A. General Information
B. Enrollment and Persistence
C. First-Time, First-Year (Freshman) Admission
D. Transfer Admission
E. Academic Offerings and Policies
F. Student Life
G. Annual Expenses - corrected September 14, 2006
H. Financial Aid
I. Instructional Faculty and Class Size
J. Degrees Conferred
Definitions

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

A1. Address Information

Name of College or University:  Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mailing Address:  77 Massachusetts Aveune
City, State, Zip, Country:  Cambridge, MA 02139 USA

Street Address (if different): ___

Main Phone Number:  617.253.1000
WWW Home Page Address:  http://web.mit.edu/

Admissions Phone Number:  617.253.4791
Admissions Toll-free Number:  ___
Admissions Office Mailing Address:  MIT Admissions Room 3-108, 77 Massachusetts Aveune
City, State, Zip, Country:  Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
Admissions Fax Number: 617.258.8304
Admissions E-mail Address:  admissions@mit.edu
Is there a separate URL application site on the Internet?  _X_Yes  ___No
If so, please specify: http://web.mit.edu/admissions/

A2. Source of institutional control (check one only)

A3. Classify your undergraduate institution:

A4. Academic year calendar

A5. Degrees offered by your institution

B. ENROLLMENT AND PERSISTENCE

B1. Institutional Enrollment--Men and Women Provide numbers of students for each of the following categories as of the institution's official fall reporting date or as of October 15, 2004.

Total all undergraduates: 4136

Total all graduate and professional students: 6184

GRAND TOTAL ALL STUDENTS: 10,320

B2. Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Category. Provide numbers of undergraduate students for each of the following categories as of the institution's official fall reporting date or as of October 15, 2004 . Include international students only in the category "Nonresident aliens."Complete the "Total Undergraduate"column only if you cannot provide data for the first two columns.

Persistence

B3. Number of degrees awarded by your institution from July 1, 2003 , to June 30, 2004 .

Graduation Rates
The items in this section correspond to data elements collected by the IPEDS Web-based Data Collection System's Graduation Rate Survey (GRS). For complete instructions and definitions of data elements, see the IPEDS GRS instructions and glossary on the 2004 Web-based survey.

For Bachelor's or Equivalent Programs

Please provide data for the fall 1998 cohort if available. If fall 1998 cohort data are not available, provide data for the fall 1997 cohort.

Fall 1998 Cohort
Report for the cohort of full-time first-time bachelor's (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered in fall 1998. Include in the cohort those who entered your institution during the summer term preceding fall 1998.

B4. Initial 1998 cohort of first-time, full-time bachelor's (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students;total all students: 1044

B5. Of the initial 1998 cohort, how many did not persist and did not graduate for the following reasons: death, permanent disability, service in the armed forces, foreign aid service of the federal government, or official church missions;total allowable exclusions: 2

B6. Final 1998 cohort, after adjusting for allowable exclusions: 1042
(Subtract question B5 from question B4)

B7. Of the initial 1998 cohort, how many completed the program in four years or less (by August 31, 2002): 840

B8. Of the initial 1998 cohort, how many completed the program in more than four years but in five years or less (after August 31, 2002 and by August 31, 2003): 100

B9. Of the initial 1998 cohort, how many completed the program in more than five years but in six years or less (after August 31, 2003 and by August 31, 2004): 23

B10. Total graduating within six years (sum of questions B7, B8, and B9): 963

B11. Six-year graduation rate for 1998 cohort (question B10 divided by question B6): 92%

Note: Questions B12 - B21 have been omitted. They apply to Two-Year Institutions and not MIT.

Retention Rates
Report for the cohort of all full-time, first-time bachelor's (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered in fall 2003 (or the preceding summer term). The initial cohort may be adjusted for students who departed for the following reasons: death, permanent disability, service in the armed forces, foreign aid service of the federal government or official church missions. No other adjustments to the initial cohort should be made.

B22. For the cohort of all full-time bachelor's (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered your institution as freshmen in fall 2003 (or the preceding summer term), what percentage was enrolled at your institution as of the date your institution calculates its official enrollment in fall 2004? 98%

C. FIRST-TIME, FIRST-YEAR (FRESHMAN) ADMISSION

Applications
C1. First-time, first-year (freshman) students: Provide the number of degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled (full- or part-time) in fall 2004. Include early decision, early action, and students who began studies during summer in this cohort. Applicants should include only those students who fulfilled the requirements for consideration for admission (i.e., who completed actionable applications) and who have been notified of one of the following actions: admission, nonadmission , placement on waiting list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution). Admitted applicants should include wait-listed students who were subsequently offered admission.

C2. Freshman wait-listed students (students who met admission requirements but whose final admission was contingent on space availability)

Admission Requirements
C3. High school completion requirement

Check the appropriate box to identify your high school completion requirement for degree-seeking entering students:

C4. Does your institution require or recommend a general college-preparatory program for degree-seeking students?

