Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:14     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Anonymous wrote:William and Mary
U Chicago
Harvey Mudd
Carleton
Cal Tech
Case Western
CMU
Georgia Tech
Embry Riddle
RPI


All great schools, but Caltech (3.1% admit rate) isn’t really less impossible than MIT (4.9%.) They are both crazy hard to get into.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:11     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Anonymous wrote:UVA surpasses MIT in what exactly? Tailgates?


UVA surpasses MIT in navy blazers and bow ties.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:08     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Anonymous wrote:Looking for a school for a student who particularly excels at STEM but also wants a strong academic experience all around. Loves learning, loves a challenge, and possibly wants to go to grad school for academic research so undergrad research opportunities are important. She would love to be around other students who are enthusiastic and passionate about science. So far she has all A's, 1520 PSAT, will be maxed out on math/science courses at her school. Very involved in music oriented extracurriculars and would want to continue these in college for fun. If she could pick the school of her dreams, it would be MIT for sure, but she not have national/international level recognition or research experience. I am hoping to steer her towards schools with a similar "spirit" but which are less selective and more achievable. Any suggestions for schools to focus our search? We will likely be full pay. I think the school community and academic strength would be top priority for her rather than the setting of the school.


Stanford (also impossible)
Berkeley
Duke
Princeton
Columbia
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:06     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Olin is an interesting (and much less selective) option
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:05     Subject: Re:Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Va tech
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:04     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Anonymous wrote:UVA surpasses MIT in what exactly? Tailgates?

In student charisma, physical attractiveness, virility, familial status, academic chops, you name it. Not to mention prestige.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:03     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
UVA surpasses MIT in what exactly? Tailgates?
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:03     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
William and Mary
U Chicago
Harvey Mudd
Carleton
Cal Tech
Case Western
CMU
Georgia Tech
Embry Riddle
RPI
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:02     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
UVA surpasses MIT in most cases and is tentatively less hard to get into, though in many cases is actually harder to get into for certain majors and when taking into account admissions for particular schools.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:02     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Northeastern
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:01     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
What is WASP schools?
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 18:00     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What does STEM mean to this student? More like engineering or more like physics and mathematics?


The OP posted a follow-up to say more like physics and math, not engineering.

Thank you.

Then I'll ask, what level of mathematics will your child have completed prior to high school graduation?
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 17:53     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Anonymous wrote:What does STEM mean to this student? More like engineering or more like physics and mathematics?


The OP posted a follow-up to say more like physics and math, not engineering.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 17:52     Subject: Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
What does STEM mean to this student? More like engineering or more like physics and mathematics?
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2025 17:49     Subject: Re:Schools similar to MIT (but less impossible)
Wellesley. Excellent all-around education and, if your daughter is accepted at MIT in her junior year, she can complete a double degree at the latter (this program takes five years to complete between the Wellesley A.B. and the MIT S.B.). But Wellesley has a cross exchange program with MIT and Olin anyway, so even if she doesn't apply or get accepted to the double degree program, she can still take advantage of MIT courses and research opportunities.

That said, while a 13% acceptance rate is statistically greater than a 4% acceptance rate, it's still not a slam dunk for anyone.