Education

We at Third Minds are fond of calling attention to some of the more outlandish practices of higher education. In this particular incident, MIT sent out a recruiting letter to a high school student who had a high standardized test score. The student decided to respond and send a letter back to them in his own unique (and hilarious) manner. Check it out.

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April 18, 1994

Mr. John T. Mongan
123 Main Street
Smalltown, California 94123-4567

Dear John:

You’ve got the grades. You’ve certainly got the PSAT scores. And now you’ve got a letter from MIT. Maybe you’re surprised. Most students would be.

But you’re not most students. And that’s exactly why I urge you to consider carefully one of the most selective universities in America.

The level of potential reflected in your performance is a powerful indicator that you might well be an excellent candidate for MIT. It certainly got my attention!

Engineering’s not for you? No problem. It may surprise you to learn we offer more than 40 major fields of study, from architecture to brain and cognitive sciences, from economics (perhaps the best program in the country) to writing.

What? Of course, you don’t want to be bored. Who does? Life here *is* tough and demanding, but it’s also fun. MIT students are imaginative and creative – inside and outside the classroom.

You’re interested in athletics? Great! MIT has more varsity teams – 39 -than almost any other university, and a tremendous intramural program so everybody can participate.

You think we’re too expensive? Don’t be too sure. We’ve got surprises for you there, too.

Why not send the enclosed Information Request to find out more about this unique institution? Why not do it right now?

Sincerely,

Michael C. Benhke
Director of Admissions

P.S. If you’d like a copy of a fun-filled, fact-filled brochure, “Insight,” just check the appropriate box on the form.

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May 5, 1994

Michael C. Behnke
MIT Director of Admissions
Office of Admissions, Room 3-108
Cambridge MA 02139-4307

Dear Michael:

You’ve got the reputation. You’ve certainly got the pomposity. And now you’ve got a letter from John Mongan. Maybe you’re surprised. Most universities would be.

But you’re not most universities. And that’s exactly why I urge you to carefully consider one of the most selective students in America, so selective that he will choose only one of the thousands of accredited universities in the country.

The level of pomposity and lack of tact reflected in your letter is a powerful indicator that your august institution might well be a possibility for John Mongan’s future education. It certainly got my attention!

Don’t want Bio-Chem students? No problem. It may surprise you to learn that my interests cover over 400 fields of study, from semantics to limnology,
from object-oriented programming (perhaps one of the youngest professionals in the country) to classical piano.

What? Of course you don’t want egotistical jerks. Who does? I am self indulgent and over confident, but I’m also amusing. John Mongan is funny and amusing – whether you’re laughing with him or at him.

You’re interested in athletes? Great! John Mongan has played more sports – 47 – than almost any other student, including oddball favorites such as Orienteering.

You think I can pay for your school? Don’t be too sure. I’ve got surprises for you there, too.

Why not send a guaranteed admission and full scholarship to increase your chance of being selected by John Mongan? Why not do it right now?

Sincerely,

John Mongan

P.S. If you’d like a copy of a fun-filled, fact-filled brochure, “John Mongan: What a Guy!” just ask.

“I believe that school makes complete fools of our young men, because they see and hear nothing of ordinary life there.” – Petronius

At the Clinton Global Initiative University I attended this weekend, Roger Schank opened his speech by bellowing, “There are only two things wrong with the education system: What we teach and How we teach it.” He is a former professor at Yale, Stanford, and Northwestern, who has spent considerable time studying artificial intelligence and cognitive psychology. His basic message: The education system is broken and needs to be rethought from scratch.

The current education system was designed in 1892 by Charles Eliot, President of Harvard. He advocated uniformity and standardized testing for admission to college. During his time in the Committee of Ten, Charles pushed for one curriculum that would be taught at high schools nationwide.

The effect of this standardization: An army of students that lacked the capacity to think. The industrial revolution thirsted for mindless workers and schools were happy to supply them. Students would all know the same information and this would allow them to be easily replaceable.

This trend that started in the late 19th century has sucked the excitement for learning out of most students. At first, most six year olds can’t wait to go to school on that first day in August. This enthusiasm wears off as the reality of sitting in a desk for up to six hours a day quickly takes over. Students were not meant to be taught in this manner and scientists have long known that children learn best through experimentation and reflection. As an example to illustrate this concept, think about learning your first language. Did your parents sit you down and lecture to you? No! You were probably speaking before you ever set foot into a classroom.

So why do we do it this way? The lecture system offers the cheapest and most efficient way to teach students. It allows most teachers to focus on their research and conduct their class with minimal effort. It has unfortunately led to a curriculum that has little practical use and teachers that fail to connect with students.

At one point Roger called out to the crowd, “How many of you know the quadratic formula?” Then he asked, “Now how many of you have ever used it?”

We looked back at him sheepishly, having realized that we had spent our time memorizing a formula we would never use.

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I encourage you to read more on his thoughts for revolutionizing the school system. In the coming weeks, I will be posting some of his proposed solutions.

What do you think is wrong with the education system today? When was the last time you thought in class?

Academic Earth

An Ivy League education is viewed as the opportunity to learn from the top professors in the world. While this is true, many have not realized the effect the internet has had on knowledge. It is no longer monopolized through top schools and the barriers to learning are being torn down. Academic Earth, conceived by Richard Ludlow while at Yale, is one of those sites. It boasts an impressive list of schools (Berkeley, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford U Michigan, UCLA, Yale) that offer entire courses in various subjects through the website. Now that you have no more excuses about your lack of opportunities, go learn! Academic Earth