Visit Report by Dal (Member since January 27 2007 with 285 posts) Visit Date - November 2006
Visit to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in November 2006 by Dal (Student, HS Class of 2008)
Visit Activities:
Admissions Interview:
No - I was not applying at the time, so no interview happened. Information Session:
Yes - The information was very good. We got a good amount of information, and it was personally given as a speech from someone at the admission office. Campus Tour:
Yes - My tour was given by a Biology major that definitely showed some of the quirky nature of MIT. She gave a lot of stories about MIT and actually spent a lot of time talking about the social life at MIT. Classroom Visit:
Yes - The professor was very nice a personal. He seemed genuinely interested in where I was from and more about me. They also seemed to have a lot of personal interaction with the students.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 4 - Very Good -
Some students had no problems at all, but I will say that some took a little bit of time to for them to open up. One of them actually offered to take me into Boston to see more of the city.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 5 - Excellent -
All the staff was great. I went on the EECS lab tour and the officer not only helped me with MIT information. She was amazing in that she offered information on other colleges as well. Very awesome.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
I loved the city. It didn't seem very dirty or grim to me. It felt very safe to me - even walking alone at night. Not to mention you have a great view of Boston. Loved it!
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good -
I loved it because it looked how I always "felt" college would look like. However, I feel others will not feel the same. It did seem a bit bland at times, but I loved the atmosphere.
Dormitories: 4 - Very Good -
They were above average from what I've seen. Every dorm is very different though. If you walk into Senior Haus and see all the paintings on the walls - you may find yourself scared.
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
I felt very safe on campus despite the fact it is extremely close to Boston. I don't know how safe Boston is itself, but as I mentioned before I felt safe even walking alone at night across MIT c
Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent -
Nothing will beat MIT in my impression. If you want more information you will have to read my visit description's overnight tips.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent -
You have Boston! An actual city! It isn't like you are going to be hanging out at the local Walmart for fun!
City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent -
Boston seemed like a great city. I loved the feeling of Cambridge and the very city atmosphere. I'm a city boy though, so I couldn't help but love it.
Campus Visit Notes for Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
Visit Description:
Overnight Visiting Tips!
It is very true when MIT says that they are not going to hold your hand on your visit. You will have to self dictate your own schedule. The student you visit will suggest what you can do, but you are not forced to strictly stick to it. Take advantage of your visit and try to pull strings if possible. I got to visit West campus from the more traditional East campus to see Senior Haus - for example - by finding an Alumnae friend of a friend of a friend. MIT I don't think will pair prefrosh with that dorm because it was the least traditional dorm you could find - though they never say they won't. Also, actually talk to the students. It is going to be extremely overwhelming to be there and take it all in, but you need to just get over it the best you can and try to be as social as you can.
I can't stress the pull strings fact enough. I thought I had no connections and still was able to find someone through constant searching through friends and parents. I extremely lucked out because EVERY senior on campus knew the alumnae I had show me around Senior Haus. This unlocked a lot on campus for me. One of the seniors offered to take me into Boston for Dinner to show me one of the - I guess you could say "different" - hangouts. They also let me come to one of their after class shops and it was an absolute blast. They let me ride a motor scooter made of plywood and soda cans, as well as go hacking! I even almost got kidnapped by another dorm for a night! I could not of had a better prefrosh experience if I tried!
The Two Coasts of Campus!
East Campus is the traditional side of campus, and West Campus is the quirkier side of campus. West Campus is stereotypically filled with the druggies, should of gone to art school kids, and the quirky geeks among quirky geeks. They are all quirky geeks in their own respect, it is just variably quirky based on location I guess you could say =P Students usually stay to their side of campus from what I'm told mostly because of the distance. I would recommend to perhaps express interest in West Campus if you apply for overnight so you get more of the MIT culture that it is known for.
Socials
Talking to an Alumnae, she fully assured me that it is possible to study and have a social life. She dispelled the "Sleep, Study, or Party: Pick Two" myth. You can have all three at MIT, you just have to budget your time wisely. Also, some major require more work than others - especially if you double major.
LGBT
I also got to visit the Rainbow Lounge at MIT. MIT is one of the most accepting colleges in the country. They made that very prevalent with their "You are welcome here" campaign that was in session while I was there. Also the lady at the lounge was very nice and was willing to show me books, movies, and participate in events while I was attending. They host events at the Rainbow Lounge like meditation sessions and such that I found very interesting. If you fall into the LGBT category, you should visit the Rainbow Lounge before you go. The lady who runs the lounge is extremely nice and welcoming.
Extracurriculars
The extracurricular programs must be one of the best in the country as well. MIT has the largest intramural sports program in the country - yes, the entire country. They also have a very vast selection of clubs. Also, some clubs are not only available to MIT students, but anyone in the Boston area. Part of me now whats to attend school in Boston simply so I can participate in some of these programs.
Senior Haus
Since I have more character space, I feel I should talk about this dorm more since I doubt very many students will get to visit it. Senior Haus was in my opinion a very "dark" culture dorm. This isn't in the fact that they aren't nice or accepting, so much as they stereotypically are those druggie should've gone to art school kids. Personally, I found the drug aspect a large turn off for the dorm. However, this dorm surely has the most personality. At first you walk in, and it is a bit dirty and cluttered. Also one of the most prevalent things are all the pictures on the wall. I specially remember seeing a "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac" painted on the wall as one. The people there are really nice. I mean, we literally walked into my Alumnae's old room and started looking around when someone noticed we walked into their room. Yet they had no problem with it. Definately visit it, even if it is only to look. It does have a lot of personality and even though I wouldn't stay in that dorm I enjoyed walking around it.
If you have any other questions about my stay at MIT or what I experienced, please PM me.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
Eat on campus so you can get an actual impression of the food. It was pretty good and they had a lot of variety.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
Bring a map - no one in Cambridge seemed to know where they were. =P
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Some students had no problems at all, but I will say that some took a little bit of time to for them to open up. One of them actually offered to take me into Boston to see more of the city.
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All the staff was great. I went on the EECS lab tour and the officer not only helped me with MIT information. She was amazing in that she offered information on other colleges as well. Very awesome.