Massachusetts Institute of Technology Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Rebecca

MIT is a school where people come and realize that there are people just like them in the world. It is a place where everyone was in the top in high school, but now they all have to fit into one school. Some people struggle, most succeed both academically and socially. It is intense, but you choose that when you decide to come to MIT. You will bond with friends over problem sets, and may choose one night a week to let loose, but will be up in the morning working on problem sets. MIT is an incredible place to push yourself and get involved in things you never thought possible. People are very involved in extracurriculars and there is everything you could imagine. If it doesn't exist, make it. MIT students do tend to live in their own bubble though and don't know what is happening in the world around them. Some students have never been to Boston (except for the ride from the airport) despite the fact it is only a bridge away. MIT is what you make it. If you choose to take advantage of what it will offer you, it will be one of the most incredible experiences of your life.

Harper

I'm an alum. I've been out of school for a while, and I still think back as MIT being the most encouraging and fun period in my life. In high school, like most of my college classmates, I was shy and inhibited, and generally scorned at for being into academics. At MIT i found that the more "nerdy" you were, the more you were valued. Can you make a Nintendo machine out of spare parts? Awesome. Can you rig up the toilet to flush from anywhere in teh world? No way. My friends are I were always dreaming - and trying hard not to fail out. Most of those people are graduating with phds or have started their own companies. It is a network like no other.

Piper

MIT just was the perfect school for me. It was a great size - a class size that offered a lot of activities and club but at the same time wasn't so large that I felt lost in the crowd. The people are amazing, the academics are awesome, and you can do pretty much whatever you want outside it - from saving the world to learning to juggle. The surrounding area is gorgeous, too. Boston's a great city. So much history, so much to see, so much diversity, and it's amazing to have it right in our back yard, a 10 minute walk from my dorm. I love how unusual we are, from our numbering system (buildings, classes, and majors are referred to by number) from our unique lingo (tool/punt/hack/IHTFP/etc). It's just a great place to be with plenty of opportunity to do whatever you want - and everyone can find their place here.

Gina

Telling people I go to MIT carries a lot of weight. I seem to get instant respect and people then think I can solve any sort of math problem. Overall, I really enjoy being here. There are so many opportunities for me to get involved in and so many new experiences for me to discover. I love being in Boston because there are endless things to do. I love walking along the Charles River and going out to eat with my friends. I absolutely love my major here. I'm a civil engineering major and I feel like my classmates have all become really close. We can talk freely to our professors and grow closer while working away on endless problem sets. Although it's hard, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. One of the experiences I have had here is being a member of the gymnastics team. My teammates are my closest friends. I'm also extremely grateful to have the opportunity to participate in a sport I love with coaches that understand when I need to leave practice early to take a test. There is a great balance here between athletics and academics.

Nico

The best thing about MIT is the people I've had the opportunity to get to know. MIT has a unique culture full of students that make everything seem possible. I did wish the school was a bit smaller, but probably because I come from a small high school of less than 400 students. The reaction to a student wearing an MIT sweater is usually a positive one, and when it's not, it may just be a reaction from a student or alum of a school that was ranked lower than MIT, if you follow that ranking business. I do spend most of my time on campus in the Reading Room and other study areas, but when I go home to my living group, I find it quite invigorating. MIT is in Cambridge, and there are many colleges within a few miles of MIT -- within a radius of, let's say, 5 miles. I don't consider MIT's immediate surrounding environment much of a college town, though, and that may be because we are islanded by the Charles from the bigger college town of Boston. I know little about MIT's administration, except that I happen to be good friends with many people who reliably comment on one or two racist and prejudiced administrators. MIT bureaucracy can be somewhat stagnating, but it seems that once students get things together for a proposal, for example, then MIT is usually cooperative and helpful. I complain much about the lack of good food, since our Student Center offers few options with menus that only vary from day to day in that suddenly one day, the eatery may be out of ketchup. I don't have much school pride, and although so many people wear their MIT sweaters, I suspect it is either just because of the cold, or because of the weight that three-lettered insignia carries. People hardly go to sporting events, and don't seem to show much interest in improving the school. Many just seem to be here to take care of business, not take care of the school, and move on; although there are a handful of groups dedicated to the betterment of MIT.

Chris

Would like more school pride, but it's rather difficult here at MIT. Instead, there's more pride for the Red Sox and the Patriots, which is good, I guess.

Carrie

There are a lot of unusual things about MIT that few people know. One of the best, in my opinion, is the amount of freedom the students are allowed to have. It seems like the higher-ups trust us to take care of ourselves. There are many dorms where you are allowed to paint the walls however you want, have cats, and generally you're allowed much more privacy than in many of the other college dorms I've visited. Another unusual aspect of the social scene is that there's a pretty pronounced split between "east campus" and "west campus". The personalities of the living communities are very different, allowing you to make a choice about the type of college experience you want to have - its almost as if they're two different colleges. The east campus culture is very well-developed; it's a great community, and a lot of fun. I don't know much about west campus. MIT is very challenging. While I loved the experience, you're definitely going to learn to manage your time, and you're going to have to learn to relax to some extent. MIT will teach you, above all, that you can't do everything perfect, and you're not the most clever person in the universe. Cambridge is a great place to spend time, and there are so many other college students in the area - Boston is almost like one huge college itself. If you manage to get out much, you can meet so meet a lot of great people; more than you could expect of most college towns.

