<p>Are undergraduate students allowed to enroll in classes at the medical school and the school of public health? Have you done this? And, have you cross-registered at MIT? What is it like?</p>
<p>rsivy is very generous to offer to answer questions. But users of this thread should know that rsivy only has one perspective (which he/she would gladly attest to) and cannot possibly answer all the very specific questions recently posted (How faculty evaluate supplemental materials, cross enrolling at other schools). rsivy is only a freshman (albeit a very helpful one).</p>
<p>May I suggest posters with questions about features other than student life post on the general Harvard forum? Dozens of knowledgable people will see your thread and answer you. Here, on this isolated thread, you post and may likely not receive the breadth of answers you’re hoping for.</p>
<p>@mathjj</p>
<p>In my experience working with admissions thus far, I know that they send supplementary materials to be reviewed when the application is competitive. The admissions officers do not personally evaluate these materials - they are sent for faculty review, and then then the consideration becomes the reported value. I am not sure whether every applicant’s supplementary materials are sent for review. With the high volume of applications, I am not sure if this is possible. I don’t want to provide a misleading answer here, because I do not know for sure.</p>
<p>@MeIsHM</p>
<p>I know that cross registering at the graduate schools is possible, but not at all schools (ex: you cannot register for courses at the Business school). I personally have not cross enrolled at either of the schools you have listed. I know that it sometimes depends on the course (you must meet prereqs and get instructor approval). However, it is certainly possible to cross register. I know many people that have taken graduate level courses as undergrads and have enjoyed them. Personally, I take ROTC courses at MIT. Basically, there are cross registration procedures online, and transit between campuses is on you. Zipcar, the T, Hubway, and etc make it pretty easy to get between campuses. You also end up needing an MIT student ID. Academic advisors really help facilitate the process - don’t worry too much about logistics. I have a couple of friends that take engineering/science related courses at MIT. Cross registration is mostly for when you have exhausted your options at Harvard.</p>
<p>Dammit I wanted to take classes at the business school :/</p>
<p>So, no information posted currently on Honors.</p>
<p>@rsivy, thanks :)</p>
<p>how stressful/difficult is the course work at Harvard?
how social are the students?
what recommendations do you have for approaching the first few weeks of freshman year?
why did you choose Harvard?</p>
<p>@fauxmaven
Replied! Let me know if you have additional questions.</p>
<p>@caliamy19</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You definitely have to put the work in, but the work load is manageable. Courses have a variable work load. Classes with a lab component or large numbers of problem sets or things like that tend to be a bit more challenging, but it depends on your personal strengths/weaknesses. Personally, I find it easier to do readings and write essays than to do problem sets and tests. It is pretty easy to balance things out, though - most people just throw in a general education and/or elective course and a schedule that is balanced between problem set and paper courses. The generally quoted number is that for 1 hour spent in class, you will spend about 3 hours out of class doing readings, problem sets, papers, studying, etc. If you have 4 classes that each meet 3 hours a week, then that amounts to 48 school hours. I think that is a bit of an overstatement, personally, but that is considered the “regular” level of work.</p></li>
<li><p>Depends on your crowd. There are always small parties available, especially on weekends. If you are into BIG parties, then the final clubs/frats/sororities usually have stuff going on. There are often much more “low key” parties in rooms. A lot of parties come through clubs/sports/groups you are a part of. The difference between the social scene here and at “party” schools is that the culture isn’t so in your face. You do have to kind of seek it out. But that isn’t a problem for most students. If you WANT parties, they are easy enough to find. If you would rather spend an evening studying, then that is always totally okay, and people mostly never pressure others into drinking/drugs (less social pressure here than other schools, in my opinion). If you would rather go to a play, or watch movies, or just hang out than actually party, then that is also totally fine. Within Harvard’s social scene, the important thing is just finding a niche and doing what YOU love to do. If you have specific questions about a certain social scene I can tell you more!</p></li>
<li><p>It is important to know that you will grow SO much during your first few weeks here. Living on your own can be an extreme challenge, in addition to the other massive challenges of college. So realize that stress is very normal and okay. But let your life be balanced. Try to seek out the activities that will make you happy here, and try out things that scare you a little (in a good way, haha). Push yourself to socialize with everyone around you, and NOT just to get ahead/ “network”, but to actually get to know people. The first week (orientation), there are a lot of required events. They are kind of a drag at times, but you will be surprised at how quickly you connect to your entryway mates. While the lecture style events are important, I think it is even more important to try to sincerely connect to those around you. Then there are are all these “suggested” scheduled events during orientation to have fun. The first few days, it is super important