A blog post about blog posts by Matt McGann '00

Susan commented on the blog, “Because I live far away from MIT, I cannot afford the costs of the travel […] Since I cannot make it, what should I do in order to know MIT better?”

A great starting point for how you can get to know MIT better are these very blogs. Actually, Blogger Emeritus Mollie posted this helpful and interesting post to a discussion board recently; it is such a good start to answering your question that I’m reposting it here:

So as you’re probably aware, MIT has a dedicated group of student bloggers who have spilled huge amounts of virtual ink on every MIT-related topic under the sun.

You may not be aware that this has been happening since 2004, and that there are, in fact, about 1800 blog entries in the archives. You have probably not read anything before the summer of 2006, which makes me incredibly sad — why did I go back and fix the code for 1300 entires last summer if you are not going to read them?

So I’ve compiled a list of blog entries that may be particularly helpful as you’re making your college decision. A bunch of them are mine, which has less to do with me being amazing and more to do with the fact that I know my own entries the best. If you know of a particularly trenchant entry written by an MIT blogger, by all means link to it below.

Academics

Mind and hand (Jessie): Engineers becoming scientists and vice versa
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…and_hand.shtml

MIT students do it all night (Sam): Sam’s five favorite all-nighters
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…ll_night.shtml

Answering my own questions (Mollie): How hard is the hard work?
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…uestions.shtml

The most wonderful time of the year (Mollie): IAP. Also some stuff on time management. http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…e_of_the.shtml

Play hard, and then work hard (Melis)
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…ork_hard.shtml

I think I can, I think I can (Bryan): How do you have time to have fun?
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…nk_i_can.shtml

Standing out (Mollie): It’s okay not to be the best
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…ding_out.shtml

The first step (Mollie): Asking for help at MIT
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…rst_step.shtml

It’s bigger than you, and you are not me (Sam): MIT’s culture, like a parfait
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…d_you_ar.shtml

Let it bleed (Sam): GIRs
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…it_bleed.shtml

Culture, Life, Activities

Choice and the MIT lifestyle (Mollie):
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…ifestyle.shtml

What MIT students do on Friday nights (Laura)
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…n_friday.shtml

Power of suggestion (Sam): One way to tell if you belong at MIT
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…ggestion.shtml

Yay, a hack! (Laura): Mario hack
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…y_a_hack.shtml

As though we weren’t hosed enough (Jessie): Firetruck on the dome hack
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…sed_enou.shtml

Why does my kid have to move again? (Jessie): Housing process
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…o_move_a.shtml

Who we are (Mollie):
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…o_we_are.shtml

Activities midway (Matt): A few of the five zillion student activities available at MIT
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…s_midway.shtml

College Choice

Why I came to MIT (Mollie):
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…e_to_mit.shtml

Making your college decision (Melis): Why Melis chose MIT
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/…decision.shtml

Faithful readers: what are some of your favorites from the blog archives?