Can anyone out there give their opinion on the atmosphere at MIT or anything they know about MIT from personal experience, like professors, city life, career advising, student life, etc.? I know I am interested in pre med and neuroscience? Does anyone know anything about that at MIT?
MIT is somewhat higher intensity than a typical university in terms of curriculum. For example, first year calculus is compressed into first semester calculus, and there are extensive general education requirements, including chemistry, physics, and math courses suitable for students majoring in those subjects (as opposed to the less rigorous versions offered to biology majors and pre-meds at most other universities). The humanities, arts, and social studies requirements are also relatively heavy, and include the requirement of a concentration that includes upper level courses.
@goggletangalore MIT classes can be fairly demanding, but not as cutthroat or competitive as a lot of people think it might be. Professors usually encourage collaboration on psets and certain other assignments (within reason, of course!).
As ucbalumnus said, you have your GIRs, which comprise two semesters of calculus (18.01-02 or equivalent), two semesters of physics (8.01-02 or equivalent), one semester each of bio/chem, eight HASS classes including a concentration, four CI courses (two CI-H, two CI-M), lab requirement, PE requirement, etc., then your major courses. It’s a long list, but it’s not too bad if you plan ahead and don’t take too many technical courses at once.
As for student life, you’ll find many different types of student groups and the atmosphere largely depends on which dorm/frat you’re in, your major, clubs you’re in, etc.
I don’t know much about pre-med or related majors at MIT – I’d imagine they’re a lot smaller than at other universities since we have a much higher percentage of course 2/6/8/18 majors.
Intense - Yes absolutely, More than you even imagine
Cutthroat - No, definitely not at all
It has been a long time since I was a student at MIT but I have talked to a few current students and recent grads. It doesn’t seem much different. It is an intense, demanding and very stimulating place. But it is not cutthroat at all; collaboration is encouraged and just about required to survive the intensity. In other words, a hard place to go it alone and so students work together a lot.
The Boston\Cambridge area is full of students from all the colleges that are there. A very interesting, lively and fun place to live although it can be expensive. I enjoyed my college days.
One other thing to realize. Your career will (hopefully) be intense, demanding and very stimulating as well as a collaborative environment; not a lot different from MIT in many respects.
what mikalye said
DS is a rising sophomore at MIT. I remember in high school how happy he was to move on to become a sophomore as freshmen were pretty much always picked on. So I asked him last week if he was excited to be an upperclassman and give some grief to freshmen next month. He said, it’s not like that at all, mom. I asked, why is that? He said, everyone remembers how hard it is to be a freshman there. It can get pretty rough and more grief is the last thing that anyone needs. Upperclassmen were always good to me. I will definitely be as helpful as I can be to the newbies.
MIT is a very intense and stimulating school where you will work hard and be challenged. I never found it to be cut throat in that (at least in my experience) I never felt like I was competing with other students. You are always challenging yourself to do better and understand the material. I went to med school after MIT though I was not “premed” and didn’t even think about applying to medical school until my junior year. Just by taking the MIT required courses (that EVERYONE at MIT takes) you have fulfilled 75 % of the premed requirements. MIT has a very high acceptance rate to medical school and is usually in the 85-90% range. I am biased but I don’t think you can find a better education anywhere–MIT teaches you to think, and that is something you will value throughout your life.