why attend MIT but not major in engineering?

No Asian Exclusionary racist discrimination exists for applicants to Cal Tech, CMU, and MIT. It's a level playing field at MIT.

I think you mean "non science/engineering" rather than just "non-engineering." Regardless, the answer to your question is "YES." Although most people that earn a non-science degree do so as a double-major. (e.g. Mathematics and music).

Are most of these MIT humanities majors people who started out in engineering but found that it didn't work for them?

That was essentially my situation. I started out majoring in computer science and engineering, and discovered that I had no passion for it. In fact, I hated it. I did, however, discover a passion for philosophy. I completed the program in computer science, but also picked up a degree in philosophy. I was fortunate that my particular area of interest -- cognitive science, including philosophy of mind, artificial intelligence, and psycholinguistics -- was especially strong at MIT.

There may very well be some undergraduates who enroll at MIT with the intention, from the outset, of majoring in something other than science or engineering. For example, MIT's department of economics has historically been as strong as any in the country, and there are advantages to being one of the few undergraduates in an excellent department. (A cross-country teammate of mine majored in economics, graduating in three years with a letter of recommendation from Paul Samuelson.) But if you don't have a really strong aptitude and a pretty high tolerance for science and mathematics, you could be in for some tough times.

The chicks man, the chicks.

I would like to point out to the OP that even if one chooses to major in English the graduation requirements still include:

Biology, chemistry, multivariable calculus, and engineering physics (mechanical and E&M).

The take-home point is that one would really suffer at MIT without an aptitude for math and science, regardless of major.

Corrected wrote:

The chicks man, the chicks.

This.

MIT Alum wrote:

I would like to point out to the OP that even if one chooses to major in English the graduation requirements still include:

Biology, chemistry, multivariable calculus, and engineering physics (mechanical and E&M).

The take-home point is that one would really suffer at MIT without an aptitude for math and science, regardless of major.

Thanks very much. Yes, I meant math, science and engineering.

That makes a lot of sense about people getting double majors - none of us had thought of that. But none of us are MIT bound, either...

I learned a lot. Thanks again.

Um, economics? I dunno about undergrad, but its graduate program in economics is widely regarded as the best program (with the top faculty) in the world.

kartelite wrote:

Um, economics? I dunno about undergrad, but its graduate program in economics is widely regarded as the best program (with the top faculty) in the world.

Larry Summers was an undergraduate in economics at MIT, graduating in 1975. (I have read, however, that he enrolled with the intention of studying physics. His parents were both economics professors at Penn, and he had two uncles -- Paul Samuelson and Ken Arrow -- who were Nobel Prize winners in economics, so perhaps it was in his blood.)

If you look at their web site almost all of their majors are in the math, science and engineering. They do have humanities but not nearly as much selection as a normal state university you might be thinking of. Also many of their humanities options are only available as a minor or as a transfer degree.

kartelite wrote:

Um, economics? I dunno about undergrad, but its graduate program in economics is widely regarded as the best program (with the top faculty) in the world.

Better than Wharton?

Economics is not always included in business curriculum

TrackCoach wrote:

[quote]

Better than Wharton?

TrackCoach wrote:

kartelite wrote:

Um, economics? I dunno about undergrad, but its graduate program in economics is widely regarded as the best program (with the top faculty) in the world.

Better than Wharton?

You're kidding, right? I visited the dept of economics at Penn when looking at grad schools (during the Penn relays in fact), and the PhD in Economics is not part of Wharton.

Besides, Penn isn't even in the class of Harvard/Chicago, while MIT is head and shoulders above those two.

Tied for #1 at 5.0, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Chicago

others very close at 4.9/4.8.

In other words, no program is head and shoulders above the others.

USNWR's rankings are garbage, especially for specific disciplines.