C5. Distribution of high school units required and/or recommended. Specify the distribution of academic high school course units required and/or recommended of all or most degree-seeking students using Carnegie units (one unit equals one year of study or its equivalent). If you use a different system for calculating units, please convert.

Basis for Selection

C6. Do you have an open admission policy, under which virtually all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas are admitted without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications? If so, check which applies:

C7. Relative importance of each of the following academic and nonacademic factors in your first-time, first-year degree-seeking (freshman) admission decisions.

SAT and ACT Policies

Note: The SAT I is now called SAT Reasoning or the SAT;SAT II Tests are now called SAT Subject Tests. As of March 2005, the SAT Reasoning Test will include a mandatory writing component;the SAT Subject Test in Writing will not be administered after January 2005. The ACT will have an optional writing component as of February 2005.

C8. Entrance exams
A. Does your institution make use of SAT Reasoning Test, ACT, or SAT Subject Test scores in admission decisions for first-time, first-year, degree-seeking applicants?  _X_Yes  ___No
If yes, place check marks in the appropriate boxes below to reflect your institution's policies for use in admission for Fall 2006 .

B. If your institution will make use of the ACT in admission decisions for first-time, first-year, degree -seeking applicants for Fall 2006 , please indicate which ONE of the following applies:

C. If your institution will make use of the new SAT Reasoning Test scores in admission decisions for first-time, first-year, degree-seeking applicants for Fall 2006 , please indicate which ONE of the following applies:

D. [formerly part of C8A] In addition , does your institution use applicants' test scores for placement or counseling?

E. [formerly C8B] Does your institution use the SAT Reasoning or SAT Subject Tests or the ACT for placement only ? If so, please mark the appropriate boxes below:

F. [formerly C8C] Latest date by which SAT or ACT scores must be received for fall-term admission:  02/15
Latest date by which SAT Subject Test scores must be received for fall-term admission:  02/15

D. [formerly C8D] If necessary, use this space to clarify your test policies (e.g., if tests are recommended for some students, or if tests are not required of some students): 
Non-native English speakers have the option of taking the TOEFL and SAT II in math and science. Others must take (SAT I or ACT) and SAT II in a math, a science, and another SAT II of their choice.

Freshman Profile

Provide percentages for ALL enrolled, degree-seeking, full-time and part-time, first-time, first-year (freshman) students enrolled in fall 2004, including students who began studies during summer, international students/nonresident aliens, and students admitted under special arrangements.

C9. Percent and number of first-time, first-year (freshman) students enrolled in fall 2004 who submitted national standardized (SAT/ACT) test scores . Include information for ALL enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted test scores . Do not include partial test scores (e.g., mathematics scores but not verbal for a category of students) or combine other standardized test results (such as TOEFL) in this item. SAT scores should be recentered scores. The 25th percentile is the score that 25 percent scored at or below;the 75th percentile score is the one that 25 percent scored at or above.

Percent of first-time, first-year (freshman) students with scores in each range:

C10. Percent of all degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who had high school class rank within each of the following ranges (report information for those students from whom you collected high school rank information).

C11. Percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who had high school grade-point averages within each of the following ranges (using 4.0 scale). Report information only for those students from whom you collected high school GPA.

C12. Average high school GPA of all degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted GPA:  3.89

Percent of total first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted high school GPA:  89%

Admission Policies

C13. Application fee

Does your institution have an application fee?  _X_Yes   ___No
Amount of application fee:  $65
Can it be waived for applicants with financial need?  _X_Yes   ___No

C14. Application closing date

Does your institution have an application closing date?  _X_Yes   ___No
Application closing date (fall): 01/01
Priority date:  ___

C15. Are first-time, first-year students accepted for terms other than the fall?  ___Yes   _X_No

C16. Notification to applicants of admission decision sent (fill in one only)

On a rolling basis beginning (date):  ___
By (date): 03/25
Other:  ___

C17. Reply policy for admitted applicants (fill in one only)

Must reply by (date):  ___
No set date:  ___
Must reply by May 1 or within 2 weeks if notified thereafter
Other:  ___

C18. Deferred admission: Does your institution allow students to postpone enrollment after admission?

  _X_Yes   ___No
If yes, maximum period of postponement:  1 year unless special circumstance

C19. Early admission of high school students: Does your institution allow high school students to enroll as full-time, first-time, first-year (freshman) students one year or more before high school graduation?  _X_Yes   ___No

C20. Common application: Will you accept the common application distributed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals if submitted?   ___Yes   _X_No
If "yes," are supplemental forms required?   ___Yes   ___No
Is your college a member of the Common Application Group?   ___Yes   _X_No

Early Decision and Early Action Plans

C21. Early decision: Does your institution offer an early decision plan (an admission plan that permits students to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification date and that asks students to commit to attending if accepted) for first-time, first-year (freshman) applicants for fall enrollment?   ___Yes   _X_No

If "yes," please complete the following:  ___
First or only early decision plan closing date:  ___
First or only early decision plan notification date:  ___
Other early decision plan closing date:  ___
Other early decision plan notification date:  ___

For the Fall 2004 entering class:

