MIT Axes the 500-Word Application Essay

netbuzz writes "No longer will those applying to MIT have to write the storied 'long' essay — long as in 500 words. 'We wanted to remove that larger-than-life quality to that one essay and take away a bit of the high-stakes nature of that one piece,' says the dean of admissions. Not everyone agrees with the bow to brevity, including a current MIT student who penned a scathing critique in The Tech and offers up her own essay as an example of what the form can provide to both MIT and the applicant." [125 words, including these.]

Comments

500 words is considered long?

[noewun]

Suddenly I understand why so much sci fi written by engineers reads like someone reciting the minutes of that last IEEE meeting.

Re:And why should they care?

[tomhudson]

it is to find balanced individuals with a broad range of interests, who are are likely to become the leaders of tomorrow.

So they're looking for people who know how to lie, cheat, bullshit themselves and the world, steal without blushing when caught, have extra-marital affairs (there's your "broad" interest), drink like a fish and do crack, believe that some supernatural force will fix up anything they screw up too much, not be too good in the climate sciences, extra-lousy at living within a budget or basic math like balancing a chequebook (how much is that deficit now???), know how to wear a suit, smile at a camera, read from a teleprompter, basic "executive summary" only reading skills, not turn into a barking hyena and say "are you fucking nuts?" when someone says "intelligent design" ...

I thought MIT was for developing scientists and engineers, not politicians. Thanks for correcting me.

Re:And why should they care?

[tomhudson]

why the hell do you try break down any assay (sic) are lieing (sic) and bullshit? communication ability is THE number one factor that seperates (sic) the successful from the could have been.

I *hope* english isn't your first language ...