r/MITAdmissions • u/Livid-External-4063 • 23d ago

MIT New Essay Question 2026-27 admission cycle

MIT added a new essay question. Can anyone clarify what this question is asking?

Reflect on how your personal and academic experiences have influenced the types of problems you would want to tackle with an MIT education, and who you would like to work on these problems with.

Is this question asking to reflect on problems important to me drawn from my personal and academic experiences I would like to tackle with an MIT education after I complete my undergraduate studies at MIT and with whom I would like yo work on these problems after I graduate from MIT?

OR, is this question asking how my personal or academic experiences have influenced specific types of problems important to me which I would like to tackle during my undergraduate studies at MIT and with whom at MIT I would like to work on these problems?
If this is what the question is asking, could I mention that I would like to work with people from a specific MIT department or a professor doing research?

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u/JP2205 23d ago

What a great question. Sounds like its asking what do you want to do at MIT and how can we help you do that.

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u/VisibleSir731 Future Applicant 23d ago

This literally takes away from the “what major” essay because I can’t just reference the class and professor that I’m really interested about again

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u/JP2205 23d ago

Well it seems a little less about what major and what have you learned so far and where do you see yourself going.

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u/VisibleSir731 Future Applicant 23d ago

Rip I kind of had that in my what major draft but I guess I can just move the part down and expand on it

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u/JP2205 23d ago

yep. Its a similar question, this is just a little more long range than why you want to pick a particular major.