Number of early decision applications received by your institution:  ___
Number of applicants admitted under early decision plan:  ___
Please provide significant details about your early decision plan:  ___

C22. Early action: Do you have a nonbinding early action plan whereby students are notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification date but do not have to commit to attending your college?  _X_Yes   ___No

If "yes," please complete the following:
Early action closing date:  11/01
Early action notification date:  12/15

D. TRANSFER ADMISSION

Fall Applicants

D1. Does your institution enroll transfer students?  _X_Yes   ___No

(If no, please skip to Section E)

If yes, may transfer students earn advanced standing credit by transferring credits earned from course work completed at other colleges/universities?
  _X_Yes   ___No

D2. Provide the number of students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled as degree-seeking transfer students in fall 2004.

Application for Admission

D3. Indicate terms for which transfers may enroll:

_X_Fall   ___Winter   _X_Spring   ___Summer

D4. Must a transfer applicant have a minimum number of credits completed or else must apply as an entering freshman?

_X_Yes   ___No
If yes, what is the minimum number of credits and the unit of measure?  2 semesters of college but not more than 5 semesters

D5. Indicate all items required of transfer students to apply for admission:

D6. If a minimum high school grade point average is required of transfer applicants, specify (on a 4.0 scale):  ___

D7. If a minimum college grade point average is required of transfer applicants, specify (on a 4.0 scale):  3.5

D8. List any other application requirements specific to transfer applicants:
2 semesters calculus, 2 semesters calculus based physics, semester of biology, semester of chemistry (all at the college level)

D9. List application priority, closing, notification, and candidate reply dates for transfer students. If applications are reviewed on a continuous or rolling basis, place a check mark in the "Rolling admission"column.

D10. Does an open admission policy, if reported, apply to transfer students?  ___Yes   ___No

D11. Describe additional requirements for transfer admission, if applicable: ___

Transfer Credit Policies

D12. Report the lowest grade earned for any course that may be transferred for credit:  B

D13. Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred from a two-year institution:

Number:___   Unit type:  ___

D14. Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred from a four-year institution:

Number: 5   Unit type:  semesters

D15. Minimum number of credits that transfers must complete at your institution to earn an associate degree:  ___

D16. Minimum number of credits that transfers must complete at your institution to earn a bachelor's degree:  3 semesters

D17. Describe other transfer credit policies: ___

E. ACADEMIC OFFERINGS AND POLICIES

E1. Special study options: Identify those programs available at your institution. Refer to the glossary for definitions.

E3. Areas in which all or most students are required to complete some course work prior to graduation:

E4-E8 Library Collections The CDS Publishers will collect library data again when a new Academic Libraries Survey is fielded.

F. STUDENT LIFE

F1. Percentages of first-time, first-year (freshman) students and all degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled in fall 2004 who fit the following categories:

F2. Activities offered Identify those programs available at your institution.

F3. ROTC (program offered in cooperation with Reserve Officers' Training Corps)

Army ROTC is offered:

Naval ROTC is offered:

Air Force ROTC is offered:

F4. Housing: Check all types of college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing available for undergraduates at your institution.

G. ANNUAL EXPENSES *

Provide 2005-2006 academic year costs of attendance for the following categories that are applicable to your institution.

__Check here if your institution's 2005-2006 academic year costs of attendance are not available at this time and provide an approximate date (i.e., month/day) when your institution's final 2005-2006 academic year costs of attendance will be available: 

G1. Undergraduate full-time tuition, required fees, room and board
List the typical tuition, required fees, and room and board for a full-time undergraduate student for the FULL 2005-2006 academic year (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours for institutions that derive annual tuition by multiplying credit hour cost by number of credits). A full academic year refers to the period of time generally extending from September to June;usually equated to two semesters, two trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a four-one-four plan. Room and board is defined as double occupancy and 19 meals per week or the maximum meal plan. Required fees include only charges that all full-time students must pay that are not included in tuition (e.g., registration, health, or activity fees.) Do not include optional fees (e.g., parking, laboratory use).

Comprehensive tuition and room and board fee (if your college cannot provide separate tuition and room and board fees): 

Other: 1,440 extended insurace required, can be waived

G2. Number of credits per term a student can take for the stated full-time tuition: 36 minimum  ___maximum

G3. Do tuition and fees vary by year of study (e.g., sophomore, junior, senior)? ___Yes   _X_No

G4. If tuition and fees vary by undergraduate instructional program, describe briefly: ___

G5. Provide the estimated expenses for a typical full-time undergraduate student:

G6. Undergraduate per-credit-hour charges:

*Corrected September 14, 2006

H. FINANCIAL AID

Aid Awarded to Enrolled Undergraduates

H1. Enter total dollar amounts awarded to enrolled full-time and less-than-full-time degree-seeking undergraduates (using the same cohort reported in CDS Question B1, "total degree-seeking"undergraduates) in the following categories. (Note: If the data being reported are final figures for the 2003-2004 academic year (see the next item below), use the 2003-2004 academic year's CDS Question B1 cohort.) Include aid awarded to international students (i.e., those not qualifying for federal aid). Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be reported in the need-based aid columns. (For a suggested order of precedence in assigning categories of aid to cover need, see the entry for "non-need-based scholarship or grant aid"on the last page of the definitions section.)

