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However, I would agree with you that, from what I have been told, students are somewhat academically masochistic. But I don't think it's so much a prestige issue, as it is that they are interested in so many of the varied offerings that MIT makes available. As a result, they tend to take particularly punishing course loads -- and then gripe about being "hosed."
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I would not characterize folks saying they're "hosed" with griping. The work is hard, and there's a lot of it. Sometimes, not to all, not even to most, it appears overwhelming - welcome to life.
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What disappoints me, with what I perceive is a key aspect of the culture, is that students are too passive when it comes to standing up for their own interests. They accept, for example, that it's fine for the Chemistry Professor not to bother giving reading assignments -- or doing what many other professors do in the way of test prep.; they accept poor teaching from less-than-competent TA's; they accept grade distributions that jeopardize many a student's post-graduate ambitions. I guess I'm still too much of a '60's kid (well, not exactly a kid anymore!): if you're not part of a solution, you're part of the problem.
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Please, please confirm you're not in the business of analyzing data and drawing conclusions from it. Your child, and his friends, are in a class that's disappointing on several measures. That's unfortunate, but to attempt to represent that experience, or even two of them, as indicative of what MIT is like is folly, and borders on hysterically irresponsible. I get your point about "standing up to the Man," but the kids not waging war on this particular issue doesn't smack to me of passivity.
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Conditions -- academic and living -- should be better in such an illustrious institution (7th largest endowment in the U.S.).
The fact that many students seem to be passive, and accept sub par treatment and conditions, might be an indication that they think that by doing so they are being "tough," and "resilient" -- key words in the MIT lexicon. I wish I could perceive more assertiveness in the the student body; and I wish the Administration would demonstrate more care and concern -- and not just by hosting free food events (so redolent of bread and circuses in Roman times).
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Now you're just being silly, aren't you. Living conditions were certainly a factor as my D was deciding where to go. Certain dorms might well qualify as Superfund sites
. Many are nice. That endowment you're referring to (Mollie, Jes, Laura, et. al. please weigh in here) funds some spectacular,and massively expensive, research labs/work done on campus. That's why D decided on MIT - she can sleep/eat at "nicer" accommodations later.