Is MIT great because of the profs teaching undergrad, or is it because of the students?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

MIT is notably a great school, world-renowned. It has numerous Nobel laureates and faculty top in their field doing research and teaching classes.

However, I really wonder if MIT is that great in the undergrad context because of the good tutoring of the professors who know their material superbly well, or is it because the students who went there are naturally bright because MIT is one of the top universities based on ranking (which weighs research, citations and having international faculty and students more than the quality of undergrad education), resulting in them excelling in their passions their own way.

Food for thought.

2

Little of column A, little of column B.

3

My son would say a lot of column B.

4

Yes to both of those things, but it’s not really just that the professors are smart and know the material well, it’s also that they have high expectations of students. So the material is taught at a deep level, and students are expected to learn it, even though it’s challenging.

Moreover, students are able to work outside of class with these leaders in their fields – quality of research isn’t irrelevant to the quality of undergraduate education.

5

You get a virtuous circle. Having great faculty attracts great students. Having great students attracts great faculty.

6

my daughter would say mostly B, with a smattering a A

7

I think MIT admissions does a really good job of selecting students who are kind, smart, and collaborative.

8

As an MIT grad, I would ask “does it matter”? Change the faculty or change the students and you change the Institute.