<p>Yeah, I hear MIT girls are ugly. Please testify as to the truth of this rumor.</p>
<p>I might "accidentally" drop you at cheerleading practice tonight. Then you might be ugly.</p>
<p>Is it possible to double major in course 2 (mechE) and course 4 (architecture)? And maybe minor (or triple major?) in course 15 (management science)?...And be alive and sane at the end of my four years?</p>
<p>So, they are changing the requirements for a double major, so I'm not sure exactly when the new requirements will be in effect, but under the current requirements, it's not even POSSIBLE to triple major. As in, flat out not allowed. Double majors happen, but they're crazy. Like Mollie. Mollie is a time management ninja. If you are not a time management ninja, double majoring is not for you.</p>
<p>That said, Course 2 has a "flexible" option- so you could major in 2 and get to take a bunch of classes in 4. You won't get the double major, technically, but as long as you're only in it to follow your interests and learn things (which is hopefully your main goal), that shouldn't matter to you.</p>
<p><em>time management ninja pose</em></p>
<p>My advice for prospective double majors is to come in and take the classes you need to take freshman year assuming you'll do the double. Then sit down at the beginning of sophomore year, map out the classes you'd need to double, take the appropriate slate during first semester of sophomore year, and see if it makes you crazy. If it makes you crazy, screw the double major idea and just take classes in the second department without majoring in it. If it doesn't make you (too) crazy, do it up. But always have an exit strategy for graduating with one degree.</p>
<p>The most you're allowed to do at MIT is double major and double minor. I had a friend who did this -- double major in chemical engineering and biology and double minor in biomedical engineering and comparative media studies. Not for the faint of heart, but she got through it and UROPed and TAed and hung out with the rest of our group of friends.</p>
<p>EDIT: Also note, despite my threat in #42, I did not in fact drop pebbles at cheerleading practice tonight.</p>
<p>but MAN I FEEL LIKE CRAP ANYHOW.</p>
<p>A) Does having Sophomore standing in second semester help? Does it
give priority or access to class registration/research positions?</p>
<p>B) Someone once posted that it is hard to do a foreign language minor
alongside for example engg. like Course 20 (something to do with schedule
conflicts or something) Can someone comment on this please?</p>
<p>
[quote]
A) Does having Sophomore standing in second semester help? Does it
give priority or access to class registration/research positions?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It doesn't give you registration or research priority, with the possible exception of a very small number of classes I can think of that use a class priority system. IMO, sophomore standing is only useful if you really know what you want to do. You get to declare a major, be part of a department, and get a departmental advisor, early. If you don't know what you want to do, it forces your hand a semester early for no real benefit.</p>
<p>One major benefit my D found was the ability to take a class as Exploratory. The A/B/C/NR freshman option is not really of help as one is unlikely to actually fail a class. Second semester is the first semester where grades actually count, and the exploratory option allows you to take some more risks without incurring a major penalty. You can take a course and drop it AFTER the final grade if you are not happy with it. My D took organic chemistry as exploratory upon the suggestion of her advisor but was clearly unprepared for the course and will end up retaking it in the fall. She clearly knew what major she was interested in, so that was not an issue. </p>
<p>Another benefit, is that you can take more than 54 credits which is the freshman limit spring semester. So you could take 5 full classes with one being exploratory for instance, which is not possible otherwise.</p>
<p>
[quote]
B) Someone once posted that it is hard to do a foreign language minor
alongside for example engg. like Course 20 (something to do with schedule
conflicts or something) Can someone comment on this please?
