Yes, and only 31% consider themselves above average academically.
I have to laugh, but it's also sad that so many MIT students feel so insecure. I think it must be the shock that comes from being at the top of one's high school, then arriving at MIT and no longer being head-and-shoulders above most of one's peers.
Anyway, maybe the administration should see if there's something they can do to give students a more realistic view of where they stand.
I came here to point that out as well. But I was thinking it was a good thing, rather than a bunch of fools playing out the Dunning–Kruger effect.
One of the more valuable things you can learn as a smart kid in college is that you're not the smartest kid around. It also means that they're being challenged at the school. There's plenty of schools that are hard to get in, but there's no challenge after you're in.
Besides, I don't know about you, but I can't stand people that think (or pretend) they're heads and shoulders above in ability when they're not.
For me personally, most of the stress does come from being challenged academically.The professors pull no punches, and some of the classes are downright exhausting.
Although I appreciate being challenged, it can be disheartening whenever I observe the local coding guru / math major knocking out problems in a fraction of the time it takes me.
However, I believe that this student response best sums it up:
"I still believe it’s true that at MIT, students generally compete more against themselves than against each other."
Everyone simply wants to be the best that they can be.
I think it must be the shock that comes from being at the top of one's high school, then arriving at MIT and no longer being head-and-shoulders above most of one's peers.
It's been a while since I was at MIT, but this was my experience and that of a lot of the people I knew there. I have to admit, though, that if I had taken a survey like this while I was there, I would have rated myself above average. :-)
maybe the administration should see if there's something they can do to give students a more realistic view of where they stand.
Many of the courses I took, at least for the first couple of years, were graded on a curve, so you could tell where you stood, at least roughly, by your grade. Perhaps that's less prevalent now.
I can relate to this during my time at MIT. It isn't that students are unaware that MIT is an immensely talented community and just fail to put their own relative difficulties into perspective. There is a strong desire to feel like you belong among your peers. Yet there is always someone doing something that seems out of your reach, which amplifies those lingering internal questions of whether your actually good enough to be there.
> I think it must be the shock that comes from being at the top of one's high school, then arriving at MIT and no longer being head-and-shoulders above most of one's peers.
Yup. Some stats for a recent MIT entering class:
97% were in the top 10% of their high school class. 100% where in the top 25%.
25/75 percentile SAT math: 740/800
25/75 percentile SAT critical reading: 670/770
25/75 percentile SAT writing: 680/770
Only about 9% who apply to MIT are offered admission. I'd guess that the ones that get in aren't the ones who had to work hard for kind of scores listed above--they are the ones for whom those kind of high school achievements come easily, giving them time for the challenging projects and activities beyond the standard high school curriculum that made them stand out to the admissions people.
They now have to actually work hard for "regular" classes. Half of them find that their best effort lands them in the bottom half of the class. That is indeed one hell of a shock.
A relevant note is that MIT doesn't release class ranks or average GPAs or anything like that. Personally, I think it's good because while people might think they're below average, I'm ok with them not worrying about the particular number.
I doubt that we're talking about insecurity or lack of confidence; but rather the lack of a certain type of egotism. In my experience at least, gifted people tend to avoid egotism altogether.
I have to laugh, but it's also sad that so many MIT students feel so insecure. I think it must be the shock that comes from being at the top of one's high school, then arriving at MIT and no longer being head-and-shoulders above most of one's peers.
Anyway, maybe the administration should see if there's something they can do to give students a more realistic view of where they stand.