Ask *actual* students and alums questions HERE

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>Congratulations to all those accepted to the Harvard class of 2013! </p>

<p>On other threads I've seen a lot of misinformation, stereotyping, and other assorted unhelpful things being posted about the school, so I'm starting this thread so that any prospective students trying to make a decision can have a dedicated thread on CC to get the real scoop on Harvard - from people who have actually attended! </p>

<p>I'm a recent Harvard grad (class of '08) and I'm happy to answer any questions about life at Harvard. Academics, social life, food, clubs and activities - whatever's on your mind. I'm hoping that other veteran Harvard CCers will join in too (Hanna, just<em>forget</em>me, WhiteRabbit, help me out here...), so there can be a good sampling of experiences. </p>

<p>So fire away! I really hope we can be of some help to all of you in making informed decisions about where you'll spend the next four years. :)</p>

<p>(In case it's not obvious, in this thread I'd appreciate it if people who aren't Harvard students or alums would refrain from answering questions in this thread. Whatever you heard from your cousin's girlfriend whose co-worker went to Harvard 25 years ago does not count as authoritative information. Not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to keep this thread as first-hand, reliable, and honest as possible.)</p>

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<p>Could any current students at Harvard comment on its engineering/applied sciences program? I've been accepted to HYPSM but I am leaning towards Harvard for a variety of reasons. My only reservation is its comparatively weak engineering program.</p>

3

<p>Thanks caramelkisses. A few questions for the benefit of me and other maybe-2013'ers:</p>

<p>1) What is like to be a premed at Harvard? Is Chem17/30/etc as cutthroat as people say?
2) What is the most convenient bank? (this might be more useful to international students)
3) How convenient is it to cross-register at MIT? Is there a shuttle/calendar+class time overlap?
4) Do a lot of kids do their own laundry? Or do most pay for HSA/DormAid?
5) I feel like there has been a lot of uncertainty (based on Crimson articles anyways) about the new Gen Ed program. Could you provide a Sparknotes-version of what the new program would entail? When will we learn more about it?
6) Finally, (sort of a personal question lol) what EXACTLY do you have to do for the Crimson Business comp? :)
7) PS Is it true ~5 kids get into HMS from Harvard College?</p>

4

<p>8) Are the tourists in the yard really annoying?
9) Do you know anything about the new winter term Harvard is adding?
10) Is it difficult for a freshman to join the Crimson?
12) Are there any frosh dorms that are significantly worse/better than the others?
13) Did you find the traffic outside the yard disrupting?</p>

5

<p>Straight up, do you like/did you like Harvard?</p>

6

<p>I'll answer what I can here - I was an English concentrator so unfortunately I can't say much about engineering, applied sciences, or pre-med life. </p>

<p>What is the most convenient bank? Bank of America. There's one right outside Harvard Yard (literally across the street) and others throughout the campus. They're also all over Cambridge and Boston generally. </p>

<p>How convenient is it to cross-register at MIT? Is there a shuttle/calendar+class time overlap? I'm not sure about the convenience of cross-registration since I never did it, but I had some friends who took classes there and never seemed to have a problem. There may have been some issues with the schools' non-matching calendars in the past, but I think that may be resolved when Harvard's academic year changes this coming year. The LMA shuttle (a bus that goes all the way to Harvard Medical School, which is in Boston) has a stop right near MIT. It's free for all Harvard students, all you have to do is swipe your ID card when you get on the bus. You can catch this shuttle outside of Lamont Library, the undergraduate library that's on the outskirts of the Yard. </p>

<p>Do a lot of kids do their own laundry? Or do most pay for HSA/DormAid? The vast majority do their own laundry, it's just a dollar per wash and a dollar per dry. You can pay in quarters or using Crimson Cash (a debit account on your ID card that you can add money to). I don't think I ever met anyone who used HSA or DormAid.</p>

<p>I feel like there has been a lot of uncertainty (based on Crimson articles anyways) about the new Gen Ed program. Could you provide a Sparknotes-version of what the new program would entail? When will we learn more about it? I honestly don't know any more about it than what's in the Crimson articles. This website should be able to tell you what you want to know: Program</a> in General Education Program in General Education</p>

