I feel like the vision that most people have of an mit student is that they are perfect in every way. I’ve just recently got into the depths of the admissions blogs, and it seems ,’: / they’re not all perfect?! This discovery intrigued me, so me being far from perfect and seeing mit as a great path, am wondering if there is some place that I could find a more realistic interpretation of an mit student. Any help is appreciated, thanks
They’re not. People like the make you think that they are perfect if you are simply looking at their accomplishments, but they are flawed and students like the rest of us. People always highlight the best of themselves. College review websites are often a good way to get a sense of the student body and some underlying issues that may still exist.For instance so-called “perfect” students at many rigorous schools may still struggle with things like mental health or fight their own inner battles in some way.
MIT students are smart and have a record of achievement. After that, anything goes. They are big, small,; gifted athletes, clutzes; introverts, extroverts; etc.
Visit the campus during a regular school day and look around you. You’ll find all kinds of different people.
Shocking, I know. 
But true.
Agree with “MIT students are smart and have a record of achievement”. Nobody at MIT got in because they are a legacy or development case. None opted out of the most rigorous courses of physics and math offered by their high school in favor of “Science for the Environment” and “Math for the Athlete”. The result is a student body that is more homogeneous in terms of aptitude than you’d find in the Ivy’s or some other admissions-competitive schools. Agree with advice to “Visit the campus” and talk to students. You’ll find them to be down to earth, friendly, nice. It’s not a school where students wear their accomplishments or their family money/clout on their sleeves. Those characteristics seem to be weeded out during the admissions process. That the student body is “nice” is something you’ll hear consistently. “Nice” and “down to earth” does not mean perfect. In some ways I’d argue that as a group they are the opposite of the MIT “nerd” stereotype, a term that doesn’t refer to being interested in things that are now cool. Rather that term refers to social incompetence paired with extreme introversion, something that does not characterize the student body at all. So “go visit” is your best bet.
Keep reading the admission blogs. It’s a great way to get to know the student body.
A number of students at MIT play varsity sports. I know students who got in who were strong math students and played football at a high level, high enough for Division 3 football at MIT. I see sports “recruits” frequently from Colorado who get in, they are top varsity athletes in larger Colorado high schools in track and field, swimming, and volleyball, as well as football.
But you have to have the academic side covered too, and have academic accomplishments.
Legacy does not count for MIT Admissions. MIT grads are sent a detailed letter explaining that, if their son or daughter applies to MIT. My sense is legacy counts a tiny bit against a student, as MIT believes that children of MIT graduates can succeed anywhere.
About 16-18% of the freshman seats are filled with first generation college students, in the recent past. That could go up or down. (About 200 first generation students out of 1122 freshman )
MIT sticks with 8-10% International students now for over 40 years. (about 90 international students out of 1122 freshman)
The majority of MIT undergraduate students come from California, and not New England/NY/NJ anymore:
http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/profile
diversity is the best education you can have, I certainly hope there are different type of students. The most idiotic people I have met are the ones who don’t know anything about other people because they are not used to them. Like people who think deaf people need Braille
“Harvard people are serious. MIT people are chill.” ~A friend of mine (second year at Harvard)
I visited them both and I can definitely speak for the “MIT people are chill” part.
Not only are they not all perfect, they’re all not perfect. Every single one. Amazing, but not perfect. Which is a much better prospect for someone hoping to get in. Perfection is not necessary.