Not planning to major in music, should I still add a music portfolio?

<p>There’s also the part where an interest in getting a degree from MIT merely for the brand name won’t get you through those weeks when you have three psets and two tests and a paper and a presentation</p>

<p>To be fair, a strong interest in what one is studying and doing, rather than a commitment to the MIT mission statement (unless one really twists and stretches it), I suspect may actually work, but I could be wrong. </p>

<p>That is, if the reason one is attending the brand-name school is not just to get the name, but because a brand-name school is designed to serve (very well!) the academic and other needs of many very talented individuals, as long as one works passionately at something, it’s possible to get through the tough times? Even if one is attending MIT but feels like one might just as well be happy studying science at Caltech, Princeton, or another school…because of the interest in science, say if one isn’t picky about environment aside from having people who care about the things one is into. I can think of many such people.</p>

<p>Ok, maybe I was just misinformed. I think when the average joe thinks of MIT, he thinks of math ingineering technology.</p>

<p>I guess there’s pretty clear proof around CC you can enjoy engineering but also be into playing the banjo…</p>

<p>EVEN for the average Joe, who’s read Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman, it would appear the classic portrayal involves a crazy physicist with bongo-playing skills and many, many other activities to hear about.</p>

<p>Note the OP didn’t come out and say “I want to major in music. EW, numbers, math, computers”</p>

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<p>Pff, that’s absolutely ridiculous.</p>

<p><.< </p>

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<p>:D</p>

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I don’t mean that one has to be wildly in love with MIT and only MIT to get through. I mean that the kinds of people who want to go to a place like MIT only for the name are driven by external validation (and, I think, by wanting to impress other people), and I think that’s insufficient motivation to keep on keeping on. </p>

<p>I think there’s also a mature way to see a top-notch undergraduate school as a means to an end, and to get through with the goal of doing other things. There’s also a very immature way to see a top notch undergraduate school as a way to impress chicks in bars.</p>

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I’m not sure this is true. Thinking about medical school admissions, where MCAT scores and GPA are exceedingly important, and “match” with a given medical school isn’t much of a consideration, I don’t think the job of the admissions committee is easy, nor do I think that the schools do a particularly outstanding job of picking out the applicants who will become the best doctors.</p>

<p>^ Let me clarify - I think <em>simpler</em> may be the term I subconsciously used for a reason, rather than <em>easier</em>. And I think medical school admissions simply don’t consider the factors most relevant to what they’re measuring - that’s why they probably don’t do the best job.</p>

<p>I don’t think any admissions job is easy, but there seems to be a greater degree of complexity when the final objective is a subtle match to a philosophy rather than just admitting a bunch of really good students who can perform well in various areas. I’d think this is part of what makes such a school so selective, and why Chance-Me threads don’t work.</p>

<p>And yes, Pff indeed, what was I thinking. :P</p>

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<p>I’m sure you didn’t mean that, I guess I was talking about what StarsAligned seemed to have meant, which seems closer to the “mature way” to view a brand-name school as a means to an end, with admirable resources at disposal.</p>

<p>Confusing discussion xD
I guess my point is that persons in finance can be a match for MIT, for example those that are actively working towards improving the economical crisis. There are altruistic and selfish types in every field; any academic interest can be a match at MIT.</p>

<p>Confusing discussion xD
I guess my point is that persons in finance can be a match for MIT, for example those that are actively working towards improving the economical crisis. There are altruistic and selfish types in every field; any academic interest can be a match at MIT.
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<p>I’m sure others could clarify this confusion better than I. My attempt - I think a reason people felt your original statements needed clarification is that an academic interest provides a foundation via which a match to the overall philosophy can be conveyed. Hence, your original query that - why would a person with outright interest in finance perhaps not correlate well with match, when the school is reputed in finance, may neglect considering that outright interest in finance quite frequently needn’t correlate well with the school mission (a statement which a lot of people in the financial market could confirm). However, as Chris from admissions stated himself, people who were a match have ended up in the financial market themselves, perhaps doing things with a view towards improving the economical crisis.</p>

<p>I have a similar problem. If I were to send a CD, it would take me quite a bit of time and tremendous effort (I don’t like sending in recordings that I’m not proud of). MITChris mentioned that the supplement “won’t necessary help”. I don’t know whether the time and effort would be worth it then.</p>

<p>@cornetking – Basically, send everything that will demonstrate who you are and showcase your strengths and talents. From what you’ve written, it sounds as if it might not make sense for you to submit a cd. But for students who are actively involved in music or art, who view their involvement as one of their greatest strengths, and who already have a body of work or could easily put one together, it makes sense to submit a portfolio.</p>