Massachusetts Institute of Technology Top Questions

Nerds, anti-social, no communication skills.

we are all nerds/dorks

They're nerds, they're super smart, or they can fix everything you want, regardless of whether it has anything to do with their major. They're socially inept. As for boys, "the odds are good, but the goods are odd." For girls, "Simmons to bed, Wellesly to wed, and MIT for someone to talk to."

MIT kids are stereotypically socially-awkward, super smart, and play video games all day.

"Geeky" covers everyone. But we're segregated into East and West campus, and each has its own stereotypes. West side dorms are considered "the normal college dorm experience." East side dorms are supposed to be anything but. The east side is associated with hacking (such as sneaking around underground or putting automobiles on top of the great dome, not breaking into other people's computers). Also, the east side is generally considered a bit more eccentric; the residents are more likely to dress differently and wear their hair differently than "normal" people, and to organize crazy activities like a mustache-growing competition or building a wooden bicycle.

That we're nerdy and work all the time. That we're socially inadequate. That we're all crazy computer hackers. That we're all amazing geniuses.

Lots of Asians. Workaholics. Anti-social nerds obsessed with grades.

They are the Uber-geeks, the socially inept science geniuses that can do square roots in their head, but can't go on a date to save their life.

Scary smart, but complete geeks. People who know nothing about MIT seem to think that we are all complete tools, coding twenty-four seven, people who have no interest in cultural or social aspects of life, probably suck at sports. Everyone wears glasses, the girls are hideous. Only talk about crazy math. I've heard that in some places we are known for being arrogant assholes, but that is not a stereotype that existed where I grew up. In Lexington, the general impression was just that MIT students were brilliant and masochistic, and often killed themselves.

MIT students are smart and geeky.