<p>The PhD EECS is open to everybody. But I strongly suspect that home-field advantage exists in that program also, and others suspect the same. We can’t prove it, but we think it is likely. Granted, former MIT undergrads are more likely to apply to and then matriculate at MIT for grad school…but I have a hard time believing that’s the only explanation for why there are *so many * former MIT undergrads in the MIT grad school. I have to believe there is some homefield advantage at play. </p>
<p>There is a saying at MIT that the easiest way to get into MIT for grad school is to just go there for undergrad and then stay there. That contributes to the phenomenon of the “MIT-cubed”: meaning those people who got their bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD all at MIT.</p>