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Michael’s Road to MIT

A large group of students on a stage hold blue shirts, posing in front of a projection that reads CONGRATULATIONS USA CLASS OF 2026!, celebrating with Jeffrey Gural.

When Michael Y., a senior at Union Square Academy for Health Sciences, submitted his application to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he didn’t overthink it. There were no attempts to tailor his essays to fit what he imagined the admissions committee wanted to hear, he simply wrote. That authenticity was exactly what MIT was looking for. This fall, Michael will head to Cambridge to study cognitive sciences, a testament to what happens when a student has the courage to trust his own voice.

Growing up in Rego Park, Queens, Michael’s school years were shaped by an investment in his community. He was on the equity team and worked alongside freshmen where he supported students’ social emotional well being. He also served as the voice of the school, delivering the morning announcements and helping set the tone for each day.

A salutatorian of his graduating class, Michael’s academic excellence is matched only by his drive to make a difference beyond the classroom. By the time Michael walks across the stage, he will have built a remarkable record of hands-on experience, working alongside a podiatrist, completing a nursing pathway at Mount Sinai, and spending time at a clinic specializing in custom orthotics and prosthetic limbs. In that last role, he helped comfort and distract infants during skull-development helmet fittings.

Large metallic MIT letters, with The Stata Center written vertically on the I, stand in front of a brick building and autumn trees near the Jeffrey Gural gateway.

Michael arrives at MIT with excitement and clarity. He has heard the workload can be demanding, but what draws him in is the culture, collaborative rather than competitive, powered by shared curiosity and a love of discovery. If his journey so far is any indication, he will not just thrive in that culture, he will add to it.