<p>
[quote]
One of the most brilliant men that I know once did little more than stay in his room and play computer games for months straight and not studying, and as a result nearly flunked out of college (he did turn himself around).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What school did he go to? Did he fail courses?</p>
<p>"Phuriku, you've turned the debate into a debate about AA. If you're going to do that, why pick on MIT specifically, when the fact is, the vast majority of private universities use AA?</p>
<p>Again, this gets back to what I've been saying in this thread all along - why single out MIT for what the Ivies and Stanford have been doing for decades? Rationally speaking, if you don't like AA, one should draw fire upon all of these schools , not just MIT."</p>
<p>Yeah, I think this came up in the past on this thread. I sure talked about this with someone who participated in this thread on AIM.</p>
<p>I have no particular reason to pick on MIT. Other schools, especially the Ivies, Stanford, and UMichigan, are guilty as well. I think I tried to justify Harvard using it when I was speaking with my friend about it, but now that I think about it, Harvard has no excuse, either. However, we were talking specifically about MIT, so it didn't occur to me to criticize any other colleges. Like I said in a few other Caltech threads, I've tutored people who got into Stanford and some of the Ivies, which really makes me mad because I know the intelligence levels of these people were not up to par with the intelligence level of the average student there. Not even close.</p>
<p>
[quote]
One of the most brilliant men that I know once did little more than stay in his room and play computer games for months straight and not studying, and as a result nearly flunked out of college (he did turn himself around).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I know someone like this too, actually, except he DID flunk out. It was Georgia Tech.</p>
<p>I'd say you're definitely right about women being generally more mature than men at the undergraduate age, but I don't really know if you can use that in the admissions process (for either side -- affirmative action for males and for benefitting females). I think the admissions process should evaluate every person equally, and the maturity of the applicant often can't be seen clearly from an application, due to the nature of college applications in general. I suppose it could be used in some cases, though, for dismissing supposely intelligent people because their applicants showed their immaturity. I think such a case is rare, however.</p>
<p>Maybe it's just because I woke up, but I don't know how that's pertinent, though.</p>
<p>^I just woke up too phuriku. Lol.</p>
<p>phuriku, recount to me the story of how one academically qualified URM was rejected by MIT because he wasn't "URM-like." Oh yeah! And do enlighten me with the other URM you tutored that got into Stanford because he was "like a URM!"</p>
<p>sakky, regarding phuriku "picking on MIT," we've been through this before. And I don't feel like going through old arguments, so I'm just going to say that phuriku's posts are not completely unfounded.</p>
<p>pebbles? From your sarcastic tone, UChicago < MIT? Excuse me. Maybe you should've used a better example than Chicago. I know a girl who turned down MIT for UChicago because it was a better fit - she definitely has my respect, and she's definitely come across as mature for that. I hope one day you can shake those silly little stars above your head and come to realize that there's really no point prestige wh*ring over MIT after you've been accepted. Which it seems like you've been doing. Just to throw it out there.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Maybe it's just because I woke up, but I don't know how that's pertinent, though.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>After how long of a nap? ;) It should be like 10/11 PM for you guys</p>
<p>"pebbles? From your sarcastic tone, UChicago < MIT? Excuse me. Maybe you should've used a better example than Chicago. I know a girl who turned down MIT for UChicago because it was a better fit - she definitely has my respect, and she's definitely come across as mature for that. I hope one day you can shake those silly little stars above your head and come to realize that there's really no point prestige wh*ring over MIT after you've been accepted. Which it seems like you've been doing. Just to throw it out there."</p>
<p>This is Honors Analyis, Spring quarter, what I'll most likely be entering into next year if I do well on the placement test. Download "midterm solutions" on the bottom. I want to talk to anyone who still thinks MIT is better than UChicago in math after looking through that. My Calc 3 prof took one look at that and said, "this looks like a graduate measure theory course." MIT's just better at contest math. Whereas MIT has classes dedicated just for the Putnam, we have no such thing, so MIT's going to naturally be better. I'm sure Chicago and MIT just have different styles, though, and are about equal in overall quality.</p>
<p>But I didn't see what she said as an attack. But maybe it was? I dont know.</p>
<p>
[quote]
"phuriku, recount to me the story of how one academically qualified URM was rejected by MIT because he wasn't "URM-like."
