Harvard social life -- explain the paradox

[Anonymous]

Harvard is said to be less focused on academics than most elite colleges and Harvard students are said to be more focused on a kind of pre-professional networking. At the same time, it is said to be have a relatively poor social scene and a worse party scene than any of the other top schools, particularly for freshman. This seems like a contradiction to me. Wouldn't a school obsessed with schmoozing and networking be known for its vibrant social scene?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvard is said to be less focused on academics than most elite colleges and Harvard students are said to be more focused on a kind of pre-professional networking. At the same time, it is said to be have a relatively poor social scene and a worse party scene than any of the other top schools, particularly for freshman. This seems like a contradiction to me. Wouldn't a school obsessed with schmoozing and networking be known for its vibrant social scene?

I guess if the height of a social scene is networking and coffee chats?

Harvard has a fine social scene, and it’s a good place to go to college (obviously), but it is a very preprofessional space.

[Anonymous]

Every year there are loads of articles about this ( lacking social scene) in the Crimson. The problem isn’t that students don’t like parties, it’s that the university is pretty heavy handed in its restrictions and nearly everybody lives on campus all four years. This is the downside to being in a dense, lovely and gentrified city like Cambridge. The final clubs do seem to have fun parties, but those are hard to get into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvard is said to be less focused on academics than most elite colleges and Harvard students are said to be more focused on a kind of pre-professional networking. At the same time, it is said to be have a relatively poor social scene and a worse party scene than any of the other top schools, particularly for freshman. This seems like a contradiction to me. Wouldn't a school obsessed with schmoozing and networking be known for its vibrant social scene?

OP, unless you're 16 - 17 years old and looking at schools yourself, why would you possibly care about this? Genuinely interested as to why you would expend the brain cells to even think about this, let alone post about it.

[Anonymous]

Harvard's social life has always been weird. Too many outliers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard is said to be less focused on academics than most elite colleges and Harvard students are said to be more focused on a kind of pre-professional networking. At the same time, it is said to be have a relatively poor social scene and a worse party scene than any of the other top schools, particularly for freshman. This seems like a contradiction to me. Wouldn't a school obsessed with schmoozing and networking be known for its vibrant social scene?

OP, unless you're 16 - 17 years old and looking at schools yourself, why would you possibly care about this? Genuinely interested as to why you would expend the brain cells to even think about this, let alone post about it.

Excuse me, but are you on drugs? You are literally on a website called DC Urban Moms and Dad, in a subforum called "College and University Discussion"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard is said to be less focused on academics than most elite colleges and Harvard students are said to be more focused on a kind of pre-professional networking. At the same time, it is said to be have a relatively poor social scene and a worse party scene than any of the other top schools, particularly for freshman. This seems like a contradiction to me. Wouldn't a school obsessed with schmoozing and networking be known for its vibrant social scene?

I guess if the height of a social scene is networking and coffee chats?

Harvard has a fine social scene, and it’s a good place to go to college (obviously), but it is a very preprofessional space.

My sense is that everyplace is like this now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard is said to be less focused on academics than most elite colleges and Harvard students are said to be more focused on a kind of pre-professional networking. At the same time, it is said to be have a relatively poor social scene and a worse party scene than any of the other top schools, particularly for freshman. This seems like a contradiction to me. Wouldn't a school obsessed with schmoozing and networking be known for its vibrant social scene?

I guess if the height of a social scene is networking and coffee chats?

Harvard has a fine social scene, and it’s a good place to go to college (obviously), but it is a very preprofessional space.

My sense is that everyplace is like this now.

+1

[Anonymous]

I got to see Harvard's campus in person for the first time a few months ago. To say I was underwhelmed would be putting it lightly. It looked and felt like a boarding school.

[Anonymous]

Freshman year everyone lives in the Yard. The common rooms available for socializing are pretty small, and some dorms don't have any at all.

[Anonymous]

I think Harvard students an anxious, pre-professional bunch. Like they’re not swamped with academics (unless they choose a hard major), but are busy trying to do internships, research, and clubs.

Also - look who they admit. They don’t seem to like well rounded, smart kids but mostly kids who are packaged in a certain way. At our school, they like the activist types (not to be derogatory) who created their own initiatives. Well in that case, you can’t be surprised those kids aren’t the type to have school spirit or create a fun atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

Easy -- have you ever tried to have an actual conversation with a Harvard grad?

[Anonymous]

you must be new.

its super socially stratified.
the wealthy hang out together -leave for the weekends (sometimes flying privately to palm beach or even london). All the fin aid kids are stuck on campus, trying to sneak into MIT frat parties.

itsbad.

[Anonymous]

Never be confused with Bama or UGA. Used to be a little more social.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Easy -- have you ever tried to have an actual conversation with a Harvard grad?

I was hoping one of them would respond to my post