Visited Harvard - Didnt like Campus or Cambridge

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree about Cambridge being really hard to deal with. Traffic is crazy, parking difficult. And Harvard's campus is not the "prettiest."

I like New Haven better. I did several years in grad school there. It's reputation is worse than the actual livability of the place.

But Princeton is by far the nicest campus for undergraduates. Can also take a train or bus to NYC for a day/night out.

Prefer Harvard's campus over both. I like the liveliness of Harvard Square and Cambridge, and also the ability to travel around Boston by public transit. Traffic is a mess, but as a student you're probably not going to be driving much. I found Yale cold and gritty, and Princeton too sleepy.

+1. I’ve lived in all three. I found Yale pretty depressing with al it’s gothic architecture and individual houses built like locked fortresses. You can’t even really get to PePe’s very easily—its kind of a desolate walk over there. Cambridge is fun.

[Anonymous]

Even with Ivies, fit is important. We’re still a couple years from this with our kids, but I remember visiting Harvard as a high schooler and hating it. I would have been a competitive applicant, but I decided not to apply because I just couldn’t see myself being happy there for four years.

That said, the fit that matters is your child’s fit, not yours, so if your child did like it, you need to swallow your feelings about it and support him/her.

[Anonymous]

DCUM: where even Harvard isn't good enough for the snowflakes.

WTAF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My teen commented on all the tourists on campus.

This is what struck me. I would hate going to school where all campus areas are flooded with tourists wearing school merch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cambridge is run down? I'll give you not particularly attractive, but if you think Cambridge is run down, watch out for the rest of urban New England.

Brown will be terrifying, and don't event think about Yale.

Much of Providence is lovely and the Brown campus and surrounding areas are awesome. I don't feel the same about New Haven but at least they have Frank Pepe's.

The thing about the OP's Harvard point is they know it, everybody knows it, it sucks having busloads of tourist peering in your dorm windows but it doesn't matter because it is Harvard. They could have an application requirement where they got to punch every applicant in the face and they'd still have a single digit acceptance rate.

(same for Yale and New Haven, BTW)

I live in Providence and love it here, but Cambridge is better kept up and more functional by a mile (they clear the snow from the sidewalks in Cambridge!). I see pictures from friends of their municipal amenities, and then take my kid to our tiny PVD splashpad, which is basically a garden hose taped to a non-working mushroom sprinkler and remind myself that I'm here for the character not the infrastructure.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think Harvard people need to get even remotely bent out of shape over the fact that many consider the Yale and Princeton campuses more appealing. Obviously Harvard has many other strengths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teen commented on all the tourists on campus.

This is what struck me. I would hate going to school where all campus areas are flooded with tourists wearing school merch.

Ehh, students complain about it, but I think they secretly love it. It makes them feel important.

[Anonymous]

Harvard Square has been overbuilt in recent years. I lived in the area 25 years ago, and then again a couple of years ago. It was much nicer years ago. All the old, charming places have been squeezed out. Alot of the character is gone from the place. It made me really sad, actually. Davis Square is now what Harvard Square used to be - very fun and lively.

[Anonymous]

Its not a pretty place any more. It's also all about the name. When DC visited at admit weekend they said - "I never met an undergrad that was truly happy. Their response was ITS HARVARD" . Looks like the mental health center will be quite busy.

DC is going to Stanford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its not a pretty place any more. It's also all about the name. When DC visited at admit weekend they said - "I never met an undergrad that was truly happy. Their response was ITS HARVARD" . Looks like the mental health center will be quite busy.

DC is going to Stanford.

Who is "they" and who is "their"?

[Anonymous]

I am not that poster but that was the response we had from the tour guides. I myself appreciated Harvard's charm and cleared sidewalks. My DC woudn't apply. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvard Square has been overbuilt in recent years. I lived in the area 25 years ago, and then again a couple of years ago. It was much nicer years ago. All the old, charming places have been squeezed out. Alot of the character is gone from the place. It made me really sad, actually. Davis Square is now what Harvard Square used to be - very fun and lively.

Yes!! I first moved to Cambridge about 17ish years ago and it was SO much nicer then. All the cute little shops. The bookstore closures have been devastating. And I mourn Veggie Planet! And I miss the pit outsude the H2 T being an actually pit with the goth kids. I do love the yard though. It is magical when snow covered. But every urban area needs a bit of grit and now basically Harvard Square is banks with a few hidden gems nestled in. Davis is also not as nice as it used to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard Square has been overbuilt in recent years. I lived in the area 25 years ago, and then again a couple of years ago. It was much nicer years ago. All the old, charming places have been squeezed out. Alot of the character is gone from the place. It made me really sad, actually. Davis Square is now what Harvard Square used to be - very fun and lively.

Yes!! I first moved to Cambridge about 17ish years ago and it was SO much nicer then. All the cute little shops. The bookstore closures have been devastating. And I mourn Veggie Planet! And I miss the pit outsude the H2 T being an actually pit with the goth kids. I do love the yard though. It is magical when snow covered. But every urban area needs a bit of grit and now basically Harvard Square is banks with a few hidden gems nestled in. Davis is also not as nice as it used to be.

I was heartbroken when we moved back and Au Bon Pain was gone. There used to be so many quirky characters hanging out there. Pizzeria Uno closed while we were living there. That diner by Out Of Town News has been gone for years. It’s a shell of its former self.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard Square has been overbuilt in recent years. I lived in the area 25 years ago, and then again a couple of years ago. It was much nicer years ago. All the old, charming places have been squeezed out. Alot of the character is gone from the place. It made me really sad, actually. Davis Square is now what Harvard Square used to be - very fun and lively.

Yes!! I first moved to Cambridge about 17ish years ago and it was SO much nicer then. All the cute little shops. The bookstore closures have been devastating. And I mourn Veggie Planet! And I miss the pit outsude the H2 T being an actually pit with the goth kids. I do love the yard though. It is magical when snow covered. But every urban area needs a bit of grit and now basically Harvard Square is banks with a few hidden gems nestled in. Davis is also not as nice as it used to be.

I was heartbroken when we moved back and Au Bon Pain was gone. There used to be so many quirky characters hanging out there. Pizzeria Uno closed while we were living there. That diner by Out Of Town News has been gone for years. It’s a shell of its former self.

Green House Cafe had been there forever too! I am sorry to say Curious George moved to Central about a week or so ago. You hit the nail on the head when you said it is a shell of its former self. It is also just way to expensive to live in the area, which has pushed out a lot of the artists and writers.

[Anonymous]

Anyone remember Tommy’s Lunch for late night breakfast?! And the Piccadilly filly. Harvard square brings so many memories. Yes. Definitely AU bon pain too!