FAQ

FAQ: Student Opinions

Note: These are questions answered by actual MIT students. All people differ in many ways, so do not use this FAQ as your only source for information about MIT. Visit the campus, talk with undergraduates and graduates, and do thorough research about MIT before accepting any admission offers. You want to make sure MIT is the right place for YOU, not someone else.

Table of Contents:

Amber:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

To put this straight, MIT’s suicide rate is either the national average or below it (I’ve heard both). Either way, we are not ABOVE the average. Sure, MIT is stressful at times, but there is no need for people to become depressed. In fact, since a few years back when a student committed suicide and it was all over the papers, the faculty has taken depression very seriously. One time my roommate called the nurse about having a stomach ache, and when she mentioned something about being stressed out a little, they asked her all these questions about how she was feeling. Sometimes it can actually get a little annoying, but it’s nice to know that they do watch out for it. Our GRTs (the graduate students that look after us in the dorms), also come by often to see how we’re doing.

MIT wants you to succeed (and people do, we have a very high retention rate), and consequently there are lots of resources for help. Whether it be tutoring, office hours, talking to a GRT or psychologist, there is no reason to get depressed unless you let yourself. I love MIT, I’m happy there, and so are my friends. Of course we complain about the coursework, of course we get frustrated at times, but we still can’t imagine ourselves anywhere else. In short: depression is not a major problem here.

So, how many nerds are there really?

This really depends upon how you define a nerd/geek. I consider myself a nerd. I don’t dress up in suspenders every day and talk in a high pitched voice, but I do enjoy learning things. Almost everyone here likes intellectual conversations, and we have lots of jokes about science and math, but there are surprisingly few people that have no social skills. I was surprised at how many “normal” people there were at MIT. Everyone is smart, but most people do not act “geeky.” But most of us do enjoy a good Star Trek episode or Star Wars marathon (excluding the prequels….at least for me :-).

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

Most of the time, I averaged 7-8 hours each night. Of course there was one or two nights each week where I got only 4 hours or so, but it really isn’t all that bad. If sleep is very important to you, you can get enough sleep, it’s all about organizing your time. This was actually one of my worst fears about going to MIT. I get headaches if I do not get enough sleep (sometimes this happens with 7 hours!), and I the only time I got headaches in college was on weekends, and I think I only got two minor ones the entire year! So if I survived my freshman year, I think you’ll do just fine. Another thing that helps is that most classes do not start until 9 or 10 in the morning, so you can sleep in until at least 8 and still have a ton of time to get ready in the morning. The people who get hardly any sleep are the ones who start their psets the night before they are due and do not pace themselves. So don’t do that!

How much time do you spend doing homework?

This varies a ton on the class. For HASS classes, I definitely did not spend as much time on homework as I was supposed to. I did most of the readings and did all the papers, and I don’t think I spent seven hours per week preparing for class. For some of my science classes, the homework would take a very long time (seven hours or so), but a lot of this was because it was late at night and I was tired, so I was very inefficient. I studied at least four hours a day after school and a few hours on weekends. I would say homework takes at least thirty hours each week. At the same time though, those four hours of studying were often interrupted by friends dropping by and such, and I survived somehow.

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

Definitely! Although on weekdays I would mostly just study, I still had time for all the essentials, and then some. I had time to eat dinner, take a shower, talk to friends, go to study breaks, and exercise. On weekends, even though I would do homework during the day (and not very efficiently sometimes I might add), I still had time to watch movies with friends, go to parties, go out shopping every once in a while, play video games, and spend time with my boyfriend. And Boston is right across the river, so we would sometimes go out to dinner or walk around Boston a little bit. I also have lots of friends who participated in sports everyday. So you do have free time as long as you manage your time well.

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

The classes may seem impossible at times, but with some effort you can do well in them (my GPA is testimony to that). And when I say well I mean you can get a B or an A. Lots of times the test scores will seem very low (50s and 60s are very often the average), but the professors scale them to benefit everyone (there are no bell curves that force some people to fail). If you spend time on the class and are serious about doing well, you will be able to. Sure, some tests you might study your butt off and still do badly, but the next test around you will probably have adapted and then you’ll do better. If you don’t slack off, you can do very well here.

One thing I’d like to emphasize: MIT IS NOT CUTTHROAT! Sure, it’s competitive here, but since there are no honors, rankings, or anything like that, people aren’t afraid to help each other. I often work with friends on homework, and people generally seem to WANT to help you with your studies. The person you end up competing the most against is yourself.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

Just like high school, you have good professors and bad professors, and good TAs and bad TAs. I’ve seen a very wide range. Many of the teachers I had were quite good, very interesting and enthusiastic, organized, and obviously cared about the students. Others were just okay, and some were terrible. Luckily I only ran into one terrible person. Overall I am happy about the quality of teaching here. Another nice thing MIT does is that they have you fill out an evaluation for the TAs and professors, and they put the results online. I’m sure some professors totally ignore the suggestions students give them, but others probably do listen. And it’s great since you can see online which professors are must-haves and which are ones to avoid.

One question that is also asked a lot is about the humanities. Since MIT is known for its engineering and science programs, aren’t the humanities left out? Actually, in my experience, my humanities professors have been very good. I enjoyed my classes, and although HASS classes do not require as much work as your other classes, I’ve found the teachers do not grade easily. You need to write a good essay to get an A, and A’s are not just handed out on a silver platter to anyone. MIT is not just science and engineering, the administration is very focused on creating well-rounded scientists/engineers that are able to communicate well. MIT has some outstanding humanities majors, specifically Economics, Political Science, and Management. Supposedly our creative writing program is also well ranked (I took a creative writing class and enjoyed it immensely).

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

I have not participated in a UROP yet, but I plan to. I’ve heard good things about the program.

What are the worst things about MIT?

There’s a big workload, and sometimes you want to scream “IHTFP!” (I Hate This F****** Place, see http://www.mit.edu/people/mjbauer/ihtfp.html). So if you come here, be prepared to work. It doesn’t matter if you’re a science stud and think you’re all that, whether you got 1600 (or 2400) on your SATs, if you won the international science fair or the international science Olympiad, you still have to work hard. Sure, there are a few geniuses here that seem to pick up everything they hear, but those are very rare. All of my friends are very smart, but they still have to work their butts off. Sometimes the workload does get to you, and if it does, take a break, and just remember that YOU chose to come to MIT.

Also, the weather was a big adjustment. Luckily this winter wasn’t all that bad, but it was still cold to me. The snow is fun, but I would much rather be in California. So it’s something to consider.

Even though MIT is a pretty big name school, there are lots of people who have never heard of it. That isn’t really what is important to me, but sometimes it can get annoying. I get “Michigan?” quite a lot, and sometimes, I even have to explain that there is more than one type of engineering than “engineering.” MIT does still carry around some bad reputation for depressed students and whatnot, and I’ve had a ton of people ask me if I feel comfortable being a girl there (it’s almost 50:50 male:female ratio now by-the-way). But that really doesn’t matter because I know the people that have heard of MIT are the ones that are going to give me and job in the future, and that is what counts.

What are the best things about MIT?

So many things, where to start?

