<p>I'm a junior in high school and I'll be in Boston in November. Questions:
1. Is it too early/ridiculous to visit MIT?
2. Will there be classes on a Friday that I can check out (and that might make some sense to me)?
3. Would it be possible to arrange to stay overnight with an MIT student?
My stats are good, so I know I'm in the ballpark for MIT, I just want to make sure it's for me (visited Caltech a while ago -- and that is so not for me!)
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>My son visited as a junior, sat in on a class, talked to someone and had a tour in the department he was interested in. I don't know about an overnight as he didn't ask about that. I think visiting now is a good idea.</p>
<p>My son also visited as a junior (although in March). We took a tour, had the info session (detailed schedule available here), and checked what classes were available</a> for sitting in. There are definitely classes held on Fridays, but check the list to see if there are any in your departments of interest. The "Campus Tours and Information Sessions" page in the Undergrad Admissions website has lots of useful links. (But it's hard to link here: go through MyMIT for easiest access.) There is also a page there on the "Overnight Program" which notes:
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From October through February, any high school junior or senior may arrange an overnight visit.
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so you could surely arrange this in Nov. as a junior if you wanted to. There is a link to the "Overnight Visit Registration Form" on that "Overnight Visits" page.</p>
<p>Our visit to Caltech showed us that it was not for my son either, by the way. He seems quite happy at MIT.</p>
<p>fall of junior year is a perfect time to do a visit and overnight. Not too early at all. My son didn't do the overnight until senior year, but he had already been on campus and done the tour several times during high school. He also decided Caltech was not a good fit and is very happy at MIT (although it's only been a month).</p>
<p>I would actually advise visiting junior fall -- during the spring, overnights can be restricted to admitted students, and senior fall tends to be pretty crazy.</p>
<p>
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Will there be classes on a Friday that I can check out
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Hee, what, you think this place is a cakewalk maybe and nobody has classes on Fridays? :)</p>
<p>does anyone know about the overnight program at MIT? is it better to do that this semester (im a senior) or after if you've been accepted? Is it worth the plane ticket frm dallas? I do really want to go but i dunno if i'll just end up alone in a host's room while she is at classes all day</p>
<p>If you're still not convinced I'll chime in to say that "Yes" junior year is a good time to visit. My son visited in spring of his junior year and is glad he did, Things get a bit hectic in senior year with all the applications, interviews, etc. He is very very happy at MIT and he too decided against Caltech. When you visit, try to get a sense of how cool it is being so close to Boston. What a great place to spend four years.</p>
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Our visit to Caltech showed us that it was not for my son either, by the way. He seems quite happy at MIT.
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</p>
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visited Caltech a while ago -- and that is so not for me!)
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</p>
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He also decided Caltech was not a good fit and is very happy at MIT (although it's only been a month).
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</p>
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He is very very happy at MIT and he too decided against Caltech.
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</p>
<p>Being a Caltech student, may I politely enquire as to the cause for such universal scorn and dismissal of the school?</p>
<p>Gracie: You have to look at the stark contrast between Caltech and MIT.</p>
<p>Caltech is in the middle of Pasadena. It's hot, and there's not much to do. There are Asian medical practices for miles in any direction, but not much to do for nightlife. LA is a bit of a drive away, but there's not much to do unless you're loaded. The campus is relatively calm.</p>
<p>MIT is right next to Boston. One mile away, you can find anything for whatever price range you're looking for. There are clubs everywhere, and the campus is a live theater... always in action.</p>
<p>I'm not saying one is better than the other, but that they're fairly opposite. Someone who likes the location and lifestyle of one will likely not enjoy the location and lifestyle of the other. I think this thread reflects that, more than it does feelings towards the actual schools. A Caltech education and an MIT education are both incredible and top-notch, it's everything else that makes the difference for most students.</p>
<p>Re: Caltech: Um, I think people were just mentioning it because the OP said he/she wasn't a fit for it. No hidden agenda. We like Caltech at this school.</p>
<p>
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I do really want to go but i dunno if i'll just end up alone in a host's room while she is at classes all day
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You definitely won't sit in someone's room, unless you want to do so. There are lots of things you can do on a visit (take the tour, sit in on classes, wander the campus), and it's up to you to do them -- your host might offer to take you along to a few classes, but it's your job as a prospective to check out anything else you're interested in.</p>
<p>As for being worth a plane ticket... that's something you have to decide for yourself. I visited in the spring of my senior year, and wouldn't personally recommend it -- I was busy with extracurriculars and had to visit in a whirlwind 24 hours and then decide within a day or so of getting home whether or not I wanted to come to MIT. It can get kind of overwhelming, making those kinds of decisions without time to think them over.</p>
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Caltech is in the middle of Pasadena. It's hot,
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</p>
<p>The climate of Boston is far more extreme than that of Pasadena; furious, biting winters and snow along with hot, humid summers. </p>
<p>To be honest, I'm not enthused about either school's weather, but I definitely don't think it's the reason the parents/students in this thread chose MIT over Caltech.</p>
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There are Asian medical practices for miles in any direction, but not much to do for nightlife.
