There are a huge number of higher education institutions in the world. Some become popular thanks to films, others thanks to their graduates. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is familiar to many due to its position and reputation in the world. Every year it receives thousands of applications from students from all over the world. And only 10-15% of the total get a ticket to the technological life of the institute.
Welcome
This US institution of higher education has several names. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the most popular university name. It is not only a university, but also a research center where alumni and faculty work on government projects. Every year they receive the largest orders for the development of military technologies. MIT is considered the largest research structure. The institute can be called a competitor of large companies Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon.
MIT was the first to start dealing withrobotics and artificial intelligence. Therefore, it is not surprising that all existing engineering programs are recognized as the best in the country. In addition to technical speci alties, there are political sciences, philosophy, linguistics, management, etc.
Charter
MIT was founded in 1861. William Burton Rogers fought for its formation. After filing the charter, the Commonwe alth of Massachusetts did not think long and founded a new institution. It was led by MIT and the Boston Society of Natural History.
The main desire of the founder of the university was to create a new form of education. At the end of the 19th century, science was developing rapidly, which meant that an institution was needed that could control progress and become one step higher than classical education. The foundation of MIT was so quickly approved by both scientists and the people that Rogers urgently needed to find sponsors, work on the curriculum and find a suitable place for the university.
Despite the difficulties, William Burton had a plan according to which the development of the new institution was to be accelerated. It consisted of three points (principles):
- Educational value of useful knowledge.
- Priority to practical exercises.
- Synthesis of technical and human sciences.
For Rogers, the main thing was not the study of details and manipulations, but the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of scientific principles.
Unfortunately, the first lectures at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology did not begin until 1865. This delay was due to unstablethe situation in the country. However, the first class took place in a rented space near Boston, in a small community.
Merge attempts
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology received its first building only in 1866. It is located in the Back Bay area. For a long time, MIT was called "Boston techno". But this "nickname" disappeared by 1916. It was by this time that the university campus had expanded so much that it had to spread across the river to Cambridge.
For the first half century, everything went according to Rogers' plan. But over time, the concept changed and MIT began to have problems. In addition to the fact that there was not enough money to maintain this kind of research center, there were also not enough professionals to lead the students. This was due to the narrow specialization of the institute.
Nearby was the famous Harvard University, which at that time began to encroach on the unity of MIT. The administration dreamed of a merger, but the technology students were against it, so in 1900 this plan failed. Only 14 years later, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was merged with the Harvard department, but only on paper. By court order, the merger never happened.
Lucky occasion
While Harvard University was making plans to unify, MIT no longer fit into its laboratories and lecture rooms. The new president, Richard Maclaurin, wanted to expand the territory of the institute. In this he was helped by a happy accident. To MIT bank accountfunds came from an anonymous rich man. They could buy a mile of industrial land, which is located near the Charles River. Later, the name of the donor was revealed - it was George Eastman. After 6-7 years, the institute was able to move to new equipped buildings. They remain the "home" for all students to this day.
Changes
In 1930, Carl Taylor Compton became head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He worked with his vice president, Vanivar Bush, on the curriculum. Nothing remained of Rogers' plans at all. Preference began to be given to the real sciences (chemistry, physics). And the work in the workshops has been noticeably reduced.
Events in the country have strengthened the credibility of MIT research. The university maintained its reputation and leadership in the field of engineering. Before the Second World War, a huge number of projects were developed here, which subsequently made a huge contribution to military research programs.
MIT has changed a lot. This was due to the fact that the state involved him in research work on military installations during World War II. Thanks to those political events, the university managed to qualitatively increase its staff and physical laboratories. PhD students are now the main driving force.
MIT made a huge contribution during the Cold War. Then "space fever" swallowed up the whole world. Many doubted the superiority of the United States over the USSR. It was the work of the research center that elevated and showed the strength and power of American scientists.
But there was another side of the coin. Such studies outraged students and some teachers. The campus has become a protest ground. Activists asked management for new laboratories, which later formed Charles Stark Draper Laboratory and Lincoln Laboratory.