Jessica

The students are the best thing about MIT. There is wonderful professors and most classes are masterfully designed, but the student body is amazing and really make this place what it is. MIT is just right. About half the students are undergraduate and the rest are graduate. When I tell people to go to MIT they think I'm kidding, that they would never be accepted. Many people think they are not good enough when in fact they are, and MIT Office of Admissions is not the kind that goes by SAT scores and valedictorian filtering. There is definitely a lot of school pride. MIT is a tough place and although we all suffer that, it feels wonderful in retrospective. There is a lot of unusual things about MIT. You may easily find yourself walking from your dorm to campus at 5am to get some food. Certain people walk barefoot, even during winter. Having a soldering iron in your room is definitely considered cool. The parties are pretty hardcore (people need to relax somehow). Professors are usually very laid back and friendly.

Casey

MIT is a pretty big school that mostly just cranks out engineers for the world. I feel that our mission is to improve the quality of life for humanity through science and technology.

Michael

Best thing about MIT: Everyone is capable of doing whatever they want. Something to change: The humanities requirment is to constricting Size: about right

Ashley

MIT is a good size. There are enough people for you to get to know your classmates but not be surrounded by the same people all the time, like college. When I tell people I go to MIT, they're shocked. Either, they've never heard of it before or they're surpised a black female is going to such a prestigious school. Yes, I do study, but when I'm not, I spend time around the dorm, at my sorority house, or along the Charles no matter the whether - the icy river is pretty in the winter and the trees and the esplanade in general look beautiful in the spring and summer. MITs administration is OK. I wish they took more effort to meet the students as a whole not a few important people here and there meet a select few of the student body. There is a lot of school pride - Nerd Bride, Love your Beaver. Most often, students complain about the work, but who wouldn't? MIT has hackers which are people that know they're way around campus and mysteriously post things along the buildings. For example, you might wake up to a huge red sox sign outside your dorm or along the tallest building in Cambridge.

Gene

I don't really like MIT as much as I thought I would, but it's okay. If I would change something I would change the weather--it's way too cold for me in Boston. I know that sounds a bit pathetic, but it really bugs me. I need warmth and sunlight to be happy, I think. Cold is okay, but it's not okay for 6 months when you have to walk outside all the time because your dorm is pretty far away, and it's always snowing and icing and it's extremely windy. MIT is about the right size, I think. It's not too small or not too large, for me (although maybe bordering on too large, because there is no way I could meet all of the people in my class--but I think it's a good thing, because people have much more diverse interests that way, because the student body is big enough). If I could change something, I would change the quality and quantity of the humanities classes offered, and students' opinions about them (students tend to hate humanities -- not all of them, some of them really love them, just a lot of them hate them and don't see the reason for their existence. This irritates me. I do like the science here, as it is really amazing and challenging. I like my drumming group a lot, and the people I meet in it. In general I don't feel that I really click with the people here at all, although that might just be because I'm really introverted. I mean, I have great friends here, and I really love them, but it's just not the same as the friends I had in my home. I never quite clicked with MIT people, I'm not sure why. I wish I were home a lot.

Jenn

The best thing about MIT is its diversity and location. Located in Cambridge, MA right on the Charles river and just a few minutes walk from Boston's back bay, the students at MIT enjoy beautiful views, a fun and young city, and many other colleges and students to connect with. As far as diversity goes, I've never been to a place where so many languages are spoken and where people literally come from everywhere. Undergraduates and graduates alike come from an enormous array of backgrounds and its really cool to have the opportunity to meet so many people that are different from you.

Lee

The best part of MIT are the students. My classmates are the most amazing people doing incredible things at MIT and will go on to do even more incredible things next year. I really enjoy our class size (approximately 1000 per class). We do work a lot, but I, along with my friends, have a great social life. We work hard to earn our weekends, but then play hard on the weekends. MIT's location is one of its biggest strengths as we have a great campus, but it is right on the Charles River so you can walk to Boston in minutes. One of MIT's biggest downsides is a lack of school pride. Many people can't manage their time properly and blame MIT for this.

Paul

A couple years ago I was deciding between MIT, Caltech, and Stanford. Caltech was cheaper and closer to home. Stanford was also in California, and they were giving me money. MIT is out in the middle of the coldest place on earth, it's expensive, it's far from home, and it's hard as hell. And I've never regretted my decision. That's the weird thing about this place, and I didn't even think about it when I chose to come here. The stuff that's done here isn't done anywhere else in the world. Period. Regardless of what Yale and Harvard students may say about their classes (some of which I've sit in on), they don't even begin to compare. They teach sciences as liberal arts. Now I'll be quite honest with you: Caltech is also a pretty good school, probably of the same quality in the hard sciences. But MIT also has top-notch programs in economics, management, and engineering (in addition to the core sciences). And it's right next to a city that seems to be designed for college students. And the students at Caltech are a little more weird than the ones here; at MIT, you can always find a group to fly with.

