Liveblog Info Session with Karyn Blaser!

Liveblog Info Session with Karyn Blaser! Hey everybody, Im taking a break from working on 2.004 in order to sit through an information session with Karyn Blaser (MIT Admissions Rep). I think Ive mentioned before that I sit through one of these every so often just to stay fresh on current admissions policies and procedures, and typically when I sit through one Ill live blog about it. So here we go! Right now Im just waiting for it to start, people are all signing in on OLPCs (somehow the admissions office got a hold of two of them and use them for signing in now) with Mac keyboards (thank goodness, OLPC keyboards are AWFUL!). 1:56 Im taking this opportunity to finish up my food, Chicken Makluba from Sepal (a restaurant in our student center) 2:04 I just led everybody through a game of MIT Hangman. I chose the words Green Building and IHTFP. Both were guessed and the MIT student didnt die! 2:06 Most of the students here are seniors, some juniors, and poor little siblings drug here (not drugged, drug), from a variety of states (farthest being Texas). 2:07 MIT was founded in 1861 by William Barton Rogers who decided that people werent being trained for life after college, so he created a place that would prepare students to adapt with the changing world and become leaders. Originally MIT was in downtown Boston until 1916. MIT used to be one building and everybody was near each other, something everybody liked (created relationships, encounters, collaboration, and friends). Current campus has the Infinite Corridor, really really long hallway that connects many labs, classrooms, and offices, encouraging collaboration and bumping into people in todays campus. 2:09 Use science and technology to benefit society. is the core mission of MIT. An example are the OLPCs people signed in on. OCW (OpenCourseWare) is also an example of benefiting society. MIT Publishes almost all of its courses (notes, problem sets, exams, lecture slides, etc) online for people to get a similar educational experience as at MIT (but not the same, nothing compares to being here). Additionally, the new cancer research center here is just being finished and will hope to find a cure for cancer. MITs motto is Mens et Manus, Mind and Hand. Its important to get the theory and the smarts, but its also important to get your hands dirty and get stuff done. 2:13 At MIT you dont learn facts, you learn to think. You will rarely ever spit out memorized information on a test. You will sit down for a test and see something completely new, something you have to apply your knowledge to and critically think your way through. It requires adapting to new problems and finding solutions. Academics: An application to MIT is an application to the institvte as a whole, not to a particular major or school. There are separate schools here, but they arent really distinct and are kind of a technicality. School 1 = Engineering, 58% of students. School 2 = Science. School 3 = Architecture. School 4 = Management. School 5 = Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (over 500 courses), 8 required to graduate). Beyond those humanities requirements, there are other requirements, like the GIRs (General Institute Requirements). 2 physics classes, 2 math classes, 1 chemistry class, 1 biology class. Most are finished freshman year with friends and other freshmen. 2:20 Theres a swim test that you MUST pass to graduate. No, Im not kidding. There is also a PE requirement (snowboarding, hiking, yoga, pistol, soccer, etc). Your major is declared at the end of freshman year. Requirements in each major vary vastly so itd be best to look up those requirements. The swim test is ~1/2 the width of the Charles River, ensuring that if you fall in and swim in the right direction you WILL survive. If you swim the wrong direction, well, you shouldnt be at MIT. 2:22 MIT is set up on a 4-1-4 schedule (4 months of classes, 1 month off (IAP) and then another 4 months of classes). MIT emphasizes working with peers and collaboration. Some problem sets ask who you worked with as one of the problems (this isnt actually true, but well let the people here believe it). PSET Parties often happen the night or two before the assignments are due (PSET = Problem Set, weekly homework assignments). MIT has a Pass/No Record system for freshman year. As, Bs, and Cs all are recorded as a Pass on your transcript. A D or a F is not recorded and your transcript shows no record of you having taken that class. This tries to eliminate competition among peers and eases the transition to college without trying to get a perfect GPA first semester. You slowly transition into a normal grading system. Second Semester is A/B/C/No Record, just like Pass/No Record except you get letter grades (much harder to take advantage of). Sophomore year is a normal grading scale. 