So I was going to draft this entry last night (I went as far as typing "hosed" into the title bar), but then I decided to finish exporting my dorm's i3 video, and then I lost an hour because of daylight savings (which was very exciting, by the way - I have never been in a country with daylight savings! - watching the clock on my computer go from 1:59 AM to 3:00 AM was exciting....okok I know I'm lame, sorry), so I never got around to it.
Just minutes ago, I logged on to mitadmissions, and there's Jess with her tagline: "I'M HOSED." and I'm like wow, I guess everyone's pretty much the same then at this time of the year.
Although I can't promise you an amusing survey, I can provide you an account of WHY we are generally hosed, though.
So some of you have been asking a lot about "psets" (by the way, it's pset, not PSET. pset looks so much nicer. actually, everything looks nicer in lowercase. maybe i'll stop capitalizing now, bwahaha.) Psets stand for Problem Sets, and they are the equivalent of the "homework assignments" that you get in high school.
Big differences between psets and high school assignments:
* There is generally very little busywork.
* They are comprised of mainly critical thinking problems, and the number of problems is generally significantly fewer than that of regular high school assignments (you might just get 5 problems, with a) b) c) d) e) f)...parts to the same problem - so in actuality you are doing like 20 smaller problems, but under the auspices of 5 major problems).
* You get an entire week to do a pset (or two weeks, in classes like 7.01x (Intro Bio)). But this generally doesn't make a difference, because procrastination doesn't stop once you're a college student (often, it gets worse, lol).
* In many classes, they count for little to nothing in your final course grade. You know how your high school grade breakdown is like 30% tests, 30% assignments, 30% projects, and 10% participation? In most classes (not all, like psets count for a fair bit in 14.01 (Intro Econ)), your cumulative problem set scores won't count for more than 10% of your final grade. The vast, vast, majority of your course percentage comes from exams and the final.
* They take much more time than high school assignments (18.03 psets are notorious for taking some people more than 10+ hours to do).
If you're curious what a pset looks like, you can see a sample of a 18.03 pset here (as in, here, lol, not the picture - the pic is from 18.02 =p)
One natural question that you probably have, right now, is that if psets are worth so little in the long run, then why do people bother spending hours and hours to complete them? Ay, there's the rub - if you don't do the psets, then it's almost guaranteed that you're not going to do spectacular on the exams. And because the exams are worth so much, you should plan to do well in them, but if you don't do the psets, then you can't do well in the exams, and yadda yadda yadda.
Exams, similarly, are structured almost in the same way as a pset. You generally get 5 or so big problems, with more than 3 subsections to each problem. The difficulty is toned down significantly from a pset (of course, since you're now doing it on your own on a time crunch), but the problems nevertheless remain challenging - and thus, each exam requires extensive reasoning and mental power. There is no such thing as "breezing through" a MIT exam, unless, of course, 1) you are a genius (like many people here), 2) you studied for an entire week for the exam (like other people here), or 3) the exam is predicable or easier (like some exams to introductory courses here - I've heard people say that 18.02, 8.01, 8.02, 5.111 exams are particularly easy, because they're introductory courses...but I think they're still not that easy).
Quite soon, after you begin taking exams at MIT, you'll be introduced to the concept of "class average" and "standard deviation." Since I'm just a freshman, I'm not entirely sure how the upper-level courses operate, but many introductory courses (for example, 7.01x, 8.01, 8.02, 5.111, 18.02) set the class average or writes exams so they predict the class exam average (8.01, 8.02 - since they have predetermined grade cutoffs) to be at the borderline between a B and a C. Course policies really vary from class to class, but it is generally safe to say that if you're a few points below the average, then you have a high C. If you have one standard deviation above the class average, however, then you have an A. If you're one standard deviation below, then you're in trouble.
And this brings me to the point about "mediocrity". At points, you would feel quite disheartened by your performance on an exam (especially one that you have prepared extensively for) when you receive your exam back, and it's just one or two points above class average. Other times, you'll feel frustrated about getting a C when you have studied a ton for the exam. But sometimes, I just feel like, simply, it's not "high school" anymore. Exams are no longer something you can cram for in 2 hours and pull off an A - nor will you be able to do every single problem on a given exam. Yes, there will be times when the time crunch is so bad that you'll have to turn in several blank answers because you don't have time to get to those questions, and there are times when you'll get a "mediocre" grade even if you poured your heart and soul out to studying and doing the psets.
Note that I always put "mediocre" in quotation marks, because I do not truly believe that anyone is a mediocre (in the everyday sense of the word) student at MIT. If you are here, you are a talented student that possesses potential, and MIT had recognized you as such (or they wouldn't have admitted you!). Every day, I meet someone or I discover something that someone did that is truly amazing, and I'm encouraged and honored to be working or to be friends with these incredible individuals. Yes, you may be getting a C in Physics because you just can't visualize forces or electric fields properly - but in the long run, you will discover your own niche and succeed.
Phew. That's a lot about psets and exams, more than I intended. =p So why was I hosed this past week?
