[1250] in Humor
HUMOR? Followup to the MIT Admissions Letter
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Andrew A. Bennett)
Tue Dec 19 17:47:10 1995
To: humor@MIT.EDU
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 17:20:22 EST
From: "Andrew A. Bennett" <abennett@MIT.EDU>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 17:16:54 -0500
From: Erik Nygren <nygren@MIT.EDU>
From: Ien Cheng <ien@MIT.EDU>
Remember the pompous MIT admissions letter? Well, here's
the official MIT response from Michael Benhke.
- - ----
TWO CHEERS, MAYBE TWO AND A HALF
People have been getting a chuckle (aside from some MIT folks who
have been getting fits) over an exchange posted on the WEB between
MIT and a prospective student. The student, apparently, has the
exchange on his WEB page, and it has spread from there. I'd like to
give the student two cheers for a pretty good parody of our letter.
In case you haven't seen the exchange, I'm adding it below. (I'm
sending this message to those who inquire and who obviously have
seen the exchange, but this message may be forwarded to others who
haven't seen it.)
Our letter looks rather foolish to some taken out of context. The
reason I'm only giving the student two cheers is that I don't know if
he recognized our letter as a parody. Our tongue was planted firmly
in our cheek with that letter. We've been trying to reflect in our
publications and mailings some of the quirky humor at MIT. Since I
came to MIT about ten years ago, I've admired the way people here
poke fun at themselves. Witness the "Nerd Pride" buttons and hats,
the strange cheers at football games, the "Nerd Crossing" sign, and
various other "hacks." We've tried to inject some of that humor into
our communications with students.
Some may not know why we mailed our letter. Most colleges
participate in the Student Search Service. We buy names of high
school students who have scored well on the PSAT and who have
high grades. Colleges then mail these students letters and brochures
to encourage them to look into the college in question. Top students
can get ten of these a day. We thought that in this context, students
would recognize our letter as being a bit of a parody of other letters.
The purpose of the letter was to get students' attention and provoke
a dialogue through which students would learn more about MIT. In
fact, the letter was very successful. The percentage of students
asking for more information about MIT went up dramatically, and
we ultimately enrolled one of the strongest classes in our history.
Many students told us that the letter helped to dispel the image of
MIT as a humorless, pompous, off-putting place. In spite of the fact
that the response rate to this letter was the highest we have ever
had, we have since switched to a more straightforward version which
is getting almost as strong a response. We switched because we were
concerned (justifiably, it turns out) about how the letter would look
taken out of context.
If the student did recognize our letter as a parody, I give him two
and half cheers. I won't give him three cheers, because if he did
recognize it as a parody, it was sort of mean spirited to take it out of
context and make us look foolish. But one could argue that we were
doing a parody of other colleges' letters, so it serves us right. "Hoist
with one's own petard." (Yes, we have a Shakespeare ensemble at
MIT, and being in admissions, I can't let a message go out without a
little promotion.)
Here's the message that went out on the WEB:
From: john@leland.stanford.edu (John Thomas Mongan)
MIT certainly has a reputation to be proud of, but its admissions
department went a little over-board, I think. I actually received
this letter, and actually mailed the following (original) response.
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.
********************************************************************
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.