<p>What EXACTLY do you have to do for the Crimson Business comp?
I don't know the exact requirements (they can change from year to year anyway). But broadly the comp entails attending weekly seminars to learn about the newspaper's business operations, and I believe you're required to sell a certain number of ads as well. Here's a tidbit from the website: "The Business Board has four student-managed departments: Advertising, Circulation, Contract Printing, and Operations. We are also dedicated to exploring new ideas and investing in new projects. The business comp lasts 10 weeks and requires about four to six hours a week to complete."</p>

<p>Is it true ~5 kids get into HMS from Harvard College? I sincerely doubt it. That sounds preposterous. Just this year, I know of three people from the same student group who all got into HMS. So it's extremely unlikely that there are only 2 more from the college floating around.</p>

<p>Are the tourists in the yard really annoying? You don't really notice them after a while. Whether they're annoying to you depends mainly on what kind of person you are, or what mood you're in on a given day. If you're having a bad day and you're late to class and there's a gaggle of them blocking your path, then that would be annoying. On a sunny day when you've got nothing in particular to do and you're not trying to get anywhere, probably not. They usually leave students alone, though there are funny stories about interactions people had with with them. Mostly they just stand in a clump in front of the John Harvard statue and take pictures. </p>

<p>Do you know anything about the new winter term Harvard is adding? Looks like Harvard itself doesn't know anything about the new winter term: The</a> Harvard Crimson :: News :: Administration Has Few Answers to J-Term Questions ... Good luck with that one ;)</p>

<p>Is it difficult for a freshman to join the Crimson? Not at all. That's when most people join.</p>

<p>Are there any frosh dorms that are significantly worse/better than the others? Not really. They all have pros and cons, and what seems better or worse to you will depend on what kind of living experience you want. They're all in good condition though.</p>

<p>Did you find the traffic outside the yard disrupting? Not at all. And I lived in Wigglesworth, so I was right up against Mass Ave. I don't remember ever even thinking about it.</p>

<p>Oh, and to answer this: Straight up, do you like/did you like Harvard? Yes, I absolutely loved it, and still miss it sometimes almost a year after leaving. It was like home to me. :)</p>

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<p>I heard Canaday is called the projects, but thanks caramel for the responses. Now, if a premed/sci concentrator could post... :D</p>

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<p>I am choosing between Harvard and Princeton; Princeton seems to brag about having the "best undergraduate experience" because it focuses almost entirely on undergrads. That is the only potential negative I can think of for Harvard; what would you say about that?</p>

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<p>^ I'd say I never once, ever, felt like I was competing with graduate students for anything. Not for professors' time and attention, and certainly not for school resources like money and meeting space. In addition, the people at the law school, business school, med school, and graduate school aren't these evil monsters who are out to destroy undergraduate education. They're assets. Think about it for a minute:</p>

<p>If you want to learn more about how to get into a great law school, and what it's like once you're there, who better to talk to (besides your advisers, of course) than students at Harvard Law School?? The same for HBS, HMS, and all the others. And these students really do take the time to get to know undergraduates and give them advice. </p>

<p>In addition, as an undergraduate you have access to all the events at these schools, so when a world renowned CEO shows up to talk to the business school kids, you can head on across the river and join in. They invite undergraduates to their events all the time. </p>

<p>I had a great undergraduate experience at Harvard, and I think you'd be hard pressed to find any student or alum who'd say that the presence of graduate students negatively impacted college for them.</p>

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<ol>
<li><p>How is the neurobiology major? I researched into it but I would like to hear personal stories, as well.</p></li>
<li><p>Also, how close is Harvard from malls, movie theaters, and bookstores (like Barnes & Noble)? I'm a metropolitan girl hailing from NJ. :D I'm definitely into the NYC feel and love entertainment (especially Broadway). I've visited Cambridge and my impression of it was that it was way too quaint for my taste. But I can adjust as long as there is something for me to do. I like to keep moving and staying involved. Do you think a NYC-type gal would be happy at Harvard?</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>If Harvard Square doesn't cut if for you, the best movie theater is the Lowes which is down on the common off park street (I think it's four maybe five stops from harvard on the red line). The Prudential center/Copley place (which is within walking distance of the park street exit and you can also take the green line if you rather not walk) is a traditional and somewhat upscale mall in the city. It has stores like Barnes & Nobles, Cheesecake Factory, J. Crew (i think), Ralph Lauren, Gap, Lacoste, Neiman Marcus, etc.</p>

