<p>It’s a tricky balancing act. MIT is looking for honest feedback, but it also knows that you have your choice of which teachers to approach for a LoR, and it presumes that you are going to approach teachers who know you well, and broadly approve of you.</p>
<p>Certainly for internationals, it knows that these teachers might not have english, so there is no requirement that recommendations have to be written in English. From the Admissions instructions on the MIT Admissions website:
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<p>As a result of this free choice, if the teacher you chose writes that you are not suited for MIT, then that will hurt you a lot. However, if the teacher does in fact strongly recommend you for MIT with some detailed reservations, then that should not hurt so much.</p>