I love the people here: I think almost everyone here deserved to get in. Everyone is smart, friendly and fun. MIT students are very enthusiastic and passionate about what they do, and they all have a drive to succeed. I love my friends so much! We all support each other in whatever we do, whether it is going to a concert someone is performing in, giving surprise birthday parties, and helping each other with homework. The upperclassman try to help, too, even if they may not remember what you are studying. I love how people work together on problem sets, and that MIT is not cutthroat.

I don’t feel like the nerd or the geek anymore like I did in high school, because everyone here is interested in having intellectual conversations and talking about crazy physics ideas or going over a strange math proof. It’s nice to finally feel accepted. At the same time, it’s not all “geeks and nerds” here either (see my response about that below).

I love how MIT challenges you but doesn’t kill you. How you feel like you’ve accomplished something just by finishing a pset. I love how I’ve gotten much better at managing my time. I love how MIT teaches how to be a hard worker.

I really like how MIT lets you be an adult and make your own choices. You have a lot of freedom here. As an example, you can essentially choose what dorm you want to live in (you fill out a preference sheet, and most people get one of their top choices…and if you don’t, then there are other ways of getting into your favorite dorm). GRTs and profs act more like mentors than pseudo-parents.

Another thing that is great about MIT is how the administration is always looking at how to improve things. As I said before, students can fill out surveys about their professors, and the results are posted online. MIT is also trying to constantly change the way things are done in the classroom. Sometimes these changes are for the better, and others sound good on paper but do not work well. But the point is that the administration does care. The TEAL format of my physics class was one of these changes (and you can argue it was not well executed, but there are also positive things about it). Right now MIT is looking to change its General Institute Requirements, and they even had a student committee to give input.

I like how the administration is very approachable. Teachers and TAs often lead review sessions before tests, hold office hours (and they don’t seem to think it’s a pain). Even before I was accepted, the admissions officers were not stuffy in the least, and they actually seemed to care about me as a person.

I love how I’ve been challenged in new ways, and I love seeing how I’m improving each day. I love how MIT teaches you how to solve problems so that you can solve anything. I love how MIT education does not emphasize memorization, but understanding the general concepts and then applying them to much more difficult situations.

I love how we have a unique sort of school spirit. Our “brass rat” school rings are the 2nd most recognized ring in the world besides the Super bowl ring, and any alumni will proudly show it to you and start talking about fond memories of pulling a prank, blowing up something, and how “that class was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.” We have nerd pride, it’s true, and we aren’t afraid to show it.

I like how MIT has a reputation for being a “bootcamp” for science and engineering. I know that when I come out of this place, I will be able to do anything. You can’t get the same level of respect from people when they find out you went to MIT anywhere else (maybe Caltech….but honestly, why would you go there? :-). I know I will be very well prepared for life after college. MIT will teach me how to be the best engineer and person I can possibly be.

I love how there are so many opportunities at MIT. There are so many things to do: you can start your own research, join a club (or twenty), participate in a sport, do community service (or start your own non-profit), join the student government and change school policies…the list goes on and on. If you want to do something at MIT, you probably can. The possibilities are endless.

I could continue on, but I’ll spare you the text.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

You should go to MIT if you love math and science and learning in general. If you’ve ever felt alone in your high school for your love of Star Wars, physics, and other intellectual hobbies, then this is the place for you. If you were bored in high school and want a challenge, MIT is for you. If you want to go to the best school in the world for science and engineering, MIT is for you. And, if you want to meet some of the brightest kids in the world, MIT is for you.

If you slacked off in high school because you were really smart and could get straight A’s without any effort, and want the same thing to happen in college, you might not want to come here. If you want to party all the time in college, don’t come here. Geniuses who didn’t need to put any effort into high school often find MIT to be very difficult because they don’t know how to work hard. If you come here, be prepared to put in the time and effort. I don’t say that to discourage you from looking at MIT, it’s just something that people need to know. You will need to work hard, but that’s not all you’ll be doing. You’re going to be learning a ton of cool things, meeting awesome people, participating in amazing activities, and having fun in general. MIT isn’t a place where people study all the time. Sure, it takes up a lot of our time, but college isn’t college without other things too. You can have a balanced life at MIT as long as you are organized.

You probably should not come to MIT if you absolutely detest science. Although MIT does have some world-class humanities programs (economics, political science, and management in particular), you might feel a little left out of all the science jokes. At the same time, there are tons of niches for non-science and math people. So the choice is up to you.

If you think you are the best thing since milk and cookies, MIT is definitely not the place for you. We are very friendly and down-to-earth people (you have to be to survive here, since you'll be relying a lot on others to succeed). Of course we have a few people who think they are "all that", but almost everyone I’ve met at MIT doesn’t have a high opinion of his/herself. Let’s put it this way: don’t expect to be at the top of your class anymore. At the same time though (and as I’ve repeated a billion times), there are many ways to shine here, and it is not impossible to do well.

I love MIT, and I am so glad I came here. I can’t see myself anywhere else.

Student 1:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

At least as far as I've seen, people with clinical depression will be depressed here, and happy people will be happy here. MIT can be a very high-stress environment, so a person prone to depression might find they have more problems with it here than before, but to a certain point the stresses of college (social, academic, etc) are there no matter where you go.

MIT is very careful about how it handles depressed students and is very liberal with offering help for depression and stress, but before coming here I did a little research on my own about the supposed depression problem here. Firstly, MIT's suicide rate is not higher than the national average (at least from the data that I had access to, which was from 1960-1994). Secondly, the suicides that I could find significant information on involved people who already had problems with depression and had attempted suicide before MIT, or had problems not related to college.

I've gone through periods of enormous stress, and sometimes my friends will tease me for being too emotional, but nothing has ever driven me to consider myself clinically depressed (and I've taken some pretty tough course-loads, had girl problems, and dealt with people at home having medical problems, so even though nothing really horrible has happened to me it's not like I haven't had stress). From what I've seen here, people who have issues with depression here are people that simply have issues with depression (ie, not *because* of the institvte), and MIT does a pretty thorough job of offering help to those who seek it.

So, how many nerds are there really?

If you dislike nerdiness and think that it's not "cool", you'll probably be pretty disappointed with us; we're all nerds at heart! Some people are bona-fide nasal-voiced code-monkeys, while others are very charismatic and act like stereotypical "I'm cool" college students, but the truth is most people enjoy their nerd-imbued culture here, and will chuckle at the old joke about the neutron that walked into a bar (even if they try to hide their laughter). Some might disagree with me on this and claim that they are in fact normal, but as far as I'm concerned, everybody at MIT is a nerd.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

To preface my answer to this, I'm a very late-night person. Before MIT as well as here, I routinely stay up till 3 or 4 AM, that's just the way I operate. I get ~8-10 hours of sleep on weekends (I sleep in a lot!) closer to 7 on weekdays, and closer to 6 when I've slacked a lot and need to catch up by doing an entire p-set in one night (if there's more than one p-set this can go down to ~4 hours but I always try to make up for it the next night). If you do work the way you're supposed to (see my other answers) there's no reason you can't get 7 per night. I actually rather enjoy my lifestyle of being up really, really late and such but not everyone does. One thing I have learned in college though; staying up to see the sunrise is exceedingly beautiful when done on one's own volition, but seeing the sun rise because you've been tooling (what we call doing work) all night is one of the most disheartening things.

How much time do you spend doing homework?