<p>EDIT: I'm a 2013 so I don't know how popular those places are with students but that's where my friends and I often go for shopping/movies/dinner in Boston</p>

12

<p>bizzyjudy,
Cambridge is definitely not New York. And Boston is also absolutely not New York. To answer your questions specifically though:</p>

<p>The COOP (the official Harvard bookstore in the square) is actually a Barnes and Noble. There are also other cool bookshops in the area like the independently owned Harvard Book Store and Schoenhof's, which sells foreign-language and otherwise international books. There's also a movie theater in Harvard Square, but it's very small. There are malls nearby, but not in walking distance. You can take a quick bus ride to the Cambridgeside Galleria or a quick ride (5 stops) on the T (the subway) to get to Downtown Crossing in Boston. It's basically an outdoor mall - it's got Macy's, H&M, etc. There are definitely Broadway-caliber shows to see in Boston - actual Broadway shows you can see up there include The Lion King and Wicked. The city has a very vibrant theater district. </p>

<p>Having said all that, as someone who's spent a lot of time in NYC you'll be likely be annoyed to learn that the T doesn't run all night ... far from it. It shuts down around 12:30am. So if you want to be out late in Boston you'll need money to take a cab home. You probably wouldn't be out that late anyway since most things seem to shut down around 2am. </p>

<p>So overall there's plenty to do in Boston/Cambridge, but you're right that it feels absolutely nothing like NYC (where I live now). Cambridge (the part Harvard was in, anyway) was cool because it was relaxed and had a college atmosphere, but wasn't just an isolated campus. The Square always has a bit of bustle to it, and if I was looking for more (which happened rarely) I could go to Boston. I personally liked the Cambridge area when I was there, and I also very much like living in New York. So it's not impossible to like both - you just have to feel it out.</p>

13

<p>Harvard sophomore here. To first answer the question about liking Harvard: yes, I absolutely love, love Harvard and I'm extremely happy.</p>

<p>I'll try to cover things caramel didn't or elaborate with my own experiences:
1) What is like to be a premed at Harvard? Is Chem17/30/etc as cutthroat as people say?
One of my blockmates is premed, as is another best friend of mine. Neither are cutthroat--in fact, they have big study groups and problem set groups and stuff. The general academic atmosphere I've encountered is one of collaboration--since even within a certain major, everyone has vastly different future career/grad school goals, there's really no need for competition.</p>

<p>4) Do a lot of kids do their own laundry? Or do most pay for HSA/DormAid?
Basically everyone does their own laundry. Facilities are conveniently located in dorms and houses.</p>

<p>5) I feel like there has been a lot of uncertainty (based on Crimson articles anyways) about the new Gen Ed program. Could you provide a Sparknotes-version of what the new program would entail? When will we learn more about it?
I work for admissions, so what they've been telling us is the following: there are 8 categories and you have to take one class in each category, as opposed to the old Core system of 11 categories and you're exempt from the 4 closest to your concentration. It works generally the same way though, other than the fact that the categories themselves are different.</p>

<p>6) Finally, (sort of a personal question lol) what EXACTLY do you have to do for the Crimson Business comp?
I have blockmates/good friends who are bizboard execs and editors. It's one of the more intense Crimson comps and although I'm not entirely sure what their exact requirements are (you could always email someone on bizboard if you're dying to know), I do know that basically anyone who wants to get on will get on and it certainly doesn't take over your life unless you're a higher-up exec.</p>

<p>8) Are the tourists in the yard really annoying?
Not really. You get used to them, and there are so many areas that are private from tourists (dorms, houses, Annenberg, academic buildings, etc.) that it only matters when you're getting from one place to another. But hey, the yard is a public space despite the fact that Harvard students feel a sense of ownership of it, so it's just like dealing with people walking around any city or something.</p>