Indicate the academic year for which data are reported for items H1, H2, H2A, and H6 below:
__2004-2005 estimated or  _X_2003-2004 final

H3: Which needs-analysis methodology does your institution use in awarding institutional aid?

H2. Number of Enrolled Students Awarded Aid: List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who applied for and were awarded financial aid from any source. Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be counted as need-based aid. Numbers should reflect the cohort awarded the dollars reported in H1. Note: In the chart below, students may be counted in more than one row, and full-time freshmen should also be counted as full-time undergraduates.

H2A. Number of Enrolled Students Awarded Non-need-based Scholarships and Grants: List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and who were awarded institutional-not external-non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. Numbers should reflect the cohort awarded the dollars reported in H1. Note: In the chart below, students may be counted in more than one row, and full-time freshmen should also be counted as full-time undergraduates.

H3. Incorporated into H1 above.

H4. Provide the percentage of the 2004 undergraduate class who graduated between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004 and borrowed at any time through any loan programs (federal, state, subsidized, unsubsidized, private, etc.;exclude parent loans). Include only students who borrowed while enrolled at your institution.  54%

H5. Report the average per-borrower cumulative undergraduate indebtedness of those in line H4. Do not include money borrowed at other institutions: $ 20,079

Aid to Undergraduate Degree-seeking Nonresident Aliens (Note: Report numbers and dollar amounts for the same academic year checked in item H1.)

H6. Indicate your institution's policy regarding institutional scholarship or grant aid for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:

If institutional financial aid is available for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens, provide the number of undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens who were awarded need-based or non-need-based aid:  261

Average dollar amount of institutional financial aid awarded to undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens: $ 33,050

Total dollar amount of institutional financial aid awarded to undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens: $ 8,628,074

Process for First-Year/Freshman Students

H7. Check off all financial aid forms domestic first-year (freshman) financial aid applicants must submit:

H8. Check off all financial aid forms nonresident alien first-year financial aid applicants must submit:

H9. Indicate filing dates for first-year (freshman) students:

Priority date for filing required financial aid forms: 02/01
Deadline for filing required financial aid forms: 02/01
No deadline for filing required forms (applications processed on a rolling basis):  ___

H10. Indicate notification dates for first-year (freshman) students (answer a or b):

a) Students notified on or about (date):  03/15
b) Students notified on a rolling basis:  ___Yes   ___No     If yes, starting date: 

H11. Indicate reply dates:

Students must reply by (date): 05/01 or within ___ weeks of notification.

Types of Aid Available

Please check off all types of aid available to undergraduates at your institution:

H12. Loans

FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM (DIRECT LOAN)

FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATION LOAN PROGRAM (FFEL)

H13. Scholarships and Grants

H14. Check off criteria used in awarding institutional aid. Check all that apply.

I. INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY AND CLASS SIZE

I-1. Please report the number of instructional faculty members in each category for Fall 2004. Include faculty who are on your institution's payroll on the census date your institution uses for IPEDS/AAUP .

The following definition of instructional faculty is used by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in its annual Faculty Compensation Survey. Instructional Faculty is defined as those members of the instructional-research staff whose major regular assignment is instruction, including those with released time for research. Use the chart below to determine inclusions and exclusions:

Full-time instructional faculty : faculty employed on a full-time basis for instruction (including those with released time for research)

Part-time instructional faculty: Adjuncts and other instructors being paid solely for part-time classroom instruction. Also includes full-time faculty teaching less than two semesters, three quarters, two trimesters, or two four-month sessions. Employees who are not considered full-time instructional faculty but who teach one or more non-clinical credit courses may be counted as part-time faculty.

Minority faculty : includes faculty who designate themselves as black, non-Hispanic;American Indian or Alaska Native;Asian or Pacific Islander;or Hispanic.

Doctorate : includes such degrees as Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, and Doctor of Public Health in any field such as arts, sciences ,education , engineering, business, and public administration.

First-professional : includes the fields of dentistry (DDS or DMD), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), pharmacy (DPharm or BPharm), podiatric medicine (DPM), veterinary medicine (DVM), chiropractic (DC or DCM), law (JD) and theological professions (MDiv , MHL).

Terminal master's degree : a master's degree that is considered the highest degree in a field: example, M. Arch (in architecture) and MFA (master of fine arts in art or theater).

I-2. Student to Faculty Ratio

Report the Fall 2004 ratio of full-time equivalent students (full-time plus 1/3 part-time) to full-time equivalent instructional faculty (full-time plus 1/3 part-time). In the ratio calculations, exclude both faculty and students in stand-alone graduate or professional programs such as medicine, law, veterinary, dentistry, social work, business, or public health in which faculty teach virtually only graduate-level students. Do not count undergraduate or graduate student teaching assistants as faculty.

