1. MIT was founded April 10, 1861, two days before the start of the Civil War.
2. In 1958, Oliver Smoot (class of ’62) with his Lambda Chi Alpha brothers measured the Harvard bridge. Members of the fraternity maintain the painted marks.
3. While Tony Stark is said to have graduated from MIT “summa cum laude,” MIT does not have any class ranking for its students.
4. The Infinite Corridor lines up with the plane of the ecliptic twice a year, filling the 0.16 mile hallway with sunlight.
5. The first human cancer gene discovery took place at MIT. Weinberg found the ras oncogene.
6. A Pirate’s License can be granted to MIT students who complete pistol, archery, fencing and sailing classes. While the license existed for 20 years unofficially, it was made official in 2012.
7. MIT Invented the first computer in Cambridge in 1928. You can view Whirlwind I at the MIT Museum.
8. MIT’s program in architecture was the first established in the U.S.
9. Tetazoo, an East Campus floor, stands for The Third East Traveling Animal Zoo. Known for hacking and a reckless attitude, it’s uncertain if these students are actually zoological.
10. MIT has earned 203 Academic All America citations, the most for any Division 3 program in the nation.
Did you go to MIT for college or grad school? If so, create a profile and add your essays and advice to your profile to get paid every time someone views your profile! To best help MIT applicants, include some MIT-specific advice! If you’re interested in MIT, check out our database of admitted profiles.
Back