I had exams in 5.111 (chem), 14.01 (econ), 21F.703 (spanish), and 8.02 (physics) - all in the same week, one after another (monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday). I am starting work on my UROP (more on that later!). I dropped 18.03 (differential equations) - because with my UROP, I'm going to be on 72 units, and I don't think it's a good idea to be on 72 units, for the sake of sanity. And I made my dorm (iHouse)'s i3 video! (i3 is the same as i^3, and is short for "Interactive Introduction to the Institute". Basically, it's a disc that will come with your registration package, after you decide to matriculate in May 1. The disc contains a 5-minute video introduction to each dorm.)
I wish I could post the video, but I don't think we're supposed to do it until the Housing Committee decides to publish them, so I guess it would have to wait. But it's going to be awesome! Can't wait until you all get here! woo! :)
Also, if I don't post again before Saturday, best wishes to all with decisions. It's what you've been waiting for, and it's finally here! Inevitably, there will be great joy, and at the same time, disappointment and frustration. My best advice is to never give up on your dreams. If I did in high school, I wouldn't know where I would be now. And in one short year (come to think of it, I only read this entry not even a year ago). Since then, I've gone to Spain with MIT, seen snow fall from the sky, learned what it feels like to host a SAT Prep program for over 300 kids, and is now beginning to experiment with the genetics of the organism that was the subject of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2002 (this is my UROP). I'm sure you will discover your own journeys, wherever you go.
And if you see something online the lines of, "On behalf of the Admissions Committee, it is my pleasure to offer you admission..." after you press the SUBMIT! button on Saturday, then I'll see you at CPW! :)
Here's another Taiwanese motivational song...haha =p
I want to fly until I am shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun,
The world is waiting on me for change.
I am never scared of letting other people see my dreams,
I can achieve all of them here.
Laugh out loud, let us be together
Who says there can't be joy everywhere?
Throw away your worries, step forward boldly
I'm now standing in the limelight.
I believe in myself, I believe in tomorrow
I believe that there are no boundaries to my youth
In the beaches at sunset, the crowded streets at night
My own paradise is everywhere.
I believe in freedom, I believe in hope
I believe I can touch the sky if I try.
With you beside me, life is more exciting
Every moment is spectacular
I do believe!
[ps. You can actually see a lot of Taiwanese landmarks in that video...
0:15 = Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall (or National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall), Taipei
0:38, 1:08 = Eluanpi Lighthouse, on the southern tip of Taiwan
1:31 = Tunghai University's (in Taichung!) Luce Memorial Chapel, designed by I. M. Pei (MIT alum from '40 who also designed the pyramids outside of Louvre!).
2:49 = Taipei MRT (Subway)
Various beach scenes = yes, those are beaches in Taiwan! and they're warm-water too! all of them! =p]
I believe in you!
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
So i dont get beat up: first i guess!!!
Posted by: OmarA on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
I hope that your work/play balance works itself out. I hope mine will shift significantly in favor of 'play' starting Saturday
Posted by: Karen on March 9, 2008
Especially for me (even if I don't have it the first time here inthe States) because now there are "only" five hours ifference to Germany for a week. Next Sunay it's six again :o(.
Posted by: Tina on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Thanks on clarifying the psets. I figured they'd be really short but very time consuming.
Posted by: Steph on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
I believe I'm not qualified enough to give an assessment of that. However, you definitely do not need to be #1 to get a excellent job after MIT. After all, this is MIT, in the end.
@ Second Anonymous -
Unless they approve your transfer credit.
Posted by: Oasis on March 9, 2008
See also: http://mit.edu/firstyear/2011/subjects/trans_cred.html
Posted by: Oasis on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: nitiN on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: bunny on March 9, 2008
And I still remember back when you posted 倔強 for us early admits. Needless to say, that song's priceless now =)
Posted by: Raina on March 9, 2008
Just sayin'.
Posted by: Keri on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: Lauren '12 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: Laser on March 9, 2008
Posted by: milena '11 on March 9, 2008
judging by the information on this website, 72 units is a typical amount of units per semester for a double degree.
with the UROP included, how did your schedule from day-to-day look?
i'm curious to see how much sleep and free time that would leave for the average human being. not that you are an "average human being" in the least.
Posted by: 0 on March 9, 2008
Posted by: Anonymous on March 10, 2008
And that's not counting AP credit and IAP, which makes things somewhat easier. Granted, 5 classes per semester isn't exactly easy at MIT, but it is doable...
Hope you don't mind me answering for you Chris.
Posted by: Paul on March 10, 2008
=)
Posted by: mit'11 on March 10, 2008
Posted by: Grace '11 on March 10, 2008
YEAH!!! It's like...excuse me, I haven't seen min{x,y} functions before?! HAHA and it's a HASS class. I think that's the funniest part. I'm putting it as exploratory, because I think the grades for that class is going to be highly variable and I don't want to get a nasty surprise after finals.
