Current Harvard student taking questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>Very feasible, with some exceptions. I mean, you can’t jump right into high level math, physics, chemistry etc. if you haven’t covered prerequisite material. But say if you’re a person interested in government and you want to take a class about evolution but you don’t want to wreck your GPA, there are plenty of gen ed classes that cover various topics in the sciences.</p>

<p>Very few humanities classes have prerequisites and most assume you have no background knowledge. The ones that do say “Students should have experience in blahblahblah” or “Experience in blahblahblah helpful but not required” on the syllabus. It also never hurts to ask the professor / TF if you’re unsure. However, I would say that classes tend to spend little time covering how to write in their discipline (though I wouldn’t say disciplines like history and government vary too much in their styles). In one class I was in, a student wasn’t sure how to use sources in a “history-esque” way so he went to office hours and talked to the professor about it. </p>

<p>Finally, I would encourage all people to go outside their comfort zone very early on and take classes beyond the standard “freshman classes.” Of course, if you’re pre-med, sometimes it’s tough to do this. (But not impossible!)</p>

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<p>All ECs eagerly look for new people, otherwise they would die off! During “Visitas” there will be an activities fair and there’ll be another one during your first few days on campus. Each organization has people there to get you interested.</p>

<p>Publications like the Crimson, Harvard International Review, etc. all have comp processes that have certain requirements that you must satisfy before you become a full member. Each one has different requirements. </p>

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<p>I don’t know a ton about the whole consulting/ibanking/business scene but I can say that “top of the class” is an inappropriate term to use. “Class rank” is something that stopped being important the day you got accepted to college. They do want high GPAs, yes.</p>

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<p>If you’re deciding between Harvard and another school, definitely go.</p>

<p>If you’re already sure about Harvard, I would still go unless you have something else that conflicts (like a prom). Visitas is fun and it’s nice to get your first introduction to the campus but if you miss it, it’s not the end of the world. </p>

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<p>The Harvard undergraduate experience is great but I don’t think I could honestly say it has more opportunities than its peer schools.</p>

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<p>I just learned that I was accepted into Harvard. This question may sound entirely silly, but it has worried me. I have an unweighted 4.0, and I expect to earn a 98+ in every class at the end of this semester, except for A.P. Calculus A.B. I had a 90 in there last semester, which Harvard obviously saw, but since this teacher is slightly loca, there is a chance that I will come out with my first B at the end of the semester, even if I work the hardest that I possibly can. Please assure me that Harvard would not rescind my acceptance based on one B?</p>

<p>Thank you for answering all of these questions!</p>

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<p>bjld10–no school, even Harvard, would rescind your admission because of one B…if it were a D/F, certainly likely. Chill, and take some time to be happy for yourself… You got into an awesome school and you are in the last semester of high school!!!</p>

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<p>I can’t say whether Harvard or Princeton is better - that’s like comparing apples to oranges. As for the assertion that Princeton focuses more on its undergraduates, I’m afraid that I’m going to have to tell you that this is unequivocally false. Much of the misunderstanding, I think, derives from the fact that at Harvard, graduate students are more visible than at Princeton, where there are simply fewer graduate students. However, I have found that professors are equally accessible to undergraduate students and graduate students, and so long as you take initiative to get to know your professors through College-sponsored events like the Freshman Faculty dinner and their office hours, you should have no problems interacting with them.</p>

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<p>Oh, it’s very possible, provided that it isn’t a science or math course. For the science and math courses, I would pay close attention to the prerequisites, because the prior knowledge is generally assumed, and catching up while taking the course is very difficult. However, for most humanities courses, it’s very possible to take a course without prior knowledge, though extreme discrepancies in knowledge may mean that you have to do some extra studying. Most, but not all, concentrations have some courses that you can take without having studied the subject formally prior to enrollment.</p>

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<p>It’s so easy, it’s actually sinful. Just sign up during the activities fair, get on the email list, and begin attending their events - it’s that simple. </p>

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<p>Cosign. Harvard offers a unique - not objectively better - experience when compared to its peer institutions.</p>

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<p>You don’t have to be PBK to get a job. Graduate with a decent GPA and you’ll be just fine. Relax - it’s too early to be careerist! Enjoy the rest of your senior year.</p>

