MIT releases Class of 2022 admissions rate record low admitted
By Bonnie K. Goodman, BA, MLIS
Pie day, Wednesday, March 14, 2018, has arrived and that means the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has released that admissions rate for the Class of 2022. This year, MIT released their lowest number on record, continuing the trend of lower admission rates among Ivy League and elite universities. MIT admitted only 1,464 high school seniors out of the 21,706 that applied this cycle, making the admissions rate one of the university’s most selective at only 6.7 percent. This year’s number is lower than last year’s 7.1 percent admission rate by 0.4 percent. For the Class of 2021, MIT admitted 1,438 students out of the 20,247 that applied both the early action and regular admission cycles. This year, MIT received an increasing number of applications, up by over 1,500 from last year, as more universities see more students apply.
In announcing their admissions for the Class of 2022, MIT boasted the diverse nature of their upcoming freshman class. Chris Peterson, an Assistant Director of Admissions announced, “The admitted Class of 2022 includes archers and architects, fangirls and farmhands, whizzkids and wunderkinds, from Australia to Zimbabwe and everywhere in between. Individually they represent more than 60 countries and 1,000 high schools; together, they constitute an incredible community, each contributing a set of rare skills and perspectives while holding in common the highest caliber of cognition and character.”
Of all the elite and Ivy League universities that released their early admission data in December 2017, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) had the lowest acceptance rate for the second year in a row. On Thursday, Dec. 14, MIT sent out 664 early action offers of admission to high school seniors for a place in the Class of 2022. This year MIT received a record 9,557 applications, and their acceptance rate was a record low as well at only 6.9 percent. Of those that applied 65 percent, 6,210 students were deferred for the regular cycle, 26.1 percent, 2498 students were rejected; the remaining applicants withdrew from consideration.
For the Class of 2021, In December 2016, MIT had an acceptance rate of 7.8 percent after receiving a then-record 8,394 applications, which had been up 13.9 percent from the previous year. At the regular admission cycle, MIT admitted at 1,438 students out of 20,247 applications received. MIT is one of the most selective colleges, with corresponding acceptance rates. This was the third year MIT opened their early action admissions to international applicants. The rest of the elite universities and Ivy League universities will release their Class of 2022 admissions data at the end of the month with Stanford University and Harvard College among the most selective schools in the country, but considering MIT’s lowering numbers they will be on the running for the most selective title.
Bonnie K. Goodman BA, MLIS (McGill University), is a journalist, librarian, historian & editor. She is a former Features Editor at the History News Network & reporter at Examiner.com where she covered politics, universities, religion and news. She has a dozen years experience in education & political journalism.
