<p>Scissor-shaped- it is most definitely NOT binding. If you're accepted, you can choose to concentrate in whatever you want, and you don't declare your concentration until the middle of sophomore year.</p>
<p>Whether it's important- well, it depends. They want to know what kind of applicant you are. (They don't ask things on the application that they just ignore). But it's honestly not worthwhile to predict what impact it has on your chances, particularly since you'll find out on Thursday.</p>
<p>If you get in, then great- who cares what impact it had? And if you don't, then it's silly to blame any part of your application- it's just not worth wasting time thinking about.</p>
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okay, well thanks for trying. i appreciate it. i'm actually interested in concentrating in science. i'd like to go into the biomedical engineering field; i believe that they are currently upgrading that program right now. isn't that the case?
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<p>Well, they don't have a biomedical engineering concentration or department. They to have five concentrations that are related to biology:</p>
<p>Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Chemical and Physical Biology
Neurobiology</p>
<p>There have been some changes made to the biology programs. Life Sciences 1a and 1b, for example, are fairly new introductory courses in biochemistry. I can assure you that Harvard has excellent programs in whatever concentration you choose.</p>
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however, there are not massive amounts of opportunites in central texas for excessive research and experiences in this field, so i was wondering if i would be behind everyone else if i haven't worked with this and that famous person and had stuff published already...
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<p>Haha, no, not at all. I've done research in some labs, but certainly haven't had anything published. Neither have most of the people I know. It's not too abnormal for people to have been published, but most people haven't, and you certainly wouldn't feel out of place.</p>
<p>Hey everyone! Just responding to everyones comments:</p>
<p>1) I am going to be published this coming fall which is really exciting but I do not know anyone else who really is going to be published yet. I am sure there are others but fear not, everyone who comes to Harvard fits in somewhere. That is why I think it is such a great dynamic place- everyone here fits in. There really are no separations like there are in high school which is great. </p>
<p>2) Science and sports CAN go together. Some of my friends are in Life Sci 1a 1b classes. Life Sci, however, I have to disagree with Admiral on this one- they are difficult. If they weren't, then explain to me why the class size dropped from nearly 600 to 250 ish... I know so many people who are no longer into being pre-med, let alone science because of the classes. That is their purpose, however- to separate those who really want to be pre-med from those who just do it to do it. Sports and science together is a difficult combination but it can be done :)</p>
<p>Just letting people know that I am SO happy this thread has turned into this!!! I cannot wait to see this upcoming class and congratulate those who got in... just know, the challenge starts here. It is not only about getting in, the work and the atmosphere are Harvard are also challenging but SO worth it. </p>
<p>Life Sciences 1a (some people found it hard, though I didn't have many problems with it)
Physics 15a (Pretty easy, but I had already taken AP Physics. 15a is a considerably harder course, but having taken AP Physics gives an advantage)
Math 21a (I found it the hardest, some people don't)
Expository Writing (a required course for freshmen)</p>
<p>So i have read many posts about what is needed/expected of someone for them to be accepted to Harvard. I personally want to go to HMS (harvard med school) but i kno that is ridiculously tough to get into. Many of the things that i have read say that most people have some distinguishing factor , i.e. 'cured cancer' (lol, an exaggeration obviously)....but what about people who dont have something like that...?</p>
<p>"Cured cancer" may be an exaggeration, but I've noted a bunch of people who have done hardcore medical research as high school students. Not curing cancer, but still really impressive when you find out someone's a stem cell researcher! :) </p>
<p>This is not "what to do to get into Harvard" obviously, just a side note.</p>
<p>I agree. There is a common misconception that doing something AMAZING is an imperative to get into Harvard, but of course, it wouldn't hurt. </p>
<p>I knew someone who was accepted into Harvard last year who had no leadership positions, didn't have perfect SAT scores, was from NYC, had no legacy, and was not a minority. That very same person got rejected from NYU (hard to believe, i know).</p>
