Yeah, I also got into MIT and there was nooooo waaaay I would have been able to figure out something like that. Which also makes me think of something else, which is that Fritz' upbringing does not seem like the sort to, well, feature much practical practice in the way of coming up with Plans That Don't Suck, Taking Initiative in Smart Ways, and other such things. So it's not at all surprising his first attempt to do all that was really bad!