<p>I know both schools are amazing and both will be great, which is making the decision super difficult.</p>
<p>Pros/cons of academics, social life, opportunities, programs, etc…?
Just any input really, lol</p>
<p>very enviable situation:P I guess the choice ultimately boils down to what kind of life you want to have in next four yeas and what aspects you value more :)</p>
<p>it really depends on what you want to get out of your college experience and your priorities. I’ll try to make a small list to compare both. </p>
<p>Amherst: Small school, small class sizes, great relationship with professors. I’d say academics are equally strong at both. If you want to pursue research opportunities, Harvard would be a better fit. If you like the party scene, Amherst would be better than Harvard. If you are not into parties, I think both schools would be at the same level in terms of social life. If social prestige is important to you, then Harvard is unbeatable. On the other hand, academic prestige is equal at both and grad programs and employers would regard both schools at a fairly equal level. Feel free to PM me if you have questions</p>
<p>Your entire social life at Harvard will revolve around your “house” which is Harvard-speak for dormitory. Take a look at the movie, “The Social Network”; nearly all the action takes place in Mark Zuckerberg’ s dorm. This means that, at most, you will get to know the same 300 people between the time you matriculate and the time you attend your Fiftieth Reunion (which is essentially a house reunion.) After that, the falloff is quite sharp.</p>
<p>Compare that to a typical NESCAC college where the entire campus constitutes one community, where virtually all facilities are open to everyone (that scene in TSN where Zuckerberg is not permitted “past the bicycle” while in Porcellian would never happen in NESCAC.)</p>
<p>Can I trade you my Harvard rejection letter for your acceptance? If you won’t be needing it, that is… I got into Amherst, and I would trade it for Harvard in a heartbeat. I realize there’s the issue of fit, but man, why did you apply…</p>
<p>Congratulations on being accepted to two of the top colleges in the U.S. My brother attended Harvard College and I attended Amherst so I can comment based upon both of our undergraduate experiences. We both were fortunate to have excellent educations in college and afterwards, and have been able to achieve professional success in our chosen careers. Perhaps I can make a few points to consider since I don’t think there is a wrong decision either way. </p>
<p>First, I think both places offer tremendous educations but in different types of educational environments. Different individuals might flourish better in one place, and obviously many accepted will flourish at either place. There is a lot of freedom at both places but I believe that there is much less guidance and direction at Harvard. For the student who knows what he/she wants to do already; i.e., self-directed, Harvard potentially offers unparalleled faculty and student resources. It is the type of place where if are so inclined you can take graduate level courses whenever you are ready and go as far as possible in your field. You also have the potential to work with world-renowned research leaders in their fields ASSUMING they are willing to be your mentors (in general, their commitment is to their graduate students over undergrads). In contrast, at Amherst, and at most liberal arts colleges, the aim is to enable students to develop a broad-based foundation that will be useful for either graduate school or whatever career path one may take. So besides being prepared for graduate/professional school, students have a broad range of knowledge in fields outside their major. In particular, those classmates who ran out of upper level classes, either ended up doing individual studies with profs. in their department, or more typically, took classes in other fields-many times fields very different than their majors. My physics major roomate, minored in Spanish, took classes in Asian literature. He worked in finance in NY after graduation before going to business school.
So depth vs. breadth in curriculum is one major difference between the two undergraduate educations. Another difference in the focus on interdisciplinary learning. From the freshman seminars to colloquia to interdisciplinary majors, there is a strong notion that runs through each Amherst student’s education-human knowledge is built upon an interconnected and interdependent framework. It also means that solutions to complex problems usually require an interdisciplinary approach.</p>
<p>Second, At Harvard, many of classes during the first two years will be given as lectures, often superb lectures, but nonetheless lectures. At Amherst, almost all your classes will be seminars which allow intimate student engagement with profs and students. Learning takes place in the class and within the class. Profs also are available and know who you are. I think it is safe to say that most profs. choose to work at a place like Amherst because they enjoy teaching bright undergraduates. </p>
<p>Third, At Harvard, you are part of a house system which brings a some sense of community to undergraduate life; however, you nonetheless are part of a large university rather than a college, where you will know most of your classmates by the time of graduation. Also, if you encounter problems academically, socially, psycholgiically, etc, it will probably be more difficult to know where to find support and help than at a small college. Amherst is a smaller place with all the advantages (and perhaps some disadvantages) inherent. </p>
<p>Fourth, at Harvard you are located in Cambridge and are part of a great college city, Boston. On the other hand, my brother chose living in Currier House after his freshman year. Sometimes students need to find solace from Harvard Square:). Amherst, is located in a great college town near four other colleges (in that sense, it has an advantage over some of its peer LACs) . While there always was a lot going on during the weekends throughout the Five Colleges and Pioneer Valley, I found it refreshing to take a walk, run, hike, or bike right at my doorstep in one of the most beautiful areas of New England.</p>