[/quote]
I found it difficult to do a HASS concentration in Spanish, personally, because my lab classes were always in the afternoons, and most of the Spanish III classes were in the afternoons (possibly just that semester). </p>
<p>Foreign language classes usually meet 4 times a week for 1 hour instead of the more typical HASS pattern of twice a week for 1.5 hours, and sometimes it's tough to find a one-hour block that's the same four days a week.</p>
<p>So, there's less than five days left, and I'm at a standstill. I never thought I'd have to decide between MIT, my dream school, and Princeton, and my gut instincts are telling me to to go with MIT, but I'm still hesitating because of a few things. It would be wonderful if someone could give me a few honest answers. I wouldn't mind (in fact, I'd be incredibly grateful for) a harsh dose of reality, if it comes down to that.</p>
<p>This is going to sound so over-discussed, but the reason why I'm hesitating is because I want to go premed. After hours of searching on collegeconfidential/the internet and reading arguments, the general consensus seems to be that MIT is a suicide route for premed mainly because of grade deflation and the sheer intensity of the material taught at the undergraduate level. I'm not the best when it comes down to tooling at a desk - I'm a huge procrastinator, but I do work well under pressure, and I've never balked at putting in all the time and effort needed towards school work. I guess I'm wondering if effort always correlates with how well you do on exams and such, or if the rumors are true that the material is so hard, it's impossible to grasp it all.</p>
<p>It would be easier if I was purely premed, but I really want to go on the md/phd track. I attended the prehealth session during CPW, but the panelists didn't comment much about the topic. I was wondering if anyone knew more about it, especially if MIT is the right school to choose (advising, placement, etc) when considering this track? And if Brian and Cognitive Sciences would be a good major instead of bio? I did a lot of neuronal research during the past few summers, and I'm really interested in continuing that, but a few people have said that it seems like such a specific major, and that bio would be a better idea. </p>
<p>I visited Princeton, and I'll be honest, the food and dorms were better, the campus seemed like it was taken straight out of medieval times. I feel like I'd have more of a "regular" college lifestyle, eating at dining halls, etc. Princeton people told me that I'd get more attention as a premed from professors because the school is so dedicated to undergraduate education and research, and that the opportunities at Princeton are equal to, if not better, than those at MIT. Is that true? I guess, the most important part is that, if I go to Princeton, my parents will have much less of a financial burden, simply because I'm an in-state student, and I get more scholarship money for that reason. I didn't think I'd be choosing where to college based on money, but I'm not an only child, so the financial aspect actually does come into play somewhat.</p>
<p>My heart tells me MIT. But my (too-practical) head tells me Princeton. I felt comfortable when I visited MIT for CPW and I felt like I could really see myself there for the next four years, and as cliche/cheesy as it sounds, I felt like I belonged. But I also know I'll be happy no matter where I end up. I'm really torn right now, and it would be wonderful if I could have some last minute honest insight to help me decide! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who replies!</p>
<p>And I'm terribly sorry for the huge post! It kinda helped to type out all my thoughts though :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
I guess I'm wondering if effort always correlates with how well you do on exams and such, or if the rumors are true that the material is so hard, it's impossible to grasp it all.
[/quote]
I think the answer to both of these is no. Efford doesn't always correlate with how well you do on exams, but problem-solving ability and the ability to understand how to use the tools you have to answer what the exam is asking generally do. MIT tests aren't usually fact-based (what is 7x5?), they're usually problem-based (if you found a bacterium with these properties, how would you go about finding whether it did x?). This is not impossible to grasp, but it does require honing your problem-solving abilities rather than just putting in as much time as it takes to memorize every word in the textbook.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I was wondering if anyone knew more about it, especially if MIT is the right school to choose (advising, placement, etc) when considering this track? And if Brian and Cognitive Sciences would be a good major instead of bio?
[/quote]
I think that MIT is a better choice for an MD/PhD prospective than a straight MD prospective -- MIT students have a fabulous record of getting into PhD programs, and professors generally know more about PhD admissions than MD admissions and are better equipped to help. When I was applying to biology PhD programs, my professors were an absolutely invaluable source of help and support to me.</p>
<p>If you're interested in neurobiology specifically, course 9 is a great choice. You're always free to take extra courses in the biology department to shore up your knowledge, of course.</p>
<p>I'd be happy to put you in contact with MIT alums who have gone the MD/PhD route -- one of my friends is doing her work in cancer biology, and one of my other friends (who majored in course 9) is actually doing his PhD work in neurobiology (in my lab :)). Melis, the blogger, is also going to join my PhD program as an MD/PhD student once she finishes her Rhodes scholarship.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I feel like I'd have more of a "regular" college lifestyle, eating at dining halls, etc.
[/quote]
Regular is so overrated.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Princeton people told me that I'd get more attention as a premed from professors because the school is so dedicated to undergraduate education and research, and that the opportunities at Princeton are equal to, if not better, than those at MIT.