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<p>3) I know that a lot of businesses come to Harvard to recruit interns or full-timers, but if you aren’t at the top of the class, is it hard to secure one such position? </p>

<p>I recruit on campus for a Wall Street firm. The majority of our hiring takes place in the spring semester of Junior year, mostly from just a few top schools. We see many more resumes than we can interview. We may have 300 resumes for 13-26 spots, so the resume review is quite cursory. Different people look for different things. I look for grades, major (only to help interpret grades), and relevant experience (this is a plus, but its absence does not disqualify). If I’m still interested, then I look for something on the resume that I think would allow me to make a decision at the end of the interview. Research, special projects, interesting jobs, that kind of thing. If that’s there, I know that I can determine the person’s qualifications by how well they can describe what they did, and how curious they were about the context. I also look for personal qualities, intelligence, common sense, and comfort working with large numbers. If we talk to 26 students on campus, we might be able to bring back 8, of which approximately 4 will get offers.</p>

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<p>Thank you to all who have contributed. </p>

<p>I applied to Harvard with no expectation of admission, and was shocked yesterday when I read my acceptance email. I will be choosing between Harvard, Duke, and Notre dame. </p>

<p>Are most pre-med classes extremely cut-throat (graded on a scale, made for “weeding out”)? I am concerned about the level of competition at Harvard versus other schools among students (not for class rank, but to not be “weeded out”). </p>

<p>How available is help to students? I had a really poor AP Biology class, didn’t get a chance to take AP Physics, and wasn’t able to take Calc BC. I am worried I will be behind other pre-meds and am curious about how available resources will be to help me catch back up. </p>

<p>How much time do you have to do all your work? Do you just hope to finish your stuff or, if you plan wisely, have time to do a lot of other activities? I know free time, and such, all depends on how much work you put into your studies. For reference, I hope to maintain a high GPA (for medical school) and am willing to put in the work required of me. I want to know how much time, if any, hardworking pre-meds have after their problem sets and labs. </p>

<p>I am absolutely thrilled to be accepted, but very nervous about how ready I am for next year if I decide to go to Harvard. I can’t wait for “visitas!” </p>

<p>Thank you to all who are helping us (prospective students) out!</p>

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<p>Tutoring is available for a variety of subject through the [Bureau</a> of Study Council](<a href=“http://bsc.harvard.edu/tutor.html]Bureau”>http://bsc.harvard.edu/tutor.html). If you think you may have difficulties with a subject, you should go there and sign up for a tutor - it takes all of five minutes, and the first 10 hours will be subsidized by Harvard. If you receive financial aid, you may incur no cost at all for the tutoring. Also, departments have tutors for specific subjects. I know for a fact that Math 1b has a tutor dedicated to that specific class, and there is a Math Question Center available every evening from Monday through Thursday for help on problem sets. For the higher level courses, Course Assistants (CAs) will often hold office hours and problem sessions, and you are encouraged to attend to receive assistance on the material. Also, professors and teaching fellows hold office hours, and they respond very quickly to emails. If you need help, there is plenty available. </p>

<p>And on a more personal note, I came from a background that sounds suspiciously similar to yours - I took only AP Calculus AB, had a pretty bad experience with AP Biology, and copped out of AP Physics. If you feel a bit uncertain about where you stand, make sure to take the placement exams for biology, chemistry, and physics, talk to department advisors, and talk to current students about their experiences in the courses you are considering. Harvard has a LPSA (Life and Physical Sciences A) course that they offer for individuals who were unable to take chemistry. For physics, you can take either Physics 11a/b or Physical Sciences 2/3 to satisfy your requirements, and if you find that you are struggling in your classes, you shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to your TF, professor, and the resources available through the Bureau of Study Counsel. </p>

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<p>In my experience, they haven’t been. If you apply yourself with enough diligence, it is not impossible to do well. I enrolled in 2 premed courses last semester and am currently enrolled in 3 more this semester, and I’m not finding that the classes are cutthroat. Granted, not everyone will receive an A, but the cutoffs are not brutal. As far as I’ve been able to tell, curves generally tend to peak in the B region.</p>

