Harvard social life -- explain the paradox

[Anonymous]

Pp here. Just saw this posted in another thread. Scroll for social life — exactly what I said.

https://features.thecrimson.com/2025/senior-survey/academics/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pp here. Just saw this posted in another thread. Scroll for social life — exactly what I said.

https://features.thecrimson.com/2025/senior-survey/academics/

seniors again rated extracurricular organizations as their most important source of social connection, with 90 percent saying clubs were important, somewhat important, or very important for their social lives on campus.

Off-campus venues like restaurants and bars were rated, on average, the second-most important factor in seniors’ social lives, with 75 percent of respondents rating them so. Final clubs [private frats/sororities , formerly very exclusive] were rated by far the least important factor among responding seniors, with only 40 percent saying the clubs had been important to their social experience.

At the time of the survey, 65 percent of respondents said they had attended a final club party at some point during their four years. A slim majority of respondents—55 percent—said they had a somewhat or very unfavorable opinion of the male final clubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale has a lot of social events and parties. It is much more well rounded than Harvard.

I went to Yale, and I'd say this is true. There was a lot going on. I have a couple of good friends who went to Harvard. They are fun, smart and social. They didn't like Harvard very much.

Yea, the "fun, smart, and social" personality type seems to have the worst experience at Harvard and it has always been that way.

Incredibly not true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to MIT which had a pretty vibrant social scene. We have a such Greek scene. Parties usually corresponded to getting past key testing schedules or holidays.

I never, literally never met a Harvard student at a party but to be fair that part of Boston is pretty far from their part of Cambridge.

MIT has long pushed for all Greeks to come back on campus. Thankfully, they can't force the issue because it probably wouldn't be as great if so.

I think the network is more post-graduation but it's also in the grade inflation. Harvard 4.0 >>>> MIT 3.0 to most graduate institutions which is frustrating.

MIT's vibrant greek scene is really surprising to me. Are the parties open or only for members of the houses?

Generally, the only men at a party would be the fraternity brothers throwing it. So other men wouldn't be allowed in unless they were friends with someone in the house. All women were welcome. Sororities aren't allowed to throw parties.

Wow, the panhellenic council formally endorses pushing women into rape dens?

https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/ive-joined-a-sorority/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's weird to explore places and activities within a 5 mile radius of your college campus?

No, but it is when it's your primary social outlet instead of your own college.

You know they take all their classes and most of their (group) meals at the college. Is your neighborhod block (excluding restaurants) your "primary social outlet"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to MIT which had a pretty vibrant social scene. We have a such Greek scene. Parties usually corresponded to getting past key testing schedules or holidays.

I never, literally never met a Harvard student at a party but to be fair that part of Boston is pretty far from their part of Cambridge.

MIT has long pushed for all Greeks to come back on campus. Thankfully, they can't force the issue because it probably wouldn't be as great if so.

I think the network is more post-graduation but it's also in the grade inflation. Harvard 4.0 >>>> MIT 3.0 to most graduate institutions which is frustrating.

They are both in Cambridge and I think two stops on the red line. A five minute drive.

I watched those soap opera type reality episodes of rushing for Sororities down South. The girls spoke to the screen on TikTok while applying makeup. Most had bleached hair. They then named the brands of clothing they wore plus the jewelry. They ran around for a couple of days hoping to get picked for a sorority. At the end they simultaneously opened their envelopes and then squealed like pigs who just found mud piles.

The exact opposite of the females at Harvard. 80% of Supreme Court Judges went to Yale and Harvard. Leaders around the world studied at Harvard including our Canadian friends Trudeau and Mark Carney. It’s not a large party school with frats and sorority girls getting black out drunk. It’s more smaller groups of friends getting together. Much nicer.

Isn't this why the finals clubs guys are said to prefer girls from outside harvard for parties? I'm not sure how parents of daughters at Harvard feel about that.

They would surely be relieved for their daughter's safety

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale has a lot of social events and parties. It is much more well rounded than Harvard.

