The following is an exact transcription of a letter John Mongan received from
MIT, and the reply that he sent them. Unfortunately, they chose to discontinue
their correspondence at that point. I have heard, however, that their
recruitment letter has been revised and is far less snotty than it once was.
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.