2:27 IAP (independent activities period) is during the month of January and every student gets to decide what to do. They can stay at home, travel abroad, spend free time on campus, or take fun/serious classes. Some students do research, others take classes like 6.270, glass blowing, MASLab, welding, ballroom dancing, EMT certification, charm school, Mystery Hunt, etc. The environment is much more relaxed and gives students a chance to do things they normally dont have time to do. MIT also has one of the largest underground tunnel systems and can get you around campus during the winter without having to go outside. UROP (undergraduate research opportunity program) is wildly popular with undergraduate students. It lets students work in just about any lab on campus and do research with professors and graduate students. Getting a UROP is as easy as checking the UROP website or directly contacting a professor and asking if they could take you on as a researcher. Its actual work, not just cleaning test tubes, so its important research somewhere youd enjoy working. The Media Lab is one of the most popular places to UROP at MIT. 2:33 Internships are also very popular. MIT has connections with places around Cambridge, Boston, and the world. MISTI (MIT International Science and Technology Initiative) helps send students to other countries to do research with partnering businesses. D-Lab (Development Lab) is a popular class at MIT that allows students to look at developing countries, think about resources available in those countries, and device solutions that address the issues theyre facing. A recent class used a bicycle to cut the corn kernels off of a corn cob so developing countries no longer had to pick kernels off by hand. Wheelchair design is a spin-off class from D-Lab that designs wheelchairs for countries with limited resources. Students in these classes sometimes visit different countries during IAP or the summer. 2:37 Do you need a perfect GPA to get into MIT? short answer, no. long answer to come. All undergraduate courses are taught by professors, not graduate students. Graduate students often run recitations (smaller subsets of students that are all in the same large class), but lectures are run by professors. Standard Eric Lander plug (man who mapped the human genome teaches freshman bio, 7.012). Student/Faculty ratio is ~6.8:1. Can students start their own research here? Yes, but you need to get a faculty advisor/mentor to work directly with. Its less common, but can happen. 2:41 Social Life: Housing is guaranteed all four years. All dorms are coed but one, all freshmen have to live in the dorms. All the dorms are different (suite style, hallway style, kitchens, cats, murals, etc). After freshman year you can a) stay in your dorm, b) move dorms, c) move into frat, sorority, or independent living group. Many FSILGs are on campus but most are across the river in Boston, accessible via foot, bike, free shuttle, etc). 20% in FSILGs, 70% dorms, 10% off campus. MIT has over 450 student clubs and organizations (newspaper, radio station, knitting, MITBeef, cultural, religious, performing arts, a capella, MIT chocolate science lab, and underwater hockey club). Boston and Cambridge also afford a lot of exploring opportunities, food, and theaters/shows. Lastly, athletics. MIT has 33 varsity sports (division 3 except for crew, division 1). 25% of students are in varsity sports, there are also club sports (75%-80% of students are involved in some kind of sport). MIT is like drinking from a fire hose (so much to do, not enough time to do it all). 2:47 Now its just a QA session, which Ill skip, in favor of you all asking questions in the comments and Ill get around to answering them (probably sometime tonight after swimming). 2:50 Psych! Its time to talk about admissions and applying. MIT uses MyMIT for applications. EA is due November 1, Regular Action is due January 1. EA is non-binding and the only real difference between EA and RA is the date its due. EA applies sooner and finds out sooner. MIT has an optional interview as part of the application, conducted by alums who live all over the world. Seniors are assigned an interviewer to chat with. Its not a math test, its just a chance for an alum to get to know you and report back, think of it more as a conversation. Interviews MUST be scheduled by October 20th. You will be responsible for contacting the interviewer to set up the interview. 2:53 Parts: Essays! Now MIT has 3 short essays now instead of one long essay. Students were doing too much story telling and meandering with the long essay so MIT shortened them to get more direct and focused answers to the essays. For the End of the world essay, note that it doesnt need to be a life-altering experience. It can just be a time where things didnt go quite as well as you wanted. Dont stress out about having a relatively boring and lackluster life, this doesnt need to be extreme, just some time when you failed or something didnt go well. 2:56 What do you enjoy? Stuff like Mythbusters, Red Sox games, Chess, etc. What department are you considering? Its just so they can learn about you, they dont have a quota and they dont make this binding. Activities: They want to know what you enjoy, what makes your eyes light up, whats most meaningful to you. NO RESUMES! Whats meaningful to you now. Recommendations: Math/Science teacher, Humanities teacher, and counselor. Academic Record: Which class have you taken (difficulty level), GPA (does it match up with the difficulty and courseload?) and whats your background. Standardized Testing: SAT I or ACT with writing, with SAT IIs in math and science. Score Choice is supported. MIT pulls out the top sections from tests taken multiple times in order to get the best possible scores (Reading from Sophomore year, Math from Junior year, writing from Senior year, for example). 3:01 Admit rate ~10%, so its not easy, but it is possible. Financial Aid: Need blind admissions (they dont care how much money you have). Scholarships are only given for need, not for academics or sports. Loans are also a big part of financial aid, in addition to work study (UROP, on-campus jobs, etc). OK, I think thats it. Thanks guys!

