STARS@MIT: Transition to college as a small-town or rural student

STARS@MIT: Transition to college as a small-town or rural student
Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time UTC -04:00

Leaving a small town for college can feel exciting and overwhelming. How do you move to a completely new place, adjust to a bigger environment, and build community from scratch?

Join us for a conversation focused on the real-life transition from a rural or small-town community to a campus like Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We’ll talk about what it’s like to relocate, navigate homesickness, adapt to a faster pace, and find your people in a new environment.

Topics will include:

·                       Making friends and building support systems early

·                       Staying connected to home while growing into independence

·                       Adjusting to academic and social culture shifts

·                       Finding rural and first-generation community on campus

·                       Embracing your background as a strength

You’ll also hear directly from current STARS (Small-Town and Rural Student) Ambassadors about how they made the transition and created a sense of belonging at MIT.

There will be plenty of time for Q&A, so bring your questions about moving, community-building, or what surprised them most about life in a new place.

If you’re preparing to leave a close-knit community and wondering what comes next, this session is designed with you in mind.

Registration Link: https://apply.mitadmissions.org/register/?id=7e943b73-320d-49b5-bd59-31ea0519282a