Is it possible to get into MIT w/out being a nerd?

Applying to College
41

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If you disagree, then perhaps you would ask molliebatmit - who did her undergrad in bio at MIT and is now a bio PhD student at Harvard - why she chose to go to grad school at Harvard rather than stay at the "far superior" MIT when she was admitted to both programs. Are you saying that her choice was dumb?

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<p>I'll let molliebatmit post for herself, but I think you are jumping to gross assumptions in basing Harvard > MIT on that fact alone. Far more factors weigh in on a grad school choice than simply a difference in a few rank points (and if you really want to debate that, look here-</a> MIT trumps Harvard in every single science and math category). Again, though, ranking becomes a moot point that high up and it depends more on the specific department you're entering... points I'm sure mollie or any current grad student can touch on.</p>

<p>And in response to friedrice ("if most people had the choice between Harvard and MIT, they will most likely pick Harvard"), I didn't even bother applying to Harvard. I'm attending MIT in the fall.</p>

<p>This post sounds a lot more harsh than I mean it to be, but you guys are being ridiculous.</p>

42

<p>depends on your definition of "nerd"</p>

<p>if you interpret it as a person who has a passion for learning, then i'd say it would be pretty hard getting into MIT without being a "nerd"</p>

<p>if it's someone who is smart but socially awkward, then no there are plenty of non-nerds at MIT</p>

43

<p>I picked Harvard for graduate school because I wanted to have more than one school on my curriculum vitae. :) That's basically what it came down to.</p>

<p>Harvard's bio program and MIT's bio program are both outstanding, and I'd be hard-pressed to say that one was better than the other. It was tough for me to turn down MIT in favor of Harvard, but I felt that it would ultimately be better for my career if I went to two different schools for my bachelor's and my PhD. (Of course, I ended up working in the lab of an MIT alum, so I'm not sure how far the apple actually fell from the tree, as it were.)</p>

44

<p>My friend is a lazy, pure genious..he doesnt study or do his hw yet still get straight As...he is amazing at math but his weakness is science..he is also one of the more popular guys in our school, smokes weed and is a tennis star. he applied to MIT and Ill be shocked if he gets rejected.</p>

45

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I'll let molliebatmit post for herself, but I think you are jumping to gross assumptions in basing Harvard > MIT on that fact alone.

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<p>Uh, I think it is YOU that jumped to a gross assumption. Did I ever say that I thought that Harvard was better than MIT? Please point to the quote where I specifically said that.</p>

<p>What I specifically said is that I disagree that MIT is "far superior" to Harvard when it comes to math and science. Hence, maybe MIT and Harvard are the same. Or maybe MIT is indeed better (but just not "far superior"). </p>

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Harvard's bio program and MIT's bio program are both outstanding, and I'd be hard-pressed to say that one was better than the other.

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<p>Exactly. So molliebatmit agrees with me that there is no reason to believe, at least when it comes to biology, that MIT is "far superior" to Harvard.</p>

<p>Hence, I'm still interested in hearing the case made that MIT is "far superior" to Harvard when it comes to math and science. I am especially interested in hearing the case made by Colbert Nation, as he is the one who asserted it in the first place. But I will open the floor to anybody. Would anybody like to make the case?</p>

46

<p>IT'S A JOKE people. Calm down. Psycho-analyzers.</p>

47

<p>^^ yeah i was only joking when i said it. jeez lol.</p>

48

<p>Why would MIT want people who aren't nerds? I suppose they'd look for athletes/musicians/debaters etc only after they know that the kid is good at math/science.</p>

49

<p>nah, true nerds go to cal tech :P</p>

50

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Why would you want to go to MIT if you are not a math/science nerd?

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<p>To be fair, MIT has top programs in several fields which are not math or science, including poli sci, economics, business, comparative media studies, and science writing.</p>

<p>You do not have to be a "math/science nerd" to get into MIT. However, you need to be good enough at math and science to be able to pass MIT's General Institute Requirements (even lit majors, for example, have to take single and multivariable calculus). Also, you will enjoy the social environment more if you are at least comfortable with interacting with geeks, and don't mind hearing about science and engineering all the time. :)</p>

<p>I mean, my housemate is an undergrad, and a humanities major (in one of those top non-sci/eng programs I mentioned before), and not much inclined to take more math and science than she has to to get her degree. But she is also in the hall of fame of MIT's LARPing club, knows how to use Linux systems, reads and watches sci-fi avidly, and works part-time as a game designer in MIT's experimental video game lab. She's still a geek, and would probably be insulted to be told otherwise.</p>

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Hmm, this question points out something that bothers me a little bit about the blogs. As much as I love them, I feel like sometimes they downplay the sense of nerd pride and nerd culture that I have noticed at MIT (I'm not a student there yet, but I've spent a long time over the past few years hanging out there/with MIT students).

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<p>Hmm, really? I don't blog anymore since I am alum, but I always tried to play that aspect of MIT up, absolutely. It was a big part of my blog. I haven't read the other blogs in a long time, but I know most of the other bloggers in person, and some of them are geeky as heck.</p>

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Then again, there are probably living groups that are less science/math-nerdy than others.

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<p>Less so for "science/math-nerdy" in particular (still somewhat true), but for geekiness in general, this is absolutely true.</p>

51

<p>To #45,</p>

<p>It's a simple assertion, MIT is ranked higher than Harvard in all math and science categories (this is linked to above) and math and science is the basis of MIT's education as it is also noted above that even Lit majors have to take highly advanced math. </p>

<p>If MIT couldn't beat Harvard in its own specialty then we could begin to argue that MIT might not be worthy of its high prestige. Harvard is a magnificent school and I respect it greatly but I am also stating the facts as provided by numerous ratings and anecdotal evidence.</p>

52

<p>you can all stop arguing. Anything MIT pwns the world</p>

53

<p>it's amazing that only about 50% of the people on here have any sort of sarcasm sensor.</p>

54

<p>^yeah i really need one of those! do you know if they sell them at radioshack?</p>

55

<p>
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It's a simple assertion, MIT is ranked higher than Harvard in all math and science categories (this is linked to above)

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<p>Uh, that's not what you said. What you said is that MIT is "far superior" to Harvard in math/science. I see absolutely no evidence to support this: a slight advantage of a few ranking points hardly counts as "far superior". Some rankings, like USNews, rank MIT ahead of Harvard in various math/science disciplines. Other rankings, like the NRC, rank Harvard ahead of MIT in various math/science disciplines.</p>

<p>Don't try to move the goalposts. Show us convincing evidence that MIT is indeed "far superior" to Harvard in math/science. Either that or I think you should admit that you went too far when you said that MIT was "far superior".</p>

56

<p>Okay fine, I went too far. </p>

<p>I didn't know that people were so touchy about schools :P I'll mind my Ps and Qs better from now on.</p>

57

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MIT is ranked higher than Harvard in all math and science categories

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<p>Actually, from the NRC ranking (and many other rankings too, such as the Gourman Report or the THES subject are rankings), Harvard outranks MIT in quite a few science programs. Of course, MIT often outranks Harvard in sciences, but it's usually by a tiny hair. And of course, MIT far outranks Harvard in engineering.</p>

<p>NRC</a> Rankings in Each of 41 Areas</p>

58

<p>Okay, I was totally wrong and going on outdated rankings.</p>

59

<p>I know people who graduated from there and are not nerds, if that is worth anything.</p>

60

<p>Yes, but is is NOT possible to get out of MIT (with a degree) w/out being a nerd.</p>