<p>
</p>
<p>It’s not the norm in the US, but the workload is so much less everywhere else that it’s almost like learning at your own pace. MIT is the only other school with the firehose mentality. </p>
<p>The OP has a legitimate concern, though. And I agree that the large workload can be good or bad, depending on the person and the circumstances. </p>
<p>I remember an MIT undergrad in physics telling me that she didn’t have time “to think big thoughts.” I found that a bit unsettling.</p>