[/quote]
I have always found this veneration of Princeton for having few graduate students rather bizarre. I think that MIT's great graduate programs are a huge asset, because great graduate programs and great programs of faculty research go hand-in-hand. As a graduate student myself, I can tell you that nobody, anywhere, cares about graduate students, at all -- undergraduates are cared for and valued by faculty even at schools with graduate students.</p>
<p>MIT is dedicated to undergraduate education and research. Actually, at MIT, I always felt that undergrads were treated like graduate students and given a great deal of trust and responsibility and deep intellectual work. So perhaps MIT does just value graduate education -- but MIT treats its undergraduates exactly the way it treats its graduate students.</p>
<p>By way of a single data point, my PhD program at Harvard has 10 MIT alums in my cohort and one Princeton alum. MIT's PhD placement in the life sciences is absolutely untouchable, because undergrads have the opportunity to do meaningful work with high-profile professors.</p>
<p>OK, so first, your worries. One, MIT students have a higher admit rate into Harvard med than students from other schools - and from what I hear they've got a pretty good medical program ;). (Even if this wasn't the case, however, why pick based off your major? As certain as you are about it now, it will probably change.) Two, the material here IS hard, but I don't think MIT would be a functioning school if the material was too hard to grasp. Three, don't worry so much about majors right now - most people change theirs anyway. I came in thinking that I'd do BE and go to med school, and now I'm a ChemE major who wants to PhD in biology. Just do what you love, and the future will take care of itself - don't put specific expectations on yourself.</p>
<p>So, yes, Princeton probably does have better food and dorms. Among my schools I had Notre Dame (YUMMY food and a beautiful campus) as well as WPI (I hear the dorms there are palaces). And I had the choice about money, too - a free ride at the #9 engineering school, or going to the best?</p>
<p>Anyway, the real question is - what do you want out of the next four years of your life? To learn what you need to know - or be pushed to your limits only to realize that you can really accomplish anything? A pretty dorm - or one full of culture and personality? A comfortable money situation? Good food? Traditional college life, as portrayed on TV? An Ivy League diploma? Some of these reasons I find good, others I think are silly - but it's really about what YOU want. </p>
<p>Decide what you want college to be like, then pick the college that best fits that.</p>
<p>Here's a random query in FinAid billing:</p>
<p>When you get that bill the summer before freshman year, I know it's one semester's worth and that it is a bill covering the estimated room + board and tuition.</p>
<p>So, is the self-help in there? Like, the MIT scholarship based on Financial Aid need for one semester would be deducted, I assume. But then do they deduct an amount of the bill based on how much I told them my self-help will be work vs. loan?</p>
<p>And on that note, how can I possibly know how much I'll be able to work/how much money I'll make working at MIT, as opposed to taking out student loans or paying with my own savings?</p>
<p>Obviously, e-mailing FinAid with these queries is my best route, but since it's a weekend I thought I'd give the fine MIT students here a chance to help clarify this before I shoot out the e-mail Sunday night.</p>
<p>As always, MUCHOS thanks to all the MIT alums/students who take the time to read/reply to all of us hopeless(ish) prefrosh!</p>
<p>
[quote]
After hours of searching on collegeconfidential/the internet and reading arguments, the general consensus seems to be that MIT is a suicide route for premed mainly because of grade deflation and the sheer intensity of the material taught at the undergraduate level.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't believe there is such a consensus at all. Generally the people making these comments don't even attend MIT and make conclusory statements not backed up by the facts. </p>
<p>Grade deflation seems to be vastly overstated and most premed candidates do not seem to be adversely affected compared to other elite colleges. There is no evidence that Princeton offers any advantages for premeds over MIT or that it has greater grade inflation. </p>
<p>It is probably true that engineering majors have slightly lower GPAs on average than science majors, but that would hold true for engineering majors at any college. The vast majority of MD or MD/PhD candidates at MIT are in Course 7 and 9 and to a lesser extent in Course 5. 75% of premeds are female. </p>
<p>The data on medical school admission is available and has been posted on these boards. As stated by another poster and gain backed up the published data, MIT gets more students into HMS than any other school except Harvard College. If you are premed at MIT and take advantage of the premed advising services (which most applicants do) then your chances of admission are around 90%. Hardly the suicide route!</p>
<p>Most of your premed requirements will be fullfilled with your GIRs with the exception of organic chemistry, so they are easily built into to any major. Most MIT students appear to do very well on the MCATs, which is not surprising as 2/3 of the test score is science based. Most premeds are actually ready to take the MCATs at the end of sophomore year at MIT which is often not true at other colleges. </p>
