Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Cambridge, Massachusetts · Founded 1861
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SAT / ACT required
MIT requires the SAT or the ACT for both first-year and transfer applicants. Source: mitadmissions.org (verified August 2026).
About
A private research university founded to advance useful knowledge, MIT is built around science, engineering and hands-on problem solving. Its culture is famously project-driven, with undergraduates working in research labs alongside faculty.
History
Founded in 1861 in response to the industrialization of the United States, MIT moved from Boston to its current Cambridge campus along the Charles River in 1916.
What stands out
- Research-first culture with undergraduate lab access
- Strong entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem
- Open courseware and a long open-education tradition
- Campus along the Charles River, across from central Boston
Popular majors
Campus life
An urban campus in Cambridge with a distinctive residential-house system, hundreds of student clubs, and a strong maker and hackathon culture. Boston is a short walk or subway ride across the river.