<p>Does MIT admit more hardworkers who studied hard in order to maintain their high school gpa or more people who were naturals in their studies and first found that they had to actually study when they got into college? Is it to my disadvantage that I already have to work hard in order to keep my As?</p>
<p>Eh, you need both to be a good MIT student. Most MIT students don’t just have the natural brilliance to coast through MIT classes.</p>
<p>Whether or not that’s to your disadvantage depends on what courses you’re taking. A senior working hard to just pass remedial math is probably not going to make it through MIT, for example 
But no, having to work hard for a grade is not a bad sign.</p>
<p>One thing you should note is that high school classes are extremely different from major specific ones in many cases. If you took a hard history class in high school, it takes a long time to study for no matter what you do. A math class can take less time even if it’s a lot more difficult to conceptualize simply because you’ll find quality of time spent is more important than quantity. </p>
<p>This means that for some people, what they do at a university is a relief, and to others, it’s a nightmare, because their best may just not be good enough. (Side note - this isn’t to scare you; if your best is not good enough, maybe the major is not the right fit for you, and you’re just pretending.)</p>
<p>I had to work pretty hard in high school, and I still need to work pretty hard here. In both cases it was largely because I gave myself a difficult workload; at MIT this is especially the case. MIT has so many exciting opportunities that it’s very easy to make life difficult for yourself if you want to.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the admissions office tries very hard to only accept student who can handle the workload. If you have already been accepted, trust them that you can handle it. If you’re considering applying, then what better way to find out?</p>