Recent Experiences at Harvard

[Anonymous]

If you are a lower level and/or low income student, will you be able to get into the competitive clubs? It sounds like it's for the well connected. Is it better to be a bigger fish elsewhere or just take the Harvard degree?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a chance that DC may decline Harvard?

This. Stupid

Why is it stupid? I know a Yalie who turned down Harvard. Was waitlisted at Yale but eventually got in and took it over Harvard. Yale is a much nicer place to go to college. But I'm biased.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's another way to gain perspective into the culture of school: official parents FB group.

I joined the Harvard FB group, as well as several other peer schools. There was a distinct difference in culture that I observed between the various groups.

This was borne out by the actual experience at the school my kid eventually chose (not H).

You’re not going to find parents posting about room reveals on the Harvard parent page. What you will find is genuine advice on how to find affordable lodging for parent weekend and graduation, how to help your student seek resources, the specifics on upperclass housing. I’ve found it to be very helpful.

[Anonymous]

My sense of Harvard from having a DC going to a near-peer school with friends at Harvard and having gone to a nearby school myself is that Harvard is an excellent place for graduate school. Harvard is outstanding in a lot of fields. And grad students really benefit from studying with professors that are the biggest names in their fields.

But undergrad is very peripheral at Harvard. None of these professors particularly care about 18 year old freshmen. They have better things to do. According to DC, their friends aren't particularly happy at Harvard. Students at other schools seem to be having a much better experience. Take it for what you will.

You go to Harvard for grad school for the education. You go to Harvard for undergrad for the brand. And it's a long four years to get that piece of paper when you are 18.

[Anonymous]

SOmeone posted that Yale has a grade cap, but that is incorrect— still lots of grade inflation, but Yale Daily articles, one from just a few days ago, saying the admin is following the grade cap debate at Harvard and might consider something similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sense of Harvard from having a DC going to a near-peer school with friends at Harvard and having gone to a nearby school myself is that Harvard is an excellent place for graduate school. Harvard is outstanding in a lot of fields. And grad students really benefit from studying with professors that are the biggest names in their fields.

But undergrad is very peripheral at Harvard. None of these professors particularly care about 18 year old freshmen. They have better things to do. According to DC, their friends aren't particularly happy at Harvard. Students at other schools seem to be having a much better experience. Take it for what you will.

You go to Harvard for grad school for the education. You go to Harvard for undergrad for the brand. And it's a long four years to get that piece of paper when you are 18.

My DS has a Harvard College degree and is a first year at HBS. Your post is the narrative that folks who don't go to the College like to tell themselves. I can't tell you how many people who didn't go the College ask my DS does he wish he went to a more undergrad focused college. It's a stupid suggestion. He received a great education there, was involved in great ECs, and loved his time there. He wouldn't do it differently.

Per my DS, relationships with professors at the College are possible and aren't rare. To be fair these relationships may be primarily with untenured faculty but most students don't care. They are just looking for mentors and faculty interested in their field.

[Anonymous]

wow. lots of harvard bashing here. I went and know plenty of students there now. they weren't all grade grubbing and intense or NEPOs and aren't today either. It is less undergrad focused than dartmouth or princeton or brown true. But it's interesting place with many awesome people. Cambridge is great. Only place I'd go over it is Yale.

[Anonymous]

My kid is a 1st year who chose Harvard over Yale, Duke, prestigious named scholarships etc

Very happy with a great group of friends. Amazing extracurricular opportunities, summer opportunities even after first year, and speakers. Loves Boston . There are parties on the weekend but also opportunities to do events through clubs , explore the city, sporting events . They find it very collaborative but peers are motivated , which they like

[Anonymous]

I would also say student came from
A small school and is happy with instruction , faculty , etc. at Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also - very telling. Ask any cab driver in Boston what they think of Harvard students vs any other college in Boston. That alone will tell you want you need to know.

Cab drivers are an excellent, unbiased source of college advice.

You must mean character advice? How one treats people in the service industry does in fact reveal so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sense of Harvard from having a DC going to a near-peer school with friends at Harvard and having gone to a nearby school myself is that Harvard is an excellent place for graduate school. Harvard is outstanding in a lot of fields. And grad students really benefit from studying with professors that are the biggest names in their fields.

But undergrad is very peripheral at Harvard. None of these professors particularly care about 18 year old freshmen. They have better things to do. According to DC, their friends aren't particularly happy at Harvard. Students at other schools seem to be having a much better experience. Take it for what you will.

You go to Harvard for grad school for the education. You go to Harvard for undergrad for the brand. And it's a long four years to get that piece of paper when you are 18.

I went to a peer school with friends at H, and I agree with this. A lot of my classmates from undergrad went to H for grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my son's bestie is there. had a really terrible first term - hated everything about it. but so much of harvard is outside the dorms and classes (for good and bad). now he's involved in one of the major organizations (think crimson or lampoon) and is much happier. he did get into said organization via our nepo/connected high school. so as long as you're coming from similar, should be fine

Also fine if you want to avoid people like OP's son.

I think her post was right on. A lot of harvard clubs have nepo elements. My son complains the crimson is full of kids from three high schools. no room left for others

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SOmeone posted that Yale has a grade cap, but that is incorrect— still lots of grade inflation, but Yale Daily articles, one from just a few days ago, saying the admin is following the grade cap debate at Harvard and might consider something similar.

I have a kid who is at Yale now and teachers are capping As (and A-s) now. maybe it's part of an experiment and not the official program yet, but it's happening.

[Anonymous]

According to April 6 Yale Daily article, summa cutoff last year was 3.98; 2023 report said 79% of grades A or A-, lots of quotes from profs saying students consider and A- a “bad” grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol at folks insulting Harvard. Most people on this board would salivate for an opportunity like that.

Also lol at the MIT alum excoriating the social scene at Harvard.

MIT frats throw the parties in Boston...you'd know that if you went to college in Boston.