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MIT

18,357 students applied to the MIT Class of 2018. As of today, and inclusive of Early Action, we have offered admission to 1419. These 1419 students are truly exceptional. The admitted Class of 2018 includes mathematicians and marksmen and metallurgists; coders and carpenters and cosplayers; Texans and Tennesseans and Turkmen. Collectively, they represent all 50 states, more than 50 countries, and more than 1000 high schools; together, they constitute an incredible community, each contributing a set of rare skills and perspectives while holding in common the highest caliber of character, conscientiousness, and, of course, remarkable intelligence. 

We often say we don’t admit numbers to MIT, we admit people. Yet this isn’t quite true either: we admit classes, cohorts which have been curated with great care, each student hand-picked to assemble the best possible team to climb the mountain which is MIT. I have to tell you, this is one hell of a team. Every year I tell myself that this class cannot possibly be more breathtaking than the last; every year they take my breath away. There are also those students who may be climbing other mountains, with other friends, next fall. Of the students to whom we do not offer admission today, we have placed a small number on our waitlist and informed the balance that we will not be able to admit them to the Class of 2018. Turning away so many kind, generous, super-smart young people has been more than difficult: it has been truly painful.

If you are among them, then all I can say is that MIT is just another place. If it is amazing, it is amazing not because of some local magic emanating from beneath the Great Dome, but because the people here are amazing. And if you are an amazing person, then you can be amazing wherever you go, if you choose to do so. I'm closing comments on this blog post to concentrate conversation in the open threads for admitted, waitlisted, and not admitted students. We've also posted an article over at MIT News.  Congratulations to the Class of 2018. I wish all of our applicants well. No matter where you enroll next fall, please make it a better place. I know you can. I hope you will.

http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/mit-regular-action-decisions-now-available-online1