to go to those, and to actually really try to meet people. But never turn down a chance to genuinely connect with someone, even if it means sitting around doing nothing and just talking! One of the best decisions I made was skipping going to a scheduled social event in order to tag along with a girl in my entryway to hang out with people in the common room of a dorm. I ended up meeting the people that I was close with throughout this entire semester. Beyond just social stuff, I would say to know your limits. Like I said earlier, try lots of new things! But also, know when you need to slow down, because spending ALL your time doing scheduled things isn’t good. Take a balanced course load (don’t burn out first semester). Try lots of extracurriculars at first, but only stick with the ones that really make you happy. Do stuff just for fun even if it won’t get you ahead professionally. Take advantage of great opportunities when they are put in front of you - don’t disregard opportunities to interact with faculty, or field professionals, or things like that. That’s all I’ve got right now, haha.</p></li>
<li><p>I chose Harvard for a variety of reasons. I got into a lot of similar institutions, but Harvard really stood out to me in the pack. First off, I loved that Harvard was close to Boston, so it has urban resources. But also, Cambridge is a super neat little city, and the minor detachment from Boston creates a really cool student community. I liked this city more than the cities of other universities I was admitted to. I was also super interested in some of the specific advocacy opportunities here, particularly with regards to LGBTQ activism (more of a personal reason for choosing this school). The prestige and history were also a big draw here. I just got great feels from this campus, and when you are choosing between comparable schools, small differences can make or break the decision. At first, I tried comparing academics, extracurricular offerings, campus resources, things like that. But truthfully, the elite schools are very similar in these areas. And I didn’t want to choose schools based on a specific department knowing that changing majors is common.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I have a couple of questions that may seem odd…
How is the food at Harvard?
How nice are the dorms?
What varsity sport are you involved in?
And what race/gender are you? (If you don’t mind?) and how important do you think these factors are in admissions (unfortunately)?</p>
<p>@rsivyhopeful thank you so much for this information! I really appreciate it. Can you tell me more about the final clubs and the athletic scene?</p>
<p>@Matthew5</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The food is pretty good. Freshmen pretty much eat 3 meals a day in Annenberg, which is gorgeous. There are tons of options. The hot entree/side options change daily. You learn quickly what is a hit and what is a miss, but if there is something you don’t like, it is easy to avoid. Every meal, they also have a good salad bar, sandwich bar, cereal assortment, grill range (including some stuff custom made to order), pasta bar, beverage assortment, and pastry assortment, plus dessert at lunch/dinner. Freshmen can mostly also eat at upperclassmen houses, which have mostly the same thing but are smaller. And anyone can also eat at Hillel, which is for jewish students, but they have very different and super delicious offerings. There is also something called Brain Break for late night snacks which is great. Overall, I would say that the food is awesome. A good amount of variance, and always tasty. Some people get sick of the dining halls, but I think that anything gets a little boring when you’re there every day. There are plenty of local dining options that are relatively inexpensive when if get sick of the food. Also, lots of food trucks hang out right near the freshman dhall. But for the most part, I am always happy with the food!</p></li>
<li><p>The dorms are super nice. Even the ones with “negative” reputations (Canaday comes to mind) are actually very nice and spacious compared to every other dorm I have seen. A lot of dorms have hardwood floors, huge windows, lots of storage space, and in suite bathrooms. Also, nearly all the dorms are VERY close to the Science Center and Annenberg, which are big freshmen spots. Personally, my room is incredible. It is a double, about 400 sq ft, GIANT closets, brick walls, and while it does’t have an in suite bathroom, I love my hallway bathroom that is cleaned daily. It is just a very pretty, big room.</p></li>
<li><p>I’d rather not say specifics so I am not directly identified on this thread. I play on a large women’s team sport as a starter. Varsity sports have been an INCREDIBLE part of my undergraduate experience. Being a part of a team is an invaluable experience. A HUGE portion of my closest friends are people I met on the team. It does end up being a large daily time commitment, but I actually find that I manage my time BETTER when I am playing sports because I live on a tight schedule. Best of all, I still have plenty of time for work, extracurriculars, and social life.</p></li>
<li><p>White female. From a large (but great) public school. I think demographics are important because admissions wants a diverse freshman class, but I don’t think they would ever be a huge barrier in admissions to qualified applicants. However, I am not an admissions officer and I can’t speak to the exact impact of race/gender.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>@caliamy19</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Athletics here are awesome (see previous post - being a part of a team is incredible). There are athletic opportunities at every level of play, and most students do stay active, even if just through intramural sports/working out. Sports can be a big time commitment at the club/varsity level, though, so being able to manage time well is very important. In terms of athlete social life, a lot of (varsity) athletes stick with their teammates as main friends, but everyone also definitely branches out. I personally am a walk on athlete, but I have a mix of friends from both recruited and walk on backgrounds and everyone is super friendly and fun to be around. A lot of athletic socializing is pretty low key, but teams definitely get really tight.</p></li>
