I like to remember that if I end up going to MIT, the purpose is to get the broad-based education that I couldn't get in India. That prevents me from being a nerd. I don't think MIT encourages 'nerdism' in any form.

I too had a similar thought process once. I used to mock scientists thinking they were perhaps the biggest mistakes nature made out of brains and guess what - I found myself becoming one!

But as Ashwath said, MIT will definitely give you an all-round education. So you're not really going to "nerd" as per your terms.

Excuse me, and it's not all that surprising since you're a foreigner, but you HORRIBLY misunderstand the definition of a nerd in modern culture.

Nerds like... nerdy things. A GOOD nerd is intelligent, and MIGHT study (only if necessary... at most of our American high schools, it hasn't been necessary, though it will be at MIT), but a nerd can be anyone who appreciates the joys in technology, video games, anime/manga, tabletop games (D&D), and other things of those natures. One does NOT have to be socially inept (that was the 70s definiton) or focused in any single academic area (the late 80s/early 90s definition) to be a nerd.

I am a nerd. I am the most nerdy person at my school. I got into MIT. MIT wants well rounded people.

I think I've said enough.

I really don't think MIT will constrict you at all, Fiona :) There's such a great range of extracurriculars to get involved in.

I'm definitely a science nerd, but although I have my favorites, I'm into all kinds of science (and a few other things as well, like foreign languages and art). It's when you hand me a book on history or politics that I start to yawn. Except physics history because that's incredible. :D

And, although I don't entirely agree with your definition of nerd, I don't think it's as bad as Narce says. Many people kind of have their own opinion on this. On the whole I agree with what you're saying.
From what I've seen of my friends who are already there, it seems that, well, science and non-science are intertwined at MIT, into its own kind of continuum.

I'll admit it. I'm a nerd. In fact, I'm the biggest nerd in my entire school. And while Narce isn't entirely wrong with his definition, it's a little lacking. The "Nerd" of the past is gone. He's right about that. Nerd no longer means the socially inept person who can only do one thing. Nerds now are almost respected.

Nerds know things. They're the people everyone comes to when they have a question because they honestly expect you'll have a correct answer. Nerds DON'T study. There are exceptions to this (MIT of course will require everyone to study...). But in high school at least, the stereotypical nerd never needs to study.

Nerds like computers. We like star wars. We like monty python, programming, and video games. We also have our own non-nerdy hobbies like Music or sports.

Idk. Maybe my personal viewpoint is just a little twisted from reality, but at least for me, NERD is a compliment. It means they at least realize that I like thinking. More often than not, it means they're jealous (Most people wish they could do as little studying and homework as I do and still pass, let alone get good grades).

That's my thoughts at least. Maybe MIT will make us even nerdier. For me I'm not worried about it. I'm looking forward to it.

@All

XD I think the definitions are different in every country.

In Israel, "geek" means a person who has a lot of varied interests, some of them eclectic, which often include science, sci-fi, anime, music, some arts etc. A geek doesn't always study, but is intelligent enough to manage with grades and is usually not socially inept at all.

A "nerd" here, however, is a person who studies like mad, has a very square and set way of looking at life and usually has a small amount of obsessive interests. These guys are usually socially inept, and are not receptive to new concepts unless they are raised from within their existing interests.

Technically speaking, I'm a geek - but I sometimes cross into nerd-land.

I agree with Corey. He also saved me from writing a comment as long as his. Thanks Corey! :P

creativity is the ability to know how to hide your sources

-let me check the exact quotation from albert

=forget that it's impossible to discover density in the bathroom
(bathroom is only for taking shower = wrong source of info)

it's not an uniedge uninteresting trap
vary-edge very interesting (v vs u)

At MIT, the definition of a nerd is the American definition. I admit, Corey's works quite well too, but from my definition to his is about full range I've seen of the modern definition of the word. And to the both of us, nerd is a compliment.

I still think Fiona's definition is horrid XP

Fiona's definition is not horrid, just inaccurate to the American definition. As others had said, at MIT, I definitely do not fear becoming a nerd by Fiona's definition because of all of the efforts put into broadening students at MIT.

From what I have learned about MIT, I actually believe that from being at MIT students are taught to become more broad. It is true that the fact that one chooses MIT shows that that person favors Math and Science over other subject, and that is not always bad. However, MIT puts a lot of effort into making sure that its students are given opportunities to experience other areas in a good way. MIT takes math and science lovers and, while furthering them in their math and science, introduces them to enjoyable arts and such that broaden their understanding and pleasure for the other sides of life that it in essence, denerdifies them (according to Fiona's definition of nerd).

On a side note, I find it interesting that, according to Michelle's definitions, the definitions for geek and nerd are flipped from the current US versions. It is interesting how different English can be around the world.

Nerd is someone who Earn knowledge by him/herself and doesn't find the red button from the next page or solution manual

Listen to/watch 'white and nerdy' by Weird Al. The video is too good :D
MIT finds a special mention too ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Zc9NyYH-k