<p>Nowayjose- no, only Expository Writing is a required class (they assign students to take it in either the fall or spring semester of freshman year).</p>
<p>There are core requirements in the sciences and math (two sciences, one math course), but you can satisfy them with any of a variety of cores (some very easy). You don't have to take any physics courses if you don't want to, and certainly not in your freshman year.</p>
<p>Admiral- I just let out the biggest sigh of relief. I saw that you were taking calculus, life science, and physics the first semester and I was ready to withdraw my application</p>
<p>dont let the life sci kiddies scare you away. if you any of you are humanities concentrators (and i say this as a recent humanities convert), ask away...</p>
<p>or any other questions. we're on spring break and i DO NOT feel like reading right now :)</p>
<p>so, i don't want to sound ungrateful or anything ... but i got accepted and i'm having serious doubts about going. i know name recognition is invaluable and that the rigor of the courses there is intense. but a couple of my teachers advised me that the difference between an honors science program at the university of texas at austin (where i also got in) and a biology concentration at harvard isn't that much. </p>
<p>so, how worth it is it to go?</p>
<p>i guess another question would be, how better is it for you to have gone to harvard as an undergrad in terms of getting into a harvard grad school, like harvard med school?</p>
<p>I'm a little scared to answer this question because it could be used to identify me, but I actually transferred from Yale to Harvard (I transferred for family reasons, I really liked Yale and I also like Harvard, though they're pretty different), so I can speak to any Yale/Harvard comparisons.</p>
<p>Yale has bigger rooms, Harvard's rooms are in better condition. Yale has much more fluctuation in quality - i've seen penthouses and i've seen some very middling rooms. They are also mostly suites. Harvard's are much more dorm-y and much more even. Quad's better than the river for housing (location, arguable). Overall, I think it'd be hard to pick between Yale and Harvard for housing; both are very good. Yale does have cable and Harvard doesn't, but you can always stream online...</p>
<p>I never come here, I'm at the end of break and bored. If I could post my email address for questions, I would, I'm not sure I'm allowed to... so I'll post a backup email address which can't be used to identify me. revsaw <em>aATa</em> gmail.com. I hope this doesn't get blacked out. I just hope any moderator realizes it's an email address I don't care about that can't be used to identify me, and I understand the risks and blah blah blah of posting it here...</p>
<p>just know it may be a little bit before i check it...</p>
<p>amab, obviously if there are financial reasons behind asking, then it's a different story, but from a purely academic perspective, esp for med school, Harvard's name recognition helps a lot... it's difficult to get into Harvard Med School from Harvard because there's so much competition, but it's more difficult from a state school, and you'll be in better shape for other top med schools.
having known a lot of transfers from state school (or even private school) honors programs (I'm a transfer to Harvard myself), Harvard is a lot more rigorous. That being said, you may get better grades at that honors program...</p>
<p>grad07: by arts students, i assume you mean visual and environmental studies (VES), which is the catch-all arts concentration: film studies, studio art, etc. i really wanted to take a VES class this semester but it didnt fit into my schedule, so I'm not an expert. i will say this- other than expos (a writing class), there are no mandatory classes freshman year. if you're considering concentrating in the arts, then by all means take a VES class but you are not required to take anything, and I know people who have switched concentrations in their sophmore and junior years...
anyway, VES is an awesome concentration. just sayin. they have crazy senior theses</p>
<p>servo'd: get involved in whatever interests you, stuff you genuinely want to do when you're not working. the most popular organizations are probably the IOP (institute of politics-if you're a political junkie, they have everything you want) and the Crimson (which has 9 boards, i think, and can be as laid back or intense as you want it to be). there's tons of performing arts groups and orchestras and ethnic organizations- if you're interested in something, it probably exists as a club here. if you'd like more details on what im in, PM me, but i have to warn you that im going back to school today so i probably wont be on CC as much</p>
<p>grad07, you apply to VES. They ask that you take a course in the concentration before you apply and that you have a B average overall. You also have to put together a proposed plan of study, though you aren't obliged to stick to it. If you google Harvard ves department there's lots of info.</p>