<p>
[quote]
I think the answer was at least as insightful as the question itself.</p>
<p>Does it make you curious why MIT is notorious for its rigor? Why?
[/quote]
and MIT picks students who want that rigor ... and the experience is different than a lot of other top tier schools. MIT students do bust their butts and for the most part they want to. For example, a kid who loves physics and spends a ton of time on their physics work not only because it is a required assignment because they love the intellectual challenge, and love being with other students as smart and passionate about physics, and love being taught by profs who are as smart and passionate. Yes, kids at MIT spend a lot of time on school, more time than kids at most schools, but it's time spent on one of their passions. BTW - most MIT kids also play pretty hard also (I might consider a lot of their play weird but they have a lot of fun also). MIT is a fairly unique place that is a GREAT fit for some students.</p>