http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html Life at MIT - Comments en http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html I am currently a double major in physics and EECS about to graduate, so my experience has to be broken down by majors. Part I: the academics A) Physics: I found the physics department at MIT am... Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:52:49 GMT StudentsReview 585-92944 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 585-92944 585 33 Physics Male Undergraduate Class 2013 4th Year Positive I am currently a double major in physics and EECS about to graduate, so my experience has to be broken down by majors.

Part I: the academics

A) Physics: I found the physics department at MIT amazing. We have 70-80 physics majors each year, which means you'll always find other people to pset with easily, and makes the department devote a significant effort to make the undergrad education stellar. In fact, they always try to have the best lecturers (Allan Adams, Alan Guth etc...) in the undergrad class. The major is really well thought out, especially their quantum sequence. If you are planning to go to grad school, makes sure to take their WHOLE quantum sequence (8.04, 8.05, 8.06). They are life-changing classes. The problem sets have consistently been enlightening, mind-opening and challenging but not impossible (ok, some of the grad psets i got might have been on the verge of impossible). You will notice the smartest physics/math majors are also the most humble: this is one of the traits i liked best about MIT. In this pressure-cooker and purist environment, arrogance has no place.

EECS: Because the department is so large, the classes definitely will feel impersonal, until you hit your grad-level classes. In general, i thought the intro classes well thought out, however i found significant complaints. This is because people come in with such a wide background (not knowing how to script "hello world" to having implemented as OS), that the experience depends highly on your starting level. The gist of the education in EECS, however is the labs. I learnt much less from doing problem sets, or studying for finals (you still have to do that). THe problem sets are less interesting and challenging, however the labs/projects will chew your soul, swallow it, digest it and regurgitate it. Some of the grad-level projects are extremely time-consuming, but the feeling of satisfaction at the end will be proportional to the amount of frustration you felt while doing them. If you are a hands-on person, the EECS department would definitely be a good fit. I have mixed feelings about my education in this department, but overall, I will have to admit that studying EECS drastically the way I think about designing complex, real-world systems for the better. Sometimes, i felt it was busy-work and overwhelming, but in the end, going through the the crap-work was necessary for my personal development. Furthermore, the job opportunities for EECS at MIT are limitless. I get spammed by internship offers from all kinds of places, and I don't even make particular efforts to get recruited.

Other students: I find it nice at MIT that students are a lot less likely to judge you. You will find your typical jock, your cheerleader, but what is nice is they all mingle
because in the end, you are judged by your academics. And you can be the most popular guy in high school, it doesn't matter when you come here if you are stuck on a differential equation. The students are extremely varied, probably moreso at MIT than at any other college campuses.
There's definitely a minority (~3%) that might have some type of social problem, and lock themselves up doing work. But the vast majority are humble, smart and engaging. There's also a large culture of collaboration, of "we are in this shit together", of us vs. MIT.

Research: The research opportunities are are definitely what you make of it. I know people who put in more time into their research than their classes, and others who slack off and get nothing done. But all of them had an easy time finding a group to work with. Make sure you have the maturity to monitor yourself before you ask for a research position. The problem is not that the professor will refuse, it is that he will give you so much freedom you might end up accomplishing nothing at all. I personally prefer doing UROP's during the summer, since I'm so busy during the semester research is just not an option.


Sports: What is nice about sports is that while being at the lower end level (div III type), it makes it much easier for the typical undergrad to participate. Something like 20% of MIT students do varsity sports. There are a lot of pick-up games of soccer, frisbee etc.. on Briggs field, especially during the spring/summer, so you will not get bored.

