% Female (45.5%) 45.5%
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
In fraternity (50%) 50.0% Independent (50%) 50.0%
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
In sorority (32%) 32.0% Independent (68%) 68.0%
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA III

Campus Services

Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Massachusetts Institute of Technology also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 3 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Students who have cars on campus	3%
Health insurance offered	Yes

Cost and Financial Aid

At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 59.4 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $39,576.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs, or use the U.S. News 529 Finder to choose the best tax-advantaged college investment account for you.

Tuition and fees	$46,704 (2015-16)
Room and board	$13,730 (2015-16)
Financial aid statistics
Applied for need-based aid (66.9%) 66.9% Need was fully met (100%) 100.0% Received need-based financial aid (59.4%) 59.4% Received need-based self-help aid (51.6%) 51.6% Average percent of need met (100%) 100.0%