MITES Summer is MIT’s transformative 6-week residential program offering underrepresented high school students free access to college-level STEM coursework, mentorship, and a supportive community that has launched thousands into top universities and STEM careers.
MIT Integration & Legacy
Alumni Success & University Placement
Academic Rigor & Support
Program Statistics (The Below May Change)
Administrative Details (The Below May Change)
Overall: 4.1/5 – Premier diversity-focused STEM program with transformative outcomes for target population
MITES represents MIT’s most significant commitment to diversifying STEM fields—a program that doesn’t just talk about equity but actively creates it by providing world-class education completely free to students who might never otherwise access such opportunities. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in exceptional talent that traditional metrics might overlook.
The program specifically seeks students from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM—including African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and Native American students, as well as those from low-income families, potential first-generation college students, and those from under-resourced high schools. But MITES isn’t about lowering standards; it’s about recognizing that brilliance exists everywhere when given opportunity. The program maintains rigorous academic standards while providing the support structure necessary for students to meet them.
What makes MITES transformative isn’t just the coursework—it’s the community. Students discover they’re not alone in their ambitions, building lifelong connections with peers who understand both their challenges and aspirations. The program’s 40% MIT acceptance rate for alumni isn’t luck; it’s the result of students discovering their full potential in an environment designed for their success. Alumni consistently report that MITES gave them confidence to apply to schools they previously thought unreachable.
For families navigating the complex landscape of elite college admissions without insider knowledge or resources, MITES provides more than education—it provides a roadmap. The program’s college counseling, application support, and instructor evaluations level a playing field that’s often tilted against underrepresented students.
✓ Recommended for: High-achieving juniors from underrepresented backgrounds (racial/ethnic minorities, low-income, first-generation) with strong STEM interest and academic records. Ideal for students who need both academic challenge and comprehensive support to reach elite universities.
✗ Not recommended for: Students already well-resourced with college prep support, those without genuine STEM passion, or anyone unable to commit to the intense 6-week residential experience. Also not suitable for students seeking research-only experiences (RSI better option).
Carnegie Mellon SAMS (Summer Academy for Math + Science)
Research Science Institute (RSI) at MIT
QuestBridge College Prep Scholars
Local University Diversity STEM Programs
MITES occupies a unique position—it’s simultaneously one of the most prestigious STEM programs in the country and one specifically designed for students traditionally excluded from such opportunities. While RSI might have more global prestige among the academic elite, MITES has arguably greater social impact, creating pathways for brilliant students who might otherwise never reach their potential. Our Zenith consultants include MITES alumni who can provide authentic guidance on applications and program fit.
Alex’s daughter was in the 7th grade when she began her college prep guidance with Zenith Prep Academy. Although Alex attended a Top 30 university in the US himself, he realized how challenging the admissions process had become, and was unsure of what classes, activities, and competitions would help his daughter best explore her passions and find her area of interest. He was looking for a highly customized strategy for his daughter to build the right extracurricular profile so she’d be able to stand out from the tens of thousands of other students with similar academics. Alex has been so happy with his relationship with Zenith that he’s looking forward to signing up his younger kids when they’re old enough.
Lana had quickly realized her son’s school wasn’t challenging or engaging enough for him. He was a very bright, driven, and articulate student who had specific fields that he was interested in. He and Lana wanted to know how he could further his interests in these fields through more advanced classes and different competitions, projects, activities,
and more.
Although Robert attended high school and college in the US, given that his son went to a hyper–competitive high school (ranked top 100 in the United States), he wanted a highly customized strategy and plan for their son to further his academic interests and build the right extracurricular profile to stand out from his peers in their high school and in the college applications.
Given that his son was doing well academically, Rajesh wanted guidance on resources, programs, and classes that could provide his son with exposure to different fields and majors – in turn helping him identify his interests and turn his passions into activities, helping him attract the attention of his choice universities.
Manisha’s daughter was an 11th grader when they started working with our college counseling team. A first–generation parent, she turned to Zenith to guide her daughter toward how to best use the one year they had left before college applications, highlighting her daughter’s strengths and interests to ultimately help her shine on college applications. With Zenith’s help, Manisha’s daughter gained acceptance into her dream university.
Victoria's daughter was a 9th grader who, apart from her involvement in sports, hadn't engaged in any academic or extracurricular activities. Although Victoria went to a top 15 university herself, she realized how much college admissions had changed over the years and turned to us for guidance and our expertise in helping her daughter discover her true passions, nurture her interests, and develop a competitive profile for the top universities she was looking to attend.
