Women's Technology Program

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Who should apply to WTP?

Female students in grade 11 who:

• love and excel at math and science,
  but have very little or no prior experience in engineering or computer science
  
  
• would like to experience hands-on activities where they design and build engineering projects

• enjoy problem solving and collaborative learning
  
  
• want to spend 4 summer weeks (when they are rising seniors) challenging their minds, working very hard in an intense academic environment, and making friends with girls from around the U.S. who share their math and science interests and motivation to excel.

Please check our Frequently Asked Questions for more details about WTP.

Admissions Criteria

Sixty participants (40 for EECS and 20 for ME) are selected from a nationwide applicant pool of the top female 11th grade math and science students. Students must reside in the U.S. (or be U.S. citizens if living outside the U.S. ).

The primary criteria for acceptance are a strong curiosity about engineering or computer science and a demonstrated ability to excel in math and science. Students should be able to handle college-level material at a rapid pace, but should not have completed prior coursework or summer programs in engineering. Physics and calculus are not prerequisites. The WTP-EECS computer science class is introductory, so students who have taken AP Computer Science will already have covered more than our CS curriculum.

Applicants are accepted based on the strength of their math and science grades, evaluations by a math and a science teacher, personal statements, and scores on the PSAT, SAT, or ACT. While standardized tests are not a requirement for acceptance to WTP, PSAT math scores of accepted students typically range from 60-80 with median of 72.

We are looking for students who are not yet certain about their future college majors, and who would like to explore engineering and computer science to determine whether these fields might be of interest. WTP classes are ungraded so that students will stretch themselves and explore new areas of learning. However, we do expect students to work hard and make the most of this opportunity; we pack a great deal of material into the short 4 weeks, including a full load of evening and weekend homework and project work. WTP is not a "summer camp" but an academic experience.

NOTE: WTP is not connected in any way to MIT undergraduate admissions. WTP has very different acceptance criteria than MIT . In many cases students are not accepted to WTP because they have already covered some or all of the WTP curriculum, so spending four weeks at WTP will not expose them to new material or opportunities. Non-acceptance to WTP has no bearing whatsoever on a student's chances of future acceptance by MIT. Acceptance to WTP also does not guarantee that a student will be admitted to MIT.

back to page top

Program Fees

Our goal is that all admitted students be able to attend WTP regardless of their family financial situation. Admissions decisions are made independent of financial aid requests.

There is no fee to apply to WTP. If you are admitted, the standard fee to attend is $3,000, which covers all classes, room and board. Students are also responsible for their own transportation to MIT. However, based on family financial need, students can be awarded scholarships ranging from a partial tuition discount to a full fee waiver; we also occasionally include a travel reimbursement (attend WTP for free).

If you want to be considered for financial assistance, be sure to answer "Yes" on Question 11 of the Student Application Part 1. The information you provide there about your family's income will be used to determine the amount of assistance you will receive if admitted.

back to page top

Student Applications are now closed for summer 2013

We have selected all of the students for summer 2013. The application materials for summer 2014 will be on this web page in November..

back to page top

Admissions Decisions

Admissons decisions for summer 2013 were be sent by email on April 19.

If you have additional questions about appying to WTP, we suggest you check our Frequently Asked Questions page for answers before contacting our office.

back to page top