Fall 2004 Student to Faculty ratio: 7 to 1 (based on 10,320 students and 1,669 faculty) .

I-3. Undergraduate Class Size

In the table below, please use the following definitions to report information about the size of classes and class sections offered in the Fall 2004 term.

Class Sections: A class section is an organized course offered for credit, identified by discipline and number, meeting at a stated time or times in a classroom or similar setting, and not a subsection such as a laboratory or discussion session. Undergraduate class sections are defined as any sections in which at least one degree-seeking undergraduate student is enrolled for credit. Exclude distance learning classes and noncredit classes and individual instruction such as dissertation or thesis research, music instruction, or one-to-one readings. Exclude students in independent study, co-operative programs, internships, foreign language taped tutor sessions, practicums , and all students in one-on-one classes. Each class section should be counted only once and should not be duplicated because of course catalog cross-listings.

Class Subsections: A class subsection includes any subsection of a course, such as laboratory, recitation, and discussion subsections that are supplementary in nature and are scheduled to meet separately from the lecture portion of the course. Undergraduate subsections are defined as any subsections of courses in which degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled for credit. As above, exclude noncredit classes and individual instruction such as dissertation or thesis research, music instruction, or one-to-one readings. Each class subsection should be counted only once and should not be duplicated because of cross-listings.

Using the above definitions, please report for each of the following class-size intervals the number of class sections and class subsections offered in Fall 2004. For example, a lecture class with 800 students who met at another time in 40 separate labs with 20 students should be counted once in the "100+"column in the class section column and 40 times under the "20-29"column of the class subsections table.

Number of Class Sections with Undergraduates Enrolled

Undergraduate Class Size (provide numbers)

J. DEGREES CONFERRED

Degrees conferred between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004

For each of the following discipline areas, provide the percentage of diplomas/certificates, associate, and bachelor's degrees awarded. To determine the percentage, use majors, not headcount (e.g., students with one degree but a double major will be represented twice). Calculate the percentage from your institution's IPEDS Completions by using the sum of 1 st and 2 nd majors for each CIP code as the numerator and the sum of the Grand Total by 1st Majors and the Grand Total by 2 nd major as the denominator. If you prefer, you can compute the percentages using 1 st majors only.

Note: Diploma/Certificates and Associate degrees are not awarded by MIT. The columns have been omitted.

Common Data Set Definitions

All definitions related to the financial aid section appear at the end of the Definitions document.

Items preceded by an asterisk (*) represent definitions agreed to among publishers which do not appear on the CDS document but may be present on individual publishers' surveys.

* Academic advisement: Plan under which each student is assigned to a faculty member or a trained adviser, who, through regular meetings, helps the student plan and implement immediate and long-term academic and vocational goals.

Accelerated program: Completion of a college program of study in fewer than the usual number of years, most often by attending summer sessions and carrying extra courses during the regular academic term.

Admitted student: Applicant who is offered admission to a degree-granting program at your institution.

* Adult student services: Admission assistance, support, orientation, and other services expressly for adults who have started college for the first time, or who are re-entering after a lapse of a few years.

American Indian or Alaska Native: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.

Applicant (first-time, first-year): An individual who has fulfilled the institution's requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has been notified of one of the following actions: admission, nonadmission, placement on waiting list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution).

Application fee: That amount of money that an institution charges for processing a student's application for acceptance. This amount is not creditable toward tuition and required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.

Asian or Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East , Southeast Asia , the Indian Subcontinent, or Pacific Islands . This includes people from China , Japan , Korea , the Philippine Islands, American Samoa , India , and Vietnam .

Associate degree: An award that normally requires at least two but less than four years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor's degree: An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at least four years but not more than five years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes ALL bachelor's degrees conferred in a five-year cooperative (work-study plan) program. (A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government;thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies.) Also, it includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal four years of work are completed in three years.

Black, non-Hispanic: A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa (except those of Hispanic origin).

Board (charges): Assume average cost for 19 meals per week or the maximum meal plan.

Books and supplies (costs): Average cost of books and supplies. Do not include unusual costs for special groups of students (e.g., engineering or art majors), unless they constitute the majority of students at your institution.

Calendar system: The method by which an institution structures most of its courses for the academic year.

* Career and placement services: A range of services, including (often) the following: coordination of visits of employers to campus;aptitude and vocational testing;interest inventories, personal counseling;help in resume writing, interviewing, launching the job search;listings for those students desiring employment and those seeking permanent positions;establishment of a permanent reference folder;career resource materials.

Carnegie units: One year of study or the equivalent in a secondary school subject.

Certificate: See Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma.

Class rank: The relative numerical position of a student in his or her graduating class, calculated by the high school on the basis of grade-point average, whether weighted or unweighted.

College-preparatory program: Courses in academic subjects (English, history and social studies, foreign languages, mathematics, science, and the arts) that stress preparation for college or university study.

Common Application: The standard application form distributed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals for a large number of private colleges who are members of the Common Application Group.

