Do you completely adore math or consider science your favorite subject? Are you interested in becoming the next Noam Chomsky? Maybe Benjamin Netanyahu is more you style, or perhaps even Buzz Aldrin? Then the Massachusetts Institute of Technology might be the place for you.
It’s quite hard to get in, though. To earn a coveted admissions spot, you’ll need to have near-perfect standardized test scores, out of this world teacher recommendations, and an immaculate academic record. To build this record, of course, you will need quite a few Advanced Placement classes under your belt.
But once you get to MIT, what are you supposed to do with all the AP® credits that you earned? After you are admitted, are you forced to leave them behind in high school or can you apply them towards your MIT degree? Never fear, because we have all the answers!
This blog will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about MIT AP® credits. We’ll make sure you understand which classes MIT accepts, what you need to get on the AP® exam for it to transfer in, and even what sort of classes you can expect to take at the school.
Ready to dive in?
Fast Facts about MIT
• MIT is located just outside of Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts (so it’s essentially Harvard’s next door neighbor).
• MIT is a private university that was founded in 1861.
• It is famous for its science and engineering programs.
• The school’s colors are grey and cardinal red.
• MIT’s mascot is Tim the Beaver.
• The school has over 33 varsity sports teams. Who said scientists couldn’t play sports?
The Numbers
According to the CollegeBoard as of 2015, MIT has…
• 4,537 undergraduates
• 11,319 postgraduate students
• 1,106 first-time freshmen
Yale also has a $13.5 billion endowment fund super competitive 7.9% admission rate.
In 2015, 18,306 students applied for 1,519 spots.
As you can see by these numbers, it is hard to earn a spot at MIT. But, if you are interested in pursuing a degree in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) field, then MIT is an excellent place to jump start your education.
If you want to get in, you’ll need to ace your AP® tests. But what should you do with those scores once you get there? We’re about to tell you, so stay tuned.
Advanced Standing at MIT
Before we go through each detail of the rules surrounding MIT AP® Credits, we want to ensure that you get how you will be able to use these credits when you arrive on campus.
If you ace your AP® exams, then you are eligible for something called Advanced Standing.Every first-time freshman at MIT starts at 0 credits, but select students can apply credits earned in high school towards their MIT degree. You might qualify to do any of the following things:
• Take a semester off and still graduate on time.
• Graduate a semester or even an entire academic year early.
• Skip lower-level classes to take more interesting ones.
If you are at MIT and find yourself interested in graduating early, you will need to petition the Dean’s office. However, if you are only interested in skipping lower-level classes, then keep reading!
MIT AP® Credits Policy
There are a few ways you can qualify for Advanced Standing while at MIT. While a high score on an Advanced Placement test is the most obvious, MIT also considers the following alternatives:
• International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level exams
• British A-Level exams
• Placement tests offered by some academic departments
So as you can see, even if your school did not offer APs, or an AP® course in the subject you wish to test out of, you are not out of luck just yet.
Here is what your AP® credits will get you at MIT:
Art
AP® Exam Name |
Minimum Score Required |
Number of Credit Units Awarded |
| AP® Art History | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Music Theory | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Studio Art 2-D Design | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Studio Art 3-D Design | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Studio Art Drawing | 5 | 9 |
English
AP® Exam Name |
Minimum Score Required |
Number of Credit Units Awarded |
| AP® English Language and Composition | 5 | 9 |
| AP® English Literature and Composition | 5 | 9 |
Language
AP® Exam Name |
Minimum Score Required |
Number of Credit Units Awarded |
| AP® Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 9 |
| AP® French Language and Culture | 5 | 9 |
| AP® German Language and Culture | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Latin | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 9 |
Math
AP® Exam Name |
Minimum Score Required |
Number of Credit Units Awarded |
| AP® Calculus AB | 5 | Equivalent 18.01 Calculus I |
| AP® Calculus BC | 5 | Equivalent 18.01 Calculus I |
| AP® Macroeconomics | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Microeconomics | 5 | 9 |
Science
AP® Exam Name |
Minimum Score Required |
Number of Credit Units Awarded |
| AP® Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 (on both) | Equivalent to 8.01 Physics 1 |
| AP® Physics C: Mechanics | 5 (on both) | Equivalent to 8.01 Physics 1 |
| AP® Psychology | 5 | 9 |
Social Studies
AP® Exam Name |
Minimum Score Required |
Number of Credit Units Awarded |
| AP® Comparative Government & Politics | 5 | 9 |
| AP® European History | 5 | 9 |
| AP® Human Geography | 5 | 9 |
| AP® United States Government & Politics | 5 | 9 |
| AP® United States History | 5 | 9 |
| AP® World History | 5 | 9 |
MIT does not offer credit for the following AP® courses:
• AP® Biology
• AP® Chemistry
• AP® Computer Science: A and Principles
• AP® Environmental Science
• AP® Physics 1 or 2
• AP® Statistics
You might feel a little confused after reading this list.
