To: Arlen Thomason <71217.2676@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: Re: Life at MIT 
In-reply-to: Your message of "06 May 1997 00:18:04 EDT."
             <970506041804_71217.2676_FHV51-1@CompuServe.COM> 
--------
Dear Dr. Thompson,
	It's good to hear from you! I am glad everything is going well for you
and that's really exciting that Adam is starting the college process. I'm glad
you wrote me because I really think MIT would be a great place for Adam. 
	I want to answer your questions first, then I'll give my sales pitch.

Academics:
	1. The lectures in the introductory courses are large, usually around
300 but my differntial equations class is 800 people with two lecture each with
400 people. Now although this sounds big, the recitations are almost always
around 15-20 students. In the Physics classes, full tenured professors teach the
recitations. My recitation leader for electricity & magnetism was one of the
leading scientists on the Voyager Space shuttle project. In general there are
recitation TA's and professors here.
	If Adam decides to major in computer science or electrical engineering
he'll be in lectures of 150 through sophomore year because that is MIT's most
popular major.

	2. The professors are very accessible. In fact I went to dinner once with
Mario Molina (the Nobel prize winner) and to lunch with my Physical Chemistry   
professor. 

*** Academically the best thing about MIT are the opportunities to work with
professors in their labs.  
	If Adam has a chance to come back here I would love to show him the work
I starting because I think it would interest him a great deal. Basically, I
going to be doing computer models of enzyme/ competitive inhibitor interactions;
in hopes of discovering the optimal charges (for important enzyme
inhibitors capable of stopping essential enzymes in
Cancer and Aids, ect..) that lead to the energetically most favorable
interaction with the enzyme. Since Adam likes programming and has a good science
backround, I'd have to show him all this stuff if he's able to come out here. 
	But back to the point. My professor has given me a tremendous amount of
individual attention, and I'm sure Adam would get a lot out of the research
opportunities here. 

	3. Academics are definately more demanding here than at Cate. On average
I spend 60 hours a week doing academic work (incl everything problem sets,
lecture, studying). But most of the studying is done in groups so it makes it
more fun. Furthermore, even though I study a lot, I still have a lot of time to mess around, and freshmen
year is pass/fail which makes it less stressful.
	The other students are really smart here. I'm probably average
intelligence. 

	4. Enough about classes! Yes, Boston is a nice city, but it's cold. I go
out most Friday and Saturday nights, but I only go to parties once or
twice a month. Despite the sterotypes and the fraternities' enfatuation with
Wellsley girls, there are plenty of cute MIT girls (I frequently distract
myself in lecture), thus the male/ female ratio is
nothing to worry about.

	5. I'm glad I choose MIT. The people are nice, I love studying science
and being focused about my studies. Boston is an exciting place and I have fun here. That's not
to say it wasn't a tough transition from Cate and MIT can certainly be an overly
stressful place at times, but all in all I like it and recomend to anyone who
likes science. 	 

	6.  Age. I have one very good friend who is 16 and she's done fine. I
also have some other friends who are 17 and my feeling is that age is never an
issue. I understand your hestitance to send Adam so far away from home, but many
of the students here are far away home, 20% live outside the country, and I
think we comfort each other when feeling home sickness. I never see drugs here,
there is a lot of alcohol, but most of my friends don't drink. Now one potential
problem might be if Adam wants to join a fraternity. Half the guys do, but I
didn't.  There are many good things
about the fraternity brotherhood, but that might amplify your fears of alcohol
and parties. 
	
	7. I think you should also consider Harvard. They have great science,
and the professor I'm working for did both computers and chemistry undergraduate
work at Harvard. 

Well, I'm excited at the prospects of possibly seeing Adam around here someday!
I'll be here all summer so if you make it back here be sure to tell me. You have
my email bryantmc@mit.edu which I check daily, and my phone # until May 24 is
617-225-7538. Call me or e-me with any questions, or if you would like me to send any
MIT periphernalia to you!
Best Regards to the whole family,
Bryant