<p>What was your resume like when you applied to Harvard? What was your biggest hook? Do you have any recommendations?</p>
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<p>I don’t have any Latin-specific advice but intro language courses usually require a lot of day-to-day work not unlike high school, except at 5x the intensity. I found that day-to-day work doesn’t really conflict with humanities/social science classes where you hand like one thing in per month, so you can plan accordingly. Taking a language in college is definitely worth it. Some people think that you can learn language on your own anytime so why waste a slot…I think worrying about your GPA makes you learn language better!</p>
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<p>Yeah keep in mind not all the courses now will even be offered 3 years from now.</p>
<p>^ Thanks Dwight & Interficio! I really appreciate your responses.</p>
<p>Hmm, how much more stressful would you say an intensive intro course would be than the regular type? I have taken two Mandarin classes and am still very much a beginner but Intensive Mandarin seemed appealing when I was considering possible courses. Also, I realize that this depends upon context, but do any of you have an opinion as to Korean language’s appeal for prospective employers? This is just one criterion I am using to decide between Mandarin and Korean because I am just having a very difficult time choosing one (I have come to love both).</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I would think Mandarin is a bigger plus for employers.</p>
<p>And I would also be interested in hearing current students’ take on the difference between regular & intensive courses.</p>
<p>What languages have you taken thus far? What do you think of them? I think Latin is easy. I particularly think that because I have a lot of Classics friends, so I know tons of people who do Ancient Greek. (Ancient Greek is hard.) But I also know someone who struggled mightily with high school Spanish, and then switched to Latin in college (not Harvard) to get out of his language requirement without taking more Spanish. He is of the opinion that Latin is liek the hardest class ever!!! So any previous language experience should give you some guide to what to expect. Not the hardest language, not nearly as hard as Chinese. But also not the easiest, and if you struggle with languages in general, you will struggle with Latin.</p>
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<p>Yes it depends very much on context, i.e. who/what you mean by “employers.” I think there’s something to be said that Mandarin is a more influential language both geopolitically and in terms of sheer number of speakers but you may find yourself wanting a job where Mandarin is unimportant and Korean is super desired. So…check out both and go with your gut.</p>
<p>I don’t have any specific experience with regular vs intensive courses because Arabic only has one speed, but if you’re a strong language learner my instinct would be to try the intensive class first and switch out before the add/drop date if it’s too hard (check to see how feasible this is by contacting relevant professors, etc.) Better to aim high than to regret not trying at all. You should also consult the Q guide and, if you’re particularly ambitious, email the relevant departments’ student coordinators (or whatever they call them) and see if they can’t put you in touch with upperclassmen in the department who can give you better advice.</p>
<p>How’s Harvard for engineering?</p>
<p>Also, are my chances completely botched with a 3.7 UW GPA?</p>
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<p>Two words: projectile vomit.</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s any need for me to elaborate.</p>
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<p>I have taken Spanish (40 and 50), and they were both awesome courses. I have some friends who took Spanish Aa, Ab, and 30, and they also enjoyed those courses very much. While your experience depends a lot on the TF (one friend, for instance, hated 40), I think that your chances of getting a good TF are very good - just look at the Q guide and shop multiple sections (you’re allowed to get away with that, at least in Spanish).</p>
<p>Just in case you were thinking of going for it, French is hardcore. Much more so than Spanish, anyway.</p>
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<p>The consensus is that the courses are…subpar, to say the least, but the labs are good.</p>
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<p>Ls1a is an easier course than Physics 15a - I can only say that much. Make your choice from there. :)</p>
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<p>Harvard has the size and resources of a large research institution but its undergrad college’s strength lies in the liberal arts, IMO. It doesn’t offer concentrations in journalism, business, nursing, etc and the engineering program is quite new, less well known than those other departments, whereas in contrast, its physics, math, and English departments are top notch and the economic majors seem to enjoy good job outlook on Wall Street. People have ranked Harvard engineering higher than Princeton, but I don’t know how good are the courses you would have to take (probably subpar like ksarmand said).</p>
<p>I think schools like Michigan, Georgia Tech, or U of Texas-Austin are the better choices here if you’re solely looking at engineering department strength. They’re more affordable if you don’t qualify for FA, and you can avoid the hassle of having to go through the whole super selective college admissions process.</p>
<p>I was trying to wade through this thread- please tell what you hated about Dorm Crew- is it because you had to work hard on cleaning bathrooms ? Did you get to do any fun stuff ,like work the reunions ? Do you have to be a junior or senior to work the parties? My D just finished Dorm Crew for her freshman year ,and thought it wasn’t THAT bad .</p>
<p>She (he?) answered this at the top of the page:
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<p>My D just finished her first year , and said it’s hard to join the performing groups .Everything is very hardcore ,just like applying to H . Not as many opportunities to just have fun -maybe her house next year will compensate .Do you agree ?</p>
<p>No. Freshman year I met a ton of awesome people, and joined a great sports team as well. The extra-curricular group I joined was low-key and a lot of fun, and I went out with friends quite a bit. Academically it was a bit of an adjustment, but that was probably the hardest part. </p>
<p>Sophomore year was better, though. Easier academically (for me, anyway) and I already had my social scene largely figured out.</p>
<p>Yeah, I also disagree. There are a lot of low-key performance groups. One can get involved with drama pretty easily. (If this was the performing group she was having trouble with, many houses have drama societies that put on a play or two a year, so it should get better as a sophomore.) As for singing, some are competitive, but the ones that have more specific genres tend not to be (Kuumba, e.g., and the religious ones like Under Construction and Shani [sp?]). Kuumba doesn’t even have auditions–everyone is accepted. The same applies to dance. It’s really hard to get into the ballet company, because you’d be in the same group as a lot of people who take semesters off to go professional. Modern dance is not as hard-core, but still fairly so. Then you get to the more specialized dance groups. I believe Taps takes all comers, as do the African dance troupe and CityStep. (And possibly our beatboxing group. That’s majority Asian, btw.) Ghungroo (Indian dance) turns people away, but not many: they took me. I am not very flexible (understatement) due to medical problems. I didn’t end up doing it because it conflicted with something else, but I intend to next year. If your daughter is interested in low-key mainstream (i.e. not “cultural”) performance, I can see how Harvard might be a difficult place, at least for the first year. I don’t know personally, because I like cultural performance much better. I have loved the opportunities for myself (white girl with structural health problems) to get involved in Indian dance, or my PAF to be an Asian singer in the African gospel music choir.</p>
<p>What I do not like:
I wish that campus felt safer/there were fewer homeless people. That said, I felt safer in Cambridge at 2 a.m. than I do at 9 p.m. in the wealthy/business/college area of DC where I work.
I really wish blocking came later in the year, because I had found the group of friends I will still be friends with 20 years from now by mid-April, but not by early March.</p>
<p>Exultationsy do you know anything about the ballroom dancing club? </p>
<p>Sent from my LG-P509 using CC App</p>
<p>@fauxmaven, what kind(s) of performing groups are you talking about? With voice, I know that there are many different kinds of opportunities. As someone mentioned, the houses have their own drama societies.</p>