<p>10) Is it difficult for a freshman to join the Crimson?
Not at all. The comp is different for each board, but basically everyone who wants to join the Crimson and has the motivation to finish the comp will be able to do so.</p>

<p>12) Are there any frosh dorms that are significantly worse/better than the others?
Depends on who you ask, although most people end up loving their dorms (same with houses). It also probably depends whether or not you bond with the people in your dorm. A dorm like Weld or Thayer, which are two of my personal favorites, has bathrooms for hallways rather than in-suite, which some people may not like at all, for example. So it really depends on what you consider to be good attributes of a dorm. Generally, Harvard housing is some of the best in the country though.</p>

<p>13) Did you find the traffic outside the yard disrupting?
Nope. I love walking around the square :)</p>

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<p>"Is it true ~5 kids get into HMS from Harvard College?"</p>

<p>No. Harvard undergrads make up the largest group of incoming students at all 10 Harvard graduate schools.</p>

<p>"you'd be hard pressed to find any student or alum who'd say that the presence of graduate students negatively impacted college for them."</p>

<p>This is true, and I'll also guarantee that you won't find double Harvard grads who think the university did more for them as grad students than as undergrads.</p>

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<p>1) how strict are they about the "connectedness" of joint concentrations? If you can come up with a thesis and fulfill all the classes, would they let you do, say, english and comp sci?
2) how many students are there to a bathroom in the freshman dorms?
3) how cold does it get in the winter? if I'm coming from CA, will it be a big adjustment? Can I wear sneakers, or will I need a parka and snow boots?
4) how is the food in the cafeteria? Is there a variety and is it available 24/7, or only at certain regimented times?
5) do most students who live a good distance away from the school go home for Thanksgiving and spring break?</p>

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<p>1) how strict are they about the "connectedness" of joint concentrations? If you can come up with a thesis and fulfill all the classes, would they let you do, say, english and comp sci?
With the introduction of secondary fields, my impression has been that concentrations really want to reserve joint concentrations for people interested in the overlap in two fields, rather than just being interested in both fields on their own. I think you'd find it very, very challenging to write one thesis that would satisfy both Computer Science and English professors... but if you could do it, more power to you. </p>

<p>In the end, I've found that what your concentration is really doesn't matter, the classes you take are far more important.</p>

<p>2) how many students are there to a bathroom in the freshman dorms?
It ranges from 3-4 (private en-suite bathrooms) to 12+ (hall bathrooms in Matthews, Thayer, etc). Both have their pluses and minuses - hall bathrooms get cleaned daily, but get more use. En-suite bathrooms get cleaned twice a month, but are used by fewer people. </p>

<p>3) how cold does it get in the winter? if I'm coming from CA, will it be a big adjustment? Can I wear sneakers, or will I need a parka and snow boots?
It gets cold. You'll definitely want a heavy jacket (if not a parka), and I strongly recommend some sort of boot (especially for the slushy days at the end of winter / beginning of spring). But don't worry too much about buying that stuff now and dragging it across the country, you can pick it up in Cambridge once the weather starts to get bad.</p>

<p>4) how is the food in the cafeteria? Is there a variety and is it available 24/7, or only at certain regimented times?
People have mixed opinions about the food. I've found it very good overall, and I've been really impressed by how responsive the dining hall staff are to student requests (check out the HUDS blog: Harvard</a> University Dining Services). Dining hours are restricted, see HUDS:</a> Residential Dining</p>

<p>*5) do most students who live a good distance away from the school go home for Thanksgiving and spring break? *
It depends. You're allowed to stay in the dorms for both breaks. Most people definitely leave campus for both breaks - heading to a friends house, if not all the way back home (or, for spring break, heading somewhere for vacation). It's certainly possible to fly back to California (attendence is spotty in afternoon classes the day before Thanksgiving break starts), but you'll probably have a roommate you could stay with.</p>

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<p>Could any current students at Harvard comment on its engineering/applied sciences program?
I can comment on Computer Science if you'd like, but I dont' know much about ME/BME/CE/etc...</p>

