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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I dont know why MIT gets a pass on "admit only on merit" when their stats clearly show a class that's as hooked as any: female, URM, athletes. I get they dont take legacy into consideration - good for them. But they have plenty of institutional priorities.

my advice: get into MITES, Women's Tech program, or any of their summer programs. [/quote]

In my child's experience, the kids that make it into MIT are the very good but not necessarily brilliant girls while the non-athlete boys are waitlisted or rejected unless they have made MOP or are simply beyond brilliant. When you have taken classes with these kids, you know the difference. Of course, girls also have an easier time with science and math competitions/awards, so things get very fuzzy.[/quote]

As an MIT alum with years of exposure to my fellow students there and now interviewing students including many from MIT for PhD admissions (this year and recently), I will say that there were and are both truly brilliant men and women as well as those who might be better described as more motivated, organized, etc and not Putnam scholars. I have no idea about awards etc other than in college because honestly that was not a thing that anyone cared about though of course many many are/were  Olympiad/math competition / science competition entrants/winners. so I have no data and had no idea girls had an easier time with science/math competitions and awards.

Also, this thread is kind of funny -- honestly, how hard is it to understand that MIT will not admit someone not academically unqualified under any circumstances, because there is no easy path there, but that of course like any other competitive school they have the luxury to select between numerous qualified kids who will succeed there and sometimes think about how specific skills of applicants will support their existing successful teams?  I mean when I was there we all knew oboe was needed and that MIT would go find that sometimes too.  This is nothing new and a good lesson for real life.  And..MIT doesn't have legacy per se, but you can be sure that they pay attention to VIPS as they should. When I was there the Chinese premier's child was an UG there.  Qualified but would really think they ignored that aspect of the application?  Don't be stupid.  And while I get the stress it causes, it is crazy to overthink this.  There are so many fabulous places to study.  UCLA has the world's best living mathematician.  CS is honestly great at CMU, Stanford, and CS is in unheaval now anyways.  And honestly at my highly ranked school I think [b]many things are totally overrated and not worth consideration[/b].

Good luck to everyone and glad to hear that MIT is still an exciting place for many.  It is a great experience (among so many possible ones).[/quote]

I appreciate the perspective. I’d be interested to hear more about what you think is overrated, if you’re willing to elaborate.

As an Asian immigrant (not the over-represented-two), I often feel surrounded by people who seem to exaggerate the school’s prestige to an almost irrational degree. I’m genuinely interested in hearing more thoughtful opinions about the school’s real strengths and weaknesses.

For example, I’ve always found it puzzling that so many Asian students spend years intensely grinding math competitions, only to end up studying CS not math—and then leave software engineering as soon as they realize that quant roles pay better. Financial insecurity is a motivation. However I’m curious why MIT has developed such a strong reputation as the place to go if your goal is to work at companies like FAANG or firms like Citadel/Hedge funds. I personally think the myth of Tx or bust is originated from this insecurity or irrational goals.[/quote]
I agree with this. MIT is for the kids who want to have an impact in science a technology, either in industry or academia.  If you want to work in hedge funds, go to some other school.[/quote]

You would be shocked then at how many top MIT CS/math grads end up working in finance. [/quote]

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