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Oh, yeah. I have this one Hispanic friend who's probably the smartest person I know in my age group. Last year, he took 7 APs, and got 5s on all of them. He also got perfect scores on all his SAT IIs and near perfect on his SAT Is. So this should be a shoo-in at MIT, right? Wrong. He got deferred, then rejected.</p>
<p>And moreover, I have no idea why. You always hear of those minorities who are nearly perfect in every aspect but get denied by MIT. I rarely hear stories of any other minorities (except extremely extremely underqualified minorities) getting rejected, so this always comes off odd. Although it's an odd hypothesis that will probably get blown away, I sometimes think "maybe they do these things so that whenever someone brings up affirmative action policies, they can always be knocked down with 'so and so got rejected even though he's a minority and is nearly perfect in every way'". I don't know, though.</p>
<p>Perhaps he also wrote against affirmative action somewhere in his application and MIT saw this as a turnoff? Perhaps he decided that he didn't want to get in off of affirmative action and didn't even mention that he was Hispanic? I don't know. I'd have to talk to him about it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Oh yeah! And do enlighten me with the other URM you tutored that got into Stanford because he was "like a URM!"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yeah, he wasn't qualified at all. AT ALL. He was the one I mentioned above. He knew that he got in off of affirmative action. He was almost proud of it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
After how long of a nap? It should be like 10/11 PM for you guys
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</p>
<p>I sleep from 8:00pm - 10:30pm and 4:00am - 7:00am on a regular night/day. Due to all the REM stuff (that's why Uberman works), this compensates for 8 hours of one period of sleep and is probably even more healthy.</p>
<p>Someone's a little touchy.</p>
<p>He made fun of me for being a girl. I made fun of him for going to UChicago. Oh boy, I wonder who's got the upper moral ground on this one.</p>
<p>have a sense of humor, won't you?</p>
<p>p.s. try to keep the PDA to a minimum. fondling should be kept to PMs.</p>
<p>
[quote]
p.s. try to keep the PDA to a minimum. fondling should be kept to PMs.
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</p>
<p>??? o_O;;; ummm what? who? me? huh?</p>
<p>
[quote]
He made fun of me for being a girl. I made fun of him for going to UChicago. Oh boy, I wonder who's got the upper moral ground on this one.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No one does. Unfortunately, there are more girls than there are UChicago students. So I'm at a huge disadvantage here. :( Not that the UChicago students would support me anyhow... they'd probably tell me to shut up and stop giving a bad name to their school. :D</p>
<p>Well, congrats everyone, this thread has now beaten Caltech vs. MIT in Engineering (<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26083%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=26083</a>) on the same day that it has beaten the EA Roster thread. Fewer flames and trolls than Caltech vs. MIT in Engineering, too. ivyaccepted (post count of 4) must be proud.</p>
<p>Phuriku, I PMed you more about polyphasic sleep. Aggh, so much can be done with 3 extra hours per day. It could be 3 extra hours of video games (:p), but nah, I want to learn more math!</p>
<p>(Nice edit there in #347.)</p>
<p>I am bored with this thread.</p>
<p>As I see it, MIT is looking to admit people who didn't peak in high school -- they want students who will continue to grow and blossom and become more awesome as a result of an MIT education. Their opinions about the best and the brightest aren't always concurrent with yours. That's it.</p>
<p><a href="Nice%20edit%20there%20in%20#347.">quote</a>
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</p>
<p>Thanks. I thought it was a wise move before I got totally flamed. :D</p>
<p>
[quote]
I am bored with this thread.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Me too. We've already talked about every single (possible) flaw in MIT's admissions, so yeah. Now we're just going back to past arguments and using more silly attacks. We're approaching Godwin's Law having to be invoked. XD</p>
<p>
[quote]
Phuriku, I PMed you more about polyphasic sleep. Aggh, so much can be done with 3 extra hours per day. It could be 3 extra hours of video games (), but nah, I want to learn more math!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Math gets boring after a while. I can't do more than 3 hours of it at a time (with maybe 3 periods of this per day, max). And since we're alike, it's probably the same with you.</p>
<p>And are you seriously capable of getting 8 hours of sleep at night? Here, 6 hours would be a blessing.</p>
<p>"before I got totally flamed."</p>
<p>by me?</p>
<p>this caught my eye however</p>
<p>
[quote]
Whereas MIT has classes dedicated just for the Putnam
[/quote]
</p>
<p>what? WHERE??</p>
<p>There is a 6 unit freshman advising seminar on PROBLEM-SOLVING. Um, that's pretty much the closest they have, I believe. You're thinking of Harvard. MIT does well on the Putnam because there is a lot of interest, and also because we have a huge cross-section of the most brilliant math kids in the country. It says nothing about you or me or whether we're so brilliant or we deserve to be here. I wouldn't do so hot on the Putnam.</p>
<p>Well, American universities are now more prestigious than mainland European ones because of you-know-who. There, Godwin's Law. =P</p>
<p>
[quote]
Math gets boring after a while. I can't do more than 3 hours of it at a time (with maybe 3 periods of this per day, max). And since we're alike, it's probably the same with you.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>9 hours of math. Yes, but we can insert an additional period of study time by cutting into sleep. Not just more math - I value neurobiology/behavioral psychology a lot as well (and frankly, a whole sleuth of other subjects). I want to finish my Christof Koch book soo much. In fact, the most creative individuals are those who study many different fields.</p>
<p>But you're right - I can't do more than several hours of math before I want to do something else.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And are you seriously capable of getting 8 hours of sleep at night? Here, 6 hours would be a blessing.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It's possible at any institution. Even Caltech (though I doubt many at Caltech actually do 8 hrs). I wonder if a lot of Caltech students do polyphasic sleep. Some of them are certainly aware of modafinil (an expensive and Schedule IV substitute for polyphasic).</p>