Lightning-Prone States, Flash Densities, and Fatalities

Education Is A Universal Right - 1249 Words

Education is a universal right. Most students find their true passion for learning in college. Taking courses that interest them and avoiding courses that don t interest them, college students find themselves in a world that is coming to an end but, it also leads to a new beginning. This is why it s very important for most students to get an education from the nation s so-called prestigious institutions. In a article written for Time Magazine, Frank Bruni writes determined to get into one of the dozen or so most selective institutions of higher learning in America? I m sorry to break the news, but your odds have never been worse[source]. In his remark, Mr. Bruni is shedding some light on a evasive problem that many students face as well as their parents. In a society that values personal achievement as much as we do, graduating from a top institution is a stepping stone to higher achievements and a better life. But, very few are fortunate to walk in this path. Between applying to co lleges and getting an acceptance or a rejection, it can be a daunting process. That is because colleges and universities place a very big emphasis on grades such as the GPA, the AP scores, the SAT scores, and other things such as recommendations and extra curriculum activities. However, this emphasis tends to favor students who come from affluent families or those who have had advantages from the very start. In order to level the playing field, universities and colleges should acceptShow MoreRelatedThe Education Is A Universal Rights Essay1263 Words   |  6 Pages An education is a universal rights. Students should have the right to a quality public education regardless of their background. A true multicultural education ensures that all students have an equitable educational opportunity. Unfortunately, throughout public schooling many students are put through disadvantageous through no fault of their own. 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Afga Free Essays

What are the functions of the digestive system? The functions of the digestive system are to break down food, down Into various macromolecules in order to extract the nutrients from the food. 2. How does the structure of each organ In the digestive system relate to Its function? They have a specific structure In order to properly perform the function they were meant to do. We will write a custom essay sample on Afga or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example the small intestines have villa in it in order to increase the surface area and absorb nutrients easier. 3. How goes the digestive system assist in maintaining the water balance in the body? The large intestines help with water retention so the body doesn’t get dehydrated very easily. 4. How do enzymes assist the process of digestion? Enzymes help assists the process of digestion by breaking down specific macromolecules and speeding up the process as well. 5. How do factors such as temperature, pH and concentration of enzyme or substrate affect the rate of enzyme-catcalled reactions? They can speed up or aid the reaction process or denature the enzyme depending on the given notations. . What are IBM and BMW? IBM Is body mass Index and BMW Is basal metabolic rate. 7. How can IBM and BMW help assess healthy diet and weight? Because they help determine whether you are considered overweight for your height group. 8. What are the health risks associated with being overweight or underweight? They can lead to many different issues such as heart problems, malnutrition, brittle bones, muscle aches, etc. 9. What body systems are affected when a person is overweight or underweight? Multiple body systems can be affected ouch as the digestive system, skeletal system, muscular system, cardiovascular system, etc. 10. What is ATOP? ATOP is adenosine troposphere. 1 1 . How is energy released from ATOP and used to do work in the body? Energy is released from ATOP through the process of hydrolysis. 12. How do the air you breathe and the food you eat relate directly to the production of energy in the form of ATOP? The quality of the alarm and food affects the production of energy from ATOP based off how much ATOP can be produced from the alarm and food given. How to cite Afga, Papers

Volcano Types Essay Example For Students

Volcano Types Essay The distructive power of a valcano is one of the most violent and deadly of all natural forces. In a short period of time, these massive explosions of the earths crust can shatter whole communities. Valcanoes are very distructive no matter how big or how small they erupt at. They cause the highest amount of deaths and the greatest amount of damage. Of the two major types of Volcanoes, andestic and basaltic, the two typical volcanoes begin life when a mass of low-density magma forces its way to the surface. When the density of the rising magma is the same as that of the surrounding rock, it gathers in a magma chamber. Any rise in pressure in the chamber may now push the magma upwards through cracks in the overlying rock. As the magma traveling up a crack approaches the surface, the pressure from the overlying rocks reduces; gases are released from the magma and expand so suddenly that an explosion rips open a funnel shaped vent (called a diatreme) to the surface. The lava that blasts out of the vent then cools, to form cinders, ash and dust all referred to as Tephra. A ring of tephra collects around the vent and, as the eruption subsides, this blocks up the diatreme. Volcanoes have erupted in many different places. We will write a custom essay on Volcano Types specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Volcanoes have erupted in The Philippines, Java, Papua New Guinea Hawaii and many other places. The Ring of Fire, located around the Pacific Ocean, is 20 or so places with active volcanoes in them joined by one big imaginary line that forms a circle (or Ring) when scaled down to the size on a map. Somewhere in the world an eruption occurs at least once a month. Whether it be big or small it doesnt really matter at all. If it kills 1 person or 1 000 people it is still counted as an eruption. In some countries volcanoes are common and erupt frequently as in Hawaii. But in other countries like Australia there are no eruptions at all. That could be because all the volcanoes are dormant or there are simply no volcanoes at all. In 1815, the most devastating eruption ever recorded, killed approximately 92 000 people. 10 000 people died directly from the volcano and a further 82 000 died from famine. The volcano is located at Tambora, Sumbawa in Indonesia. Recently a volcano erupted in Monserrat, West Indies. It devastated farms, houses and streets became rivers of lava. Geography .