At first it seems like p-sets are one-night deals, but don't be fooled. While this may be true near the beginning it changes quickly, and maybe some courses are like this *cough sloan cough* but for the most part, a problem set is composed of problems based upon the range of material being covered throughout the week it's assigned for and should be spread out throughout the week. I feel rather hypocritical saying this, since I often do them all in a night (see what I wrote about seeing the sun rise above), but it's much healthier (and more efficient, since you won't need to relearn stuff) if you spread your work out. Problem sets take in the order of hours to do, so it's not like high school where you can finish homework for a class in an hour the morning it's due. So, honest answer; when I'm being a good student, I study maybe 2-3 hours a day outside of class (study = read stuff, do p-sets, etc). If I'm being a bad student, I don't do any work on weekends and it's more like 3-4 hours/weekday. If I'm being an exceedingly bad student (this usually happens about once, in the middle of term, after which I get my rear back in gear due to the fright of almost screwing up), I do no work outside of class at all until the night before things are due, and then stay up all night. Don't do this, it's not good, but since you probably will at some point anyways, remember that there's always a crash after the caffeine rush dies. :)

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

Very much so. If anything, I probably don't do as much work as I should ;). On weekdays I almost always eat lunch with friends, goof around with people between classes just sitting and talking, etc. After classes, I usually spend a while just unwinding in my room listening to music or chatting. I eat dinner every day with my friends, and after dinner I also spend awhile wandering around the dorm (or visiting friends in other dorms, though I've done that less and less since freshmen year) and goofing around. Eventually I'll sit down and work on problem-sets, usually alone first and then with people, and often this actually can be fun (working with people, that is). Often time gets "wasted" goofing around or taking study breaks and having fun, but this helps us remain sane. Working with people on problems is also helpful since collaborating gives you a different perspective on a problem, regardless of whether you already have a way to solve it. One of the coolest things about learning at MIT is that often you find that by discovering other people's ways of solving problems you might even come up with one that nobody ever has before.

MIT students in general work hard and play hard. We date, have stupid boy-girl drama, have crazy parties, do unwise collegey things, go hacking, have discussions about which video game characters are most attractive, etc, etc. People joke that MIT girls (or boys, depending on which way you're going) are too nerdy to be dateable, but I think this is bunk. I actually can't really see myself being with someone who isn't exceedingly intelligent, and MIT is a pretty good place to meet people like that. I spend a lot of time with my girlfriend and still have plenty of time for my work and for my other activities and friends.

I'm involved in a few activities around campus, but it is important to remember that it's not like high school; you can't do everything. Anything you do is a big time commitment, and learning to manage time is a life skill that you really develop here. One or two things that you really enjoy make for an asset to the MIT experience, but trying to juggle every club under the sun along with friends and not failing classes is going to make life very stressful.

On weekends I probably ought to do some work but realistically I rarely do much more than maybe dabbling a little in the morning/early afternoon. I spend Friday and Saturday nights partying, watching movies with friends, going out to Boston, hacking, and doing weird random nerdy things like lighting things on fire or soldering LED’s to the windows of my dorm. (Sometimes I go out on weekdays too, but again, I probably shouldn't). This is probably true for most people in general regarding college, but I've been having the most fun here that I've ever had before in my life (even if it is coupled with having the most work I've ever had in my life, too. :))

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

Classes are actually very manageable if you do the work, at least for me. Everyone here is different; you'll meet people that seem to struggle and work all day and all night long and barely pass and then there's people that seem to do no work whatsoever and get all A's. (As a note, nobody really gives much of a care about GPA here, and people that do are usually just insecure.) The difference has something to do with talent, but mostly (at least from my observations) to do with efficiency. It is easy to "work" for hours and get real little work done; it's all about where the effort goes. The most important piece of advice I can give regarding work is this; don't waste time on "cramming" and memorizing things and "studying for the test" UNTIL you have the fundamentals down. A few hours of work getting the fundamentals down solid as soon as you learn them means literally days and *weeks* worth of work time that you don't need to do later on, when everyone else is "studying". This means always going to class, doing the readings, and asking questions as soon as they arise.

If you're on top of things here, it can be one of the best feelings in the world, but it's so easy to slip just a little behind and have it avalanche upon you until you're *forced* to stay up all night cramming for a test. The sad thing is that when this happens, even if you do pass the test you won't do as well as you could have, and more importantly, you won't have really learned anything. If you can't at least reasonably attempt to answer the questions on an exam for a class you took years ago, you might as well have not taken it because the point of taking the class was to learn things that you'll use later in life. If you just want a degree, you can get one from one of those spam emails we all get. Some people go through MIT this way, and it is a damn shame because they're essentially wasting their time. There's nothing wrong with giving things a once-over before the exam, but by working more efficiently on learning the stuff and resolving all questions right at the beginning, you'll find that you don't even really need to, and you're last minute studying will make you feel really good as you reassure yourself that you do in fact already know the stuff.

My personal struggles with doing work involve doing problem sets (I've actually always kinda had a problem with doing homework). When I force myself to do them, though, I find that I actually have TONS of free time and party / goof around quite a bit, and get A's. When I slack, I get loaded with stress, waste time fretting over my work in my room (and not really getting it done) and usually can only manage B's in these situations because I'm lucky enough to have a father who used to be a physics professor and friends that force me to do work when I want to goof around. So basically, don't procrastinate and you'll get good grades and have lots of time to party. And most importantly, always keep in mind why you're here; grades are all well and good, but the point of coming here is that you have world class teachers and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn things. If you do your work you'll have no trouble getting B's and having time to have fun, so stressing about grades is just a waste of time and energy that you could be using to do work or have fun! :) (And B's here are pretty darn impressive so if your parents/peers/etc still have a problem with your grades, so long as you know you did your best and you learned things, find a polite and respectful way to tell them to stuff it.)

Other random advice: Although it can seem really, really daunting at first, pass/no-record is something you should take advantage of. If you're interested at all in physics, for example, take 8.012, and not 8.01. If you really can't handle it, there's nothing that prevents you from going down to the "easier" level, but the "with theory" classes are some of the most rewarding that I've ever taken, and they are challenges that are well worth the effort.

And the most important advice I can give about exams: NEVER STAY UP ALL NIGHT OR SACRIFICE A GOOD 8-9 HOUR NIGHT'S SLEEP TO STUDY FOR A TEST!! If you've done the work and the p-sets all along, you probably don't even need to study, and if you do study, you probably just need to give everything a good once-over. If you sacrifice sleep, you're sacrificing your mind's ability to focus on the test and improvise and *think* during it. There aren't "regurgitation-style" memorization-tests here, so cramming is NOT a good idea. A good night's rest and a good breakfast will help you immensely more than any amount of studying if you know the material, and if you don't know the material, you're kinda in a bad way regardless; do what you have to do, but learn from it and don't put yourself in that position again because it's a recipe for failure.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

I've yet to have a bad teacher here. I had very mediocre teachers for the most part *before* coming here, and honestly my success in school and the fact that I got in here is mostly due to my father single-handedly teaching me all my pre-MIT math and science when I was little. MIT is a very different story from high school, no matter where you went. The lecturers almost always have a way of teaching the material and knowing exactly what usually gets people, and explaining the material so that these problems are resolved. Whenever I have a question and I ask the professors, they have a weird knack of seeming to understand exactly what my problem is and explaining it in a way that addresses me.

