Many Harvard students don’t go to class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hasn’t it been this way for decades? Friend of mine graduated from Harvard in late 90s and I remember him telling me he never went to class because he had access to the notes (or maybe even recorded lectures? Can’t remember specifics). He’s a doctor now.

Yes, this is not a new phenomenon. It’s always been a school that is focused on the entire student experience, not just what happens in the classroom. The grinder-type students have long been self-sorted to MIT or UChicago.

Not sure why the NYT felt is necessary to do a story on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school is overrated for the education. Its main benefit is for jobs.

At the UG level, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And still get good grades. Mostly due to grade inflation..

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/us/harvard-students-absenteeism.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Seriously, if students are not doing their reading, participating in discussions, what is the point of going to Harvard then? Just to get a job?

Yes. Harvard has always had a strong pre-professional contingent but it’s only gotten larger in recent years. Plenty of finance bros and future lawyers who know how to game the system, and understand professional connections are more important than classes. Also easy to skip large lectures classes, and there are a lot of those.

After reading that article I have zero doubt that my child is getting a far better education at their NESCAC. You can't hide in a class of 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And still get good grades. Mostly due to grade inflation..

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/us/harvard-students-absenteeism.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Seriously, if students are not doing their reading, participating in discussions, what is the point of going to Harvard then? Just to get a job?

Yes. Harvard has always had a strong pre-professional contingent but it’s only gotten larger in recent years. Plenty of finance bros and future lawyers who know how to game the system, and understand professional connections are more important than classes. Also easy to skip large lectures classes, and there are a lot of those.

After reading that article I have zero doubt that my child is getting a far better education at their NESCAC. You can't hide in a class of 12.

Same here.

[Anonymous]

I went to a nesac but I can appreciate that if it is a large lecture class and you are getting the information elsewhere (reading the text book), it may not be the best use of your time to attend the class. If they are ditching discussion classes, that does not speak well of their intellectual curiosity. But my guess is they are ditching the large lecture classes that are major required.
It’s funny because if you think back 100 or more years, it was totally expected that students would just learn this stuff on their own and then sit for tests to prove they had learned it. The idea of sitting in a class to listen to someone lecture, if you already know the mateirial, doesn’t really make much sense. But if the class is about learning through discussion, that’s a different story.

[Anonymous]

Gift link please!!
Can’t read it

[Anonymous]

Maybe they realize their professors are often plagiarizing lightweights blinded by impractical ideologies.

[Anonymous]

Lol. Imagine thinking a Harvard education was actually about getting an education.

Too bad the only people who really know the truth are unfortunate alums like me.

[Anonymous]

they worked really hard to get into college… its maybe sort of burnout (along with parties and activities and other academic/social pressures). its also one part discovering that attending all of the large lecture classes might not be necessary.

[Anonymous]

I have a freshmen at Harvard now. There have been hedge funds in the Charles Hotel interviewing kids for summer internships since at least two weeks ago. He will skip class, sleep and eating for that, but he cannot skip team practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a freshmen at Harvard now. There have been hedge funds in the Charles Hotel interviewing kids for summer internships since at least two weeks ago. He will skip class, sleep and eating for that, but he cannot skip team practices.

Which funds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gift link please!!
Can’t read it

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/us/harvard-students-absenteeism.html?unlocked_article_code=1.r08.-Jt0.uxj9PnQ4hqZC&smid=url-share

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to a NESCAC but I can appreciate that if it is a large lecture class and you are getting the information elsewhere (reading the text book), it may not be the best use of your time to attend the class. If they are ditching discussion classes, that does not speak well of their intellectual curiosity. But my guess is they are ditching the large lecture classes that are major required.
It’s funny because if you think back 100 or more years, it was totally expected that students would just learn this stuff on their own and then sit for tests to prove they had learned it. The idea of sitting in a class to listen to someone lecture, if you already know the material, doesn’t really make much sense. But if the class is about learning through discussion, that’s a different story.

You were supposed to pre-read material in order to facilitate discussion allowing you to benefit from the wisdom of the professor. Class time wasn't for base learning it was for deeper exploration. More about the 'why' than the 'what'.

As a student at a SLAC you received the benefits of a superior educational model built around small groups and discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school is overrated for the education. Its main benefit is for jobs.

Amherst, CMC, Middlebury, and Williams for the IB win. Better educational model, easy access to critical clubs and great placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, this is not a new phenomenon. It’s always been a school that is focused on the entire student experience, not just what happens in the classroom. The grinder-type students have long been self-sorted to MIT or UChicago.

Reminds me of the bathroom scene from "Booksmart":

“But you guys don’t care about school!”

“No, we just don’t only care about school.”