Cosmos Episode 1 Viewing Worksheet

Cosmos Episode 1 Viewing Worksheet Once in awhile, it is necessary to have a movie day in class. Perhaps you have a substitute teacher and want to make sure your students are still learning and reinforcing concepts youve been studying. Other times call for a reward of a movie day or as a supplement to a unit that may be particularly difficult to grasp. Whatever the reason, a great show to watch on these movie days is Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey with host Neil deGrasse Tyson. He makes science accessible and exciting for all ages and levels of learning. The first episode of Cosmos, called Standing Up in the Milky Way,  was an overview of science from the beginning of time. It touches on everything from the Big Bang Theory to the Geologic Time Scale to Evolution and Astronomy. Below are questions that can be copy and pasted into a worksheet and modified as necessary for students to fill in as they watch Episode 1 of Cosmos. These questions are designed to check understanding of some of the most important parts while hopefully not taking away from the experience of watching the show.    Cosmos Episode 1 Worksheet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Name:___________________    Directions: Answer the questions as you watch episode 1 of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey    1.  What is the name of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s â€Å"spaceship†?          2.  What is responsible for creating wind and keeping everything in the solar system in its clutches?          3.  What lies between Mars and Jupiter?          4.  How big is the centuries-old hurricane on Jupiter?          5.  What had to be invented before we could discover Saturn and Neptune?          6.  What is the name of the spacecraft that has traveled the farthest away from Earth?          7.  What is the Oort Cloud?          8.  How far from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy do we live?          9.  What is the â€Å"address† of Earth in the cosmos?          10.  Why do we not know yet if we live in a â€Å"multiverse†?          11.  Who wrote the banned book that Giordano Bruno read that gave him the idea that the Universe was infinite?          12.  How long was Bruno jailed and tortured?          13.  What happened to Bruno after he refused to change his mind about his beliefs of an infinite Universe?          14.  Who was able to prove Bruno right 10 years after his death?          15.  How many years does one month symbolize on the â€Å"cosmic calendar†?          16.  What date on the â€Å"cosmic calendar† did the Milky Way Galaxy appear?          17.  What date on the â€Å"cosmic calendar† was our Sun born?          18.  What day and time did human ancestors first evolve on the â€Å"cosmic calendar†?          19.  What do the last 14 seconds on the â€Å"cosmic calendar† represent?          20.  How many seconds ago on the â€Å"cosmic calendar† did the two halves of the world find each other?          21.  How old was Neil deGrasse Tyson when he met Carl Sagan in Ithaca, New York?          22. What is Carl Sagan most famous for?

Cheap Essays vs Expensive Essays

Cheap Essays vs Expensive Essays Cheap Essays vs Expensive Essays Cheap essays refer to the essays that can easily be bought by customers when required. They are easily available for the customer’s disposal; therefore, the customers have the opportunity to buy as many essays as possible. Based on this school of thought, it is common for the customers to prefer companies that offer cheap essays given the wide opportunity available to buy as many essays as possible. An expensive essay refers to the essays that are very costly to buy or acquire. In this case, any customer wishing to buy an expensive essay will only be able to buy very limited number of essays since he or she is unable to meet the costs of purchasing many essays. It is notable that reduction of the essay cost may translate to many essays being bought by customers based on a theory of demand. This theory states that the higher the price the less the demand, and the less the price the higher the demand. This is to imply that reduction of the essay costs will attract many more clients who may buy the essays from the company due to cost effectiveness for the customers. The rationality behind this is that most customers will prefer to write their own essays as opposed to buying very costly or expensive essays. However, there is another deciding factor for choosing to purchase either the cheap or expensive essays. This is whether or not the essays are written by professionals, and the level of quality that they display. It is notable that not all writing company services are cheap and may depend on whether the company has professional writers with a lot of experience, as opposed to writers with fewer qualifications and experience. The type of management of the company will always detect the quality of essays being offered and the cost that comes along with it. Some companies have certain cultures that are implemented within the organization as far as writing is concerned. This kind of culture will shape the direction and nature of the essays being written. If a company is able to recruit professionals writers at a cheaper cost, then this company is able to offer cheaper essays. In this scenario the company’s essays will tend to be in high demand by most customers. However, if the company does not produce high quality essays then the customers may prefer to buy an essay at a higher cost to get a better service. A rational person will always go for quality products to suit his or her needs; therefore, it may be usual for the customer to buy a fewer number of essays at a higher price than poor quality essays at a lower price. provides cheap custom essays of the highest quality. All essays are written by top-rated academic writers with PhD and MA degrees. We guarantee non-plagiarized papers!