Aren’t all the classes MIT doesn’t accept AP® credits for the exact sort of class that a student should take to get in there? Yes, they should.
But, just because a class won’t get you ahead at MIT, if you don’t take it, the admissions committee will wonder why you applied in the first place. This is because all of the AP® math and science classes will prepare you for the type of work you will have to do at MIT. So don’t think of them as a way to place out of classes, rather think of them as a tool that is laying the foundation for your MIT education and success.
We found all of the above information right here on the MIT admissions website, so feel free to poke around over there yourself.
MIT’s Undergraduate Academic Requirements
MIT requires all students to take its General Institute Requirements in order to earn a Bachelors of Science.
Most MIT students will find them a breeze, as they heavily favor math and science. The classes are as follows:
Summary of Subject Requirements |
Subjects |
| Biology | Biology 7.012, 7.013, 7.014, 7.015, or 7.016 |
| Chemistry | Chemistry 3.091, 5.111, or 5.112 |
| Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences | 8 assorted classes, including to communication-intensive courses. |
| Laboratory | 1 science course must have this component |
| Mathematics | Math 18.01, 18.01A, or 18.014; and 18.02, 18.022, or 18.024 |
| Physics | Physics 8.01, 8.011, 8.012, or 8.01L; and 8.02, 8.021, or 8.022 |
| Physical Education | Swimming, plus 4 physical education courses. |
| Restricted electives in Science and Technology (REST) | 2 general classes |
MIT’s Campus Vibe
MIT is nestled in the Boston “suburb” of Cambridge, so it is a great place to be a college student. At MIT, you share a town with Harvard, and students from both schools have been known to socialize and collaborate on projects. With Boston nearby, Northeastern, Boston University, Boston College, and more are just a hop, skip, and a jump away, so you will never run out of events to attend.
Boston’s T (the subway system) extends into Cambridge, so you don’t even need a car to experience all of the sports, food, museums, shows, and other fun that is available in the area.
As a STEM student, you will also love the range of architectural styles on campus. From neoclassical through modernist, brutalist, and deconstructivist — MIT has it all. Walking around the school’s campus is like walking through a well-designed art gallery.
The classes at MIT can be considered at the top of their fields, so there can be a lot of pressure to succeed there. But as any current student will tell you, most of it is entirely self-imposed. Remember, if you are admitted to MIT, the admissions committee believes that, based on your academic record, you are capable of succeeding there.
MIT students are incredibly self-motivated, but they also aren’t afraid to ask for help. There is a collaborative atmosphere on campus, so make sure to take part in it while you are there!
A Quick Review
You need to keep the following key things in mind when planning your AP® course load and reviewing the
MIT AP® Credit policy:
• MIT is famous for its math, science, and engineering programs.
• MIT only accepts score of 5 on the AP® exams for credit.
• If you did not score a 5, you are eligible to take the Advanced Standing Exam
• MIT has a set of core classes called the General Institute requirements that each student must take to graduate.
The final most important thing to remember is that even if you can’t apply your AP® credits towards your MIT degree, if your school offers them and you don’t take them, it will reflect poorly on your application.
What are the next steps?
It is obvious that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology would favor high school AP® classes that would prepare its students to study that field. So, while you can read our list of the hardest AP® classes here, and the easiest ones here, you can probably guess that a lot of the courses that MIT would look favorably upon are on the “hard” list. That said, there is no reason to panic because Albert.io is here for you.
We have easy to understand study guides for Calculus, Physics, Biology, Chemistry and much more. Whenever you need help with anything, check with us first.
We also have a handy timeline for when you should start studying for the AP® tests, so you can pace yourself to avoid stress. While you’re at it, check out or tips and tricks for excelling on the exams.
Finally, if your school uses a weighted grade point average scale, taking AP® classes is definitely going to impact your own GPA. You can read all about the weighted GPA and how to calculate it here, as well as if colleges care more and weighted or unweighted GPAs here.
Best luck out there!
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