<p>Fifth, Harvard offers great name recognition throughout the world if that is critically important to you. Amherst does not have renowned graduate or professional schools (or sports teams:)think Duke or Stanford) so it is not as well known among the general public or globally. Instead, what Amherst offers is a special opportunity to explore and develop intellectually, be part of a close knit community of students and faculty (some of both are my lifelong friends), and acquire the personal, social, and intellectual foundation to lead a meaningful life in your chosen field of endeavor. </p>
<p>Most cross-admits will choose Harvard over Amherst. My guess is that it will be about 80-85% and not very dissimilar to Harvard’s cross-admits with other Ivies with its strongest competition coming from Yale where it still has a cross admit success rate of 65-70%. On the other hand, Harvard wins cross admits with every school in the U.S. so I do not think that is an issue. In my class, I heard that there were 13 students that chose Amherst over Harvard. Most of my classmates, did not talk much about their acceptances elsewhere much past the first week of school so I did not know who most of these students were; however, the few classmates I knew personally who chose Amherst over Harvard mostly chose the former because they liked Amherst’s curriculum, educational emphasis, small size, and the opportunities it provided for students to participate in certain school activities or sports in an intensive but not overburdensome manner. I don’t think going to Amherst in anyway hampered their educational choices or career paths. Two attended Harvard later for law school. Another went to UChicago for law school. Another went to Babson and became a senior manager for one of the Big Eight Accounting Firms.<br>
go </p>
<p>Good luck on your difficult (but happy) decision!</p>
<p>You’ll not get another opportunity to study at Harvard, you ARE where you study, whatever others say, I’d select Harvard above all others</p>
<p>@Englishman</p>
<p>I completely disagree. Now, I am definitely biased because I am going to Amherst, but you are NEVER where you go to study. It is not the college that you attend, but what you do at the college that matters. I know two family friends who went to Harvard in the past 15 years, and neither has accomplished something that they could not have done at a regular state University. If you go to Harvard and do nothing but attend classes, you are no better off than someone who goes to community colleges and pursues internships.</p>
<p>Can you say that Harvard offers more opportunities for internships or research? Possibly(debatable of course). But the college you attend will never define you. You define you. </p>
<p>@raindroplet I agree, you are quite right, you are indeed what you do and I expect you will exceed even you’re own expectations, great schools both, but Harvard…?</p>
<p>What Harvard offers over the other schools are name recognition and the ability to rub elbows with people who will most likely be successful, or already are successful. If you don’t network, you likely won’t gain much that a regular State University can’t give. Depending on your region, your state university could even bear just as much recognition as Harvard, which in some cases makes you seem overqualified. </p>
<p>Choosing between Amherst or Harvard should be a question of what school really offers what you want. I prefer smaller colleges and would prefer a Liberal Arts degree- so Amherst is where I would go. If you’re going into grad school, both Amherst and Harvard are considered equally recognizable to admission staff, so there shouldn’t be any concerns over name recognition there. </p>
<p>I think Harvard is a phenomenal school and definitely a dream school, but just the concept of “Omg Harvard!” isn’t enough to enroll. </p>
<p>Is this still relevant or has the choice been made. If relevant, I’d be happy to share thoughts. I know both schools quite well.</p>
<p>@shawbridge I don’t know the OP but judging that most schools want you to send them your decision by May 1st, my wild guess is his choice is made. I’m curious what your opinion is, though, because I’ve recently found myself having debates with my friends about the advantages smaller LACs have over Ivies.</p>
<p>OK. Both are terrific schools. pmyen’s comments are accurate.</p>
<p>Amherst is tiny so classes are small and although many do research and write, professors are there to teach. My son attended Amherst and took a freshman seminar. He had a conflict with scheduled office hours and the professor set aside a full hour a week to meet with my son. That would never happen at any of the schools I attended or taught at (I attended three of HYPSM and taught at one). It turned out that my son made it worth the prof’s while by preparing each week three questions that went beyond what the course had done that were designed to cause the prof to think, “What an interesting kid.” He changed his interests as a result of his interaction and that professor became his advisor. The professors know you as a student. If you are having difficulties, they will work with you. If you are falling through the cracks, someone will notice. There are regular programs to take your professor out to dinner. </p>
<p>My son was an unusual kid and got support from faculty and administration and had a magnificent time there. I suggested to my son when he was applying that it or Williams might be the best school for him and he chose it over a couple of Ivies. Graduate schools know Amherst and high-end employers do (e.g. i-banks and consulting firms) but not so much normal folk or midwestern companies. Enthusiastic but small alumni but little to no name recognition outside the US. He applied this year and got into probably the top graduate program that exists for what he wants to do (as well as all the others he applied to). Very selective and he is probably the youngest person in the program, so good grades at Amherst and good recs combined with who he is did not disadvantage him. It is a great undergraduate school. </p>
<p>Harvard is an extraordinary institution, though not so much an extraordinary undergraduate institution. The graduate and professional schools are the center of gravity of the institution. Professors came there to do research. Some are good at teaching. Some are not. Some care. Some do not. For some, undergraduates are a necessary nuisance. There are great courses, and as @pmyen suggested, there are huge lectures in the first two years in some fields.</p>