<p>A unique feature at MIT is that freshmen are not segregated from upperclassmen. You can generally find somebody right down the hall in your dorm to help on a problem or advise you on particular classes. </p>
<p>My daughter is currently a premed at MIT and in Course 9 and really loves it. The BCS program offers a lot of flexibility in taking classes outside of your major. It is not a huge major so each student gets a lot of attention. The new neuroscience building is actually the single largest neuroscience facility in the world. </p>
<p>She is also hesitating between an MD and MD/PhD route. She volunteers and shadows physicians at Mass General Hospital and is already involved in advanced research on fMRI in a lab on campus. She also plans to take classes in the HST program, organized jointly with HMS.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure about MIT at this point, but I hesitate just a little because I live in Boston and I wanted to go somewhere new for college. My other options are CMU, Lehigh, and U of Rochester, and they all gave me about the same amount of money. I have been turned off to Lehigh because of how important greek life and drinking are to the social scene. I also definitely want to be in a city, and Bethlehem does not offer much. Rochester would probably be great except that it does not offer much in engineering and I've heard the city is boring, not to mention the snow. I haven't had a chance to visit CMU, but what I've heard it is extremely focused and hard to change your major. Also, there are fewer girls there than at MIT. I think that MIT is where I'm going to end up, but I'm just afraid that I will miss out on some parts of the college experience by going to MIT. Of course, MIT is #1 for engineering and I will get an amazing education and meet some amazingly smart people, but I'm still just a little afraid to commit. I would really appreciate it if anyone cared to share any insight.</p>
<p>Neil: You <em>will</em> miss out on some parts of the college experience. I've commented on this before- in this thread, I think. It kind of sucks- I'm a varsity athlete, and sometimes I'm like, "man, I kind of wish more than 2 people ever showed up to our games." Just as an example. But there are other times where I'm like, "Man, this place is amazing. I love that x just happened, because it would not happen at any other school in the country." So yeah, you might miss out on some things by coming here, but you'll also miss out on some things by going elsewhere. It really just comes down to a choice.</p>
<p>Rainalai: I'm not premed, but I am an EMT, so I know a lot of them- and they certainly get into med school. Not that it's easy, and not that it's not harder than it might be if you go to another school, but from my strictly anecdotal and second hand experience, I think if you stick with the premed thing, you will get into med school. So consider all the other factors, but don't think that it's going to totally ruin your dreams of becoming a doctor.</p>
<p>"S T F U" is blocked out, because it is the abbreviation of "shut the f-word up!"</p>
<p>mollie, piper, cellardweller, and laura, you're all amazing for replying so quickly with such detail! I didn't previously know about a lot of the things you mentioned, and they're definitely going to help me make my decision. I guess all it comes down to now is pressing the button. Thank you all so much for your help!</p>
<p>
I'm curious, what is "the college experience"? When I was at MIT, I made friends and best friends, fell in love, fell out of love, stayed up all night just talking, went to parties, got drunk, learned about myself, figured out how to be an independent human being, laughed until I cried, cried until I felt sick to my stomach, was part of an extracurricular activity to which I still dedicate time as an alum, and all kinds of other things.</p>
<p>Like Laura, I do remember one particular day cheerleading at a football game when I wished there were more people there. I didn't generally eat in dining halls (although I did almost always eat with my friends). I didn't live in an all-freshman dorm or have a roommate or get so drunk that I had to be escorted home by someone else (although that was a personal preference, I suppose). I didn't join a sorority (again, personal preference).</p>
<p>Overall, I certainly feel like I had an experience.</p>
<p>
<p>And on that note, how can I possibly know how much I'll be able to work/how much money I'll make working at MIT, as opposed to taking out student loans or paying with my own savings?
To some degree, it's really just money-shuffling, and it doesn't matter how much you pay out of your savings vs. making at MIT. You could even have your parents pay it. :) </p>
<p>I would suggest putting down an amount that's reasonable to be taken out of savings + anything your parents can contribute + loans, then contributing to self-help in future years using money you've earned.</p>
<p>I took most of my self-help in loans, and used the money I earned at MIT for food and entertainment, figuring that if I didn't use my money for food and entertainment, my parents would just have to give me money, so it all worked out in the wash.</p>
<p>If it's helpful, I put the approximate amounts I made by working at MIT each year in this</a> blog entry.</p>