1. MIT News
  2. Student life shines at Campus Preview Weekend

Student life shines at Campus Preview Weekend

From dorms to dining, sports to salsa, prefrosh and parents are welcomed to the MIT community.
Residents of Chocolate City - one of the cultural houses in the New House dormitory - get ready to spin hot beats, answer questions and welcome prefrosh and parents to MIT from the steps of the student center on the first day of CPW.
Residents of Chocolate City - one of the cultural houses in the New House dormitory - get ready to spin hot beats, answer questions and welcome prefrosh and parents to MIT from the steps of the student center on the first day of CPW.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Prospective students learned how to solder a circuit board in the Talbot Lounge at East Campus - and they even got to keep the circuit they soldered. Nearly every dorm hosted activities and events from morning to night.
Prospective students learned how to solder a circuit board in the Talbot Lounge at East Campus - and they even got to keep the circuit they soldered. Nearly every dorm hosted activities and events from morning to night.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Summer Hutcheson, assistant coach for track & field, talks about MIT athletics with a prefrosh in the Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation Fair in the Rockwell Cage on Friday.
Summer Hutcheson, assistant coach for track & field, talks about MIT athletics with a prefrosh in the Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation Fair in the Rockwell Cage on Friday.
Photo: Tom Gearty
Prefrosh and parents attend a forum on MIT Campus Dining and TechCash in Lobdell Court at the Student Center. A number of different panel discussions and forums introduced families to the nuts and bolts of student life at MIT.
Prefrosh and parents attend a forum on MIT Campus Dining and TechCash in Lobdell Court at the Student Center. A number of different panel discussions and forums introduced families to the nuts and bolts of student life at MIT.
Photo: Tom Gearty
Prefrosh learned how to kick it with Mocha Moves, MIT's hip-hop dance squad, at the T-Club Lounge in the DuPont Gymnasium.
Prefrosh learned how to kick it with Mocha Moves, MIT's hip-hop dance squad, at the T-Club Lounge in the DuPont Gymnasium.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Two sisters from the Sigma Kappa sorority show their pride on the steps of the Student Center.
Two sisters from the Sigma Kappa sorority show their pride on the steps of the Student Center.
Photo: Tom Gearty
Combine delicious smoothies and origami and you get ... smoothigami, according to the residents of New House, who put on a smoothie and origami-making bonanza.
Combine delicious smoothies and origami and you get ... smoothigami, according to the residents of New House, who put on a smoothie and origami-making bonanza.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Prefrosh and undergraduates from the MIT track & field team meet up in the Zesiger Center lobby before taking a run along the Charles River.
Prefrosh and undergraduates from the MIT track & field team meet up in the Zesiger Center lobby before taking a run along the Charles River.
Photo: Tom Gearty
East Campus residents offered seminars on how to make a circuit board - but they also had a lot of fun using a sledgehammer to smash computers and other electronics.
East Campus residents offered seminars on how to make a circuit board - but they also had a lot of fun using a sledgehammer to smash computers and other electronics.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
A tour group passes through the Baker House dining hall. All of the undergraduate dorms threw their doors open to prefrosh and parents for regular tours throughout the weekend.
A tour group passes through the Baker House dining hall. All of the undergraduate dorms threw their doors open to prefrosh and parents for regular tours throughout the weekend.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Prospective students Xiao Zhu, left, and James Jiang, right, prepare to fight it out sumo-style at the IFC Carnival on Saturday.
Prospective students Xiao Zhu, left, and James Jiang, right, prepare to fight it out sumo-style at the IFC Carnival on Saturday.
Photo: Tom Gearty
The residents of Spanish House - one of the cultural houses in the New House dormitory - know that there is nothing better than dancing on a Saturday night, and proved it by teaching prefrosh how to salsa.
