<p>I heard that MIT is trying to make it's campus "cooler" and I wanted to see what you guys thought this meant and what justifies "cool."</p>
<p>MIT is looking for the same kind of crazy scientists it's always been looking for.</p>
<p>It's perfectly fine to be cool in addition to science-crazed, whatever "cool" means to you, but the science/engineering/math-crazed part should be there too. But in response to your title, I would say rather that it's that "different" people like MIT, not just the other way around.</p>
<p>good point</p>
<p>By reputation (I certainly don't have inside information), MIT and other "elite" schools try to form a well-rounded class by choosing both well-rounded students, and individuals that offer special talents but are collectively complementary. Call kids cool, different, unique, whatever, a school needs soccer players, musicians, scientists, public speakers, leaders, followers, etc. However you fit in to this, your application must make it stand out.</p>
<p>^^I don't really think MIT is actively looking for diversity of EC's. Other elite schools do.</p>