Food: dining is good but really expensive because it is Cambridge. I personally cook for myself, and there are plenty of places on campus for quick snacks. This are could be improved though. Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:52:49 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html An application to MIT should /gush/ with your enthusiasm for what you love. One of my friends got in with an essay on her sock collection. If the admissions officer is grinning while reading yours, yo... Mon, 22 Oct 2012 04:29:18 GMT StudentsReview 585-89986 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 585-89986 585 33 Physics Male Undergraduate Class 2015 1st Year Positive An application to MIT should /gush/ with your enthusiasm for what you love. One of my friends got in with an essay on her sock collection. If the admissions officer is grinning while reading yours, you're doing it right. Mon, 22 Oct 2012 04:29:18 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html MIT provides amazing opportunities if you're the type to take advantage of them. First semester can be tough, as many brilliant students have to learn how to study for the first time once they're in ... Sat, 11 Aug 2012 01:45:49 GMT StudentsReview 585-88820 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 585-88820 585 33 Physics Male Undergraduate Alumnus Class 2000 Positive MIT provides amazing opportunities if you're the type to take advantage of them. First semester can be tough, as many brilliant students have to learn how to study for the first time once they're in a class of nearly all brilliant students and a professor who expects that. It's definitely not meant for everybody, but for the highly intelligent and hard working, it can't be beat. Sat, 11 Aug 2012 01:45:49 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html Dude, MIT Rocks. Ok, now that I have that out of the way, and anyone who judges reviews by the first line has stopped reading: MIT is actually pretty good. The coursework is difficult, true, and ... Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:37:22 GMT StudentsReview 585-81536 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 585-81536 585 12 Computer Science Male Undergraduate Class 2006 5th Year Positive Dude, MIT Rocks.

Ok, now that I have that out of the way, and anyone who judges reviews by the first line has stopped reading: MIT is actually pretty good. The coursework is difficult, true, and it can feel like you're drowning, but overall the experience can actually be pretty positive.

First, you have to make sure that you have good friends; a good support group. It may seem like you won't have time at MIT for friends and fun, but it's critical that you don't just lock yourself away and expect to succeed in isolation. That's a surefire way to go crazy. Trust me - I did. I had to drop out (medical leave of absence). However, unlike (at least) one of the previous posters, the deans were very helpful and supportive of me getting back in, once I got therapy and help and showed I had a support network and proper plans in place. They want you to succeed (they want every student to succeed), but not at the cost of your health. [Sidebar: Whether that comes from truly caring about students or a fear of lawsuits, I could not say.]

I got back in after taking 2 years off, finished off my degree, and learned a lot from the experience. If you take things to excess, whether studying or partying, you'll regret it.

If you survive MIT, anything the "real world" throws at you will be a piece of cake.

On an unrelated note to all of this, I found that, like anywhere, most of the professors were helpful, but some decidedly sucked. Most of the TA's had open door policies, but some were jealous a-holes and would mark bright students down (easy to get around if you just acted fumbling around them as asked for help) for minor errors. Most of the students are very friendly and feel just as unsure as you (or anyone), but some are arrogant snobs who need their kneecaps kicked in.

There's not going to be a one-size-fits-all experience, but as long as you find people with similar interests, you work diligently, but not all-consumingly (not a word, I know) at your studies, and you ensure that above all, you take care of yourself, going to MIT will be one of the best experiences of your life.

And the fact that it's right next to Boston doesn't hurt either. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:37:22 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html MIT has a great deal to offer, all of which with strings attached. If you're smart, hard-working, savvy about recruiting, and perhaps a bit lucky, you can get into essentially any field you want. To... Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:06:15 GMT StudentsReview 585-80288 Copyright 2013 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. 585-80288 585 11 Computer Engineering Male Undergraduate Class 2012 2nd Year Neutral MIT has a great deal to offer, all of which with strings attached. If you're smart, hard-working, savvy about recruiting, and perhaps a bit lucky, you can get into essentially any field you want. Top tech company, done. I-banking, done. Management consulting, done. Entrepreneurship, finance, top grad/med/law school, you name it, done. (A word to the ambitious: these are the best options, and you should pick one of them.) It won't guarantee you a private island and a multi-national conglomerate if you don't already have a lot of family money -- but to the extent that going to a good college can help you get ahead in life, the world is your oyster. As long as you don't screw up. Even if you're a bit lazier, you'll still be essentially recession-proof with a C.S. degree and a decent GPA, although you'd better be alright with being a normal engineer for the rest of your life if you do choose that path.

