<p>here are some more questions!
- how long do you usually spend on hw per day?
- How is he dating scene at harvard?
- How is the advising system? [i think this was talked about a little, but do you think the advising system is helpful? misguiding?</p>
<p>One more question: Does Harvard feel very vocational? Like most people pretty much know what they’re going to do with their lives/have very specific goals, instead of just trying out different things for fun. </p>
<p>Definitely not… quite the opposite, Harvard is a liberal arts college, so by nature it is not vocational… A lot of people do come here having a strong sense of what they want to do with their lives, but like at any other college students, Harvard students will often disscover new interests, change their concentrations and career goals, etc. I know that has happened with me. Because of the core curriculum (and gen ed) we are encouraged to take courses outside our fields and for the most part people are pretty enthusiastic about their cores, many of which are the most popular, famous, and well taught classes at harvard - for instance, my core, which is humanities and completely outside my concentration, is probably the best and most interesting class I am taking this semester. </p>
<p>here are some more questions!
- how long do you usually spend on hw per day?</p>
<p>Personally probably like 5 or 6 hours? But it really varies depending on what type of student you are and what classes you choose to take… so my answer isn’t a standard…
2. How is he dating scene at harvard?</p>
<p>Healthy… maybe there is a higher percentage of long term couples and singles who hook up indiscretionately, but there are defintiely students everywhere along the spectrum, just like at any other school…</p>
<ol>
<li>How is the advising system? [i think this was talked about a little, but do you think the advising system is helpful? misguiding? </li>
</ol>
<p>Harvard has made a big effort to improve advising after it was discovered that students were dissatisfied with the old system of advising. As freshmen you get a peer advisor (an upperclassmen student), an academic advisor (your general advisor who is typically knowledgeable/a professor in the fields you specify you areinterested in) and proctor(s) who care about your emotional/day-to-day needs. As you get older you will acquire new advisors within your concentration. In general advisors will reach out to you probably three or four times a semester, but from my experience they are not going to wear themselves out trying to reach you if you are unresponsive. If you take the initiative to use your advisors to your benefit, I find that almost all of them are extremely willing to help. Also, upperclassmen friends in your concentration make some of the best ‘advisors’.</p>
<p>1. how long do you usually spend on hw per day?
I tend to work in spurts, rather than consistently every day, so it’s a bit hard for me to say. I’d guess my average is 3.5 hours/day, but it really depends on the types of classes you take and the kinds of grades you want.</p>
<p>2. How is he dating scene at harvard?
This is hard to answer without knowing what you’re looking for, and what sort of social crowd you might end up in. misnomer is certainly right that there’s a mix of hooking up, casual dating, and serious relationships on campus.</p>
<p>Single people here do like to gripe about the dating scene, (i.e. girls complain that guys are always trying to avoid commitment). But I would imagine this is the case wherever you go.</p>
<p>3. How is the advising system?
I’m a huge fan of the advising system - especially the freshman advising trio. One weakness of the advising system that still needs to be addressed is concentration advising in large concentrations like Gov + Econ. In small concentrations, advising is very personal + helpful, but it can be harder to make those connections in large concentrations (so official or unofficial “peer advising” tends to fill the gaps).</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What dorm you think is the best? And what are you thinking about the Leverett Towers?</p></li>
<li><p>What’s the spirit in the Harvard Classrooms, how you can describe it?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Is it better to take full IB ( chem and bio only) or just all three sciences at a standard level?</p>
<p>@ssansari - Doing well in higher level and more advanced courses is always better. Sorry, if that’s a rather blunt answer but this thread specifically was made to answer questions incoming students had about Harvard - not for students who have not yet been accepted.</p>
<p>Question: How difficult is the placement test?
I may be over analysing and overthinking, but I’m worried about being put in a class lower than I can do… or in 01 classes everywhere. A lot of people i’ve spoken to say it’s not a big deal and they don’t try. Is that true? Does it depend on what major you will go in? How difficult was is in that 90 minute online blocking period?</p>
<p>DuTim, I lived in Leverett G Tower for two years – the best years of my life! A huge single with a panoramic view…what’s not to love? And remember, when you live in the Towers, you don’t have to look at them. :)</p>
<p>“2. What’s the spirit in the Harvard Classrooms, how you can describe it?”</p>
<p>It varies a lot from class to class, but as a general rule there’s a ton of concentration and energy, the same buzz that you feel on campus on a weekday. People are working hard, and excited to work hard. If there’s a great class at your high school that all the motivated students love, then I’m sure you have felt this energy already.</p>
<p>Roggle, yes it is true. When it comes to Math and Biology most students
register below their level of competence. Remember that in the long term
no one cares when you took a course just how well you performed.</p>
<p>At Harvard you are going to find a high level of understatement especially
when it comes to the difficulty of courses. Placement tests are just to inform
you what level your comfort zone would be. Foreign language placement allows
you to skip the requirement to do a foreign language. Prepare for this if you want
to skip out. Foreign Language courses at Harvard can be <em>very</em> intense.</p>
<p>Math and Science placements are easy enough to ace if you prepare.
The key is to not prepare but genuinely use the
placement to understand what your long-term memory has retained.</p>
<p>Typically Math and Science courses are much tougher than what you might
presume looking at the course description. This is because most of these courses
are curved and you are looking at ~10% of the students down-registering
(i.e they could have easily done the next higher level but are in the lower
version- want extra time on their ECs or are trying something
new or trying to become doctors who 
“serve” humanity and hence
*need * the A).</p>
<p>Ha! Harvard is the opposite of vocational. Almost nothing you learn can be immediately applied to a potential job but might make you more interesting during dinner conversation. Harvard is a big proponent of a liberal arts education teaching you to “think critically.” For example, I took a class on the impact of the Mongolian invasions on architecture of Iranian shrines during the 13th and 14th century.</p>
<p>Not all math and science classes are curved btw. And grad classes don’t have curves.</p>
<p>Really sounds great! Do you also perhaps know what rooms in the G-Tower (8th floor) have Charles River view? Or is the view to Boston Skyline more beautiful? :-)</p>
<p>I was looking at the Athletic Interest form and there was a section about Student Managers. What exactly do they do?</p>
<p>They go to all the practices and games, help with equipment, water, uniforms, record statistics, basically anything the coaches want done.</p>
<p>Why did you guys choose harvard…what was it about the crimson that you fell in love with (sorry i know it’s a bit general). Essentially why did you choose harvard and not the other awesome schools you got accepted to.</p>
<p>My son has a desktop that is a few years old, and has Windows XP, MS Office and other stuff loaded on it. I am trying to figure out if that computer will be fine for him, or does he need to get a new one.</p>
<p>He will likely be a music or econ concentrator. What other software will he need to be able to run?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>I don’t believe he will need a new one. My S got one in 2005 or thereabouts and it has served him fine. Harvard has a number of free programs for students (such as Mathematica, for instance).</p>
<p>@OperaDad - There are a lot of advantages to having a laptop over a desktop. That’s probably more important than having a newer computer.</p>
<p>Agreed. He may want to bring a laptop to the library or to study groups.</p>
<p>I don’t know a single person who uses a desktop. Not one. Though it must happen.</p>