* Community service program: Referral center for students wishing to perform volunteer work in the community or participate in volunteer activities coordinated by academic departments.

Commuter: A student who lives off campus in housing that is not owned by, operated by, or affiliated with the college. This category includes students who commute from home and students who have moved to the area to attend college.

Contact hour: A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as clock hour.

Continuous basis (for program enrollment): A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that enroll students at any time during the academic year. For example, a cosmetology school or a word processing school might allow students to enroll and begin studies at various times, with no requirement that classes begin on a certain date.

Cooperative housing: College-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing in which students share room and board expenses and participate in household chores to reduce living expenses.

Cooperative (work-study plan) program: A program that provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government.

* Counseling service: Activities designed to assist students in making plans and decisions related to their education, career, or personal development.

Credit: Recognition of attendance or performance in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient toward the requirements for a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Credit course: A course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Credit hour: A unit of measure representing an hour (50 minutes) of instruction over a 15-week period in a semester or trimester system or a 10-week period in a quarter system. It is applied toward the total number of hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Cross-registration: A system whereby students enrolled at one institution may take courses at another institution without having to apply to the second institution.

Deferred admission: The practice of permitting admitted students to postpone enrollment, usually for a period of one academic term or one year.

Degree: An award conferred by a college, university, or other postsecondary education institution as official recognition for the successful completion of a program of studies.

Degree-seeking students: Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or formal award. At the undergraduate level, this is intended to include students enrolled in vocational or occupational programs.

Differs by program (calendar system): A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that have occupational/vocational programs of varying length. These schools may enroll students at specific times depending on the program desired. For example, a school might offer a two-month program in January, March, May, September, and November;and a three-month program in January, April, and October.

Diploma: See Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma.

Distance learning: An option for earning course credit at off-campus locations via cable television, Internet, satellite classes, videotapes, correspondence courses, or other means.

Doctoral degree: The highest award a student can earn for graduate study. The doctoral degree classification includes such degrees as Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Public Health, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in any field such as agronomy, food technology, education, engineering, public administration, ophthalmology, or radiology. For the Doctor of Public Health degree, the prior degree is generally earned in the closely related field of medicine or in sanitary engineering.

Double major: Program in which students may complete two undergraduate programs of study simultaneously.

Dual enrollment: A program through which high school students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students are not required to apply for admission to the college in order to participate.

Early action plan: An admission plan that allows students to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification dates. If admitted, the candidate is not committed to enroll;the student may reply to the offer under the college's regular reply policy.

Early admission: A policy under which students who have not completed high school are admitted and enroll full time in college, usually after completion of their junior year.

Early decision plan: A plan that permits students to apply and be notified of an admission decision (and financial aid offer if applicable) well in advance of the regular notification date. Applicants agree to accept an offer of admission and, if admitted, to withdraw their applications from other colleges. There are three possible decisions for early decision applicants: admitted, denied, or not admitted but forwarded for consideration with the regular application pool, without prejudice.

English as a Second Language (ESL): A course of study designed specifically for students whose native language is not English.

Exchange student program-domestic: Any arrangement between a student and a college that permits study for a semester or more at another college in the United States without extending the amount of time required for a degree. See also Study abroad.

External degree program: A program of study in which students earn credits toward a degree through independent study, college courses, proficiency examinations, and personal experience. External degree programs require minimal or no classroom attendance.

Extracurricular activities (as admission factor): Special consideration in the admissions process given for participation in both school and nonschool-related activities of interest to the college, such as clubs, hobbies, student government, athletics, performing arts, etc.

First professional certificate (postdegree): An award that requires completion of an organized program of study designed for persons who have completed the first professional degree. Examples could be refresher courses or additional units of study in a specialty or subspecialty.

First professional degree: An award in one of the following fields: chiropractic (DC, DCM), dentistry (DDS, DMD), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), rabbinical and Talmudic studies (MHL, Rav), Pharmacy (BPharm, PharmD), podiatry (PodD, DP, DPM), veterinary medicine (DVM), law (LLB, JD), divinity/ministry (BD, MDiv).

First-time student: A student attending any institution for the first time at the level enrolled. Includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended a postsecondary institution for the first time at the same level in the prior summer term. Also includes students who entered with advanced standing (college credit earned before graduation from high school).

First-time, first-year (freshman) student: A student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. Includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term. Also includes students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).

First-year student: A student who has completed less than the equivalent of 1 full year of undergraduate work;that is, less than 30 semester hours (in a 120-hour degree program) or less than 900 contact hours.

Freshman: A first-year undergraduate student.

*Freshman/new student orientation: Orientation addressing the academic, social, emotional, and intellectual issues involved in beginning college. May be a few hours or a few days in length;at some colleges, there is a fee.

Full-time student (undergraduate): A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week each term.

Geographical residence (as admission factor): Special consideration in the admission process given to students from a particular region, state, or country of residence.