<p>
[quote]
There is a 6 unit freshman advising seminar on PROBLEM-SOLVING. Um, that's pretty much the closest they have, I believe.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Look at the last sentence under "course description". If you're too lazy to, I'll show you what it says:</p>
<p>"Students in this course are expected to compete in a nationwide mathematics contest for undergraduates." The word "contest" is a link to the page: <a href="http://math.scu.edu/putnam/%5B/url%5D">http://math.scu.edu/putnam/</a></p>
<p>This is OBVIOUSLY a course designed solely for preparing for the Putnam.</p>
<p>I also see nowhere that says this is solely for freshman.</p>
<p>
[quote]
MIT does well on the Putnam because there is a lot of interest, and also because we have a huge cross-section of the most brilliant math kids in the country.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Psh. There's such an interest in it because MIT's obsessed with this prestige stuff. I'll also say that the Putnam is very hackable. It's harder to hack than the SATs, obviously, but it's still doable, as you can see from the courses that exist solely for preparing for the Putnam. There ARE typical questions on the Putnam and if you learn every method to attack the typical problem, then you're likely to do well. It says nothing about actual intelligence.</p>
<p>
[quote]
by me?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You and every other MIT student. :D</p>
<p>
[quote]
Yes, but we can insert an additional period of study time by cutting into sleep. Not just more math - I value neurobiology/behavioral psychology a lot as well (and frankly, a whole sleuth of other subjects).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yup. I use the extra time for reading (especially in philosophy), mostly. Reading (carefully) takes a lot of time and so when I was getting 7-8 hours with one period of sleep a few years ago, I wasn't able to do very much reading. Polyphasic sleeping solved the problem though. In the next few years, I'd like to change to absolute uberman, and I think my college schedule would be permissive of this. However, some of my friends have gotten sick from doing so, so I'm afraid to actually try.</p>
<p>Well here's the part that you didn't paste:</p>
<p>"Course Description
This course,which is geared toward Freshmen, is an undergraduate seminar on mathematical problem solving."</p>
<p>Again, seminar. Those are the things we take for fun around here. Geared toward freshmen is a nice way of saying "for freshmen". No class is ever closed to anyone who wants to take it. Especially seminars. </p>
<p>I didn't say it doesn't exist. But to take it out of context like they are training little Putnam robots is a little out of hand, I think.</p>
<p>The seminar is a freshman seminar -- see its listing[/url</a>] on the [url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/fas/%5DFreshman">http://web.mit.edu/firstyear/fas/]Freshman</a> Advising Seminar page.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In the next few years, I'd like to change to absolute uberman, and I think my college schedule would be permissive of this. However, some of my friends have gotten sick from doing so, so I'm afraid to actually try.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Wow, absolute uberman. It's really risky, seeing that it apparently takes 14 days to adjust, which can be killer (moreover, you could easily kill all that effort by accidentally oversleeping one night). Could you initially try by breaking it up into 3 periods, then 4, then more? (but then that hurts your adjusted schedule of two periods, and when that adjusted schedule is hurt, you might revert back to the normal 8-10 hr cycle). By the way, do you completely abstain from caffeine?</p>
<p>Paul Erdos did something totally different, combined with frequent napping. I so admire him...</p>
<p>
[quote]
The seminar is a freshman seminar -- see its listing on the Freshman Advising Seminar page.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Woah. So a freshman seminar is REQUIRED? Well, what seminar do you think MIT math majors would pick? Obviously, this one. It's just a way to increase MIT's prestige.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I didn't say it doesn't exist. But to take it out of context like they are training little Putnam robots is a little out of hand, I think.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, if you have a class dedicated solely to the Putnam, then this is a bit out of hand, I think... especially when a seminar is required of freshman and this looks like the obvious choice to math majors.</p>
<p>Perhaps your little "Putnam robots" theory isn't so far from the mark after all.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Could you initially try by breaking it up into 3 periods, then 4, then more? (but then that hurts your adjusted schedule, and when that adjusted schedule is hurt, you might revert back to the normal 8-10 hr cycle).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That sounds reasonable. I once tried it but stopped after two days. I was a wimp. I should really try it again.</p>
<p>Then again, I really don't want to stunt my growth and everyone always tells me that if I do this, I'll be short for the rest of my life. I don't know how it could have such an effect on growth, but I'm paranoid. I'll probably wait a while to try it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
By the way, do you completely abstain from caffeine?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No, I drink more caffeine than most. That's the cafeteria's fault though. They have energy drinks as a part of their fountain drink machine! Who could resist?!?</p>
<p>Anyways though, phuriku, do you think that a class really helps more in Putnam preparation than a strong Putnam study group? (which many universities have?) They identify the strongest students, and then the students have additional social motivation (remember, everyone in the school is cheering for them) in order to them to succeed well in the Putnam.</p>
<p>Did anyone say that a freshman seminar was required? Because it's totally not. If anything here is out of hand, it's your intense desire to turn every detail of the MIT undergraduate education into some conspiracy.</p>
<p>I took a freshman seminar. It was called "Designing Kid's Technologies." I played with toys. Literally. Putnam robots my ***.</p>