<p>I completely endorse Mootmom's comments about Ms. Jones and MIT.</p>
<p>My H and I are both alums and we have had 2 sons apply to college, one applied to MIT, the other didn't. They had the same grades, SAT's, etc. One son(#2) had a field of interest better suited to MIT, but the bottom line reason why son #1 NEVER would make it at MIT(and why we never thought to suggest he apply), regardless of his field of interest, is that he is a kid with inconsistent mental energy. He is bright, he is creative, he is even resilient. But, he can't dog it, he can't hang in for hours on a taxing mental endeavor, he depletes his mental energy and he loses interest. Very early on it was clear that this was a quality of his learning. He needs a certain pacing to work optimally. With son #2, it was equally clear from an early age that he had an extremely high level of energy for sustained thinking- for solving puzzles and for working through tough, novel, at times frustrating tasks. </p>
<p>The quaint way of describing an MIT education is that it is like 'drinking out of a firehose.' I've always hated the imagery, but the reality is you have to be able to sustain a gut wrenching on-rush of work, and maintain high effort throughout to be successful. There is very little hand holding, freshman pass fail is the key transitional allowance.</p>
<p>Now, take the average depressed teenager. An individual with a single episode of major depression in the teen years stands a 70% chance of another episode within 5 years. Not every kid who works hard, who pushes themself, who doesn't get enough sleep, gets depressed in HS, do they? Depression is a 2- hit event. There is genetic vulnerability and there is a specific event, situation, environment- something else which results in the symptom group.</p>
<p>A MAJOR symptom of depression is lack of mental energy, inability to focus, etc. Simply put, in the context of depression an individual's mental energy is 'displaced'- it is elsewhere. Displaced attention and mental energy are simply not compatible with a happy life at MIT, no matter how bright the kid- and this is just a fact. Very little coasting goes on...</p>
<p>Does anyone really think that Ms. Jones is off-base in cautioning potential applicants to seek a 'good fit' for themselves?</p>
<p>She is concerned about kids trying to be perfect because she knows, as should we all, that there is cost in the striving. To some it is simply a few missed social events. To others it is more significant. Parents and guidance counselors who are concerned about kids who have specific vulnerabilities are serving no one by not taking this into account in the process of helping kids find a great college fit for themselves.</p>
<p>She is not heartless about the genuine issues related to depression. She is a realist.</p>