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</p>
<p>You're wrong there; I've been surprised at how active the nightlife and social scene has been in the first few weeks.</p>
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LA is a bit of a drive away,
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<p>About twenty minutes. </p>
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The campus is relatively calm.
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<p>That's not the case at all.</p>
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MIT is right next to Boston. One mile away, you can find anything for whatever price range you're looking for. There are clubs everywhere, and the campus is a live theater... always in action.
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</p>
<p>Pasadena and especially LA all have their fair share of clubs. Are you saying that the greater number of Boston nighttime establishments is responsible for the admits/parents in this topic choosing MIT over CIT?</p>
<p>Don't misunderstand me; MIT is a great school, and I would have applied there had I not wanted to stay close to home. </p>
<p>However, I'm always a bit surprised at why so many admits and their parents flippantly, summarily dismiss its Californian counterpart.</p>
<p>I know Boston's climate varies, but Pasadena is constantly hot.</p>
<p>In my few weeks in Pasadena, I never noticed much (any?) nightlife. Like I said though, the sheer amount of medical practices scared me, though.</p>
<p>Twenty minutes or forty-five minutes makes no real difference when everything's too expensive. I noticed that while I was there too. To it's credit, the west coast does have In-n-Out burger, for which there is no rival.</p>
<p>While I was at Caltech, it was indeed calm compared to the other universities I visited. It makes me sad that you say it's not; I rather liked that about Caltech.</p>
<p>Also, to be quite honest Gracie, I have to say that yes, that's exactly why. It's fairly stupid reasoning, but when the education you get from either is comparable, what else are you going to base your decision on but the student life? Most parents don't want their kids holed up in a place like they perceive Pasadena to be, regardless of how it actually is (most have never even been there, those who have have likely seen what I saw). Besides, Boston has snow.</p>
<p>Caltech is not MIT's Californian counterpart. Nor is MIT Caltech's eastern counterpart. They're different, and I embrace their differences. You seem to embrace their similarities, which is no less valid. However, all my Caltech friends seem to rejoice in the differences between the schools.</p>
<p>No one is attacking Caltech here, no one is saying it's the inferior school. Some people just want a more exciting school life. As for me, I'm a wobbly. Both schools are great, and I'd be happy at both. However, I must say, I rather miss the snow, and in that area, MIT has the edge.</p>
<p>When my son visited both schools, he felt much more comfortable with the students he met at MIT. He preferred the energy he felt there and the openness he experienced, which was not as evident to him at Caltech. (As a minor point of importance, he did want to be in/near a city but does not care for LA at all. He was more excited with having Boston to explore, so yes, Boston vs LA did come into the picture.) They're both great schools. I mentioned that it was not the school "for my son", not that it was in any way an inferior school or that no one should consider it their top choice or something. (Duh: there are great people at Caltech!) </p>
<p>No need to invent slights where none were stated: the folks on this thread just didn't feel they would fit at Caltech. So isn't it good that they went (or plan to go) somewhere else! :) Good for you that you found a fit there: you made a good choice! Good for my son and texas137's son and 56forceout's son that they feel they found their fit at MIT, and good all around that both schools exist for just such occasions!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your input. It really helped as I was unsure as to whether or not it would be premature visiting MIT as a junior. So now I'll arrange to visit in good conscience!
Sorry "molliebatmit" about wondering if MIT has classes on Friday. I'd heard that Columbia has few classes on that day... guess I neglected to factor in the MIT rigor factor!
