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Summary
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1861. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,384, 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 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 6. Its tuition and fees are $42,050 (2012-13).
MIT is located in Cambridge, Mass., 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 for 2009 exceeded $700 million, 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.
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The essence of MIT is our appetite for problems-especially those big, intractable, complicated problems whose solutions make a permanent difference. While MIT is a research university committed to world-class inquiry in math, science, and engineering, MIT has equally distinguished programs in the architecture, the humanities, management, and the social sciences. A diverse, supportive campus environment-with an incredible range of student groups and athletic and fitness opportunities-ensures that it's not all about the work. And in MIT's intensely creative atmosphere, the arts flourish in all their forms. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1861 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | 4-1-4 |
| Setting | urban |
| 2011 Endowment | $9,712,628,000 |
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 9.7 percent and an early acceptance rate of 12.1 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | most selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 9.7% |
| 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 66.8 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Massachusetts Institute of Technology include: Engineering; Computer Science; Physical Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; and Mathematics, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 97.5 percent.
Student Life
Massachusetts Institute of Technology has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,384, with a gender distribution of 55.2 percent male students and 44.8 percent female students. At this school, 90.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 10.0 percent of students live off campus. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
| Total enrollment | 10,894 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & 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, 4 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
| Students who have cars on campus | 4% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 66.6 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $34,873.
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.
| Tuition and fees | $42,050 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $12,188 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