The only teachers here that might not be top-notch are TA's, not because of their ability but sometimes because they aren't very interesting to listen to (grad students don't get very much sleep, after all). Actually, many of my TA's have also been full professors (this is always really nice), but it's almost always very easy to switch recitation sections to a teacher that works better for you. MIT isn't given the name recognition for nothing, and people that say that "at a school like that you'll only get taught by foreign grad students" has no clue what they are talking about. It is, simply put, one of the best schools in the world to study engineering and math and the sciences, and this is due to the fact that we have some of the best teachers of these fields.

Have you participated in a UROP? What was the experience like?

I participated in a UROP with the Media Lab over the summer of 2006. It really exceeded my expectations of what working over the summer would be like. A mere undergrad, I went from having no idea really what was going on in the project to soldering .5mm components under a microscope, becoming adept with the oscilloscope and other lab equipment, designing schematics for the circuits, and ultimately designing the layout and routing the components for the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). I learned a lot and also discovered that I really do enjoy working on EE stuff (I'd not had very much hands-on experience with my major to this point). MIT is very unique in that it has this program and makes it quite easy for undergrads to get themselves into actual research and work in their fields under real professors. I've heard bad things about some UROP groups too, so I'd definitely check into who I'd be working with before accepting the position, but my experience has most definitely been a positive one.

What are the worst things about MIT?

The food situation. Almost every college campus I've heard of has exceedingly overpriced, unsatisfying food, and MIT is no different in this respect. Students complain about this a lot, as they do everywhere. What makes it worse here is that even what expensive and monotonous meals we do get are not readily accessible for most students. Only four of the student dormitories have dining halls, and these dining halls only serve dinner (no other meals) and only serve them 5 days a week (Sun-Thurs). One of the dining halls had begun serving dinner on weekends as well last year; I am not sure whether this is continuing. My dorm (one of the ones with a dining hall) has a "nite cafe" that is open after dining hours - 1 am that serves grilled panini and various snacks and goodies and drinks that are actually pretty decent, and the dining hall isn't *bad*, but it gets old very quickly.

This is somewhat the extent of convenient dining at MIT. If you live in a dorm without a dining hall, you're forced to either cook (something which can be fun, but is a very significant time commitment, especially here where time is so valuable), order in (expensive, and also gets old quick), or go out to eat (expensive, takes time). Furthermore, to "encourage" students who live in dining dorms to eat in them, residents of dorms with dining halls are required to participate in the "Preferred Dining Program", essentially paying a lump sum that is the equivalent of half the price of each meal for a term in order to get 50% off meals for the term. Sound stupid?

Dining options on campus beyond these dining halls include Pritchett Dining (located in Walker Memorial, the former student center near EC and Senior Haus; preferred dining discount also applies there, but nowhere else), the Stata Center (open for lunch, very overpriced and not that large of portions), the student center (contains Anna's Taqueria, perhaps the most cost-effective food on campus (and tastes really good too!) but gets very old if eaten too frequently; Lobdell Dining (open only for lunch on weekdays) which has a sushi bar / teriyaki place, an Indian place, and middle-eastern food), LaVerde's (open 24 hours on weekdays, most of the day on weekends) which has subs and sandwiches, as well as groceries and prepackaged food, and Dunkin' Donuts (exceedingly healthy cuisine :-p). These sound like options at first, but the majority of them are only available during lunch hours, and they all get very old very fast. Beyond these are food trucks, located around campus, which are economically priced and surprisingly good, but also get old fast :).

So, food would be my one large gripe with the institvte; in a (laudable, but ineffective) effort to maintain student financial freedom by not having any sort of mandatory dining plan, MIT has also managed to neglect maintaining any sort of centralized easily accessible and consistently available source of good food for students living on campus. It's not a completely awful situation, but for students in one of the most intense institutions of learning in the world, we have many, many more things to worry about, and obtaining sustenance on a daily basis shouldn't be yet another thing piling on stress for students.

What are the best things about MIT?

The people. MIT students often poke fun at one another and use (amusing but not generally *that* true) generalizations for themselves (such as lack of hygiene, absent-mindedness, and general nerdy fashion sense), but when it comes right down to it, this is one of the friendliest campuses I've seen. There are always a few odd eggs out, but for the most part, arrogance, pretentious behavior, and all that ivy-league rot are wiped away from the freshmen very soon into term when they realize that they are, in fact, no longer the smartest kids in the class and that it also does not, in fact, matter. Beyond the stereotypical premed (yes, we have them here too, they're everywhere), there is rarely any feeling of competition among fellow students. Anybody that calls MIT "cutthroat" has no idea what they are talking about. MIT is insanely hard, true, and is also full of insanely smart people, but I've yet to run across a significant feeling of competition among my peers. Actually, students here seem more ready to help one another and work together than anything else.

The other cool thing about people here is they're almost all weird and quirky (in a good way!). People for the most part enjoy nerdy physics jokes, talking about science, and all that sort of thing. If you think this is a bad thing, sure, you probably won't like it here, but most people here find it refreshing to finally meet people who have the same passions as they do.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

MIT is not the right place for everyone. It most certainly is the right place for me, though, and I can honestly say that coming here is one of the best decisions that I have made. If you're the sort of person that loves learning, accepts challenges, and can deal with working hard, it might be the right place for you. If you have a healthy perspective on life and can deal with things not always going the way you'd originally planned (ie, there will be people that are better than you at stuff), and enjoy learning things for the sake thereof, you might do well here.

If you do not like math, science, or engineering, you probably will not like MIT; it isn't that we don't have other fields here, and many of the students do major in the humanities, but if you find that you detest techie things, it makes little sense to come here just as it would make little sense to go to art school if you're one of those people that "hates new art". If you're not very good at math and science, you also might find the workload here unbearable, but the admissions people are pretty good at what they do, and I've not really met anybody that I don't think can deal with the work here (though I *have* met people that have chosen *not* to deal with the work, that's another story). If all you want to do in college is party, this isn't the place. This doesn't mean MIT isn't a party school (actually a statistic that you don't often hear about us is that we were ranked in Playboy's "Top 10 Party Schools" throughout much of the 80's), but you need to work hard in order to earn the right to play hard. (And at MIT, most people really do both.) Finally, even if you are exceedingly talented, if you're arrogant, pretentious, or make judgment calls about others based upon their performance with respect to yours, you won't fit in well here. Most likely if you are like this and come here, you'll learn quickly enough to lose the attitude because you'll find that many of your classmates are rather better at what you are arrogant about than you are, but some people don't get beyond this and find themselves rather lonely because of it.

You should go to MIT because you want to become as good as you possibly can in your chosen field of study and because you love science, NOT because you want to compete, so that you can get a degree with "MIT" on it, or because you want to put others down. There's nothing wrong with the degree with "MIT" on it, and it will very certainly prove quite useful in whatever future career you have, but MIT is a very non-pretentious place, and arrogant people aren't taken very seriously here or given much respect.

Student 2:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

(This question was not in the FAQ when this student answered it. All the other students answered this question, however).

So, how many nerds are there really?

