Sreedath Panat

"How can I get into MIT?"

The answer to this most frequent question that I get can be boiled down to 2 points

1. Research profile

2. Storytelling

Let me elaborate.

➜ A great CGPA is very helpful. However, a strong research profile can offset a lack of GPA. I have friends who secured admission to MIT with <8 GPA.

➜ By strong research profile, I mean tangible research outputs- publications or conferences. If you have projects without proper documentation of results, now is a great time to write up your work and convert it into manuscripts or presentations. Publishing is a long process. However, you can mention your upcoming publications that are under review in the “publications” section of your resume, adding significant value to your profile.

➜ Your story. Most students have projects that are not related to each other. They struggle to fit all of them in a unifying thread, which makes their story weak. However, one thing I have learned while working on my PhD thesis is finding a unifying theme even among seemingly distant projects and putting them together into a compelling story.

If you want a good mental model of what exactly to do in the next few months, I am organizing a FREE webinar titled “Grad school application 2025: how to prepare like a topper” on Feb 4th (Tuesday) at 7pm IST.

I plan to cover the following points in detail.

❶ Explain the detailed timeline of the application process.

❷ Explain how to prepare SOP, Resume, portfolio website, and manage good LORs

❸ Explain our strategy for university shortlisting.

❹ Explain how to convert your application weaknesses into strengths.

❺ How to build a beautiful personal portfolio website

❻ And most importantly, share the story of how I got into MIT, CMU, Purdue, Michigan, Berkeley, and other top universities.