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<p>If the other schools you are looking at are Duke and Notre Dame, then your competition will be just as stiff. I don’t believe any of the schools you mentioned have policies of grade deflation, so I think you should make your decision based on where you feel most comfortable, because it will be equally difficult to earn a top-notch GPA at any of the schools you listed.</p>

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<p>There are 168 hours in a week. If you subtract 56 hours for sleep weekly, that’s still 112 hours. It’s up to you to manage the rest of your time properly. I have plenty of time to do my work - if I’m working on a problem set the night before it’s due, it’s because I mismanaged my time, not because I didn’t have enough. Granted, work can sometimes pile up when all your classes have assignments due in the same week, but with proper planning, you can avoid all-nighters for most of your time here. :)</p>

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<p>Absolutely. I’m pretty involved with about 3 programs here, and I’ve found that staying busy has forced me to manage my time more efficiently. Google Calendar is your friend!</p>

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<p>Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you make use of the resources available to you and get help when you need it (which is not at midnight), then you should have a decent amount of time left over. Just make sure not to get in over your head.</p>

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<p>Don’t know if this has been asked yet, but I have heard that there is a bi-grading system at Harvard where you are given a real grade (lower) and an inflated grade (which is official); is this true and still in effect for all classes? And Harvard is notorious for grade inflation; can you assess the truth behind that statement?</p>

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<p>I’m not aware of any “bi-grading” here. I also don’t believe that giving B’s on average to the world’s best students would warrant Harvard’s being called “notorious for grade inflation.”</p>

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<p>^No truth to that “bi-grading” thing at all, though specific professors may have whatever grading policies they want.</p>

<p>Also about grade inflation: If I take a bell curved math class with Sarah Palin, The Rock, Snookie and a chimpanzee, I might be the 1st or 2nd best in the class depending upon how well the chimpanzee does. If Einstein, Newton, Euler, and Archimedes all get a brush-up on math developments up through the 21st century and take a bell curved math class together, Einstein’s gonna get a D. I am not better in math than Einstein.</p>

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<p>This made me chuckle really hard. :D</p>

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And people say Harvard kids are arrogant.</p>

<p>I kid, I kid.</p>

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<p>I was just accepted to the class of 2015, and I have a few questions. I never thought I would get in, I applied just for fun, but look where it got me!
I’m worried I’m not ‘smart’ enough for Harvard. I’m a good student who loves science, but my SAT’s and ACT’s are rather low. I’m worried I’m not gonna be able to handle all the work. Is everyone at Harvard super smart? I want to keep a good GPA, because Med School’s my dream, and I’m scared that going to Harvard may result in a low GPA, hence not being accepted to Med School. I know this may sound silly, but please let me know. I’m honored to have been accepted, but I’m freaking out.</p>

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<p>If you were admitted, you have the academic skills to handle the work. It doesn’t mean that you’ll be an A student, even with maximum effort. But Harvard grads who want to go to med school generally can. There are always people at every school who take organic chemistry and change their minds about med school; the ones who stick with it despite not being at the top of the class still make it.</p>

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<p>What did u do that probably stood out in your app? What classes, extracurriculars, awards, etc. stood out in your app?</p>

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<p>From the general consensus, the premeds will probably have just as hard a time getting a top notch GPA at Harvard compared to other similar institutions. </p>

<p>I’m looking at an Engineering major (probably the biological and biomedical concentration) and was wondering 1) do most of the courses in the hefty required courses list count toward premed requirements? 2) Are engineering GPA’s generally lower that that of other sciences (ie. biology, chemistry, etc.) because I’m concerned that it could also hurt my chances during med school applications.</p>

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<p>I’m deciding between Harvard and a few of its peer schools and I’m wondering whether or not coming to Visitas would be helpful in the decision making process. The thing is I would love to attend, but I live abroad and there is a huge cost, both monetary and opportunity (midterms and IB tests soon), that may deter me from doing so. Did any current Harvard students find Visitas important in their final decision making? How accurate of a portrayal does Visitas offer? Thanks in advance!</p>

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<p>Sorry if this has been asked before/has an obvious answer, but…</p>

<p>If I took classes during Harvard’s summer program, do my grades/credits automatically and necessarily go on my proper undergraduate transcript, or can I choose to retake the classes/credits?</p>

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<p>Also (sorry for the double post) am I correct in assuming that I could no longer have a double concentration in Government and Economics?</p>