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MIT Axes the 500-Word Application Essay

Posted by kdawson on from the you-call-that-long dept.

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.]

5 of 441 comments (clear)

  1. Re:And why should they care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Easy. They pick some niggers with lower grades and let them in instead. Sure, they'll probably drop out and would be more successful in a school with lower standards, but we don't want to be racist here!

  2. 500 words is considered long? by noewun · · Score: 1, Troll

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

    --
    I am a believer of momentum and curves.
  3. Re:And why should they care? by tomhudson · · Score: 0, Troll

    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.

  4. hard pressed to find a single great scientist...? by Joce640k · · Score: -1, Troll

    How about Isaac Newton? Neurotic, no communications skills, died a virgin.

    Paul Erdos? Maybe the greatest mathematician ever but no life skills at all.

    etc.

    --
    No sig today...
  5. Re:And why should they care? by tomhudson · · Score: 0, Troll

    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 ...