<p>I noticed that the number of new posts on MIT’s message board has begun to dwindle, so I decided to make this thread. Anyone who wants to discuss how excited you are to go to school this August (try explaining that to an elementary schooler), what dorms you’re interested in, what FPOP you’re applying to, etc., feel free to talk here! I’m just as excited as all of you, and my family is tired of hearing how wonderful MIT is all the time…</p>
<p>I think a lot of people ditched CC for the 2013 Facebook group, tbh. That one’s a lot more active, especially now that the NBM is out.</p>
<p>But anyway, I am super excited. I’m doing Interphase this summer, but I don’t think I’ll be doing an FPOP. I’m interested in Burton-Connor, New, Next, and McCormick, but I think I’ll probably end up living in McCormick because I visited during CPW and liked it. I just wish there was more information out there about it; I have committment issues ;). What about you? What classes are you thinking of taking first semester? I’m hoping I’ll pass out of 18.01, so I can take:
18.02
8.01
3.091 or 5.111 (not sure which yet, but more likely the former)
HASS</p>
<p>pretty standard, I guess.</p>
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<p>Just a quick note - you can’t switch into or out of McCormick during Dorm Rush/REX - if you get it in the summer lottery, you’re stuck with it. It’s dumb like that. With all the other dorms, you don’t make your final decision until Dorm Rush/REX, and your housing assignment before then is TEMPORARY, to give you a place to park your stuff while you actually choose a living group (a point that too many frosh each year seem to have trouble understanding). If you’re going to rank McCormick near the top during summer housing selection, you’d better be pretty confident that it’s what you want.</p>
<p>^ yeah, I know. That’s what I meant when I said that I wish there was more information out there about McCormick, because I’m pretty sure I like it and I liked the people there, but I have committment issues and would rather not be stuck somewhere I end up not liking. If I could move into McCormick during REX and be temped somewhere else, that would be amazing, but alas it’s impossible. Do you have any idea why McCormick doesn’t participate in REX? It seems kind of unfair to people who think they might like it to keep them there if they end up changing their minds. Why did they change Next but not McCormick?</p>
<p>McCormick is actually one of my top three choices, but I don’t want to get stuck their either. My number one choice is Next. I really like their culture and facilities, but they are soo far away.</p>
<p>I’m hoping to pass out of 18.01, too, but I have to wait for my AP scores in July. I haven’t really looked at the other classes yet.</p>
<p>Not doing Interphase, but I am applying for an FPOP. I like the Ocean Engineering and Extreme Weather (NH) ones. Hopefully, I get an FPOP (my parents have to drop me off by the 25th anyway, and it’ll be much more fun if I have something to do for four days) :)</p>
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<p>They still use the older RBA (Residence-Based Advising) system, which precludes participation in REX, because everyone is permanently assigned to a McCormick-based freshman advising group, with other McCormick residents, over the summer.</p>
<p>Next House used to use the same system. A year or two ago, they modified their RBA to allow people to participate in REX because so many unhappy people were getting stuck at Next House. I think McCormick figures, probably correctly, that they don’t need to go through the extra hassle, because, since they’re the only all-female dorm, anyone who wants McCormick is likely to <em>really</em> want it.</p>
<p>A couple of the Cultural Houses in New House use RBA. I’m not sure if they currently use the McCormick version or the Next House version. That would be something to find out.</p>
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It’s not so far – I lived in Westgate for a year, which is even farther than Next. 
If you don’t want to walk, you can always wait for the Tech Shuttle.</p>
<p>Hey, I’m really excited too. :D</p>
<p>I’m thinking about 8.012, 18.02, 5.112, HASS, and IAP 8.223.<br>
I really like McCormick, but I’ll probably not rank it 1st b/c of the binding thing. I mean, I can still get in after REX? </p>
<p>I’m into Baker, Next House… Does anyone know which dorm has many course 8 majors, as well as many engineering majors? It’s always nice to have smart (duh, kind of redundant at MIT:D) pset buddies living in your dorm.</p>
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No, McCormick doesn’t participate in REX. I mean, if nobody can move out after rush, how could anybody move in? It’s always possible to move after a semester or two, though.</p>
<p>My bet is that Random has the highest concentration of course 8 majors.</p>
<p>which dorm(s) would be good for someone who’s more reserved and focused but still wants to have a tight group of friends within the dorm?</p>
<p>faraday: [Facebook</a> Social Analysis: Fun with Facebook](<a href=“http://web.mit.edu/varenc/www/facebook.html]Facebook”>http://web.mit.edu/varenc/www/facebook.html) indicates that, at least as of a few years ago, the dorms with the highest concentrations of course 8 majors were Senior House, Random Hall, and East Campus, in that order. I guess we know which side of campus likes physics more? </p>
<p>I’m a prospective course 18 planning to become a resident of the aforementioned side of campus, preferably in Random (although EC looks very cool, too). My schedule depends on how advanced standing exams go. </p>
<p>I’m way too excited. I’m wasting so much time watching old i3 videos on YouTube, even for dorms I don’t want to live in.</p>
<p>Random is absolutely awesome, but somewhat disgusting and far away to my taste. Oh well.</p>
<p>Please, for your own health and safety, do not stress out the cruft by choosing dorms based on physical appearances. After a few weeks, any dorm you pick is going to look like home.</p>
<p>i’m thinking EC!</p>
<p>Random is awesome, don’t be a jerk. Their kitchens are fantastic and they’re as far from campus as Burton-Conner.</p>
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<p>I heard that that’s not true, actually. Random may have the highest concentration of 18 and 6 majors, though. I think 8 majors are kinda spread out all over the place. Personally I wouldn’t factor too heavily how many people of my intended major lives in each dorm. All the freshmen on my hall (my year) who came in here thinking they were going to be 8 ended up switching out of the major (this is like 5 or 6 freshmen). I came here 16 and switched into 8 sophomore year. Anyways, that’s just me, things change, it’s good to be mentally prepared for that. But do what you want.</p>
<p>Also, I agree w/ Karen, some people might keep their rooms really gross in random, but in general the dorm is quite nice.</p>
<p>== pebbles, Random traditionally has a spike around 6 and 18, but I don’t think 8 is unusually popular - most of the course 8 majors I know live in EC. My hall especially has a lot of physics majors - I think we have 5 / 34 people (and course 6 is like 8/34). But I highly doubt you’d want to live with me if you find Random disgusting.</p>
<p>But as a percentage of the dorm? I wasn’t thinking about where course 8 majors live in absolute numbers, just about where course 8 majors make up the largest percentage of the dorm population.</p>
<p>I’m perfectly happy to be wrong, just wanted to explain my reasoning. :)</p>
<p>I mean, dorm percentages don’t really mean a whole lot when we’re talking about Random’s 93 students to EC’s ~350. But I think that, statistically, most course 8 students live in EC and Senior Haus, but this is pretty anecdotal. If faraday’s looking for study partners, he probably wants a large number of physics majors, not a large percentage of the dorm…I would rather study with 5% of EC than with 10% of Random, if we’re talking sheer numbers.</p>
<p>Yeah, I was thinking in absolute numbers, like for study-buddies and stuff.</p>