There were also problems of a political nature. MIT is perhaps the first university that can be called an "enemy of President Nixon." Due to the radical views of the head of the Wiesner Institute, Nixon significantly cut financial assistance to MIT.
Women and Science
It's no coincidence that MIT has become embroiled in an issue like feminism. Almost since the founding of the institute, both men and women have been jointly trained here. But girls were rare here. Only in 1964 was the first women's hostel founded. By 2005, about 40% of undergraduate students and 30% of graduate students studied at MIT. Richards was the first to infiltrate the teaching staff. She specialized in environmental protection. After such an event, the leadership of the institute realized that the quantitative preponderance of male teachers was significant. This situation required immediate correction. In just a few years, the MIT articles stated that the status of women in the scientific community had improved markedly. Proof of this was the appointment of Susan Hockfield as the university's first female president.
Scientificintrigue
Of course, not without MIT and scientific controversy. The first high-profile scandal was the case of Professor David B altimore and Teresa Imanishi-Kari. Scientists were accused of falsifying the results of the study. Congress never proved their involvement in the substitution, but forced the processor to refuse the candidacy for the post of head of Rockefeller University.
The issue of the scientist's right to vote has been raised more than once. This was first discussed after the David Noble scandal. He was denied a contract extension, after which he published a number of books and documents that criticized MIT's cooperation with the military departments and large corporations. A similar situation occurred in 2000, when charges against the Institute were filed by Ted Postol. He announced the falsification of a study by the administration of the university regarding the testing of ballistic missiles.
Russian cooperation
Leo Raphael Reif, the current president of MIT in 2011, signed a document on the formation of the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. Thanks to Viktor Vekselberg, who is the president of the Skolkovo Foundation, this document has come into force. Now they teach here according to the principle of project-based learning.
Rafael Reif's activities in Russia did not end there. 2 years after the founding of SINT, he headed the International Council of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology).
Scientist's dream
Many who are interested in science at least once thought about how to enter the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Students from all over the worlddraws here because here is the best education in the world in the field of technology. Each applicant can immediately decide on the topic and group for research. Student accommodation is supervised. There is always room for applicants on campus.
The teaching staff includes a huge number of scientists, among them about 1000 professors. Despite the fact that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has its own specialization, it also trains students in the humanities. Some of those who studied creative disciplines have become Pulitzer Prize winners.
Because it is not only a university, but also a research institution, there are also outstanding personalities in this field. There are now more than 80 Nobel Prize winners among alumni and faculty.
What to choose?
If you decide to enter MIT, you need to think carefully about what speci alty to study. Future bachelors can choose 46 main programs and 49 additional ones. In general, the institute is divided into five schools, which, in turn, have certain departments and directions. Here you can get the profession of an architect, astronomer, biologist, physicist or chemist, engineer, etc. As mentioned above, there is also a faculty for the humanities, where they teach philosophy, linguistics, history, etc.
What to do?
Everyone has the opportunity to enter the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Master's and Bachelor's programs accept students from all over the world. To participate incompetition you need to have good TOEFL and SAT results. Write an essay and go through the text. Also have at least two recommendations from teachers. If necessary, have an interview in person or via Skype.
If you do not have the opportunity to visit the university in person, everything can be done through the MIT website. After registering, you will see all the available information: admission dates, deadlines, exam results, and more.
Cost
If you are going to go to Cambridge (Massachusetts, USA) you need to sort out the financial issue. On average, you need to pay about 45 thousand dollars a year, including accommodation. In general, the university offers a huge number of programs for those who find it difficult to pay for education. Therefore, 58% of applicants immediately receive a scholarship.
The average size of it, in principle, can cover tuition and accommodation - about 40 thousand dollars. It is possible to receive grants and other financial assistance. The only condition is effort and high scores.
Before entering, you need to explore all the opportunities that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides. Tuition fees may be minimal. If the applicant's family income is less than 60 thousand dollars a year, then MIT can take on not only the full payment for education, but also personal expenses.
It is worth mentioning that the university administration is happy to take on talented students or pupils. If you have been activelyyourself at a university or school, participated in social projects, had a high rating in the class, then you have every chance of becoming a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You just need to have a high test score in English, pass the standard American exam and prove yourself at the interview.
