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<li><p>labs- Well, first of all, keep in mind what Mollie said. However, labs operated by research centers aren’t the only ones around. There are plenty of academic labs intended for use by various classes. As a MechE major, I encountered quite a variety of these (all owned/operated by the MechE department) and they were FANTASTIC. They are extraordinarily well-equipped and often the lab instructors/technicians who staff them are more helpful and knowledgeable and wonderful than the professors. =) MechE has 2 large machine shops, a materials lab, several controls labs (oscilloscopes, function generators, and simple actuators) and an incredibly well-equipped lab for the Measurement and Instrumentation course (there are numerous varied experiments along with all the specialized equipment for each one). They were all awesome. As I said, these are all Course 2 labs, so I can’t speak to the quality of the labs operated by any other departments. </p></li>
<li><p>class rooms- normal? Chalkboards or whiteboards, most have some form of AV equipment in varying states of antiquity, and an appropriate number of chairs and/or desks. Nothing special or fancy, but I guess I’m not sure how you could make a classroom special or fancy.</p></li>
<li><p>libraries- pretty good. There’s a wide selection of materials and lots of good studying spaces. The librarians are very helpful, and there’s even a librarian who specializes in each major. Also, if you can’t physically find what you’re looking for (as in, the library doesn’t seem to have a copy or something) don’t be shy about asking someone for help- they have inter-library programs and can often request material from other schools and will sometimes even convince MIT to purchase whatever it is that you need. </p></li>
<li><p>computer rooms- Hmm. Well the Athena clusters are often pretty crowded during the day, so it can be hard to use them except at night. Having the printers for student use is pretty awesome. The computers are kept fairly modern but they all run Linux, which poses a learning curve for most people. Most people have their own computer anyway, and just rely on the Athena clusters for printing or quickly checking on things during the day, or occasionally running software needed for coursework that they don’t have on their own computers and don’t feel like installing. (I’m pretty sure that any software you might need for coursework can be obtained from either IS&T or your department for free.)</p></li>
<li><p>dorms- This is not a relevant question. The dorms range from new and shiny to old and decrepit, but all of that is completely besides the point. Make sure to explore them during CPW and Orientation, then form your own opinions.</p></li>
<li><p>campus environment/landscape- You know, a lot of people have really varied opinions on that. MIT certainly isn’t Harvard or the typical old stone buildings in very green lawns that you see in movies. There are nice green spaces, like Kresge, but it is limited. On the flip side, there are lots of interesting looking buildings (which some find hideous, and others don’t) and special quirks (like the tunnel system). It’s certainly different, but I would hesitate to say “bad” or “good,” as it mostly boils down to personal preference. Lots of people claim to love MIT’s campus <em>because</em> of the fact that it’s so different and has a building shaped like a 30-60-90 triangle, etc. Personally I just never really cared much one way or the other. I came to college to learn stuff, not stare at trees OR buildings. (Although I guess if you’re studying urban planning or architecture, you might have reason to care. =)</p></li>
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