There is a point of exaggeration. I don't think smart as they are, MIT engineers need an adaptation program like the marines to the real world. That's what comes with smartness, flexibility to think and adapt. You cannot say the same for a marine with physically extreme skills.
Not really. If you're an expert at "psets" that doesn't make you an expert at the far wider array of skills needed to survive and prosper in the real world. Sure you might have a 160 IQ and are able to instantly slice through any engineering problem that comes your way, but that alone will at best get you a permanent cubicle job as "Sr. Engineer".
That said, I agree that smart people have a far better chance of being able to learn the other skills. But the difference between the two outcomes relies largely on the attitude the person has. So the culture they're trained in should somehow instill in them the importance of the wider array of skills, so that the individual will internally emphasize and strive to learn them.