John

So I'm sitting here with four problem sets this week hanging over my head, planning on pulling an all-nighter to plan a protest against the administration's plans to eliminate an important aspect of student life (dorm rush), in desperate need of caffeine, and I haven't had decent food in a week. Yet I can't imagine anywhere else I'd rather be. This place is absolutely amazing. Don't come here if you want to be coddled and have grade-inflation and administrators holding your hand all the time. Come here if you want to make your own decisions and work harder than you ever have in your life. Because if you put in the work, this place will give back more to you than you could ever imagine.

ameliabr

It's hard to say what the best thing about MIT is. I'd say that the environment that the students and staff create is definitely up there. Everyone knows that MIT is tough, so students really pull together to help each other out; it's not nearly as competitive as most people probably think it is. Another cool thing about MIT is that there are humanities requirements for every major, even though it's a technical institute, so everyone has to leave with at least some communication skills. That said, economics will fulfill the humanities requirement, which is kind of stupid since it's *mostly* math -- I'd change it so it wouldn't fulfill the humanities requirement. The school is a very nice size -- large enough that there are distinct extracurricular activities, groups, and friends, but small enough that you don't feel alone and lost. You can easily get to know your professors and TAs. It feels nice to tell people that you go to MIT because most people are very impressed. I spend a lot of time in my dorm because that's where a lot of my friends are, but I also enjoy going to the student center for free swing dancing on Wednesdays and in general going around campus to free lectures and free food! It's also fun to explore Boston; there are two T stops (subway stations) very near MIT's campus (one on the north side and the other on the south) so it's easy to go to different farmer's markets, restaurants, conventions, etc. There are also lots of other colleges around, especially Harvard and Boston University, so you can go to fun things they host as well, such as dances and theater showings. MIT's administration often does kind of shady, behind-the-scenes work without student input, which is definitely a let-down. Recently there was a controversy because a small, tight-knit-community graduate dorm was closed by the administration without much, if any, student input. That being said, there is a lot of school pride, and most people are very happy to be attending MIT. There are several unusual things about MIT that help to contribute to its kind of quirky culture. One of the biggest things is that all the majors and all the classes are number-coded, so students don't talk about being, e.g., a mechanical engineering major but a Course 2 major, and they don't take Intro. to Mech. Eng., they take 2.01. Something I'll always remember is taking my first 8.012 test (roughly Advanced Mechanical Physics w/Calculus), but it's not a good memory -- the classes and especially tests are very, very hard! This is a very frequent student complaint, along with complaints about the Tech, our school newspaper which is, politely, rather a waste of paper.

Anna

What's the best thing about MIT? My favorite thing about MIT is that students enjoy learning and work hard. Name one thing you'd change. One of the downsides is that professors are generally much more focused on research than teaching. But if you're an independent learner you can get what you need from books, TAs, and other students. Is your school too large, too small, or just right? I think MIT is a good size-- I don't have trouble getting into the classes I want, but it's big enough that there are enough academic and social opportunities. How do people react when you tell them you go to MIT? Actually, people usually freak out, say that it must be super-hard. Where do you spend most of your time on campus? During the day, I split my time between class and lab. College town, or "what college town?" Boston is right across the river from MIT (10 minute walk) and many students hang out there or in Cambridge (more college-town) on the weekends. Boston is a great place to be a college student: lots of other colleges, restaurants, night life, great public transportation (don't bring your car here!). What's your opinion of MIT's administration? I don't think I have any strong feelings about MIT's administration. Some aspects of student life are ignored here-- particuarly dining. The dining halls are only open for dinner, and only 5 days a week, and they're expensive. I don't think any students are satisfied with the dining opportunities. But there are parts of the administration that are very supportive. MIT Medical offers great physical and mental care for all students, and Student Support Services vouches for students who have illness or personal emergencies that affect their coursework. What was the biggest recent controversy on campus? Probably when an MIT student wore a tshirt with a circuit on it into Logan airport, and the administration told the media her behavior was reckless-- before the details of the story were confirmed. Is there a lot of school pride? There's definitely school pride here. Students feel like their in the most challenging technical environment in the world. Is there anything unusual about MIT? Lots of things are unusual about MIT-- the architecture of the buildings on campus, the required hard-core science classes for all students, the fact that (almost) everyone here is a scientist or engineer. What's one experience you'll always remember? What are the most frequent student complaints? Students here love to complain about their workloads. A typical MIT student conversation goes something like this: student 1- "I have 2 psets (problem sets) and an exam tomorrow" student 2- "well I have 3 psets and a paper for tomorrow" student 3- "I'm even more hosed, I have 3 psets and a paper and 2 exams next week" I don't particularly think it's healthy but that's the culture.

