Frequently Asked Questions from the Contact-A-Student Portlet
(compiled by Mitra Lohrasbpour '07)

Every interviewer is different and has his/her own set of favorite questions and topics. Many interviewers like to see that you have researched MIT and have specific questions for them. Keep in mind that your interviewer will be an MIT alum who knows what it's like to go to school here, so ask him/her about the food, weather, classes, dorms, etc. if you feel so inclined. I think good traits to convey during your interview are enthusiasm, maturity, and respect. It sounds hokey, but all that stuff about making your personality shine through really means a lot.

MIT is committed to meeting the full need of each student for each of the four years that he or she is here. We'll evaluate what your family is able to contribute, ask you to personally take responsibility for the next $5500 via a job and/or student loan, and then make up the rest with a grant.

MIT is need-blind and need-based. Need-blind means that no one in the admissions office knows anything about your family's financial situation during the selection process, so that information is never used as admissions criteria. Need-based means that we give financial aid based solely on need. This means that MIT doesn't give out merit-based scholarships, but you are more than welcome to apply for them from external sources - if granted, these will count towards your $5500 expected personal contribution.

For additional information on financial aid, click here.

People assume that MIT is a very cutthroat, competitive place, which is entirely untrue. Everyone I've met here is really generous and down to earth. There's no arrogance at all. Homework is designed to be worked on collaboratively, so you'll rarely work on an assignment alone. (And for the most part, this doesn't change as you take higher-level classes.)

People are all about sharing their knowledge and helping each other out. It's hard to prove this, but ask anyone here and he or she will tell you that it's true. If possible, come visit MIT and witness for yourself! (Personal note: I've come home from dinner or meetings countless times to see neighbors and their friends in my suite lounge, working on homework together or brainstorming for a new project.)

Definitely! We have over 330 student groups at MIT, ranging from political to cultural to religious to athletic to professional to special interest. A couple examples: Argentine Tango Club, MIT Caving Club, Easy Rider: The MIT Motorcycle Club, MIT Poker Club, etc.

For a complete list, check here.

My personal opinion on the desktop/laptop question is that laptops are more convenient in terms of working in the lounge, bringing to classes, or packing up for the summer. Then again, I don't require tons and tons of hard drive space on my computer - if you do, a laptop might be limiting. For all homework and classes, the programs you will need will probably be installed on Athena (MIT's computer network). These computers are all over campus and you can use then anytime. If the program required is not installed on Athena, the class will loan you a laptop for the semester - sometimes people take these classes just so they can have a free laptop for a semester. :P Having said all that, I am happy to report that my laptop fits all of my needs. (Funny story: my roommate last year had a laptop that she kept in a docking station on her desk, and she did not remove it from the docking station even once during the school year... in essence making it a desktop.)

To see MIT's recommended computers for students, click here.

There is no "perfect" way to get into MIT, and there is no single combination of traits and activities that we use to determine merit. Furthermore, we don't have minimum GPA or SAT requirements, and we don't use regional or major quotas to "weed out" applicants. We like it when applicants reveal to us who they are as people. Also, we look for applicants who will thrive in and contribute to the MIT environment. Convey to us your passions, dedication, maturity, resiliency, and ability to take risks.

To be honest, you have to be prepared to work very hard. MIT will stretch your brain and push your abilities to their limits, and you have to be up for the task. The work is extremely challenging and life here is very fast-paced. If you like this type of atmosphere, then you'll enjoy MIT. You simply need to ask yourself if you consider the intensity a plus or a minus.

I chose MIT not only because its academics are great, but also because student life here is so awesome. People here are very down to earth, and are all about trying new things. They are crazy and funny, they build stuff, create stuff, try to make the world a better place, stay up late to help each other, come from all walks of life, don't judge other people, are rarely (if ever) arrogant, and make a great family. It's hard to explain the experience of being here in a paragraph, but I encourage you to read the student weblogs, look at all the different clubs we have, come for a campus visit. (Also, check out some physical manifestations of MIT hacking culture at hacks.mit.edu.)

The weather here gets pretty cold in the winter, but there are lots of things that make up for this. A) SNOW! It's so much fun to build snowmen and sip hot cocoa and sing Christmas carols while it's snowing. In addition, things like snowball fights and ice skating on outdoor ponds don't exist without cold weather - well, unless you're on a movie set! B) All the academic buildings are connected by hallways or tunnels, so you don't have to walk outside to get to your next class. C) January is an optional month (IAP) where MIT offers all sorts of fun classes and cool things to do. In the event that you really can't stand the cold, you can spend that month (perhaps doing an externship) somewhere warmer. In any case, I have lots of friends here who are from warm places (Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Tampa, etc.) and they're doing fine. :P

And winter aside, let's not forget how beautiful fall and spring are in New England...

To quote an admissions officer, "MIT is not a good place to go if you don't like math and science, but it's also not a good place to go if you only like math and science." Hrm.... where do I begin? First, our architecture and urban studies & planning departments are great - did you know that MIT has the oldest architecture school in the country? Second, of the top-ten MBA (business) schools in the country, the MIT Sloan school of management is one of only two to offer an undergraduate program. Third, our humanities are world-class - we have a top-notch philosophy & linguistics department, our political science is great, and the MIT economics program is world-renowned. Things you don't typically associate with MIT are still really good here.