Grade-point average (academic high school GPA): The sum of grade points a student has earned in secondary school divided by the number of courses taken. The most common system of assigning numbers to grades counts four points for an A, three points for a B, two points for a C, one point for a D, and no points for an E or F. Unweighted GPAs/assign the same weight to each course. Weighting gives students additional points for their grades in advanced or honors courses.

Graduate student: A student who holds a bachelor's or first professional degree, or equivalent, and is taking courses at the post-baccalaureate level.

*Health services: Free or low cost on-campus primary and preventive health care available to students.

High school diploma or recognized equivalent: A document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed secondary school program of studies, or the attainment of satisfactory scores on the Test of General Educational Development (GED), or another state-specified examination.

Hispanic: A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

Honors program: Any special program for very able students offering the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study, acceleration, or some combination of these.

Independent study: Academic work chosen or designed by the student with the approval of the department concerned, under an instructor's supervision, and usually undertaken outside of the regular classroom structure.

In-state tuition: The tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state's or institution's residency requirements.

International students: See Nonresident alien.

Internship: Any short-term, supervised work experience usually related to a student's major field, for which the student earns academic credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid.

*Learning center: Center offering assistance through tutors, workshops, computer programs, or audiovisual equipment in reading, writing, math, and skills such as taking notes, managing time, taking tests.

*Legal services: Free or low cost legal advice for a range of issues (personal and other).

Liberal arts/career combination: Program in which a student earns undergraduate degrees in two separate fields, one in a liberal arts major and the other in a professional or specialized major, whether on campus or through cross-registration.

Master's degree: An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of one but not more than two academic years of work beyond the bachelor's degree.

Minority affiliation (as admission factor): Special consideration in the admission process for members of designated racial/ethnic minority groups.

*Minority student center: Center with programs, activities, and/or services intended to enhance the college experience of students of color.

Nonresident alien: A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.

*On-campus day care: Licensed day care for students' children (usually age 3 and up);usually for a fee.

Open admission: Admission policy under which virtually all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas are admitted without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications.

Other expenses (costs): Include average costs for clothing, laundry, entertainment, medical (if not a required fee), and furnishings.

Out-of-state tuition: The tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the institution's or state's residency requirements.

Part-time student (undergraduate): A student enrolled for fewer than 12 credits per semester or quarter, or fewer than 24 contact hours a week each term.

*Personal counseling: One-on-one or group counseling with trained professionals for students who want to explore personal, educational, or vocational issues.

Post-baccalaureate certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study requiring 18 credit hours beyond the bachelor's;designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of master.

Post-master's certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study of 24 credit hours beyond the master's degree but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.

Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma: Includes the following three IPEDS definitions for postsecondary awards, certificates, and diplomas of varying durations and credit/contact hour requirements --

Less Than 1 Academic Year: Requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in less than 1 academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) or in less than 900 contact hours by a student enrolled full-time.

At Least 1 But Less Than 2 Academic Years: Requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at least 1 but less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years, or designed for completion in at least 30 but less than 60 credit hours, or in at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact hours.

At Least 2 But Less Than 4 Academic Years: Requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years, or designed for completion in at least 40 but less than 120 credit hours, or in at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 contact hours.

Private institution: An educational institution controlled by a private individual(s) or by a nongovernmental agency, usually supported primarily by other than public funds, and operated by other than publicly elected or appointed officials.

Private for-profit institution: A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives compensation, other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk.

Private nonprofit institution: A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives no compensation, other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. These include both independent nonprofit schools and those affiliated with a religious organization.

Proprietary institution: See Private for-profit institution.

Public institution: An educational institution whose programs and activities are operated by publicly elected or appointed school officials, and which is supported primarily by public funds.

Quarter calendar system: A calendar system in which the academic year consists of three sessions called quarters of about 12 weeks each. The range may be from 10 to 15 weeks. There may be an additional quarter in the summer.

Race/ethnicity: Category used to describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. A person may be counted in only one group.

Race/ethnicity unknown: Category used to classify students or employees whose race/ethnicity is not known and whom institutions are unable to place in one of the specified racial/ethnic categories.

Religious affiliation/commitment (as admission factor): Special consideration given in the admission process for affiliation with a certain church or faith/religion, commitment to a religious vocation, or observance of certain religious tenets/lifestyle.

*Religious counseling: One-on-one or group counseling with trained professionals for students who want to explore religious problems or issues.

*Remedial services: Instructional courses designed for students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular postsecondary curriculum and educational setting.

Required fees: Fixed sum charged to students for items not covered by tuition and required of such a large proportion of all students that the student who does NOT pay is the exception. Do not include application fees or optional fees such as lab fees or parking fees.

Resident alien or other eligible non-citizen: A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who has been admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who holds either an alien registration card [Form I-551 or I-15], a Temporary Resident Card [Form I-688], or an Arrival-Departure Record [Form I-94] with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status, such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian).

Room and board (charges)--on campus: Assume double occupancy in institutional housing and 19 meals per week (or maximum meal plan).

Secondary school record (as admission factor): Information maintained by the secondary school that may include such things as the student's high school transcript, class rank, GPA, and teacher and counselor recommendations.

