Admissions

Forbes contributor Michael T. Nietzel writes about the STARS College Network, “a new effort to help students from small-town communities and rural America enroll in and graduate from college” that MIT is participating in.

Inside Higher Ed reporter Susan Greenberg highlights how MIT is participating in the Small Town and Rural Students (STARS) College Network, which “aims to build new pathways to college for students who might not otherwise recognize all their options.”

Undergraduate Evelyn De La Rosa speaks with Boston Globe reporter Katie Mogg about her experience with the Transfer Scholars Network, a new program aimed at providing community college students with a pathway to four-year universities.  “We want to be as accessible as we can,” says Stuart Schmill, dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services. “The education is better for our students the more diverse the population is. We want to educate the best students from everywhere, from all backgrounds.”

MIT is part of the Transfer Scholars Network (TSN), an initiative aimed at opening a pipeline between community colleges and four-year colleges for transfer students, reports Michael T. Nietzel for Forbes. “As a part of TSN, we hope to send a message to community college students everywhere that you belong and you can succeed at a school like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,” says Jeremy Weprich, senior assistant director of admissions.  

MIT has been named the number 2 university in the U.S. in U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings, reports Abigail Hess for CNBC.

Chloe Smith, a student at Elliot Hudson College in Leeds, speaks with the BBC about being accepted to MIT. "I think through hard work and basically having a plan and thinking no matter what people say even though it seems like shooting for the stars, if you are willing to look for the opportunities you can follow them and achieve amazing things,” says Smith.

Reporting for Boston 25, Bob Dumas highlights the Warrior-Scholar Project, which introduces soldiers to universities such as MIT in an effort to help them transition back to civilian life. “We want to take our enlisted veterans, many of them first-generation college students, and expose what life would be like for them at a top-tier school,” explains the project’s executive director.  

Cristela Guerra of The Boston Globe highlights Pi Day celebrations around Boston, including the Star Wars-themed MIT admissions decision video starring Dean of Admissions Stu Schmill as Luke Skywalker.

InsideHigherEd's Scott Jaschik reports that admissions leaders have sought to reassure high school students facing suspension for their activism since last week's deadly shootings in Parkland, Fla. "One of the most detailed statements came from Stu Schmill, dean of admissions and financial services at MIT," writes Jaschik. 

Stuart Schmill, MIT’s dean of admissions, speaks with WBUR’s Fred Thys about why colleges are placing an increased emphasis on the whole student as opposed to extracurricular activities. “We want students to take the most challenging classes that are most appropriate for them,” says Schmill, “but they don't need to do that in every single subject.”

Writing for The Mercury News, Tatiana Sanchez spotlights the story of Alejandro Diaz, a graduate of Christopher High School in Gilroy, California, who plans to attend MIT in the fall. Sanchez notes that Diaz’s plans to attend MIT, “mark an odds-defying achievement for a family of recent immigrants who embody the promises of the American dream.”

Boston Globe reporter Steve Annear spotlights an MIT Admissions video that shows “Iron Man” superhero Riri Williams building her iconic suit on campus. Stuart Schmill, dean of admissions, says the Admissions Office videos, which are created as a lighthearted way to announce when admissions decisions will be available, “capture the spirit of this place and what students love to do.”

Dean of admissions Stu Schmill spoke with Olga Khazan of The Atlantic about de-emphasizing the role of personal achievement in admissions decisions. “We’re trying to allow students to be themselves, to explore their interests more deeply, and not have to contort that or change that to fit the college-admissions process,” said Schmill.

In an article for Inside Higher Ed, Rick Seltzer highlights MIT’s efforts to reduce bias in the college application process by soliciting more information from applicants. “The value of more information is it gives us this opportunity to get a little closer to the student,” explains Lauren Avalos, associate director of admissions.

Dean of Admissions Stuart Schmill spoke with The Boston Globe’s Michael Levenson about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold affirmative action. The decision “reaffirms the value of diversity in higher education and our ability to achieve that diversity,” said Schmill.