HASS majors like music, literature, writing, history, foreign languages, etc are also excellent. Humanities classes are really small, so you get lots of individual attention. All undergrads have to fulfill a HASS requirement of 8 classes in the school of humanities, arts, & social sciences, so you'll have a good general knowledge of the humanities by the time you graduate.

This diversity in fields of study is reflected in the events on campus; we have lots of plays, concerts, and other types of performances occurring constantly. In addition, there are often conferences held here that discuss ethics of scientific/technological progress, the role of science/technology in developing economics or environmental reform, entrepreneurship, etc. You can pick and choose from all these classes and events to create your own blend of experiences.

No way. MIT is the perfect size for me - about 1000 undergrads per class. I was also considering some public schools, where the undergraduate population was approximately four times that of MIT. Here, the student body is large enough to provide a good mix of diversity (racial, socioeconomic, interests, personalities, etc) but small enough to ensure that you won't feel lost.

Professors, teaching assistants (TAs), advisors (both academic and residential), and upperclassmen are always ready to help with your latest dilemma or question. We have a long orientation - about a week - so you'll meet tons of fellow freshmen early on, and our housing system is extremely community-based. You get to pick where you live, so you'll really get close to the people in your residence hall and in particular on your floor. We also have over 330 student groups, so you're bound to find others who share your interests.

I think MIT's reputation needs to be updated, since my parents and I initially thought MIT was only about science & engineering, but upon further investigation learned that it offers so much more. The same goes for being female here - the stereotype is that this school is full of males, but that's really not true.

Nobody I've met (including students, faculty, and staff) treats girls here like they are any less intelligent or worthy of admission than guys. It's no easier for females to get in than males, so people don't assume that the average intelligence of females is lower than that of males.

The one thing I would change about female stuff at MIT is to have more female professors; some departments can be rather male-professor-heavy. Every year, this gets better and MIT hires more women. If you think about it, it's really up to women like us to go to MIT to learn and research so that we can be the female science and engineering professors of tomorrow. There is actually a shortage of female profs in these departments at every university in the country, and MIT is doing its best to help change this.

Not at all - one of the hallmarks of an MIT education is widespread access to cutting-edge research via a program called the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, designed specifically for undergraduates to get involved with MIT research. This program is open to students all four years, there is no major (field of study) or GPA (grade point average) requirement, and you can do a UROP for as many hours a week or as few hours a week as you'd like. You can either choose to do your UROP for pay or for credit, or on volunteer status.

To read more information about the program and to see some example projects, visit web.mit.edu/urop.

MIT is in an urban area, with lots of nearby restaurants, shops, businesses, public transportation, etc. We're located along the Charles River, and many students can walk out the back doors of their dorms and be steps from its banks.

We're also within walking distance of Boston - literally - it's a 10-minute walk across the bridge. We have four shuttles which circulate every half hour, two into Boston and two around Cambridge.

Though we're in the city, there aren't many non-MIT buildings in between the MIT buildings, so you have a good sense of the distinction between "on-campus" and "off-campus." There are various museums, clubs, concert halls, parks, sports complexes, and beaches in the local area that students frequent on weekends and vacations.

MIT has no official "pre-med" track, so you can major in anything at all and go to medical school! Approximately 10% of our graduates go to medical school (some immediately, although many take some time off between college and med school). Popular majors with many pre-med students are biology, chemistry, and chemical engineering - but you can also major in architecture or economics and still be pre-med. As long as you take the right pre-med classes and the MCATs, you can study whatever you'd like. Every pre-med student, regardless of major, will receive a pre-med advisor who can help out with med school questions and applications.

M/F: physics lecture, chem lecture, math lecture, freshman advising seminar
T/Th: humanities lecture, math recitation, chem recitation, physics recitation
W: same as M/F + humanities recitation

General notes:

- Most freshman classes are 1 hour long (well, actually 50 minutes, since they start 5 minutes after the hour and end 5 minutes before the hour).

- Freshman advising seminars are optional but REALLY fun. I got 6 units of credit for a class that met for 2 hours/wk - mine had 7 freshmen, 2 upperclassmen, and 2 professors (one who taught French and one who taught mechanical engineering). Our seminar looked at the different ways that the French and Americans depicted current events in their respective newspapers. We discussed that for the first hour and a half, and then during the last half hour we'd talk about our classes, roommates, professors, laundry, etc. My schedule second semester freshman year was pretty similar to first semester's, except without the freshman advising seminar. Other advising seminars cover topics such as good museums in Boston, homelessness, particle physics, concerns about the environment, the Beatles, etc.

- No matter what your schedule is freshman year, you'll have time during the day to run errands. I have had anywhere from half an hour to 2 hours between classes, so there's plenty of time to run to the bank, check email, get food, or work on homework. Between your recitation instructor, professor, and other recitation instructors (since there can be many per class), you'll have tons of office hours available to you every week. Last year, for example, my 18.03 (differential equations) office hours were during the morning for the recitation instructor, at night for other recitation instructors, and in the afternoon for the professor, so I would just attend whichever hours were most convenient on any particular day.