Lisa

The most recent big controversy was the Star Simpson thing. She made a small oversight before she left for the airport, and we were annoyed that MIT didn't correct the fact that the press made it sound like she was intentionally pretending to be a terrorist. After talking to my cousin, who goes to BU, and hearing about other schools, I've realized that MIT is unique in how much freedom it gives its students. We don't have RAs who report us to the police for the slightest underage drinking, we just have awesome GRTs who try to keep us from going overboard to the point of passing out. We aren't required to pack up and leave for Thanksgiving, between Fall and Spring terms, or during Spring break, which is really nice. Even though I've never been around at those times, it's really nice that I don't need to pack up my whole room. Also MIT doesn't have real dining halls where everyone pays a flat rate for all-you-can-eat meals all term. We have "preferred dining" where you can pay a few hundred dollars up-front to get half-off each thing your buy, but everyone I know thinks that's a major rip-off. I live in a dorm with awesome big kitchens, and I prepare my own meals, which is fun and saves money. It can even save time--when I have five minutes to eat before class, I just pop some oatmeal into the microwave or grab some leftovers from the fridge. I'd never have time to go to the dining hall in that situation. The only bad thing is that our kitchen is common to 35-40 people, who don't always take responsibility for what they make dirty. Dishes pile up in the sinks, and it can get really gross. Since we have a lot of shared dishes, there's no way to know who made the mess and therefore whom to nag to clean it up. So I end up cleaning up after others a lot just to keep the place sanitary. To me having a kitchen to use is well worth the rotting mess it sometimes becomes, but I could see this bothering some people. I spend most of my time in the library, in my dorm room or kitchen, or in class/rehearsal.

Terry

A lot of people seem to be intimidated when I tell them I go to MIT. They always say things like "wow! You must be really smart!" which is always aggravating because it downplays the fact that I worked my ass off to be and stay where I am. MIT is just the right size. The best thing about MIT is looking back at the end of every semester and realizing how much you've learned. I spend most of my time in my dorm. Boston is the best college town there is. There is a lot of school pride, and there's also a lot of school hatred. If you're at MIT, you love it and hate it at the same time. IHTFP. MIT's administration is too big. I don't know what on earth an "associate vice provost" does but I'm pretty sure it's not completely necessary. I kind of wish they would go back to the "all tech men wear batteries" policy, too. Everything is unusual about MIT. Complaints: psets.

Nora

The best thing about MIT is it's collaborative atmosphere. There are thousands of students who spent all of high school striving to be the best at everything we did, and then we get to MIT and you just can't survive on your own. Even the most antisocial person can be found at a professor's office hours with other students. P-setting (doing homework) until the early hours of the morning is one of the best ways to get to know people. MIT is a good size. It's not so small that you know everyone, but there are definitely ways to meet and get to know lots of people. It's not so huge that it's overwhelming, but there are places you can go where you won't know anyone, and there are lots of things to get involved with. People have different reactions, depending on whether they know what MIT is or not. Some have said "oh, where's that?" which is amusing. Those who do know, usually are pretty impressed. I spend a lot of time in lounges doing work. Or walking. I do a lot of walking because it's a very spread out campus...and I live in the dorm that is furthest from main campus (besides Fraternities and Sororities). Boston is an awesome college town. A lot of people who graduated from my class in high school are close by (7 out of 42) and there are lots of things to do in the city. MIT's administration could do a little better by it's students. They've lately been making big decisions that effect the students without letting the much less the student body president, much less the student body, what was going on. The biggest recent controversy would probably be the renovation of one of the graduate dorms into an undergrad dorm. However, instead of doing small renovations and making it available to undergrads next term, it won't be available for another two years. They're also adding a dining hall and not putting in any kitchens, a decision made without consulting those who would have to live there. Anything unusual about MIT...pretty much everything. Majors are Courses and they're numbered. All the classes, buildings, and rooms are numbered. We have no real dining plan, which can be frustrating. I'm only a freshman, so I haven't had too many super cool experiences yet, but I'd have to say that walking down the Infinite Corridor in the middle of the night singing the Elephant Love Medley from Moulin Rouge at the top of my lungs will definitely be up there. Most frequent student complaints are about not getting enough sleep, or the administration.

Charlie

best thing- the culture. Nowhere else will you be able to explain your ideas of the principles of marriage using calculus and graph theory. one thing that I would change- the workload. It is not really possible to get through MIT without pulling an all nighter. Some people will pull regular all nighters, and one of the main parts of success is how well you can go without sleep. size- I think that the size is just right. It is big enough to have many things to do (adding to the workload, but still awesomely fun) and small enough that you will still recognize people while walking down the halls. people's reaction- they either assume that I am a genius, they are surprised that I am a girl, or some combination of the two. Time on campus- The dorms are actually a very good source of social activity. There is a long selection process freshman year to decide what dorm you are going to be in and then people rarely switch out because all of their friends are in that dorm. It is not uncommon to stay in the same dorm all four years. There are freshmen learning communities that are very valuable for the same reason, as well as the academic support. The MIT administration is relatively hands off. They let their kids do stuff, take the initiative, and experiment on a larger scale than at other places- like building wooden roller coasters in a courtyard, painting your room, or constructing servers to keep track of your laundry. Some of the biggest controversies happen when the administration does things that very much effect student life without student input- like re-arranging the dorm structure. This usually happens when the administration is trying to make us more like other colleges. For example the eating situation. There are many dorms that have their own kitchens for students to use, and a large part of the culture of those dorm are centered around those kitchens. Recently, the administration has been leaning toward the idea that it is better to buy your food from a cafeteria instead of making it yourself with your friends, and there have been some things that push students toward buying things that these dining halls. There are definitely unusual things about MIT. See the food situation above. Students will build things in their dorm to make it better fit their lifestyle, like murals, a 4 story tall RNA model, a roller coaster, a human size hamster wheel, liquid nitrogen ice cream... it is awesome. Also, there is the fact that freshmen rush for dorms. This is not to say that they get bids like fraternities, they just prioritize where they want to live AFTER a week of being on campus and looking around, trying to decide which dorms culture best fits. My particular dorm makes a very big deal about rush and treats it like a week long uber-geeky party. This is awesome because this means we get a week long party every year, even if you are not rushing anymore. Also, one of the biggest things that new freshmen encounter is the vast amounts of MIT-unique slang. to tool= to work, to punt= to procrastinate, to hack= to pull a prank or to explore parts of campus that are technically off limits to students or to do something very creative with computers, cruft= alumni or old out-of-date computers or technology, courses=majors, hosed=busy. Also, the vast majority of classes are referred to my their number, not their official name, and courses are referred to by their number (course 6=computer science and electrical engineering) the vast majority of buildings are referred to by their numbers, even the ones that have alphabetical names.

