<p>I agree that it’s hard to stand out through academic work alone, but hopefully MIT isn’t making decisions based on who looks like they will start a band. That doesn’t exactly fit with its mission. (And, in fact, that strikes me as an ivy-ish thing to do.)</p>
<p>ECs do matter, but I don’t think any of us who don’t actually work in the admissions office know how exactly they factor in.</p>