The Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A lot of people here seem to be way too stressed out with all their work. Yes, there is a lot of work, and yes, it's hard, but people need to have more confidence in themselves and be less perfectionistic (easier said than done, I realize). My advice to high school students considering MIT is that if you come here, you have to look at the big picture. You might not (in fact, you most likely won't) get all A's, and you will work much harder than you will at other schools, but when you graduate from this place, you will have a degree from the most prestigious engineering school in the country. Hopefully, in addition to that degree, you will have allowed yourself to make lots of friends & have lots of experiences outside of the classroom that will enrich your life. I have never encountered a more diverse group of people than the student body of MIT. Maybe some students are too absorbed in their work, but it is not that hard to seek out the ones who aren't, and you can learn so much from and have a great time interacting with them.

1st Year Female -- Class 2004

Surrounding City: A+, Campus Aesthetics: C-