Semester calendar system: A calendar system that consists of two semesters during the academic year with about 16 weeks for each semester of instruction. There may be an additional summer session.

Student-designed major: A program of study based on individual interests, designed with the assistance of an adviser.

Study abroad: Any arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program studying in another country. Can be at a campus abroad or through a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college or an institution of another country.

*Summer session: A summer session is shorter than a regular semester and not considered part of the academic year. It is not the third term of an institution operating on a trimester system or the fourth term of an institution operating on a quarter calendar system . The institution may have 2 or more sessions occurring in the summer months. Some schools, such as vocational and beauty schools, have year-round classes with no separate summer session.

Talent/ability (as admission factor): Special consideration given to students with demonstrated talent/abilities in areas of interest to the institution (e.g., sports, the arts, languages, etc.).

Teacher certification program: Program designed to prepare students to meet the requirements for certification as teachers in elementary, middle/junior high, and secondary schools.

Transfer applicant: An individual who has fulfilled the institution's requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has previously attended another college or university and earned college-level credit.

Transfer student: A student entering the institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate). The student may transfer with or without credit.

Transportation (costs): Assume two round trips to student's hometown per year for students in institutional housing or daily travel to and from your institution for commuter students.

Trimester calendar system: An academic year consisting of 3 terms of about 15 weeks each.

Tuition: Amount of money charged to students for instructional services. Tuition may be charged per term, per course, or per credit.

*Tutoring: May range from one-on-one tutoring in specific subjects to tutoring in an area such as math, reading, or writing. Most tutors are college students;at some colleges, they are specially trained and certified.

Unit: A standard of measurement representing hours of academic instruction (e.g., semester credit, quarter credit, contact hour).

Undergraduate: A student enrolled in a four- or five-year bachelor's degree program, an associate degree program, or a vocational or technical program below the baccalaureate.

*Veteran's counseling: Helps veterans and their dependents obtain benefits for their selected program and provides certifications to the Veteran's Administration. May also provide personal counseling on the transition from the military to a civilian life.

*Visually impaired: Any person whose sight loss is not correctable and is sufficiently severe as to adversely affect educational performance.

Volunteer work (as admission factor): Special consideration given to students for activity done on a volunteer basis (e.g., tutoring, hospital care, working with the elderly or disabled) as a service to the community or the public in general.

Wait list: List of students who meet the admission requirements but will only be offered a place in the class if space becomes available.

Weekend college: A program that allows students to take a complete course of study and attend classes only on weekends.

White, non-Hispanic: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe , North Africa , or the Middle East (except those of Hispanic origin).

*Women's center: Center with programs, academic activities, and/or services intended to promote an understanding of the evolving roles of women.

Work experience (as admission factor): Special consideration given to students who have been employed prior to application, whether for relevance to major, demonstration of employment-related skills, or as explanation of student's academic and extracurricular record.

Financial Aid Definitions

Aid awarded: The dollar amounts offered to financial aid applicants.

Financial aid applicant: Any applicant who submits any one of the institutionally required financial aid applications/forms, such as the FAFSA.

Indebtedness: Aggregate dollar amount borrowed through any loan programs (federal, state, subsidized, unsubsidized, private, etc.;excluding parent loans) while the student was enrolled at an institution. Student loans co-signed by a parent are assumed to be the responsibility of the student and should be included.

Institutional and external funds: Endowment, alumni, or external monies for which the institution determines the recipient or the dollar amount awarded.

Financial need: As determined by your institution using the federal methodology and/or your institution's own standards.

Need-based aid: College-funded or college-administered award from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must have financial need to qualify. This includes both institutional and noninstitutional student aid (grants, jobs, and loans).

Need-based scholarship or grant aid: Scholarships and grants from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must have financial need to qualify.

Need-based self-help aid: Loans and jobs from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must demonstrate financial need to qualify.

Non-need-based scholarship or grant aid: Scholarships and grants, gifts, or merit-based aid from institutional, state, federal, or other sources (including unrestricted funds, or gifts and endowment income) awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement, merit, or any other non-need-based reason. When reporting questions H1 and H2, non-need-based aid that is used to meet need should be counted as need-based aid.

Note: Suggested order of precedence for counting non-need money as need-based:

Non-need institutional grants

Non-need tuition waivers

Non-need athletic awards

Non-need federal grants

Non-need state grants

Non-need outside grants

Non-need student loans

Non-need parent loans

Non-need work

Non-need-based self-help aid: Loans and jobs from institutional, state, or other sources for which a student need not demonstrate financial need to qualify.

Scholarships/grants from external sources: Monies received from outside (private) sources that the student brings with them (e.g., Kiwanis, National Merit scholarships). The institution may process paperwork to receive the dollars, but it has no role in determining the recipient or the dollar amount awarded.

Work study and employment: Federal and state work study aid, and any employment packaged by your institution in financial aid awards.

Institutional Research
Office of the Provost

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 11-268
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307

617.253.5809 phone
617.253.1986 fax