Why MIT - Revision history

ThePlaz: Unprotected "Why MIT": use new html widget

2011-07-27T04:37:56Z

Unprotected "Why MIT": use new html widget

ThePlaz: /* Part 3: Community at CPW */ change to widgets for new html code

2011-07-27T04:34:47Z

‎Part 3: Community at CPW: change to widgets for new html code

ThePlaz: /* Part 4: Opportunity and Resources= */

2009-08-06T03:09:22Z

‎Part 4: Opportunity and Resources=

ThePlaz: add section

2009-08-03T18:57:26Z

add section

ThePlaz: /* Part 2: I got in */ fix tense

2009-06-04T19:20:00Z

‎Part 2: I got in: fix tense

ThePlaz: fix img

2009-04-27T01:47:10Z

fix img

ThePlaz: add pic

2009-04-24T00:11:47Z

add pic

ThePlaz: /* Part 3: Community at CPW */ add a pic

2009-04-24T00:09:47Z

‎Part 3: Community at CPW: add a pic

ThePlaz: add pictures and video

2009-04-24T00:06:35Z

add pictures and video

ThePlaz: test adding picture

2009-04-23T23:59:01Z

test adding picture

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 The CPW program was far better than every other college visit program I went to.  All of them gave the same boring presentation on the program, the same 30 minute campus tour, and a free lunch at their cafeteria.  In at 9 AM, out by 2 PM.  The visits did give me some idea about the school.  They are important not for what they say at the program, but the feeling you get when you walk on campus.  I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s somewhat true.  Now remember for me, I did not fall in love with MIT when I saw that campus.  That’s mostly because I was telling myself I would never go there since they did not have the program I was interested in.  But you don’t get a sense of the social life - which is probably compelling at any school.
 One theme that stuck out to me was diversity.  The welcome event opened with a hip-hop style group that I forget the name of.  Imagine that at the school just up Mass Ave from MIT!  In fact, I was struck at the variety of options which MIT provides and MIT students are interested in.
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+{{#RawHTML:CPW Video}}
 I stayed in the [http://web.mit.edu/zbt/www/ ZBT fraternity], which was a wonderful, welcoming environment.  I liked the group of people there.  The only issue was that ZBT is quite a ways off from campus.  They did offer a shuttle and MIT offered a bus at night until 3AM.  I disliked living 2 miles away from my high school, and I look forward to being closer to the action.  But anyway, you must live in a dorm your first year.  At that point I will decide what is right for me.
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 So overall, I think I fit right in to MIT.  I liked the fellow students and had fun with them.  The inner commitment feeling I have ("gut" feeling) makes it seem that I made the right choice.  I want to be an admissions blogger - but I don't think I would have done that at any other school.
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 ==Part 4: Opportunity and Resources==

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-==Part 4: Opportunity and Resources===
+==Part 4: Opportunity and Resources==
 So I am writing this section on August 3.  It's been 3 or 4 months since I wrote the above 3 sections.  My train to Boston leaves in 19 days.  Already I have been shown the opportunity and resources that are available.  The first week I am there, I got into my first choice pre-orientation program (FPOP), product design .  In January, me and '''2 other''' kids will be traveling with my adviser and assistant adviser to China to study entrepreneurship.  Also, looking around there are plenty of interesting projects going on.  I am planning to be part of the Media Lab.  I have seen [http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/learning/undergraduate_research_opportunities/rethinking_the_paris_metro.shtml the work] of the MIT Design and Mobile lab and I want to take part in that.  When I call an office with a question, I usually get a quick response.  Policies and procedures are clearly laid out.  The upperclassmen on the forums are interested in answering your questions.  Now, I'm sure this stuff happens at any college, but I've experienced it at MIT.
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 One more problem.  The Media Lab does not offer a major.  It is mostly a graduate school.  However, it does offer a minor (MAS).  In addition, there is a [http://admissions.media.mit.edu/admissions/program-overview/freshman-year-program freshman year program] that I plan to take part in.  Finally, undergrads have the opportunity to take UROPs and work on these projects.
 McGreggor also spoke about [http://wiki.theplaz.com/w/index.php?title=What_I_do&oldid=11909 my history of entrepreneurship] and pointed out how MIT is one of the best places for that.
-So after the call, I totally ignore my homework and did 3 hours of soul searching and I ended up writing 4 pages in outline form.
+So after the call, I totally ignored my homework and did 3 hours of soul searching and I ended up writing 4 pages in outline form.
 I also looked at some of the majors that interested me.  Political Science and Management (Business) stuck out at me.  Architecture seemed a remote possibility.

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 One thing which surprised me was that the German club was significantly made up by non-German heritage or speaking students.  I had assumed that it was going to be all German people, who could speak German.  I should point out that some do fit this pattern.  This is not necessarily bad; just unexpected.  I heard that the reason people join since the club cooks dinner for its members Sunday through Thursday.  I may choose to join the German club.
-[[Image:MIT Simmons Hall.JPG|thumb|Simmons Hall - the weirdest building I have ever seen (next to the Stata Center)
+[[Image:MIT Simmons Hall.JPG|thumb|Simmons Hall - the weirdest building I have ever seen (next to the Stata Center)]]
 I like the way MIT does its dorm system.  Other schools clear out the dorms each summer, whitewash all built up culture through the year, and randomly assign students from a certain year to the dorm.  MIT's self selection system contributes to built up cultures.  Many dorms and floors have reputations that have carried on for decades.  Freshman learn from upperclassmen and carry on traditions.  They chose to be in that environment.  Facilities does not whitewash everything over the summer for a new group of students.

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 [[Image:MIT Dome.jpg|thumb|Building 10]]
 Why I am going to MIT next year
 ==Part 1: My Major==
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 Why I am going to MIT next year
 ==Part 1: My Major==
 Originally, I was interested in an information science program.  In sophomore year, I had used the College Board’s [http://myroad.collegeboard.com MyRoad] program to explore the various majors.
 I hit on the information science program because it is “where computers and people meet.”  Unlike computer science, IS deals with how people will use the system and how it fulfill their needs.  For example, say Investment Bank X needs to build a new computer system that all of their traders would use to get their jobs done.  Well what does that mean?  Someone with an information science background would start by finding out what traders actually do.  They might follow one around for a few days and see what tasks they perform.
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 I called the admissions office and spoke to McGreggor.  He explained what MIT had to offer for me.  Instead of a formal IS/HCI program, those aspects are part of other MIT programs.  He pointed out that the Areo/Astro program and the Media Lab do work in these areas.
 Now [http://media.mit.edu the Media Lab] truly is in the forefront of this type of work.  From my sense of it, (ie look at their website and a walk through the building) the Media Lab works on not just software, but new ways of working with hardware.  A perfect example of this is [http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html “Sixed Sense” project].  This is exactly what I want to do.  The other schools I looked at worked mostly on software interfaces ('''from my sense of their schools''').  Now these are important, but there is no ground-breaking work being done.  (Note: the Media Lab also does software work; for example, the [http://cfb.media.mit.edu/research/erationality/concrete-budgeting Center for Future Budgeting’s Concrete Budgeting project])
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 One theme that stuck out to me was diversity.  The welcome event opened with a hip-hop style group that I forget the name of.  Imagine that at the school just up Mass Ave from MIT!  In fact, I was struck at the variety of options which MIT provides and MIT students are interested in.
 I stayed in the [http://web.mit.edu/zbt/www/ ZBT fraternity], which was a wonderful, welcoming environment.  I liked the group of people there.  The only issue was that ZBT is quite a ways off from campus.  They did offer a shuttle and MIT offered a bus at night until 3AM.  I disliked living 2 miles away from my high school, and I look forward to being closer to the action.  But anyway, you must live in a dorm your first year.  At that point I will decide what is right for me.
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 Not everyone is a computer geek either.  At dinner, I was talking about computer security with someone, and a bio-engineering major claimed he had no clue to what I was talking about.  While he talked about biology, I had no clue either.
 But generally, there seemed to be a sense of community that I fit right into.  Certain events contributed more to this than others.  A certain illicit tour which tells stories about the MIT “hacking” culture and gives a taste of it; the idea that something awesome is going on behind every door; the long, interconnected hallways which seem to stretch on for infinity; the intellectual culture; the buildings which are open and occupied at 2AM on Sunday morning.
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 [[Category:Me]]
 [[Category:MIT]]