MIT's not a meritocracy. Admissions already chooses who is the best candidate, so this is just an extension. It also lets MIT control the quality of their posts

MIT's not a meritocracy. Admissions already chooses who is the best candidate, so this is just an extension. It also lets MIT control the quality of their posts somewhat. On a whim I checked out their blogs and compared them to my college's blogs. They've got few fewer smiley faces, and come across as more mature. I think that for MIT that's a good thing, since that's their reputation. I wonder, though, if for other colleges allowing a bit more freedom humanizes them somewhat.