Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a great place for students who, quite frankly, are brilliant in math and science. It's not a place for students who have to work really, really hard to keep up in advanced classes. And I think, to some extent, they attempted to deliver that message during the information session I attended. The high school students in the room were urged to really listen to what MIT is about, "get past the fact that we're MIT and think about if this is really a fit for you."

MIT's motto is "Mens et Manus," or "Mind and Hand," which reflects their commitment to combining rigorous academics with practical applications. In fact, MIT has over 40 makerspaces totaling 130,000 square feet, including ones devoted to glass, wood, physics, robotics, textiles, ceramics, architecture, chemistry, engineering, radio, physical metallurgy, and many other things I don't really understand.

The other thing that MIT is serious about is that they want their students, faculty and alumni to contribute to making the world a better place. As such, they know that their students need to understand the world around them, and not only from a STEM perspective - so there's an 8-class requirement in the humanities, arts and social sciences. The belief is that people need to understand humanity in order to positively impact it.

MIT has a reputation of being fiercely competitive, but if there is any truth to that, I suspect that may be driven by the kind of students who enroll. The truth is that MIT fosters collaboration at every turn; much work in and out of the classroom is done in teams. The first year grading policy is also designed to take the pressure off: there are no grades at all first semester, and second semester, students earn an A, B, C, or "no record."

MIT is in a wonderful location, right on the Charles River. The Kendall Square T (that's Boston-speak for subway) station is right on campus. I think the campus feels very urban, but there is some green space. Freshmen must live on campus, housing is guaranteed for 4 years, and 90% of students choose to live in one of the 10 residence halls.

Financial aid is generous: students with a household income of less than $75K get a full ride, and those with a household income of under $150K get full tuition.

For those who choose to apply, keep in mind that nobody applies into a major; they apply to MIT. Test scores are required and the 25th percentile of admitted students for the math SAT is 780. Oh, and you have to pass a swim test to graduate, so if you can't swim yet, that's something you can learn now. It'll be one less thing you'll need to master as a student here!