MIT is proud of its success in attracting these great young people and strives hard to meet the challenge of educating them well. Among other things, that means never relaxing the academic rigor that's the hallmark of an MIT education. Still, educating MIT students is a tougher challenge than it used to be. The Institute played a pivotal role in the revolution that's now driving the fundamental changes on the world scene, from the widespread applications of genetic engineering to instantaneous global communications. That revolution, in turn, has had vast impacts on MIT as a whole, and especially on its students.
Career changes A major change from even two or three decades ago is in students' career paths.
Many still go to work for technology companies, though the mix has changed to emphasize computer hardware and software firms far more than in the past. But growing numbers also pick areas like management consulting, finance and health care. As relevant as such trends is what students see themselves doing once launched on careers in their chosen fields. And even the majority of students who don't aspire to entrepreneurial achievements are driven by the reality that engineering, science and management today are themselves changing fast. MIT is embarked on an unprecedented effort to improve the way it meets the needs of these future leaders.