This blog post makes it sound like he didn't fill out an application. However, I'm guessing he did and also sent in code as supplemental material (which is quite common).
College admissions is a game. I currently go to MIT and it's definitely more meritocratic than many other institutions of similar "prestige" but it's not an exception.
High school students today optimize their grades and SATs
and after school activities. They speak French and
Chinese, play piano and paint abstract art. They dance
around and play hockey and act like they help homeless
people.
It's ultra-competitive. That said, the number of kids who do this sort of thing is waning. I think people realize that being extremely good or having insane dedication to one thing or "theme" is key.
On the other hand this stereotype arose from an era where admissions committees were trying to create a class of well-rounded students. It still occurs to some degree. However, things are trending towards creating a well-rounded class instead (lots of highly specialized students).
College admissions is a game. I currently go to MIT and it's definitely more meritocratic than many other institutions of similar "prestige" but it's not an exception.
It's ultra-competitive. That said, the number of kids who do this sort of thing is waning. I think people realize that being extremely good or having insane dedication to one thing or "theme" is key.On the other hand this stereotype arose from an era where admissions committees were trying to create a class of well-rounded students. It still occurs to some degree. However, things are trending towards creating a well-rounded class instead (lots of highly specialized students).