Anna

MIT is a wild place with intense subcultures. The housing system is somewhat unique and results in strong dorm cultures. Through a prolonged lottery system, new students are given the opportunity to choose one of MIT's many dorms, live there temporarily during resident exploration period, and then opt to either stay or try to lottery into a preferred dorm. Although some students find the process stressful (while others think it's a blast), the opportunity that it gives each student to find a place for him or herself is priceless. On a larger scale, students usually live all four years in their chosen home, resulting in a close-knit community of students who are at least somewhat akin. MIT is generally very hands-off, tends to let students do their own thing. This is an example where it seems to be a good thing. Naturally, there is a flip side. MIT will not take care of you. Where I live, East Campus, we are allowed to do practically whatever we want: paint the walls, do all sorts of crazy electronic projects, etc. However, when it comes to, say, feeding ourselves, we are on our own. There is no communal cafeteria at MIT. Some of the dorms have their own and the meals are subsidized for their residents, but for a resident of my dorm it would not only be inconvenient to eat at Baker Dining, but also financially unsustainable for most. As a result, we are left to scavenge or cook for ourselves. To be fair, it is a point of pride in my dorm to be independent in this way, a love of tough love.

Alex

The best thing about MIT: The people. Professors, Grad Students, Students - fantastic. I think MIT is just the right size. When I tell people I go to MIT, I get reactions like "Ooh... so you're one of those MIT nerds, I see." Boston/Cambridge is definitely a college town.

Kaitlin

The best thing about MIT is not the experience. It is not a really enjoyable atmosphere at all to be honest. If you want to have a nice college experience, I would not recommend going there. It made me really depressed at times. The best thing about MIT is graduating from MIT with the degree.

Hunter

The best thing about MIT are the academics. There are definitely opportunities out there for everyone here. People aren't afraid to show how excited they are to be conducting research or working on a project. If I could change anything, I would place the campus somewhere warmer. I'm from LA, and the weather has been the greatest challenge for me in terms of adjusting. Even though Boston is the biggest college town ever, I still feel it doesn't provide enough of a stress outlet for MIT students (who desperately need it). In terms of size, I feel that MIT is just right. Any point on campus is within walking distance of every other point. That is very nice.

Elise

The best thing about MIT is probably the academics. The classes here are all tough, and it's a new experience for a lot of students who received all A's in high school to suddenly come home with a 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} on an exam in a subject they used to be good at. We learn to adapt, but the academics push us to reach our higher potentials. The school is large, so we have to work harder as individuals to develop communities, though a lot of that is more dorm-specific. It's easy to get lost in the size of the student body, but if you make the effort it's not a problem. I personally spend most of my time in my dorm with my friends; we work at the kitchen table together and talk and do problem sets all weekend...no, we go out into Boston and go shopping or get coffee, or just walk around as well. My opinion of the administration is that given the size of the institute there must be massive amounts of red tape to get through to do much of anything, but I haven't personally had any difficulties. MIT is a very unusual place, I strongly recommend visiting to get a feel for it; everyone is smart, and the jokes they tell require a high baseline of knowledge, but it's fun. Most frequent student complaints are probably lack of sleep from working all night on problem sets. This is an unnecessary problem if you can somehow work ahead...haha.

Hannah

The best thing about MIT is definitely the people. Don't let anyone ever tell you that MIT is cutthroat! Yes we work hard, yes we struggle, yes we compete, but just against out own standards and endurance. Everyone is always there to help. I can't count the number of times I've worked long and hard on a pset with friends and our laughter interspersed with triple integrals making it bearable. Be prepared for a reaction when people here you go to MIT. But the severity is directly proportional to the distance away from MIT. In Boston people take it in stride, but at home "MIT???? You must be really smart!!!!" is the norm. It's nice for the first few weeks… Boston is an amazing college town, though I would consider it far to big to be ever associated with the word town! There is always something going on, plenty of college students, and never a need for a car. MIT has its own brand of school pride. We don't have big attendance at sports games or huge cheering sections, our pride is all our own. MIT gear is ubiquitous and we love our school and revel in our work, and our reputation, sometimes…It's all summarized by IHTFP. This phrase describes the quintessential MIT experience, an alternating feeling of "I Have truly Found Paradise" and "I Hate This F* Place" You never can tell exactly which one you feel.