One the neatest things about this place is the degree of cool nerdiness. Any problem, and someone will help you brainstorm for a creative solution. We laugh at lame jokes (my personal favorite is "I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is imaginary. Please hang up, turn your phone by pi/2 and try again.") People really love what they study. But at the same time, they are just normal kids who like to party and hang out with friends and go to New York city or the hills of Vermont on weekends.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

You can get 8 hours, sometimes what you're trading it for is social hour. It seems many students here are on the 3am-11am sleep schedule (with some variation). I have never had a problem getting enough sleep (until this semester, but this is partially my fault. Slight overextended...) I'm on a more classic 11pm-7am schedule most of the time, with occasional all-nighters, but they have been few and far between. I don't find my social life suffering because of this, but most of my friends are on my sports teams, so those two hours a day go a long way to fulfilling that need.

How much time do you spend doing homework?

Huge range. Depends on the classes I'm taking and even the time of the semester. The best class I've ever taken here had projects instead of tests and I spent way too many hours on them (three nights in a row at the lab from 7pm until 6am before a couple of them were due). For the most part, however, I find I spend less time on homework that the classes say to expect. The way credit units work here is based on estimates of hours per week spent on a class. A standard class is 12 units, usually either 3 hours lecture, 2 hours discussion group, and expected 7 hours per week on homework for that class. Humanities classes are typically smaller, lacking discussion groups, and thus expect you to spend 9 hours on the reading and writing assignments, which I found to be a generous overestimate even for what I consider quality work (not just getting an A, but having stuff I was proud of).

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

Yes. I work as an "undergraduate teaching fellow" for a wonderful freshman program called Terrascope (that I was in my freshman year). I sing in a group here (scheduling conflict this semester, but up until now have been in a group very similar to Chamber Singers). I play two sports (three this year, I tried crew for the first time). I leave on free weekends to visit family, or go hiking in New Hampshire or Vermont. I have been caving (spelunking, but at MIT that connotes hacking, so we say caving if you actually went in a cave...). I teach kayak rolling for the outing club when we can get pool time. I have a guitar and keyboard in my room and play music as a study break (quietly). I have many arts and crafts type hobbies (water colors, origami, cross stitch) that can be good, mindless activities. And, of course, I read, but I find I don't have quite as much time for that as I did in high school. Nonetheless, I'm in the middle of a couple of pleasure books right now: a John McPhee (the Control of Nature) and a geology book about the study of the Andes Mountains (a narrative of one field geologist's experiences there).

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

I have a 4.3 (out of 5.0), with the attitude that I stopped caring about getting all A's. I do all the extra stuff that I do because I stopped stressing about grades. There are lots of premed kids here who panic with one B freshman year, which I think is not very healthy. I have mostly A's and B's, with the occasional blot (C in differential equations, for example, first class I really struggled in. But I got a B+ on the final, so I learned it by the end). If you cut down on extra-curriculars, it is totally possible to get a 5.0 or close (I have a handful of friends that do). On the other hand, there are the people who assume that it is the "MIT" and not the GPA on the resume that will win them jobs, and so squeeze by with a 2 or 3, choosing (most often) social activities over classes.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

I have had mixed experiences, (one really bad) but for the most part I have a very positive opinion of MIT professors. I have had some truly amazing and inspiration profs here, in a huge range of subject matters. My geology profs have been most consistently excellent, but two of my favorites were in physics. In the humanities, my Spanish teacher is phenomenal, philosophy lectures were amazing, and my Jazz history prof was incredible.

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

Not yet, and I have heard very mixed results. The good news is that they are very easy to get, and can be just as useful if you don't like it by showing you what not to major in as they can be in finding you a topic you love so much it becomes your senior or even masters thesis.

I will be in Peru this summer as a field assistant hiking and rafting in the Colca and Cotahuasi river canyons to study the uplift history of the Peruvian Plateau. I have also already talked with the professor I want to work with for my senior thesis and even know the project I will be joining. (We're using a scale model to learn about bedrock channel evolution, how pot holes form, what factors control erosion and flow dynamics and such).

I am a white water raft guide in the summers (well, only for June this summer) and that is when many UROPs occur (it is just as easy to get one for the semester, but it is like having an extra class. Many people have no problem with this, but others would rather not have it detract from work (usually the ones that are struggling). Because of my position in Terrascope and my other activities, I'm already working hard to manage my time and a UROP never seemed attractive enough for me to try to squeeze one in.

What are the worst things about MIT?

Another tough one. Certainly the weather is a big adjustment (it gets COLD), and just living in a big city all the time is hard for me. I start going nuts. The Charles is a big help. It has paths with trees on either side, but I still have to get out periodically. This is not a problem for everyone, but I'm from a town near Lake Tahoe of 10,000 people, and I have spent almost every summer on rivers in the middle of no where. Cars by my window all night long and lights that never go off and not being able to see the stars starts making me crazy before long.

I don't like some of the reputation associated with MIT, and some of the comments I get (nerd stuff, you have sports?, antisocial freaks, etc. while there are some, this is not really the truth of this place). I also have to admit, though I'm a bit ashamed that this bothers me at all, that it is annoying how few people know about this place. I didn't pick it because it was a "name brand school." Turns out that internationally MIT is more highly respected than even Stanford or Harvard, but in this country many people have no idea it exists or what caliber it is. Luckily, both grad schools and employers do know, and having a degree that says MIT really is a big help in opening doors (though I think it is kind of sad, since you could get a great education at pretty much any school you go to if you work at it, this is the truth).

There exists the same bureaucracy and mess of paperwork and idiotic protocols here as in most of the rest of the world. Usually there are loopholes if you have a logical reason for wanted to do something outside the ordinary, but it may take a lot of back and forth and multiple signatures to make it happen. Unavoidable, I suppose.

What are the best things about MIT?

Wow, into the hard ones now...I'm not sure I can pick out the best things, but there are a lot of little things I really like. I like the institute's attitude towards hacking (pranks here, computer hacking is known as cracking)--that creative thought and ingenuity should be encouraged (so long as property is respected, etc.). I like the opportunities living in Boston allows (concerts, lectures, access to so many college age kids. MIT gives its students free access to the Boston science museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, 20 free tickets to the Boston Symphony, and a number of other rotating deals).

I love the international nature and incredible diversity of this campus. MIT offers very good (though not the best) financial aid packages. The students here are friendly. Of all the schools I visited in New England, I found MIT and Middlebury to be the most "California friendly," ie, more laid back (casual), less competitive (there is an amazing attitude of teamwork here. The work is challenging enough as it is and no classes are on a "x number of people get A, y get B's etc" curve, so students tend to help each other out a lot.), more supportive, open, not as preppy. The people here are amazing, both students and professors. They might have just won a Nobel Prize, or be world famous, but if an undergrad (or even perspective student) wants to make an appointment to meet, they will almost always give you time and attention. I had a spectacular chemistry teacher first term freshman year (in a class of over 400 people). I recently dropped by (with no warning) to visit him because some of the topics in his solid state chemistry class were appearing in my mineralogy class, and the students who had taken the chemistry department's intro class were totally lost. Not only did he remember my (and my name) but he knew where I was from and what my parents did, and we had a nice half hour or so talk. He wanted to make sure I was still happy here and how things were going and what I was majoring in, etc. He then asked me to come back any time, especially if things got tough. This is someone who besides not being an advisor is not even in my department, but cares enough that he was willing to spend that much time with a student he hadn't seen in a two years.

