Look at this:

And this:

And this:

And maybe even this:

I am utterly in love with this building. Everything from its 90-foot-high atrium to its bamboo forest to its bold colors to its people. This is Building 46, home to all that is Course 9: Brain/Cognitive Sciences. Which, as of January 15, 2010, happens to be my major.

Generally, MIT students declare their major at the end of their first year; however, each December, the registrar sends out letters to some freshmen, offering them Early Sophomore Standing. The freshmen who choose to accept this are, as far as school records are concerned, sophomores. Which means that they no longer have a 57-credit limit for the spring semester, nor do they fall under the A/B/C/No Record grading system that second semester freshmen are privy too. The greatest advantage to Early Sophomore Standing is that if you know what major you want to pursue, you can declare it and be assigned a departmental advisor, who can guide you through the course selection process. There are so many different requirements at MIT (the HASS requirement, Communication requirement, General Institute Requirements, major-specific requirements) that it sometimes becomes slightly confusing.

I know several individuals so far who have elected Early Sophomore Standing. I chose to accept it primarily because I love the Brain/CogSci department here at MIT - the research being done, the classes offered, and the opportunities presented. I applied to MIT with an interest in Course 9, and nothing I experienced first semester did anything to diminish that ambition.

It did feel strange to declare my major. When I walked out of the Course 9 Undergrad Adminstrator's office on Friday, I was a little too cheerful and smiling a little too much. I finally felt like I was a real college student and that I was going somewhere in this world. I still have a few GIRs left to complete, but after that, I'll only have to study what I really want to study.

There's something incredibly satisfying about that.

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

Looks like a hotel.
It's good that you are so confident in the major you want to study. I think Brain & Cognitive Science is very interesting too.
Good luck!

Posted by: L '14? on January 18, 2010

Congratulations!

Out of curiousity, what are the requirements for Early Sophomore standing?

Posted by: Liz '14 on January 18, 2010

Heh, Building 46 looks even BETTER in the daytime...

Posted by: Mr chummies on January 18, 2010

I cannot begin imagine what it is like studying Cognitive Science at MIT. Add on Building 46 (how in the world have I never even heard about this place?) and it can't get any better than this. I can just taste your joy Hamsika.

Posted by: College Expert on January 18, 2010

Both Building 46 and Course 9 are amazing!
And I agree with Mr chummies: The building looks even better during the day.

Posted by: Caio '14? on January 18, 2010

Congratulations!
Studying what you really want to study; I wish I could do that right now!

Posted by: Mehmet '14? on January 18, 2010

I was deferred EA, but I'm still hoping for MIT - and course 9 would be my probable major. What a beautiful building! Congratulations.

Posted by: Cara '14? on January 18, 2010

That is a beautiful building.

Posted by: Ash on January 18, 2010

AMAZING!!!!! Super super good luck with your major!!! That is going to be my major (most likely) wherever I go. If by a miracle I end up at MIT, I am doubly delighted to find that Course 9 is in such an awesome building...I wander around in my school a lot after the last students have drifted out (usually taking a short break from art club or philosophy club) and just look at the architecture for inspiration...That is so beautiful! Congrats, Hamsika!

Posted by: Amethyst ('14) on January 19, 2010

Congratulations! :D & Good luck with your major.
(You're right; the building is beautiful)

Posted by: Bianca ('14?) on January 19, 2010

Hey Brain-Cog's my way forward too! And I loved the way you said you'll only have to study what you really want to study. That's amazing. and at a place like MIT, that's just so much more amazing! Lucky you!

Do blog more about the Brain and Cognitive Science Dept, would love to learn more.....

Posted by: Sreyan on January 19, 2010

hi..building is awsome..n study on brainn cognitive related stuff is just great..evn m planning to get in d same field in near future... GOOD LUCK

Posted by: prital on January 19, 2010

Oh my gosh I so envy you. =P

Posted by: Val'14? on January 19, 2010

Aaaaaaagh I love building 46.

Posted by: Emilio '13 on January 19, 2010

Note to freshmen -

"Hey baby, I've got sophomore standing" should never, ever be used as a pick-up line.

It's been tried.

be used as a pick-up line.

It's been tried.

<3 Piper

Posted by: Piper '12 on January 20, 2010

Nice.

Posted by: Aditya...yes, that one. '13. on January 20, 2010

Wow! I love it!

Posted by: Han '14 on January 20, 2010

Liz - I think the requirements are that you need 96 credits (most classes at MIT are 12 credits), have completed a majority of your science GIRs, so at least 3 or 4 (not sure which) of Bio, Chem, both Calcs and both Physics, and a CI-H (which includes CI-HW).

Posted by: Shravas on January 20, 2010

Hey I am VISHNU SHARMA from INDIA.I am student of B.tech(second year).I want to study in MIT for M.TECH
SO I want to get information about MIT.
I need your help for that.If you want to help me then please contact me
E-mail:-
hphkpandey@gmail.com

Posted by: vishnu on January 21, 2010

I am wondering. Just how in the world did you get into harvard. What was your SAT score? What was your GPA and class rank from high school? What extracirriculars did you do? Did you win or place in any competitions, if so what were they? What was your application essay like?

Posted by: Zack Brown on January 21, 2010

Wow, that building sure looks unique, to say the least.

Posted by: tree on January 21, 2010

@Piper:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I remember that.

Posted by: Karen on January 21, 2010

oh, also have you found the super secret bonus couch area on the 6th floor? you can creep on people in the Atrium and people rarely ever bother you, so it's a great place to get work done.

Posted by: Karen on January 21, 2010

Nope, I haven't found that couch area - I'll go exploring tomorrow!!

Posted by: Hamsika '13 on January 21, 2010

Building 46 is wonderfully minimalist... too bad I didn't hang around there often enough.

I find Building 32 (Stata Center) delightfully postmodern, though rather confusing to navigate.

The interior of Kresge Auditorium and MIT Chapel is worth checking out.

Posted by: Alum on January 22, 2010

"I still have a few GIRs left to complete, but after that, I'll only have to study what I really want to study."

FALSE!! This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. Sometimes, MIT's way of throwing in wrenches to your (seemingly flawless) plans enhances the whole experience by teaching you how to adjust and make the best of sticky situations. For example, because of one scheduling conflict, I can't minor in my favorite HASS field. But it might be a blessing in disguise.

Posted by: current sophomore on January 22, 2010

it's so pretty

Posted by: 0 on January 25, 2010

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