Also sorry if my comment about Caltech resulted in some bad feelings. When I visited Caltech this summer I thought it would be my first choice. I actually loved Pasadena -- the Ice House was great, the town was fun, the Norton Simon museum was phenomenal, and the beaches were within easy driving distance. But I ultimately didn't think I'd be happy at Caltech itself. I realize that it was the summer, but the people I saw around campus just didn't look at all happy or energized. Moreover, most of them were walking around individually -- alone. When I asked a grad student what students did there for "fun," he responded in a very matter of fact manner by saying that "work is our fun," but "beyond that there isn't much." Essentially, he articulated what I sensed.
When I went to stores, restaurants, the ice house, etc. I always asked people what Caltech students "were like," and the response I received was usually something like: "well, we don't really see much of them... they tend to act pretty 'old.'" In addition, the student who took the group I was in around campus was rather lack-luster: she didn't ask any of us questions,and seemed uninspired -- when I went to USC a week later I was amazed at how energetic, interested, and quick the student tour guide was there. However, I do think that Ben Golub (their go-to-guy in Admissions?) is great on CC -- he's certainly a lot more impressive than the women I actually encountered in the Admissions Office.
Anyhow, to wind this thing up (sorry, too carried away after finishing my homework tonight!): perhaps I just need a more lively campus. I've never been to Boston, so who knows if MIT is any different. I'll keep an open mind.
Thanks again everyone.</p>
<p>You don't have PM turned on, magd, otherwise I'd be happy to exchange PMs with you about our experiences on both campuses. Feel free to PM me if you'd like.</p>
<p>The question I originally posed was merely a by-product of personal curiosity; I didn't consider any posts before or after mine offensive or demeaning in the slightest.</p>
<p>And yes, mootmom has a point about certain CIT students being listless and reserved towards random visitors. However, this is quite deceiving; they are far more lively towards fellow students.</p>
<p>Secondly, magd has unfortunately gotten the wrong impression from her visit. She met a jaded graduate student obsessed with work, as opposed to one of the many lazy undergrads consumed with revelry!</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I feel the past few posts have given me a better idea of why more individuals prefer MIT over CIT, and I thank the students and parents for so willingly sharing their impressions.</p>
<p>Gracie - it's a fact of college life that most students settle in and become happy at their colleges, and very quickly they cannot imagine themselves anywhere else. Even students who had their hearts set on college A but end up at college B generally feel that they are in the only place for them once they have settled in. You are on an MIT forum. The parents and college students here are primarily from MIT. Of course they love the place and cannot imagine themselves at XYZ other college that they didn't choose. If you go to the Caltech forum, there will be people who love Caltech and cannot imagine themselves anywhere else.</p>
<p>My son liked Caltech a lot. He visited multiple times, and labored over the MIT vs Caltech decision until the very last minute. He placed Caltech clearly ahead of some other colleges that people kill to get into. But ultimately, he felt MIT was a better fit. He liked the atmosphere, the people there, the energy of the place, and the program offered in his planned major. That certainly does not mean a rejection of Caltech! I could imagine someone else visiting both places and making the other choice (I probably would have. I loved Caltech's campus). </p>
<p>to return to the original question - the discussion of MIT vs Caltech is exactly why it is so important to visit colleges. You really cannot get a feel for a college or how you would fit in there without spending some time trying it on. Overnights are a particularly good way to do this because you will get a much more typical look at college life than a tour will give you.</p>
<p>A couple of weeks ago I filed a request for an "overnight visit." Alas, so far there's been no response. Does this mean that, as a Junior, I'm outta luck for now? Does MIT bother to respond if the request is denied? (Just in case you're wondering, I don't want to bother Admissions -- figure they've enough people nudging them right now.)</p>
<p>You're a junior and you've requested an overnight visit but have not received an answer -- your request is completely within the guidelines (junior or senior, correct time of year), and your concern about lack of response is completely within the realm of something meriting a polite call to Admissions. Go ahead: call them! Let them know you submitted a request but did not hear anything and are eager to schedule an overnight visit -- the worst that can happen is they'll have you call someone else.</p>
<p>if you are requesting an overnight for more than a couple of weeks in the future, they may not be able to confirm it yet because their student hosts don't like to commit themselves so far in advance. (you don't want a pre-frosh committment if you suddenly have a hot date or a big project). I would assume you'll get an overnight (assuming you've checked the calendar carefully for conflicts with exams and such). But if you requested an overnight that is still a month or more away, they may just need more time. (this made us very anxious last year because we had to make plane reservations before we had the overnight hosts confirmed, but it worked out fine).</p>