While you're here, you'll be able to meet a vast array of incredibly intelligent and accomplished people. You will probably form deeper connections with other MIT students than you ever did with your classmates in high school, with a possible exception if you went to an elite one. (A significant portion of the student body did, public or private, so you'll see a lot of old friends here if this is you -- although you already knew that if you did.) Putting some extra effort into networking will benefit both your happiness and your career, and all it takes is a little bit of practice at starting conversations.

Coming here will also show you how the world works. You will learn as much from talking to other students as you will in your classes, and by the time you graduate, you'll be able to competently discuss almost any subject of importance. You will learn the nuances of politics in an environment in which almost everyone is as smart as you are, and you will have a much more difficult time trying to lead organizations than in high school if that's your thing. But, upon graduation, you will also be miles ahead of someone who had an easier time with this at a less selective school.

Be prepared to pull all-nighters regularly. Expect a workload that can be utterly, shockingly unhealthy, although this doesn't usually start until around sophomore year. Expect to get sick more often from the physical stress. Expect for no one in your academic life to care when you do. Expect to feel like you got hit by a bulldozer every morning you get up after sleeping for two hours, if at all, and hope that it doesn't happen enough times in succession that you end up sleeping through an exam (see "screw up" above). If you try to cheat the system with caffeine or other stimulants, expect to become physically addicted to them. Sleep deprivation is a matter of culture here; it is literally a running joke. But it won't be like this every single day, and afterwards, the rest of your working life will feel a bit like a vacation. You'll be surprised at how much you're able to accomplish.

Be prepared to sometimes have no idea how to solve a given problem, and be prepared when none of the TAs give useful advice and the response from some students who might know is derision. MIT might be the only place in the world at which so many talented people can be made to feel so enduringly insecure, and it might happen to you too if you let it -- don't. If all else fails, remember that most of the top students in any given field are only good at it because they started young. But it's best to just avoid comparing yourself to others. You're probably overestimating them, and regardless, you'll still be ok if you focus on getting your work done. Usually.

Be prepared to occasionally see people crash, sometimes even people you know, and hopefully not you. Roughly 10% of students withdraw at some point, usually for 'medical reasons,' and many never come back. They're not in the official statistics, and I suspect MIT isn't the only top school with this hidden exit door, so don't expect the situation to be much rosier at any of its competitors. Be aware that medical leave can be involuntary and that re-admission is not guaranteed, so be very cautious about trusting the official resources if you're under more pressure than you can take. Which you will be, at some point, if you care about the things in paragraph 1. Learn when to say enough is enough. Learn when to selectively retreat, to drop a class or bail out of an activity or two, so that you're still around for next semester. If you're spending literally all of your available time working or traveling to/from work and still can't handle it, don't be afraid to pull back a little bit. But if you're being distracted by other things, fix that first.

There are interesting people to hang out with if you put some effort into it and try to get into a dorm or FSILG with a culture that works for you. There are classes in almost every area you could possibly be interested in, although some will be too hard to actually take unless you've had a lot of prior experience. There are famous professors to talk to, assuming you can find time in their schedules. There are representatives from the best companies in the world ready to interview you, as long as you know what should be on your resume and haven't screwed up anything that might leave a mark. There are people just like you, who might even be willing to date you... at least if you can stand out from all the other people just like you. No longer being different is both a blessing and a curse.

So welcome to reality, I suppose: choose between success and safety. MIT's offer is a Faustian bargain, but you have to go through hell if you want to be the best in the world. As to whether that would make you happy... that depends on what matters to you. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:06:15 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/MA/MIT_comments.html