@ Anonymous -
Yeah, 72 is wayy too much. Just like what Paul said, 60 is sufficient, and if you do majors that only require 180 credits for a single major (ie. the non-engineering majors), double-majoring isn't that difficult because there's not that many required courses (and there's a lot of overlap, for example, courses 7 and 5 if you're doing premed).
My schedule isn't really that bad. If I don't procrastinate, I can go to bed at 1-2 and wake up at 10:30. My classes get out at either 3 or 5, so you figure what I do with the rest of the time. Granted, now with UROP, I might get out at 7, but that's a different story.
@ Second Anonymous -
http://www-math.mit.edu/~mlm/18.02/#psets. Knock yourself out.
@ Paul -
Go straight ahead...haha. Sometimes I'm not so good at replying these comments...=p
@ Mit'11 -
Lol, I definitely agree. For example, I'm actually ENJOYING 5.111 psets because I understand EVERYTHING that's going on...as opposed to some of my other ones. sigh. haha.
@ Grace '11 -
Have fun with Tanaka-san! He rawks. Just like Sunny did, for 18.02 =D
@ Bunny, all the way up there -
I think the admission committee should reformat the online notification system so a big "YES!" appears and virtual confetti appears on your screen if you're admitted. Then you don't have to frantically scan the letter... Haha, I'll stop making you guys nervous now, sorry. =p
Posted by: Oasis on March 10, 2008
Posted by: yukiko on March 10, 2008
Making us less nervous ? Don't even try, it's not working ^^'
Posted by: Isshak on March 10, 2008
Posted by: Binga on March 10, 2008
Posted by: Shruthi on March 10, 2008
Posted by: Paul on March 10, 2008
Oh MIT, oh oh MIT!!
Posted by: Roshini on March 10, 2008
Getting Hosed at my own place as well, the difficulty level is toned down though.
Posted by: Libin Daniel on March 10, 2008
:'-(
Posted by: 0 on March 10, 2008
I actually don't remember what I was doing when I gained an hour from daylight saving. I remember it was cool being able to sleep an extra hour, but other than that...haha, maybe it's because this time I was actually looking at the clock and it suddenly jumped forward an hour
@ Paul,
A lot of people worry about failing at MIT. The short and concise way to put it is that the actual percentage of those that are admitted into MIT but have to leave later because of academic reasons is very small. For example, the freshman retention rate for MIT is 98%. Again, it's the same idea. If MIT admitted you in the first place, it's like they consider you to be capable of succeeding in this environment. If you absolutely cannot do it, then you wouldn't be admitted in the first place. Of course, the admission committee may be wrong in a couple of cases, but I think, judging by the numbers, it's sufficient to say that most people handle it at the end. Also, there are extensive resources at MIT to help you if you're struggling in academics. I believe anyone in '11 can testify to the extent of help they got in office hours, through TAs, through friends...etc.
@ Anonymous -
's 'kay. I don't think I want to be an engineer, anyway.
Posted by: Oasis on March 10, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 10, 2008
Which lectures did you go to?
Posted by: Snively on March 10, 2008
I wonder, what was your acceptance rate last year? (I mean, how many colleges did you apply to and how many accepted you?)
This question applies to other MIT students, too!! ^^ hee-hee..Thanks!!
Posted by: senna on March 10, 2008
is it like..centrally programmed or sthing?
Posted by: Binga on March 11, 2008
**GULP**
Looks so intimidating even though Iv seen it before.....guess thtz because this time, its MY decision that going to be put up :Z
Posted by: Nihar on March 11, 2008
Four tests in one week! YIKES!
Posted by: SS on March 11, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 11, 2008
Posted by: 0 on March 11, 2008
4AM studying *gulp* wow, I never stayed up that late for HW. Throughout high school, I usually finish everything at around 6-7 pm and then go practice violin and do other stuff. I guess that's what separates MIT from high school.
@ Chris S. : Oh no... you dropped Diff Eq.... I heart that class. Well, since your schedule is so busy... I guess it's worth it... it's a pretty cool class.
Posted by: Judy H. on March 11, 2008
I applied to 15 colleges. I think it's enough to say that I got into MIT and I'm enjoying it a lot here!
@ Binga -
Yeah, most computer clocks are synchronized to a clock database on the internet...
@ Judy -
Diff Eq isn't bad, it's just 18.03 at MIT has these very long and extensive problem sets, and it's eating up too much of my time just completing those problem sets. I just think it would be good if I deferred it for the future, if I want to take it again. It's not a class that's required for both Course 5 and 7 (chem and bio), and that's basically what I'm looking at right now...who knows.
Posted by: Oasis on March 11, 2008
Posted by: swati on March 12, 2008
Posted by: Sceth on March 12, 2008
Thank you for your post! I'll try not to be pessimistic if I get rejected. xP
And I'm from Taiwan too! (or at least of TW heritage) Still have to go visit Taipei 101 though. :/
Posted by: Gigi on March 13, 2008
College life seems so different from that of high school, and by the way you've described MIT, I'm more determined to enjoy high school!
-Eric, MCA'09
Posted by: Eric Hsu on March 13, 2008
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