I went to Yale, and I'd say this is true. There was a lot going on. I have a couple of good friends who went to Harvard. They are fun, smart and social. They didn't like Harvard very much.

Yea, the "fun, smart, and social" personality type seems to have the worst experience at Harvard and it has always been that way.

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yale has a lot of social events and parties. It is much more well rounded than Harvard.

I went to Yale, and I'd say this is true. There was a lot going on. I have a couple of good friends who went to Harvard. They are fun, smart and social. They didn't like Harvard very much.

Yea, the "fun, smart, and social" personality type seems to have the worst experience at Harvard and it has always been that way.

Incredibly not true

I'm the poster who posted about my friends' lived experience at Harvard. Your claim that this wasn't true is not accurate for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this why the finals clubs guys are said to prefer girls from outside harvard for parties? I'm not sure how parents of daughters at Harvard feel about that.

Why would they care? So many other (and better) parties at other Boston/Cambridge campuses.

I think the poster was hinting that the Harvard guys are looking for better looking females. Maybe BC. Or Simmons College that is virtually all female.

Are you saying they don't prefer the nerdy looking girls?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to MIT which had a pretty vibrant social scene. We have a such Greek scene. Parties usually corresponded to getting past key testing schedules or holidays.

I never, literally never met a Harvard student at a party but to be fair that part of Boston is pretty far from their part of Cambridge.

MIT has long pushed for all Greeks to come back on campus. Thankfully, they can't force the issue because it probably wouldn't be as great if so.

I think the network is more post-graduation but it's also in the grade inflation. Harvard 4.0 >>>> MIT 3.0 to most graduate institutions which is frustrating.

They are both in Cambridge and I think two stops on the red line. A five minute drive.

I watched those soap opera type reality episodes of rushing for Sororities down South. The girls spoke to the screen on TikTok while applying makeup. Most had bleached hair. They then named the brands of clothing they wore plus the jewelry. They ran around for a couple of days hoping to get picked for a sorority. At the end they simultaneously opened their envelopes and then squealed like pigs who just found mud piles.

The exact opposite of the females at Harvard. 80% of Supreme Court Judges went to Yale and Harvard. Leaders around the world studied at Harvard including our Canadian friends Trudeau and Mark Carney. It’s not a large party school with frats and sorority girls getting black out drunk. It’s more smaller groups of friends getting together. Much nicer.

Isn't this why the finals clubs guys are said to prefer girls from outside harvard for parties? I'm not sure how parents of daughters at Harvard feel about that.

It’s possible the final clubs guys prefer girls who squeal like pigs who just found mud piles! Parents of daughters at Harvard (I am one) are definitely glad our daughters do not squeal like pigs. 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this why the finals clubs guys are said to prefer girls from outside harvard for parties? I'm not sure how parents of daughters at Harvard feel about that.

Why would they care? So many other (and better) parties at other Boston/Cambridge campuses.

I think the poster was hinting that the Harvard guys are looking for better looking females. Maybe BC. Or Simmons College that is virtually all female.

Are you saying they don't prefer the nerdy looking girls?

We probably shouldn't generalize the men at the top of H's social hierarchy to the rest of the campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to MIT which had a pretty vibrant social scene. We have a such Greek scene. Parties usually corresponded to getting past key testing schedules or holidays.

I never, literally never met a Harvard student at a party but to be fair that part of Boston is pretty far from their part of Cambridge.

MIT has long pushed for all Greeks to come back on campus. Thankfully, they can't force the issue because it probably wouldn't be as great if so.

I think the network is more post-graduation but it's also in the grade inflation. Harvard 4.0 >>>> MIT 3.0 to most graduate institutions which is frustrating.

They are both in Cambridge and I think two stops on the red line. A five minute drive.

I watched those soap opera type reality episodes of rushing for Sororities down South. The girls spoke to the screen on TikTok while applying makeup. Most had bleached hair. They then named the brands of clothing they wore plus the jewelry. They ran around for a couple of days hoping to get picked for a sorority. At the end they simultaneously opened their envelopes and then squealed like pigs who just found mud piles.

