ESG Expo Comments:
How to portray ESG:

In the past, ESG has advertised itself as a good way for any and all
students to spend their freshmen year, because of its small class
sizes, flexibility, and support system.  Secondary to these were the
stated goals of ESG: promoting educational innovation, providing for
the pursuit of individualized learning, and stimulating the
development of the ability to learn ``divergently.''  As a result,
freshmen were encouraged to see in ESG only the appealing side-effects
of its mission rather than the mission itself.

At the Academic Expo, most student have their first close encounter
with the many facets of ESG and we cannot expect them to make sense of
it all so soon.  For self-selection to work, current ESGers must be
prepared to explain ESG in a way that confused frosh can understand.
Below are some points to keep in mind in making this work.

1) There are some things about ESG that everyone can like-- _those_
   aren't the reasons to join.

2) ESG is _not_ for everyone and it _is_ a risk because it's _meant_
   to be different, but we think for many students, it's a risk worth
   taking.

3) People should be in ESG _not_ because they want the best education
   but because they want a _different_ education.

4) To be part of ESG, at a minimum you have to acknowledge the ESG
   community.

5) We believe having undergraduate instructors is a feature, not a bug
   (and benefits both the students and the instructor).

6) ESG's next rush activity is Wednesday (August 29)!  All interested
   frosh should come.

Here's a draft of my spiel:

The Experimental Study Group is a kind of mini-"college within a
college," dedicated to providing students with alternative options for
learning.  Unlike the other freshman-year programs, ESG offers dozens
of classes and has a strong community of interesting people that make
it more than just those classes.  We encourage students to take charge
of their own education and teach and learn outside of the classroom.
Many students stay with ESG their whole time at MIT, teaching the
classes they took earlier.  ESG isn't for everyone, but if you think
it's for you, come to our open house next Wednesday at 11:00 on the
top floor of building 24.