I love that you get to choose where you want to live, and that all the dorms are mixed with freshmen and upperclassmen. True, you lose some of the sense of class unity, but there are a surprising number of class-sponsored activities (everything from formals to ski trips to movie nights). I like that you are surrounded by people who have been there and can give advice about professors and classes or tell you how to get to Haymarket or who to talk to if your computer breaks down (the answer to that last one may be your neighbor). Each dorm does have somewhat of its own personality (certainly its own reputation) but each floor is often unique, and I think that even if you don't get your top choice of dorm, you can find a place to be happy, and transferring is always an option as spots open up.

I like that everyone, even English and history majors (yes, we have a few) have to take the science core, which is intense enough that they get a bachelor's of SCIENCE in English (or whatever). I think that our society would be better of if more people were at least exposed to some of these fundamentals, because of the way they teach you to think.

Terrascope, as mentioned in my previous email, is an incredible freshman program. With it I have gone to Brazil, Alaska, and Galapagos the past three years (next year is most likely Hawaii, and after that, Grand Canyon). It forces you to work in teams and research and create something as freshmen, before you've been told how to do things the way everyone else does them.

I like that MIT makes it very easy to get involved with the local community through teaching and outreach programs with high-schools (you can teach whatever you want, literally. If you design a course, you can teach, you can do SAT prep, you can work with middle school girls on science projects, etc), or through a number of service organizations.

I've got my own brass rat (class ring), which I wear with pride, and it starts up amazing conversations. It is the second most recognized ring in the world (behind the super bowl ring) and you can be on a plane and someone will see it and say "I (or my brother/wife/etc) went to MIT. What course are you?" It's fun.

I like that many of our performance groups (in particular some of the a cappella groups) are very good. I like that our sports teams (despite popular perception and with a few exceptions) are excellent, and fielded by kids who are playing for the love of the game. No scholarships are allowed in Division III, and people don't go to MIT to play sports, but my water polo team has been invited to Div III nationals in the past despite being a club team (and placed as the top team outside of CA for a number of years now). We're probably heading to club nationals this year in Texas. A freshman diver on my swim team won Nationals in the 3-meter, and placed 3rd in the 1-meter. A number of guys on the team competed in nationals and did quite well (both individual and in relays). We have some star track and field players, fencers, and gymnasts. Our soccer teams have had some decent showings in recent years. Last year the men's polo team won nationals. We are surprisingly dominant in pistol and rifle despite the fact that most people on the team have never held a gun of any sort before coming here (we even beat army and naval academies). Sailing has been strong in the past, and I'm sure I'm missing a good deal more. We recently (opened my freshman year) built the best pool/workout facility at any school in New England (that I know of).

IAP (look it up online). During January you don't even have to be on campus (I swim with the team 5 hours a day, but if you don't have that commitment, you can do whatever you want, and we took a training trip to Florida, so not that bad really). You can take one class intensively, or go abroad, or get a brief internship, or stay home, or work on your UROP. Totally up to you, but with endless possibilities.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

I'll be the first to admit that MIT is not for everyone, and I have known people who transferred, or just complained through four years about how unhappy they were. I think, however, that you should come to MIT if you have an inquisitive mind. If you have a big curiosity and are a creative person than I think MIT is one of, if not the, best place in the country to foster and nurture those impulses. I think the opportunities provided here and the attitude of professors and students are unparalleled. It is tough, but if it weren't I think the type of student that lasts here would be even unhappier than they claim they are now. It is kind of weird that our biggest showing of school spirit lies in the acronym, "IHTFP" which can stand for one of about 500 different things, most often "I Hate This F-ing Place," followed closely by "Institute Has the Finest Professors" and "I Have Truly Found Paradise." Students here often refer to MIT as "Hell" (yes, capitalized, not in a figurative sense) but the challenges bring us closer together. We feel like we've been through something that no one else could ever understand, and we made it. An alum a few years out said "MIT is a better school to be from than at," and I think that captures a lot of students' sentiments. Personally, I still love it here. I know I'm not alone, but few others will admit it. Most have a love-hate relationship with this place (and they love to hate it even though they enjoy their time here). Boy, this is complex and as it gets later and I get more tired I'm having a harder time explaining it all.

Basically, you should come here because it is the best school in the country. Period. Especially in engineering, math, and science, which you have indicated as your most probably fields. It is a forerunner in changing and reviewing its curriculum and requirements and taking creative approaches to education. It is a world leader (with things like open course ware as well as technologies and research). Bottom line, though, is that you should come here because you decide you want to, not because I tell you to. If you don't fully embrace this place and come in with enthusiasm, it will be very hard. If you do, it will be incredibly rewarding.

Student 3:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

I don't think it's fair to say that MIT students are in general depressed. Throughout the year, I was actually in a pretty decent mood. Sometimes I didn't feel so good, but that was more for personal reasons not related to academics. I know one girl who seemed to be "depressed" but besides that, everyone else seemed relatively content/happy. I would describe myself as content during the year.

So, how many nerds are there really?

Hmm, the word nerd can be confusing. If you look, sure you'll find them. Then again, if you look you'll find the jocks. On average, I would say the people are "nerdier", but what defines nerdy exactly? Liking to talk about computers or physics? I find them fascinating subjects, and I don't wear taped glasses or pocket protectors. I think my impression upon arriving here was that the people were much more "normal" than I would've guessed.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

It depends, but I average 6-7 hours of sleep, which is more than in high school haha. bad bad me ...

How much time do you spend doing homework?

I spend most of my time doing work, but that's because I'm very inefficient. If I were more efficient, I'd have time for more things. It's really what you make of it--be well organized and you'll have time to do what you want. Don't be organized like I am and you'll screw yourself over. The girl who lived next to me talked with her boyfriend at Caltech for at least 3 hours a day, and damn she got straight As. Then again she's the smartest girl I know ...

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

I didn't get involved in many activities besides studying, mainly because I didn't make an effort to. Next year I plan to.

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

Classes are not impossible. If they were, that'd be stupid haha. If you put in the effort, you'll reap the rewards.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

Some profs were fantastic teachers (Mattuck for 18.03 for example), some were decent (Goemans for 18.06), and some just plain blew. It really depends on each person's teaching style. Don't expect any personal attention from your profs while taking freshman classes, my smallest class was 18.06 w/120 people. My average class size was ~250-300.

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

I did a UROP first semester and it was a valuable learning experience. It helped me get ready for my job this summer, since I haven't taken any course 6 classes at all besides 6.001. In a sense, UROP's are "cliche", but if you put a lot into it, you'll get a lot out of it. I feel like there are lameduck UROPs and serious UROPs like the one my roommate's involved in. Although you may not have much control over which kind of project you get, you won't get a serious UROP unless you put in serious effort.

What are the worst things about MIT?

Worst things: hard to say ... I love it here! Maybe the lack of close contact with your prof.

What are the best things about MIT?

Best things: the hardcore experience/atmosphere, awesome people, great education (I'm serious). And oh yeah, OPPORTUNITIES OPPORTUNITIES! If there's anything you want to do besides blow up Kansas, you can find the resources here to help you do it. And the career fairs here are fantastic, at least I think once you're not a freshman anymore haha.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

I went to MIT because I knew that I wanted to study computer science, and, well, MIT's #1 for that. I think in hindsight, that I belong here. My personality just clicks with the other people on campus, I have great discussions about esoteric topics about things such as computers, and I feel like I would only get to have these kind of discussions with freshmen at MIT, and probably not at most other colleges. No, MIT isn't the right place for everyone. You should have a documented history of workaholism, to say the least.

Student 4:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

Many of the people I know well at MIT are some of the happiest I have ever met. They have finally come to a place where everything they are excited about it right there, they can pursue their passions, and everyone around them is amazingly cool. I have also met people who are not so happy - usually they feel bad about themselves, not being good enough, not doing well enough. It is easy to feel like this when you have always been among the best. It is easy to become depressed when life is really stressful which is easily can be. It really is all about the attitude you bring to MIT. It is an amazing place with amazing people - keep that perspective and your experience will be wonderful.

So, how many nerds are there really?

As many as you want there to be. Define nerd as someone who is really excited

about their work that you want to be around and you will find lots of friends. Define nerd as that weird smelly guy who sits typing in the dark all day and you can easily avoid him. MIT is all about choosing which communities to make yourself a part of. They can be as nerdy, as normal, as strange as you want.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

It really depends on the week. Some weeks? 7-8. Others? 4-5. Let's say 6.

How much time do you spend doing homework?

I don't believe that there is actually enough time to finish all of one's homework to complete satisfaction. So it's all about priorities. Writing an interesting paper vs. finishing the last problem of a problem set vs. talking with some really interesting people vs. working on a robot for a competition etc. You can spend all of your time doing homework if that is how you want to live.

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

In my experience, no time is "free," but absolutely! Other things I have done besides studying: I spend time playing intramural sports, cooking dinner for my co-op, participating in a variety of clubs and other extra-curriculars, and most of all talking with the simply amazing people that abound at MIT.

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

Classes are definitely not impossible. Some are very very hard. Others will seem easy. Doing well is what you define it to be. I have never taken a class that has seemed "impossible" but I have certainly not done well in some of them, mostly for giving the time they would require into some other pursuit. Doing well is what you define it to be. I think doing well is really understanding the material and being able to apply it when they give you opportunities to assess yourself. If you pull your head out of problems sets to make sure that you actually "get" it, everything will be a lot easier.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

Some are amazing teachers, some are terrible. There is a huge range because they are not selected to be professors on the basis of their teaching. Most every class has evaluations you can access with certificates - the professors are rated by the students who have taken their classes and if you have a choice, you can usually pick mighty good profs. Sometimes you don't have a choice and the professors is not so great. That's when finding a good TA makes all of the difference. Similarly, many professors are very approachable and you can go talk to them. Do this whenever possible. If they are willing to talk, they often turn out to be very cool people.

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

Not while on campus.

What are the worst things about MIT?

If you get caught up in always getting everything right and forget about how interesting the material really is, if you forget about the amazing people around you and bury yourself alone, if you decide to hate the institute forgetting that you choose to go there and that the institute wants you to be there, if you set up the conditions to hate MIT, it will be the worst place ever. Don't do this. And if you see people around you acting this way, remind them of the good things and help them out.

What are the best things about MIT?

The people at MIT are amazing people. Many of them are so passionate about what excites them and this energy drives the campus. They also tend to be very friendly and welcoming - find these people and play with them. There are faculty who really care and students who are simply wonderful to be around. MIT is a chance to really pursue things that fascinate you and to discover new things that also fascinate you. Choose the community you live in to surround yourself with the best people you can imagine. Choose the classes you take and the path you follow to always be exciting and engaging. Choose the other activities you do to get you excited and meet other people who are. You have much more control over your MIT experience than it may seem. Exercise this control and you will have a wonderful time.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

See the previous two questions... It is not the right place for everyone, but if it is the right place, it is an amazing place.

Student 5:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

Well, "most" is quite an exaggeration, though MIT certainly attracts more than the usual amount. It's not something that affects you every day, but it is something you should look out for.

So, how many nerds are there really?

Almost everyone at MIT is a nerd, but to various degrees. For example, everyone will understand your "e to the x" joke, but not everyone will join you for a game of Dungeons and Dragons.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

6 hours a night on weekdays, more on weekends. You have to keep on top of your work to earn your sleep.

How much time do you spend doing homework?

Each problem set will take about 4 hours to complete. (Some are shorter, some longer). Most people don't start until midnight the night before, of course.

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

Yes! It's very important that you get out and do things. Make sure you know people outside your dorm, and try out different activities (you won't have time to shop around after your freshman year)

Also, certain dorms have fairly active social scenes. You should make sure to visit every dorm and talk to the residents. They're all very friendly (except Bexley) and will give you advice. Don't be scared by Senior House or EC.

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

Depends which ones you take. Your best strategy is to take a balance of hard classes and easier classes each semester. Ask the upperclassmen, they will be your best resource at MIT. (Of course, if you live in Next House or Simmons, you may have to leave home to find some upperclassmen).

As freshmen, you should look out for the classes with "extra numbers" at the end. For instance, you might be deciding between 8.02 and 8.022. If you want to be a physics major then go ahead and take 8.022. Otherwise, you'll find that you actually learn more by taking the normal class instead. It is also fairly common for students to switch classes, especially after the first test!

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good

teachers?)

Some of them are fantastic, especially for freshman year classes. For most classes, you'll have a professor and a TA, and at least one of them will be helpful. Just make sure you seek their help if you get lost.

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

Yes. If you have the time, it's a really good idea to get a UROP as early as your sophomore year (or freshman year if you want!). Personally, I had a couple UROPs where I learned new things (and padded my resume), but I didn't really care about the work. I had one, though, where I actually got to apply my knowledge and work on something cool.

What are the worst things about MIT?

Some of the admins. They're out to get you and destroy everything you hold dear.

Of course, other admins are out to protect you and reaffirm everything you hold dear.

Nevermind. Just ask the upperclassmen about it.

Also, the weather.

What are the best things about MIT?

East Campus. Seriously. This is the only place in the Boston metropolitan area where you can detonate explosives every night and the police won't even bat an eye. It's also the only place where you can build your own wooden roller coaster and the president of the university will come and ride.

Also, the Red Sox.

And now, for some unsolicited advice:

Try to meet new people all over campus. It's a lot easier when you're a frosh, and you'll always know someone in your classes and you'll always have a party to go to Saturday night.

Rush (what the admins call "orientation") is the best time of the year. Don't waste it going to "mandatory" events.

Don't waste your time at MIT, but remember to go out and have fun.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

You should go to MIT because it is the premiere science and engineering school in the country (ok, Sloanies can come, too). On top of that, you have the opportunity to do real research as an undergraduate, which is something many schools do not offer. And you will be given many opportunities outside of MIT because of the companies that recruit heavily at MIT, and because of the programs run by MIT (such as the Cambridge-MIT exchange or the VI-A program).

MIT is also a great place to live and work. The students are unusual, but they're incredibly fun and creative. Boston and Cambridge have everything you could need as a college student.

Student 6:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

Yes, depression can become a problem at MIT. It's very easy to isolate yourself from friends by taking on too much schoolwork. Students really push themselves to do their best and when they don't receive the grade they expected, it's really tough to feel good about it. It's a big transition for most students from high school in every aspect, not just academic, and it can be overwhelmingly hard to cope with. I don't think MIT has a good health services center, so the best help any student can get if they are feeling depressed is to spend more time with friends and family.

So, how many nerds are there really?

