When you hear the name MIT, you think of Nobel laureates, rocket scientists, and basically the world’s smartest minds gathered in one place. Established in 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a legend when it comes to engineering, mathematics, and science. With over 101 Nobel laureates and 8 Fields Medalists having walked its hallowed halls, it’s no surprise that getting into this institute is no cakewalk.
In fact, MIT’s acceptance rate is a jaw-dropping 4%. That means out of every hundred dreamers who apply, only a handful actually get in. You need more than just perfect grades, you’ve got to dazzle them with your extracurriculars, essays, and letters of recommendation. And even then, your spot isn’t guaranteed. Yikes, right?
But here’s where it gets interesting: A Reddit post has surfaced showing an entrance exam from 1869, just eight years after the institute was founded, and it’s got people raising their eyebrows. Why? Well, because the math in the exam is shockingly simple, like, high school algebra simple.
According to an MIT alumni website, the first batch of students in 1865 didn’t even need to take an entrance exam. They just had to be “properly prepared,” which is pretty vague if you ask me. But by 1869, things had changed, and MIT started using a formal test. The viral post shows an algebra section of the exam, and let’s just say, it’s not exactly the mind-bending MIT-level math you’d expect. Apparently, there were a few more sections in the full test, like geometry, arithmetic, English, and calculus, but from what we’ve seen, social media isn’t impressed.
The comments are pure gold. One user said, “Good to know that I could have joined MIT in 1870. Yeah, these are surprisingly easy. I didn’t actually solve them, but there’s nothing here I don’t know how to solve, and I only have high-school level math from decades ago.” Another user chimed in with, “None of the above problems require a calculator! They only require basic understanding of Algebra. Most can be solved mentally without even requiring to put pen on paper, to be honest.”
In the last two centuries, both math and technology have evolved by leaps and bounds. So while this entrance exam is a cool historical artifact, it’s kind of amusing to think that getting into MIT back in the day might’ve been easier than solving today’s online CAPTCHA. Sure, it’s all relative to the times, but this little blast from the past has made the internet feel a little better about their algebra skills.
It’s funny how something as simple as an old exam can give us a glimpse into how far education and technology have come. So next time you’re sweating over a tough math problem, just remember: you probably could’ve aced MIT’s entrance exam in 1869.