Alex

I love that I can say something incredibly nerdy, but which perfectly describes a situation, and people understand me, rather than laughing at me or just looking confused. I feel like I've found my people here. MIT is often a bit of a vacuum--we don't pay a lot of attention to the news or the events in the surroundign areas--but it's a five-minute walk from campus to restaurants and stores in Central Square or the Back Bay. Getting away is always easy: a ten-minute stroll along the river, or a day trip to New York City. I like the variety of living and eating options here, and the huge degree of choice we have in our living situation. Since we're all so busy, the people we live with are the people who become our friends, who take care of us when we are sick, and who share with us the unforgettable experiences that keep life interesting and help us figure out who we are.

Elli

The best thing about MIT is the people. Every one is SO motivated to go out and change the world - literally. There are so many people doing such AMAZING things, but no one acts higher than you at all. Everyone is willing to help everyone else excel. One thing I'd change would be the pressure. It's almost like if you don't do 50 million activities and UROPs, you're completely behind. I like the size a lot. Well to be honest, when I told people from my hometown that i was going to MIT, they'd look at me and be like "you mean ITT?" or they'd ask "whats that - michigan institute of technology?" I got used to figuring out if people were actually educated about the world around them by their reactions to me saying I'm going to MIT. If people actually asked what it stood for, I'd know they had NO CLUE what MIT was or what it meant to get in. If people were just like "o that's cool," I'd know that they didn't know what it was but were trying to pretend like they did. Then you had the people who actually know what MIT was whose response would be like "OMG nice job - thats so cool." Umm on campus, I'm either in my friends' dorms, in the student center or in class. Completely college town - boston and cambridge has like 40 schools in the surrounding area I think so it's really cool to collaborate with other schools. There are definitely other people though besides college students because I mean it is Boston- a huge city. I don't really have a problem with the administration. I guess some people do because of hacking rules, but for the most part it doesn't bug me. I really like how the administration is a very open administration. I hope things stay that way. Biggest recent controversy was the passing away of a DU brother. There is school pride in the "we're awesome" kind of way especially when we get compared to caltech and harvard, but not so much with sports. MIT is just a really unusual college in general. I think we get a lot more freedom that other colleges which I think is really great. Also something that's really cool is that all of our dorms are co-year so you can live in the same dorm freshman through senior year, which a lot of people do unless they move to their frat or sorority houses. Most people continue to live on campus. One experience I'll always remember was my Freshman Pre-Orientation Program called the Freshman Urban Program. We did community service projects for about a week and bonded with freshman and upperclassmen a week before orientation. The dining halls here suck, a lot.

Alex

One of the nicest things about going to MIT is how impressed people are when you say where you go. Nerdy and scientific audiences respect MIT more than any other school, and general intellectuals consider MIT as almost on par with Harvard and Princeton. The most frequent student complaint is definitely the excessive workload, however I hear this complaint at many colleges. I believe that MIT is only incrementally harder than many second-tier colleges, including liberal arts schools and technical schools (like RPI). However, MIT is much harder than Harvard, and much harder than most state schools. If you want prestigious AND easy, go to Harvard, Harvard is easy (I know, I have cross-registered, and I have friends there). But don't assume that a random liberal arts college is easier than MIT, because they can be hard too.

Kent

The big picture is that people are here to learn. Being here would be impossible if there weren't people around you all the time who were driven and inspired. If everyone is partying and you want to get work done, you feel ostracized. If, however, everyone is working, you don't feel so bad having to spend five hours finishing a problem. It's all about community and friendships. That's what gets you through the academics. There's also many facets to release pent up frustrations with the school. In general, it's hard and it's fun.

Jesse

The culture..the people, you learn so much by interacting with them...each has his/her own talent and together they form the one of the most diverse and academically challenging environments Spend time mostly in my dorm, sometimes in the student center, reading room Just the right size of students They are usually impressed by me going to MIT. Controversy - administration's decisions and financial aid Yes, usually a lot of pride

America

Great people, most people want to help others out School size is JUST right, any bigger is too big and any smaller borders on irrelevancy.

Sasha

Best thing: Undergraduate research opportunities program (UROP): some of the most important, high powered research in the world goes on at MIT and even as a freshman you can get involved and work closely with world-famous professors. UROP gives you $$$ and/or credit to do research and all professors are open and encouraging to undergrads working in their labs. College town: In Boston right across the river from Back Bay, the best, most fun part of Boston with shopping, restaurants, etc.

Cathy

The people are definitely the best thing at MIT. I've met the more interesting, intelligent, fun, smart kids than i have ever met in my life, and i call all of them my good friends here at MIT. Yes, the institute is amazing, but the sort of people that it draws in is by far the best part of it!! If i could change anything, i would make Pass/No Record last foreverrrrrr!! Perfect size...when walking down the Infinite, you will see plenty of people you've never met before, most you recognize although don't really know them, but you will always see some of your friends around whereever you are on campus. "OOOoooo, you must be smart" or, i sometimes get the "Oo, where is that??/what does that stand for?" I hardly ever leave my floor. BURTON ONE is BY FAR the coolest place on campus!!!

