Top Ranked Ph.D. Program in Psychology Profile: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Ranking at eleventh position on U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of top psychology programs, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, fondly abbreviated as MIT, is still one of the best places in the country where one could pursue a doctorate in psychology. It shares an equal reputation with the University of Pennsylvania, but has an edge since it offers a larger number of areas in which you can earn your doctorate. Admission-seekers to this top psychology graduate school find themselves faced with pulling together an excellent graduate school application package, which isn’t surprising considering the fact that MIT holds many esteemed graduates in its alumni lists. One of the primary steps one must take while researching on graduate admission requirements to MIT is finding out which areas that you can receive your Ph.D.:
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
- Systems Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Computation
Competition for admission to the Ph.D. programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is quite tough. The institute receives about 300 applications for admission to its psychology programs every year. About 40 of these are granted admission and only about 10 to 20 of these applications are ultimately enrolled. As such, the admission to application percentage of MIT stands roughly at 7 percent.
Like other top-ranking institutions, MIT also lays a lot of emphasis on the past academic record of the candidate. Because of the specific areas in which you can pursue a Ph.D., MIT pays more attention to the candidate’s record in mathematics and science than you may expect from another top university. Additionally, GRE exam scores will need to be submitted along with the application. However, there is no requirement for GRE subject test in psychology.
If the applicant’s academic resume or personal statement shows evidence of research experience, it will be a considered as a positive point during the application process. Admissions to Ph.D. programs in psychology at MIT are a bit more stringent than other universities as they are looking for stellar academic record across a variety of mathematical and scientific fields rather than just in undergraduate psychology courses. Accordingly, well-written letters of recommendation can seriously bolster the chances of admission into this top psychology Ph.D. program.
For more tips on how to get into Ph.D. programs in psychology: Advice on applying to graduate school in psychology
