A lot of this rings true to my memory of grad student days at MIT. For example, MIT libraries were open, but I wasn't even allowed to browse the stacks in some of Harvard's libraries-- let alone to check out a book.
In my memory, one of the things MIT did very well was avoiding barriers between academic departments. They had lots of research groups comprising professors and students from multiple fields, and there were no limits on what classes you could take based on what department you were in. (When I moved to Berkeley a few years later, I was surprised to discover I couldn't take a class in the journalism school unless I was enrolled as a journalism student.)
On the other hand, MIT did somewhat cultivate an exclusive attitude among its students-- particularly the undergrads. During my time there, I felt there was a pervasive strain of "We're the best in the world..." getting shaded into "...therefore nobody else is any good." I imagine if I had gone there after attending Harvard, I wouldn't have noticed so much, but as a midwesterner whose prior academic experience was at University of Cincinnati, it did seem to me that MIT spent a lot of time stroking the egos of its community.
> On the other hand, MIT did somewhat cultivate an exclusive attitude among its students-- particularly the undergrads. During my time there, I felt there was a pervasive strain of "We're the best in the world..." getting shaded into "...therefore nobody else is any good."
When I was in the military there was always a few officers from the service academy that liked reminding you that they were "special", we called them "ring knockers". Never encountered that 'tude from MIT grads until one day I showed up for work where we had very limited park slots. A very nice sports car with custom plates "MIT" was occupying four spaces. The driver shortly received a small interoffice envelope that morning with four valve stems and a business card to a local garage.
'On the other hand, MIT did somewhat cultivate an exclusive attitude among its students-- particularly the undergrads. During my time there, I felt there was a pervasive strain of "We're the best in the world..." getting shaded into "...therefore nobody else is any good."'
Really? I never ever felt that way during undergrad. I interacted with many grad students and every single one seemed more capable than I would ever be at their field (not self deprecating, just a true statement). While I would like to speak on behalf of all MIT students to say that this isn't likely, I can fully see this happening in small social circles. Maybe I got lucky, but I just never really saw this happen or felt that way towards grad students.
While interacting with some Harvard students, I definitely felt like I was the "lower pedigree" though. This is probably due more to the Cambridge rivalry than anything else though.
MIT is a pretty stressful place for grads and undergrads a like. Sometimes social skills aren't necessarily placed at the top of the list when there are many PSets, Exams, and other items above some pecking order ;).
Yes, they do. And the "Tute culture can be perversely proud of those, too.
But I don't want to give the impression I didn't like it there. Those were, in many ways, the best years of my life, and MIT culture contributed strongly to that.
In my memory, one of the things MIT did very well was avoiding barriers between academic departments. They had lots of research groups comprising professors and students from multiple fields, and there were no limits on what classes you could take based on what department you were in. (When I moved to Berkeley a few years later, I was surprised to discover I couldn't take a class in the journalism school unless I was enrolled as a journalism student.)
On the other hand, MIT did somewhat cultivate an exclusive attitude among its students-- particularly the undergrads. During my time there, I felt there was a pervasive strain of "We're the best in the world..." getting shaded into "...therefore nobody else is any good." I imagine if I had gone there after attending Harvard, I wouldn't have noticed so much, but as a midwesterner whose prior academic experience was at University of Cincinnati, it did seem to me that MIT spent a lot of time stroking the egos of its community.