Torry

For a number of reasons, I was a bit apprehensive about starting MIT. I wasn't sure I was going to like it, and I was worried I wouldn't have the best experiences there. Those concerns were completely blown away by the end of my first weeks there when I had built a soccer-playing robot, wrestled in tapioca, and enjoyed some amateur pyrotechnics. I made some wonderful friends, had some amazing experiences, and enjoyed opportunities I can't imagine being available anywhere else in the world. Of course it's a really difficult place to study. I have failed more tests than I care to recall, and I've wanted to drop out more times than I can count. But it's like climbing a mountain. There will be easy parts, and there will be difficult parts, and there will be parts when you swear you can take another step. And that's what makes finishing all the more fantastic.

Rachel

My most frequent complaint about MIT is the workload. Or maybe the workload differential from major to major. Certain majors definitely require less work than others. For instance, Biology and Management are seen as the easiest majors - they have the fewest required classes and even those are not considered difficult. Majors that require a lot of work are Aero-Astro Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. These courses have more requirements , which are generally considered more stringent. I feel like I am constantly bombarded with more and more work. Every day. I am behind in work from the start of the semester until finals roll around. Sometimes it is frustrating because I feel like I am not taking full advantage of being at such a world class institution. There are so many opportunities to do so many fabulous things, but I never have time to partake because I can't even keep up with my classes. On another note ... I LOVE MIT. It is such a wonderful place. There is a real diversity in the culture here. During my years at MIT, I have spent time with rugby teams, frat boys, internationally-commended professors, and many many more. I love Boston / Cambridge - there is always something to do to get away from classes for a little while.

Clinton

The opportunities to connect with some of the best minds from all over the world. I wouldn't change a thing. The school is just the right size. I often get an amazed, highly esteemed response when I tell people I go to MIT. I spend most of my time in between my dorm and interacting with people at various places on the campus. College town! MIT's administration is stellar. The biggest recent controversy was James Sherley, a black professor who claimed racism as a major reason in tenure denial. Yes there is a lot of school pride. The numbered majors and quirky pranks (hacks) are unusual at MIT. I'll always remember struggling through freshman year and having to ask for help. The most frequent complaints are around there being too much work or the work being too hard.

Devin

The opportunity to do hands-on research is the best thing about MIT. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program provides many undergraduate students a chance to get involved in current research projects and network with professors and graduate students. One thing I would change are the dim lights in the dormitories. They are not conducive to positive thinking when it's 2am and you are still trying to finish your problem set. I love the size of my school because it's not large enough to get lost nor small enough to lose one's sense of privacy. Most of my time on campus is spent at the student center since it has food, computers, televisions, space to meet with study groups, pretty much anything you need. Between Cambridge and Boston there are so many schools and events occurring that I would most definitely categorize this area as a college town. The biggest controversy I've seen on campus was Professor Sherley's hunger strike. Professor Sherley felt that his denial of tenure was racially biased and after his petitions were also denied, he decided to go on a hunger strike in front of the school. I think there is a lot of school pride, but it is not very apparent at first. The pride comes from the extreme workload we all survive and the feeling that we earn our grades in a way that we feel Harvard students do not. One thing that is unusual about MIT is that everything has a number such as course 6 corresponding to the electrical engineering and computer science major and building 1 corresponding to the civil engineering building. The most frequent student complaints revolve around the workload. The joke here is that of the three S's (sleep, social life, and school), you can only have two at MIT.

Rachael

The best thing about MIT is the opportunities that arises from being an MIT student. Being an MIT student opens doors to places you would never imagine, but graduating from MIT means the sky is the limit. One thing I would change about MIT is the cliques or groups that people tend to form. Even within the Black community at MIT, there is a separation between African-Americans, Carribeans, and Africans. I think there is strength in numbers and expanding our network of students enables us to know who we can go to for help and support when we are struggling with various subjects and problems. I think MIT is the right size. When you tell people you go to MIT, you can get different reactions depending on the person. Some people, mostly adults are surprised and impressed. Some are doubtful, but most are really impressed. When you tell a student from another school, they are also usually surprised. Although, sometimes people are under the impression that MIT students think they're better than everyone else, which at least I don't believe. While MIT is in Cambridge, which also where Harvard is, it is only across a bridge into Boston where there are many, many colleges. I would definitely say Boston is a college town. I think MIT administration is good. Students are very independent and aren't given many rules or restrictions , so in that sense it is nice not to have strict administration. There is school pride in the sense that everyone is proud to be and MIT student. It's especially nice when you go out to other places. There are many things unusual about MIT. People make liquid nitrogen ice cream, make DNA strands in through the middle of a stairwell, play tetris on buildings, and drive robots through hallways. There are plenty of unusual things here.

Ryan

Best thing - surrounded by amazing people 1 thing I'd change - segregation of races in living groups size just right People are impressed/surprised In my dorm College down yes administration? I don't notice them I don't know controversy People have love/hate relationships with this school MIT is full of smart people, but they're pretty humble I'll always remember orientation Saferide isn't on time or kicks people off...I'm pretty happy (other than the work)