The residents of Spanish House - one of the cultural houses in the New House dormitory - know that there is nothing better than dancing on a Saturday night, and proved it by teaching prefrosh how to salsa.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Thousands of MIT students offer their talents to help others every year, and the Public Service Center put on a poster session to show off just a few of the many hands-on projects that serve communities locally and around the world.
Thousands of MIT students offer their talents to help others every year, and the Public Service Center put on a poster session to show off just a few of the many hands-on projects that serve communities locally and around the world.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
A good opening move for some prefrosh was to play life-sized chess in Lobby 13 with brothers from the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.
A good opening move for some prefrosh was to play life-sized chess in Lobby 13 with brothers from the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Who could choose another school after meeting Tim the Beaver? Prospective students Rachael Aptowitz, Elena Gianotas, Ashley Peter and Michelle Battipaglia say hi to Tim in the Rockwell Cage.
Who could choose another school after meeting Tim the Beaver? Prospective students Rachael Aptowitz, Elena Gianotas, Ashley Peter and Michelle Battipaglia say hi to Tim in the Rockwell Cage.
Photo: Tom Gearty
MIT senior Wei-Yang Sun performs in 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' at Next House as part of Next Act, a highly entertaining annual play put on by Next residents.
MIT senior Wei-Yang Sun performs in 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' at Next House as part of Next Act, a highly entertaining annual play put on by Next residents.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Sophomore Richard Wood, right, teaches how to DJ to prospective students Willy Vasquez, left, and Peter Brobbey, center, on the steps of the Student Center.
Sophomore Richard Wood, right, teaches how to DJ to prospective students Willy Vasquez, left, and Peter Brobbey, center, on the steps of the Student Center.
Photo: Tom Gearty
It wouldn't be MIT without a little oddness, such as the mysterious green man hanging around MacGregor on Friday evening.
It wouldn't be MIT without a little oddness, such as the mysterious green man hanging around MacGregor on Friday evening.
Photo: Tom Gearty
Prefrosh and current students rush to grab a ball at the beginning of a dodgeball game in the Zesiger Center.
Prefrosh and current students rush to grab a ball at the beginning of a dodgeball game in the Zesiger Center.
Photo: Tom Gearty
Senior Kevin Rustagi entertains the crowd outside of the Zesiger Center with his bandmates from Live Music Connection (LMC), one of the many MIT student clubs that showcased their talents and passions during CPW.
Senior Kevin Rustagi entertains the crowd outside of the Zesiger Center with his bandmates from Live Music Connection (LMC), one of the many MIT student clubs that showcased their talents and passions during CPW.
Photo: Tom Gearty
Prefrosh Ming Ming Tran blew soap bubbles with her hand in the courtyard between New House and Next House.
Prefrosh Ming Ming Tran blew soap bubbles with her hand in the courtyard between New House and Next House.
Photo: Dani DeSteven
Jane DeRosa, the parent of a current senior, answers questions from prospective parents in the MIT Student Center.
Jane DeRosa, the parent of a current senior, answers questions from prospective parents in the MIT Student Center.
Photo: Tom Gearty
Prospective students, from left to right, Alexis Wilkinson, Aileen Lerch, Hannah Ho and Sarah McMillian get to know one another on the lawn next to Kresge Auditorium on Saturday.
Prospective students, from left to right, Alexis Wilkinson, Aileen Lerch, Hannah Ho and Sarah McMillian get to know one another on the lawn next to Kresge Auditorium on Saturday.
Photo: Tom Gearty

During Campus Preview Weekend (CPW), prospective students who have been accepted to MIT — a.k.a prefrosh — arrive on campus eager to see what living and learning is like at MIT. Many are accompanied by their parents, and all come to decide whether the Institute is right for them.

While they are here, these visitors learn about MIT"s academics. But the students, Housemasters and Student Life staff also arrange a jam-packed schedule of activities to introduce more than a 1,000 prefrosh and parents to life on campus. From morning to night — and sometimes continuing on into the very early morning — campus visitors participate in activities and events about dorms, dining, athletics, clubs and all the other activities that complement and complete the MIT experience.

View the slideshow to see how students helped showcase life at MIT for CPW.

Related Links

Related Topics

More MIT News

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA