What a nice dilemma to have!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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<p>I recently got into both the CMU Robotics Institute PhD program, and MIT's EECS PhD program (at CSAIL.) Recently, I graduated with my master's degree from the robotics institute, and I know the program extremely well. In the course of getting my master's degree, I took all of the necessary coursework required for the PhD here, so if I just stay the course and continue here for the PhD, I will likely knock a year or two off my studies. The propaganda they've been giving us here in Pittsburgh informs us that our robotics program is the best in the world (don't even think of those impostors at MIT, Stanford or Caltech!) but I'm not so sure about that.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I never dreamed I would get into MIT. I kind of even botched the application (didn't even do the segment on coursework, accidentally submitted half my essay, etc.). A couple of weeks ago, an MIT prof on the admissions committee called my supervisor at the lab I work in, and inquired as to why my undergrad grades were so mediocre (like a 3.1). This was pretty discouraging -- so you can imagine my elation when I got the acceptance letter! I haven't gotten word on the other schools I applied to (USC, Stanford, UPenn, GaTech), but judging by the way things are going, it looks like I might be accepted there as well!</p>

<p>Since MIT was never really in the realm of possibility for me, I didn't do a lot of research on the school. All I know is that it has a famous name and is in Cambridge (which apparently also contains Harvard. And is in Boston. Something else I learned today). Most of what I know about MIT comes from hearsay and stereotypes, so I don't really feel like I can make an informed decision about it at the moment.</p>

<p>Anyway, they're flying me out to Boston for free and wining and dining me this month (something I never imagined would happen in my lifetime) where I will likely learn the answers to all my questions, but I have a few more questions for you before I go out there:</p>

<p>Is anyone here enrolled in / familiar with the EECS PhD program? How would you describe the attitude of the average student in this program (ie. competitive, mean, or compassionate laid back)? Is it common to drop out of graduate programs at MIT, or is there grade inflation? How difficult are the CS courses? What is living in Boston like (specifically, what is the cost of rent -- is parking hard to find -- and is the public transportation good)? </p>

<p>Thanks!
-- Someone making a very awesome decision.</p>

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<p>First off, congratulations!</p>

<p>Second, I’ll note that this forum is mostly used by undergrads. For some reason, MIT grad students don’t seem to make it on here very often. So a lot of your questions might go unanswered unless you get lucky.</p>

<p>But third… things I can answer! One, Cambridge is not in Boston. Cambridge is across the river from Boston. Cambridge does contain both MIT and Harvard (though I believe some of Harvard’s campus is in Boston). I can say that, for undergrad, students are competitive with themselves, but don’t get mean or cutthroat with other students - from what I’ve seen doing research in labs, grad students are the same. But I can’t say that with absolute certainty :slight_smile: Boston/Cambridge is pretty expensive, and parking is hard to find. Public transportation is reasonable, though - not as good as NYC, but it exists :)</p>

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<p>Thanks! I figured it was mostly for undergraduates. I apparently joined this site in 2007 when looking for undergrad advice; and it came up today while searching for MIT student testimonials. I suppose we grad students have better outlets for getting advice (ie, other students/professors). </p>

<p>What I meant by the student attitude, I guess, was whether the stereotype was true of the burned out, on-the-edge-of-suicide MIT student or whether that was unfounded (or just undergrads). Some of the things I’ve heard have been pretty discouraging!</p>

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<p>I’m in biological sciences, not EECS, but I can give you some information and advice from a general graduate student perspective. </p>

<p>First, the most important determinant of the quality of your graduate school experience is going to be your individual thesis advisor, so the first item on your list, bar none, needs to be to figure out what research problems interest you, and which specific faculty members at which programs will be optimal mentors for you. </p>

<p>The people who are important in your academic life will be your labmates/officemates and your advisor primarily, your cohort-mates and other classmates secondarily, and anybody else in the world a distant third – program “culture”, to the extent that it exists (and I’m not a firm believer), doesn’t affect students nearly as much as prospectives assume it will. And a general graduate student culture is virtually nonexistent at any university.</p>

<p>Your primary goals at the recruitment weekend should be to scope out potential advisors and their research groups, and to scope out current students more generally, to determine whether you can find a research group that makes you happy and to determine whether you would enjoy working with the kinds of students you meet. </p>

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Unfounded. Dear lord. It’s a university, not a prison.</p>

<p>RE: rents in Boston, many MIT grad students live in campus housing, which is considerably cheaper than market rent, and on campus to boot.</p>

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<p>@Mollie - Is on-campus housing cheaper? I’ve heard that people can find cheaper places to rent (assuming they find roommates) in East Cambridge or Somerville, and that people were willing to pay more for on-campus housing because it was close.</p>

<p>I will say that I think a fair number of MIT students are burnt out, myself included. This is definitely different from being “on the edge of suicide”. (Suicide seems to be more of a mental health issue than something that only happens as a result of stress, so there’s not really a leap between being burnt out and being suicidal.)</p>

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Oh, absolutely – it’s possible to find cheaper housing with roommates in those areas, no question. But campus housing is nicer than comparably-priced apartments in the vicinity of campus, and the price includes heat, electricity, and internet. (It’s also vastly less expensive than Harvard grad student housing, which is my current reference point.)</p>

<p>So the total absurdity of rent in Boston varies considerably with your criteria – commute convenience, apartment size, amenities, walkability of the surrounding area, apartment age/quality, number of roommates, etc., etc. On one end, one labmate of mine pays $400 a month with three roommates in East Somerville. On the other, another labmate pays $1600 a month for a studio in Central. Each one thinks the other one is totally crazy.</p>

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<p>I’ve heard from MIT EECS grad students that MIT is less extreme an experience for the grad students than for the undergrads. i wouldn’t MIT’s reputation for being extreme sway you because it mostly reflects the undergrads. Incidentally, the suicides tend to be from the undergraduate population.</p>

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I doubt people leave very often from a PhD program because of grades. PhD programs typically are not centered around classwork.</p>

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<p>My son paid about $800/month for a room in a four bedroom apartment in Tang Hall. It is among the cheapest on campus options for grad students. Kind of a dive, but it had fabulous river view from his 14th floor room. If I remember correctly grad housing is over-subscribed and there is a lottery to get in to some places.</p>

<p>He’s now in a nice one bedroom in Somerville for $1400/mo. It’s a couple miles from his office. Bus transportation is feasible but biking is usually easier (though not this week).</p>