<p>MIT is really truly about balance. In 1987, MIT simultaneously ranked as the #1 school in the USA by workload by the NY Times, and as the #25 party school in the USA as ranked by Playboy magazine. MIT students at the time were proud to have achieved both ratings in the same year.</p>
<p>Since that time, the party scene has toned down a little bit, but MIT students are not purely academic nerds. Frankly, MIT admissions are selective enough that these students usually do not get in. </p>
<p>MIT fields 41 Intercollegiate NCAA teams, has 30 club sports teams, and an intramural program in 19 sports with over 1000 teams and a 75% student participation rate.</p>
<p>There are over 430 student organizations, including 32 athletic groups; 8 media organizations; 65 ethnic, language, or international student associations; 50 musical, theater, and dance groups; 29 religious organizations; 34 service groups; 21 activism groups; 70 academic societies; and 14 student government groups. </p>
<p>Do not underestimate the workload, it is significant. But when you are not in the classroom, whatever it is you consider to be fun, from photography, to gliding, to lacrosse, to forging swords, you can find a like minded group of students who are doing that thing, often in very well-equipped facilities. </p>
<p>I too would not have traded my years at MIT for the world.</p>