<p>As a consequence, unless you make a serious effort professors will not know you in many courses. If you fall through the cracks, people may not notice. The Ivies do a survey that asks about kids’ satisfaction. Harvard is always much lower than at least some of the other Ivies (e.g., Princeton). That may be changing. I have friends whose kids were/are at Harvard who have really enjoyed it.</p>
<p>However, Harvard is one of the nodes in the network of power of the universe. No university is comparable (Stanford for tech/business and MIT for tech). Everyone comes through there. I’ve had lunch with titans of Wall Street and UN diplomats, etc. If you know what you want and are proactive and aggressive, you can ask a professor whose research interests you how to get onto his/her research project or work with them in some other activity. The opportunities are unlimited – but for the focused, assertive and proactive kids. You will learn as much from peers as professors.</p>
<p>The name recognition is impressive as is the alumni network. The allure of Harvard goes up with the square of the distance from Cambridge. The name will stay for you for life and will open doors. It will provide real advantage, but only if you take advantage of the opportunity. And, it will be up to you to make the undergrad experience a success. The school won’t do it for you while Amherst probably will.</p>
<p>One other thing. If you are interested in math and some sciences (say physics), the absolute best students are likely to be at HYPMS (maybe less so Y). I’d say that the typical student at Amherst is equal to the median student at Harvard, but the very upper tail will be stronger at Harvard, especially in math/science and maybe in having already established an NGO to cure a rare tropical disease. Also, I’d say Harvard admits a fair (likely disproportionate) number of kids because of who their parents are. All capable kids who wouldn’t have been admitted except for the connections/money/fame of the parents. Less obviously so at Amherst.</p>
<p>@pinkpotatoes which did you end up choosing?</p>
<p>I would advise students choosing among LACs and Ivies/other top universities to visit the schools they are accepted. Ideally, stay overnight, go to classes, meet and chat with students. If you are accepted at a top college, you now are in the drivers’ seat, and you are being courted. Don’t be timid in asking questions and checking out departments, extracurriculars, local environs, etcs. It’s an important decision that will affect the next four years of your life. Some questions to ask: Where would I prefer to spend the next four years of my life? Where would I get the best education given who I am? Where do I think I might be happiest? While it is possible that some factors beyond your control could biase your final decision (e.g., don’t know if a rainy day and night in New Haven had a negative impact on me), it ultimately boiled down to a gut decision of where I thought I felt most comfortable and would be most happy. Once made, I eventually needed to convince my parents. Although they were professionals, they did not grow up in the U.S. However, after they checked up on Amherst, they fully supported my decision. They enjoyed my college experience with me, and became strong supporters of Amherst long after I graduated. For the right type of student, I think both the self-aware student and his/her parents will find that Amherst or similar LACs can be a great choice for them.</p>
<p>While choosing among top colleges may seem like a tough decision, utlimately it is what you do in college that matters. Perhaps even more importantly in the long run, it is what you learned in college. I don’t think it necessarily is a specific subject matter unless that it the exact same area you ultimately specialize in later in life (Most of my classmates are in very different fields than they studied in college though). Instead, I think it is acquiring the abilities to think critically and creatively and to be able to communicate your thoughts and ideas clearly to others (and to yourself). These are life skills that can be learned at renowned universities, state universities, or LACs. However, I would say that the format and intimate nature of a LAC provide a more fertile environment to develop these skills. I have been a faculty member at a Harvard professional school and at several other similar institutions. I have been amazed at the wide range of writing quality exhibited by graduates of some of our top universities. In comparision, most LACs grads are able to write effectivelyas well as communicate well orally. I believe the intensive writing and seminar experiences in LACs helped nuture these skills. </p>
<p>Although it may seem paramount in your senior year of high school, where you go to school matters less as time goes by. It is more important that you are able to do well in university/college and maximize your opportunities wherever you attend. However, please also remember that a few years out from college, where you went to school will matter much less to potential employers than what your skill set is and what you have achieved during and AFTER college. The world is flat and competitive. We all need to be lifetime learners-not only for our careers but also in our pursuit of a meaningful life. The truly successful people are those who continually improve and learn regardless of where they went to school. In the long run, you cannot rest on the “laurels” of where you went to college; however, you can build upon the learning skills, knowledge base, and hopefully, passion for learning and curiosity that you develop in college.</p>
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<p>At a recent tour of the clone down the road, Williams, they kept on drumming in the point that unlike at a uni you would not be competing with grad students for research opportunities. At a university grad students get first dibs. At a lac the prof has no other option than undergrads. </p>
<p>My anecdotal experience as a grad student was not working with undergrads in my research group. Professors could always find plenty of graduate slaves eager for a dissertation. </p>