Carolina

The best thing about MIT is the huge diversity of people here. There are students here from all over the world and it's a learning experience to get to know about how other students work and live when they're not from your big city / small town. Also, the professors are pretty a-ma-zing here. They definitely live up to the hype and then some. Also another plus: the most competitive thing about MIT is getting in. Once you're in, everyone is so helpful and willing to help you with whatever problem (homework or real life) may come up. Thing I'd change? I think it'd be great if we had a "reading period" to prep for finals, like Harvard does. It would make it less stressful for sure. But then again, I like getting out earlier, and I would probably blow all of that gained time doing something not related to studying for finals. So I would change the shuttle times. It gets unreliable sometimes and it makes me late for class. Pretty annoying. This school isn't huge. I personally think it's a great size. I know a good amount of people in my class (year), and it never feels overwhelming. But there's enough people to where you can blend in the crowd, if that's your thing too. Great size. When I say I go to MIT, I get the "omG you LIEZ" response. Then I get the "whoa, so that must mean you're a genius" response. I don't lie and I'm no genius, there's still tons left for me to learn. MIT keeps whatever ego I might have in severe check. Just as soon as it starts to creep out, here comes a test grade, or here comes an impossible problem set. So while responses are usually very flattering and all, and it does make me proud, I don't let it get to my head. I've done very well here so far with this mentality, and by the off-chance that you're reading this and you're a valedictorian at your high school, I'll tell you this now to save you tears later. You being valedictorian at your high school means crap here. You pulling straight A's in every class you ever took means even more crap here. You'll be overwhelmed like you've never been before. You'll have to (gasp!) ask for help with your work. No one will care how many AP's you took in high school. You'll more than likely fail a test or two (if you're lucky, only a test or two) before you graduate. Guaranteed. But how do you respond when you do? That's the most telling part of whether or not you belong here. I wasn't a valedictorian at my high school, but my high school was tops in the state and I was above average there. It's translated very well to MIT. My transcript would prove that easily - high school and college. Advice: come in with a clean slate and a humble attitude, and with a killer work ethic, and you'll be amazing. It's not impossible to get A's here. Hard, sure, but not impossible. Most of my time on campus I'm just hanging out in my dorm working there. Or I'm in my department's lounge working with other aero/astro masochis-- erm, students. :) If you looked up "college town" in the dictionary (wouldn't that be something?) you would probably find a miniature Boston map next to it. Boston decreases by a quarter million in population over the summer. I'll leave that explanation up to you. MIT's administration is very good in my opinion. They have to deal with so much crap, and yet they do it pretty seamlessly for the most part. When I came back for my sophomore year, I had changed my mind about my major, and the switch wasn't hard at all. It's all very smooth for the most part, never had a problem. The biggest recent controversy here?... Probably the thing with Marilee Jones last year. There was a lot of disappointment with how that all went down, and a lot of people I knew were sad that MIT had to let her go. But such is life sometimes... School pride, it depends. I think we're all proud to be here, but with sports? Personally I don't think our sports are advertised that well. I never know when there are any games. Makes it hard to "show off" my school pride. But you definitely see a lot of MIT gear being worn all the time. That has to count for something, right? Something unusual about MIT: the architecture. Some of it is just absolutely awesome (the Dome in particular is a terrific sight on a beautiful day, especially across Memorial Drive). Some of it is weird (Simmons, Stata, Kresge). But at least we keep it interesting, and we don't have boring little red brick buildings that are all indistinguishable from each other... cough, Harvard, cough. :) One experience I'll always remember: frat party hopping with my girls freshman year. Great times. Also, nothing spells bonding like working until 5-6 in the morning on a problem set, then taking a stroll at that time to go turn it in (and still seeing some people up doing who knows what). Most frequent student complaints? Having to write essays for humanities classes. Well, what do you expect? We're freaking MIT students. Much love for those majoring in humanities though. You guys have all my respect.

Shawn

The best thing about MIT is the tremendous amount of resources that being an MIT student brings. Last year, I had a nobel laurate lecturer in my introductory physics class and a professional witness for my class on New Orleans. As a freshman, I had the opportunity to participate in a UROP (Undergraduate Research on Oppurtunities) in my department (Brain and Cognitive Sciences). If I could change one thing about MIT, I would improve campus dining. Currently, the few dorms that have dining on-campus only serve dinner and that is basically between 5 to 8PM. When the dining halls are not open, there are few options in the Student Center. Although the Student Center recently improved to add Subway, the quality of the food is nowhere near where it should be. MIT is the perfect size. The entire campus is accessible via the various shuttles. When you tell people you go to MIT, people either automatically think taht you are some sort of super genious or the classic... "MIT... what's that..... Michigan Institute of Technology..... Oh... So It's like FIT." I spend most of my time in my dorm, either working on psets or just hanging out with my friends. The Boston/Cambridge area is definitely a college town with schools such as Harvard College, Boston University and Boston College in the area. MIT's administration is really good. The deans are available to counsel and talk to students. The biggest most recent controversy was the incident with Professor Shirley. There was a lot of controversy as to the reason why he was denied tenure from MIT.Some say the incident was race related. There is a lot of school pride, mainly around academics and just love for the school. I think that everyone basically has a love-hate relationship with MIT. A big thing on campus is IHTFP, which doubles as I have truly found paradise and I Hate this F-ing Place. People generally do not have pride in athletics. One unusual thing about MIT is all the different types of people that are at MIT. There are two main cultures: East Campus and West Campus. In East Campus, you can do everything from building a roller coaster to having a steer roast. West Campus, is where the more traditional college students stay. In addition, each dorm on West Campus has its own individual culture. One experience I will always remember is getting kicked off the Saferide with my friends because we were being too loud. The most frequent student complaints center around campus dining.