| Pumpkinpi: "S is yet undecided, and he is perfectly capable of handling rigor. He loves what he thinks is the collaborative nature of MIT. But I'm getting the impression that MIT is full of those who relish rigor not for the sake of learning, but for the sake of showing off (even among other MIT students), just as Harvard students are thought to love Harvard merely for the prestige."
I think students love MIT because they find there a critical mass of like-minded kids passionate about all things math, science, and engineering. I've heard from some science and engineering majors at Stanford that they wish the science and engineering buildings were not situated away from the middle of campus. Like the science buildings at Yale, the labs are off to the side of the campus. In contrast, at MIT science and engineering are front and center. Add in a quirky, collaborative, and humorous student body, and MIT provides a really unique atmosphere. For my daughter, it felt like a place she had been waiting for her entire life. She's met good friends there, great teachers, and she's had wonderful research opportunities. For her, MIT is the best fit among any institution, and turning down Stanford was an easy decision. |