About 750 out of the 1,632 high school seniors admitted to the Class of 2005 participated in Campus Preview Weekend (CPW), an event held last Thursday-Saturday. During this visit, they toured departments and laboratories, sampled UROPs (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programs), interviewed faculty, and engaged with current students at Toscanini’s. Dean of Admissions Marilee Jones highlighted that MIT students are among the best recruiters.

Diana L. Bolton, a sophomore majoring in biology, shared her experience as one of the eight undergraduate students who participated in a panel discussion on Thursday evening. Bolton, from Concord Township, Ohio, decided to attend MIT after discovering that the students are well-rounded, interesting, and intellectually stimulating. She found the classes and campus life to be outstanding and felt that CPW provided a firsthand look at MIT, making it the ideal place for her college years.

Brian Pasquinelli, a junior in economics from St. Marys, Pennsylvania, participated in CPW as both a panelist and tour guide. He believes that the event is beneficial and enjoys sharing his experiences with prospective students. Pasquinelli noted that the high school seniors attending CPW are exceptionally knowledgeable about MIT, asking detailed questions about freshman classes, UROPs, and other MIT-related topics.

Physics senior Damien Brosnan, a former president of the Interfraternity Council, also participated in the panel. Brosnan emphasized the importance of portraying the residential and social aspects of MIT to prospective students, particularly the fraternity life, which played a significant role in his decision to attend the institute.

The 1,632 students invited to join the incoming freshman class represent 16% of the 10,511 applicants. They have until May 1 to accept the offer. The target for matriculation is 1,000, the same number as the Class of 2004. Three-quarters of these students attend public schools, while the remaining attend independent or religiously affiliated schools. Eight students were homeschooled.

The group consists of 789 women (48%) and 843 men. Among them are 461 Asian Americans, 118 African Americans, 94 Mexican Americans, 37 Native Americans, 36 Puerto Ricans, and 102 foreign citizens. They come from 55 foreign countries and over 1,000 high schools in 49 states, excluding Mississippi. California leads with 14.8%, followed by New York with 10.1%, Massachusetts with 8.0%, Texas with 7.3%, and New Jersey with 5.6%. Notably, 21 students were admitted from Peter Stuyvesant High School in New York City, and 20 from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in northern Virginia. Other schools in the double digits include Lexington (MA) High School with 12, Phillips Academy (Andover, MA) with 10, and Illinois Math and Science Academy (Aurora, IL) with 10.

Ninety-three percent of the accepted students rank in the top 5% of their high school graduation class, and 47% will be valedictorians. The average SAT scores were 724 in the verbal section and 760 in mathematics. Additionally, 588 students were admitted through early action, and 296 were initially considered for early action but later placed in the regular pool.

A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on April 11, 2001. To read the full policy or details, visit the official portal directly: official portal.

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