Lots..I think MIT has a range of nerdlings, from wanna-be-nerds to super-nerds; though I think the super-nerds outnumber the > wanna-be-nerds by a good majority here.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

Depends on if you count naps/sleeping in class. For the first two weeks of class, yes I actually do get 8 hours of sleep a night. After that average is 5-6hrs/night, and then add in about 1 hour for sleeping through classes -which is a BAD TERRIBLE HORRIBLE idea. Try to stay awake in class, it really does help you learn the material much better. I know of some people who can stay awake in class having had only 3 hours of sleep the night before. It really depends on the person, and how much sleep their body needs.

How much time do you spend doing homework?

About 36 hours per week, depending on the week. This includes studying the material (which I believe is part of homework).

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

I am also on the varsity track and field team, the Chinese Lion Dance Club, and the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Society. Sometimes I go out to Boston with my friends to explore the city. It's good to take a break and do things beside studying all the time. They also have a lot of interesting seminars all the time, with refreshments.

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

Most of the freshman classes are managable especially if you've been exposed to the subject before. But yes, there are some classes that are nearly impossible and it's a struggle just to pass. But they usually have teacher's assistants (TAs) and office hours where you can beg for help.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

All the professors I have had were excellent. Though at times, some professors have really high expectations for the class and don't realize that we're still undergraduates struggling to graduate. Every professor really knows their material thoroughly and enjoys teaching. The only drawback is that they are extremely busy people, but they will always make time for students if you ask for an appointment.

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

Yes, for two semesters and IAP. I worked in a Neuroscience lab and had an absolutely superb learning experience. I think it depends on the mentor you have and those you work with. My mentor was wonderful, she was always eager to answer my questions and teach me different techniques they used in the lab. I started not knowing anything about bio-labs, and learned practically every PCR technique there is. Doing a UROP helped me gain useful experiences in the lab, and buffer my resume and learn a lot about biology. Every UROP is different, but if you do put in the effort for a UROP you'll definitely get something out of it.

What are the worst things about MIT?

The workload is RIDICULOUS!!! They expect a lot of out you, which is a good thing, but it's really taxing on your well-being. When time gets squeezed from you, students throw their health out the window by overdosing on caffeine, not sleeping, skipping meals to finish assignments, it gets pretty ugly.

What are the best things about MIT?

The environment, the spirit and the community. Most MIT students are very friendly and helpful. Everyone seems to strive to be the best person they can be, and you can't help following their examples. The academic environment is very difficult because everyone challenges themselves to their greatest potential, and that's what makes MIT one of the world's greatest universities.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

Those who love a challenge to their academic ability will absolutely love MIT; those only pursuing a degree half-heartedly will be miserable.

Student 7:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

It's easy to get overwhelmed at MIT and it's even easier to forget that there are 1,000 other incoming students coming through it with you. The students who get depressed are the ones who don't realize that they have to ask for help and that they can't be straight A students anymore. I will be the first to admit that first semester was tough. I felt unprepared and worried that I wasn't going to make it, but I got help: from friends, family, and some counseling on tutors and the resources at MIT to help me get through. It's easy to get depressed here if you want to, but it's just as easy to have the time of your life.

So, how many nerds are there really?

Everyone at MIT is a nerd. It's rather how nerdy are you. And that depends on the day or even your personality. At MIT, we all have our nerdy moments where you get excited about figuring a math problem, or realize how physically impossible something is in a movie. The more important thing to realize is that being a nerd isn't a bad thing.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

Depends on who you are. I average 8-10 hours of sleep every night because I want to. I balance my time and make sleeping a regular part of my schedule. There is always nights where you only get 3-4 hours of sleep, but on average I would say that the amount of sleep you get is totally up to you.

How much time do you spend doing homework?

I spend as much time on homework as I need to get it done. In reality, homework only accounts for 10-15% of your grade in every class, so it doesn't have to be perfect. More importantly, homework teaches you what you need to know in order to do well on exams which is the biggest chunk of your grade. On average, though, if I am taking 48 credit hours, I would say that I use that much time AT MOST to get it done, but usually much less.

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

YES, I do two varsity sports and I'm in a sorority. I also spend time with my boyfriend and friends going out to parties, shopping, just hanging out, and doing cool stuff in Boston.

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

Classes aren't impossible, it's all about the effort that you put into them. If you want to succeed in school then you'll put in the effort and that's what you'll get back out.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

Professors are extremely smart people, but they are not always very good at teaching. I have liked all of my professors and think the more important part is to get good TA's. Spend the time shopping around for TA's because they ultimately make the decision on your grade and if they suck, it's going to be a lot harder for you to do well.

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

I am currently participating in a UROP. I can't even begin to explain how valuable the experience was. My UROP is going to make my entire sophomore year much easier. I have dealt with all the classes that I am going to take my sophomore year in my UROP. We have talked about fluid dynamics, design process, building, machining, and most of what I will be taking next year. I've gotten to work with extremely brilliant individuals and have had an awesome time.

What are the worst things about MIT?

The weekdays

What are the best things about MIT?

THE PEOPLE, the friends, the connections, the opportunities, a place where people do more than just talk, the best academic institution in the world,

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

If you are inspired by great achievements in science and engineering and if you, yourself, are willing to work your buns off, then MIT is for you. You don't have to be good at math or science. If you just have the interest and passion for engineering then the theory will come.

Student 8:

There is a rumor that most MIT students are depressed (the whole suicide rate thing), what are your comments on that?

MIT does not have a bad suicide rate as far as I know. I have been told one or less a year. Does not seem different from most other colleges.

People are not depressed. People are often STRESSED during the year, but people expect to be stressed. Therefore they except it, and find something fun and exciting to do.

So, how many nerds are there really?

If you consider a smart person to be a nerd, then 99% of us are nerds. If you consider a kid who works too much AND does not have any social skills or friends a nerd, then there are not that many. Most people are 'real'.

How much sleep do you get on average (can you get 8 hours of sleep)?

You can most definitely get 8 hours of sleep. Go to bed at 1 and wake up at 9 for a 10 o'clock start. Go to bed at 3 and wake up at 11 for the noon start. You can't do this every school night, but don't be stupid, and you can get sleep.

How much time do you spend doing homework?

A lot. But it does not eat your life. But a lot. Just expect to do work.

Do you have time to do anything else except study? If yes, what do you spend your free time doing?

Umm, yes. Most people do other things. Very few just study. I do lots of things. I do radio.

Are the classes totally impossible, or can you actually do well in them?

No. There may be a handful of upper-level classes that are really really hard to get a B in. But! Most classes, with some effort can yield a B easily...and an A with some damn work.

What is your overall experience with professors (do you think they are good teachers?)

They teach well. But you better learn on the outside. Ask your friends for help. They will teach you a lot.

Have you participated in UROP? What was the experience like?

Yes. It is fun. You do research. You get experience.

What are the worst things about MIT?

It CAN mess you up mentally...and that leads to being physically tired at times. But you just have to shake that off and stop stressing over the work.

What are the best things about MIT?

The people. Most interesting people in the world. You learn a lot from being around them and doing things you never did before.

Why should you go to MIT? Is it the right place for everyone?

I don't know. It is not for everyone. Some will be mentally broken down. It can mess you up. But just do other activities and have some fun while learning a bunch of science and math and humanities.