The exact opposite of the females at Harvard. 80% of Supreme Court Judges went to Yale and Harvard. Leaders around the world studied at Harvard including our Canadian friends Trudeau and Mark Carney. It’s not a large party school with frats and sorority girls getting black out drunk. It’s more smaller groups of friends getting together. Much nicer.

Isn't this why the finals clubs guys are said to prefer girls from outside harvard for parties? I'm not sure how parents of daughters at Harvard feel about that.

It’s possible the final clubs guys prefer girls who squeal like pigs who just found mud piles! Parents of daughters at Harvard (I am one) are definitely glad our daughters do not squeal like pigs. 😂

I think anyone squealing like a pig should be taken to the doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to MIT which had a pretty vibrant social scene. We have a such Greek scene. Parties usually corresponded to getting past key testing schedules or holidays.

I never, literally never met a Harvard student at a party but to be fair that part of Boston is pretty far from their part of Cambridge.

MIT has long pushed for all Greeks to come back on campus. Thankfully, they can't force the issue because it probably wouldn't be as great if so.

I think the network is more post-graduation but it's also in the grade inflation. Harvard 4.0 >>>> MIT 3.0 to most graduate institutions which is frustrating.

They are both in Cambridge and I think two stops on the red line. A five minute drive.

I watched those soap opera type reality episodes of rushing for Sororities down South. The girls spoke to the screen on TikTok while applying makeup. Most had bleached hair. They then named the brands of clothing they wore plus the jewelry. They ran around for a couple of days hoping to get picked for a sorority. At the end they simultaneously opened their envelopes and then squealed like pigs who just found mud piles.

The exact opposite of the females at Harvard. 80% of Supreme Court Judges went to Yale and Harvard. Leaders around the world studied at Harvard including our Canadian friends Trudeau and Mark Carney. It’s not a large party school with frats and sorority girls getting black out drunk. It’s more smaller groups of friends getting together. Much nicer.

Isn't this why the finals clubs guys are said to prefer girls from outside harvard for parties? I'm not sure how parents of daughters at Harvard feel about that.

It’s possible the final clubs guys prefer girls who squeal like pigs who just found mud piles! Parents of daughters at Harvard (I am one) are definitely glad our daughters do not squeal like pigs. 😂

I think anyone squealing like a pig should be taken to the doctor.

Or the vet!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to MIT which had a pretty vibrant social scene. We have a such Greek scene. Parties usually corresponded to getting past key testing schedules or holidays.

I never, literally never met a Harvard student at a party but to be fair that part of Boston is pretty far from their part of Cambridge.

MIT has long pushed for all Greeks to come back on campus. Thankfully, they can't force the issue because it probably wouldn't be as great if so.

I think the network is more post-graduation but it's also in the grade inflation. Harvard 4.0 >>>> MIT 3.0 to most graduate institutions which is frustrating.

They are both in Cambridge and I think two stops on the red line. A five minute drive.

I watched those soap opera type reality episodes of rushing for Sororities down South. The girls spoke to the screen on TikTok while applying makeup. Most had bleached hair. They then named the brands of clothing they wore plus the jewelry. They ran around for a couple of days hoping to get picked for a sorority. At the end they simultaneously opened their envelopes and then squealed like pigs who just found mud piles.

The exact opposite of the females at Harvard. 80% of Supreme Court Judges went to Yale and Harvard. Leaders around the world studied at Harvard including our Canadian friends Trudeau and Mark Carney. It’s not a large party school with frats and sorority girls getting black out drunk. It’s more smaller groups of friends getting together. Much nicer.

Isn't this why the finals clubs guys are said to prefer girls from outside harvard for parties? I'm not sure how parents of daughters at Harvard feel about that.

It’s possible the final clubs guys prefer girls who squeal like pigs who just found mud piles! Parents of daughters at Harvard (I am one) are definitely glad our daughters do not squeal like pigs. 😂

I think anyone squealing like a pig should be taken to the doctor.

Or the vet!

lol

[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?

Still waiting for OP to provide proof for this weird statement.