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<p>1) how strict are they about the "connectedness" of joint concentrations? If you can come up with a thesis and fulfill all the classes, would they let you do, say, english and comp sci?</p>

<p>Doubtful, but you would have to specifically check those two majors. Joint-concentrations are much different here then other places. Many departments do not even allow joint-concentrations anymore (i.e History). My understanding is that the committees which review the thesis are usually unable to come to a common ground on the methodology used for the paper. Someone who has completed a thesis should really answer this though!</p>

<p>2) how many students are there to a bathroom in the freshman dorms?</p>

<p>My floor of 6 shares a bathroom which is cleaned every day. However, we are in doubles. Most larger configurations have personal bathrooms. So the answer is that it varies tremendously.</p>

<p>3) how cold does it get in the winter? if I'm coming from CA, will it be a big adjustment? Can I wear sneakers, or will I need a parka and snow boots?</p>

<p>I'm from California, albeit the mountains. But my friend from Socal loves the snow here. It doesn't get THAT cold. Sneakers will get you through winter, though I would recommend boots of some sort. Hiking boots work. They keep the paths very well plowed. You won't need a parka IMO. I was fine with a NorthFace jacket and jeans.</p>

<p>4) how is the food in the cafeteria? Is there a variety and is it available 24/7, or only at certain regimented times?</p>

<p>Food isn't horrible, but I find that it gets boring. Probably because it is all-you-can-eat. It is available 7:30-10:15, 11:30-2:15, and 4:30-7:15. Then there are snacks from 9:30-10:45.</p>

<p>5) do most students who live a good distance away from the school go home for Thanksgiving and spring break?</p>

<p>Many kids from far away stay for Thanksgiving, I did. It wasn't bad. I went home for spring break, but many stay. All of the athletes stay I believe.</p>

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<p>*1) What is like to be a premed at Harvard? Is Chem17/30/etc as cutthroat as people say? *
I made it most of the way through the premed curriculum (i took 2 years of chem, math, and a lot of bio), and those premed classes (Chem 17 particularly) were the ones where I spent the most time working in groups, helping friends out (and receiving help), and all of that. They are definitely difficult classes, but they are not "weed out" classes in the sense that the course staff is trying to get people to fail. Premeds here may be a bit high strung, but I wouldn't say they are competitive at all.</p>

<p>14. How is the neurobiology major? I researched into it but I would like to hear personal stories, as well.
I took MCB80 - the intro neurobio class - and really liked it. I know the neurobio concentration is pretty intense in terms of the math/bio requirements. Harvard definitely has some excellent brain scientists who seem very open to bringing undergrads into their labs.</p>

<p>Did I like it here?
Yes - I'm a senior and I've absolutely loved my (almost) four years here. I can't imagine having gone anywhere else. That said, I think Harvard is a great fit for my personality - but it's not the place for everyone.</p>

<p>Is there a lack of undergraduate focus?
In general? No. The idea that undergraduates play second fiddle to grad students is baloney.</p>

<p>However, could Harvard become a better place for undergrads? Sure. Some areas where you can occasionally be frustrated are:
* Some professors really care more about their research than about teaching undergrads. I've found them to be few + far between, but you do hear stories about profs finding exceptions to the "much teach one class per year" rule, or refusing to advise theses.
* Some teaching fellows really stink - especially in the math/sciences where some may not speak English well enough. (If you end up in a situation like this - I strongly suggest you switch to another section ASAP!).
* Class sizes can be really big in large concentrations (particularly economics).
* Occasionally, the administration makes boneheaded moves without really getting undergraduate input. This usually happens over relatively minor things - the most notable case is the elimination of the "Party fund" that gave out a few ~$100 grants each weekend for people to buy alcohol with for room parties. </p>

<p>I think all of these shortcomings are more exceptions than the rule - and all can be navigated around if you're aware of them. I also think they exist to some degree at any research university (and maybe even to a lesser degree at many LACs). Princeton, Yale and Stanford certainly have teaching fellows as well!</p>

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<p>Hi just<em>forget</em>me, I'm actually very interested in majoring in computer science so any input on that would be very appreciated. Thanks!</p>