<li><p>Final clubs are what they are. I personally don’t really go to final club/frat/sorority parties. They are usually really easy for girls to get into - harder for guys, but still possible. That is the closest to a traditional “party” scene, so if you want to go to ragers that is probably where you would end up. The parties have TONS of girls from other schools and can get pretty rowdy.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>@rsivyhopeful
Wow that was a great response, thank you so much!</p>
<p>@rsivyhopeful:
You are one of the single most helpful posters ever on CC. Thank you for your honest answers and providing extremely helpful insights to aspiring applicants. I think threads like yours are extremely helpful and should be welcomed. Only a current student can provide the type of information you do, and I hope you’ll continue. Thanks!</p>
<p>@Matthew5</p>
<p>No problem!</p>
<p>@Jennifer96</p>
<p>Thank you so much! I love it here, and if my experiences can be help anyone, then I am happy to answer questions! :)</p>
<p>Dear Rsivyhopeful;
I have a question related to athlete. If the coach told you that you are the only one he supports through the application, however the coach does not want to give likely letter. Do you know what does that mean? How much influence the coach will have on admission office? Can you please shed some light?</p>
<p>@Panda12</p>
<p>Recruiting varies by team. Even recruited athletes are not “guaranteed” admission. If you are NOT recruited, then I do not think that the coach has an official leverage on the admissions office. But, you should communicate with the coach, because again, every team is different in terms of recruiting.</p>
<p>Can you tell me more about entryways, roommates, and dorm life in general? Thank you so much!</p>
<p>@RandomRhino</p>
<p>Freshmen live in one of 17 dorms. Nearly all of the dorms are in Harvard Yard, which is the center of campus. That is the main “green space” of Harvard, and there are lots of university buildings and classrooms in the yard. So, all of these dorms are VERY close to the main freshmen needs (Annenberg dining hall, Lamont library, and the Science Center are all in/close to the yard). Most freshmen get together in/around the yard. I spent a lot of time hanging out with people outside in the fall. They actually put out lawn chairs so people can chill. The union dorms (Pennypacker, Hurlbut, and Greenough) are technically a little outside the yard, but they have a VERY tight knit community and are close to some other things (like the Freshmen Dean’s Office). Also, Apley Court is kind of out on it’s own basically in Harvard Square, but it is really close to the yard and is arguably the “nicest” dorm in term of accommodations.</p>
<p>You are randomly sorted into one of four “yards” with a different residential dean. The residential dean then hand sorts everyone into dorms, entryways and rooms based on compatibility. This compatibility is assessed by a really long form you fill out in the spring - factors like cleanliness, social levels, music preferences, activities, etc. Most people get really good roommates and tend to have interesting things in common. It is important to to be honest on your application, because if you lie about your preferences you won’t end up liking your room situation. Sometimes, the matching isn’t perfect, but they usually work it out. If you are sorted into a suite, the internal divisions are up to you - for example, if you have a double and a single attached to a common room (3 people in the room), you have to work with your roommates to decide who sleeps where.</p>
<p>A dorm encompasses the whole building, but you will mostly get close to your entryway, which is the small group of people that live in your part of the building. Most entryways are 20-30 people. During orientation, you do lots of required events with your entryway. You also have weekly “study breaks” planned by your proctor and Peer Advising Fellows where you eat and hang out with your entryway. A lot of people get super tight with their roommates and entrywaymates. At minimum, most people are “friendly” with them, just because you spend so much time around these people. Your proctor has their own suite in your entryway. Proctors are not current students (like RAs at some schools) but they enforce rules, plan entryway events, and act as a support system. They vary wildly in terms of “strictness” with rules. Peer Advising Fellows live in upperclassmen houses (so they don’t live in your entryway), but it is like a peer support person who will be at all your entryway events. They focus a lot more on social support and can help you out in tough situations where you might not want to go to a proctor.</p>
<p>Rooms vary in structure. You might have a single or a double, or (most likely) you will have a suite with multiple singles/doubles connected to a common room. You will either have an insuite bathroom cleaned weekly, or a hallway bathroom cleaned daily. Every person in each room gets the “bare essentials” but a lot of people collaborate with roommates to get decor, rugs, extra seating, futon, TV, small tables, microwave, fridge, coffee maker, things like that (I have a really complete packing list available if you’re interested). Most rooms are REALLY nice. Even the “bad” rooms are nicer than the rooms at most other schools I have seen. Most rooms have huge windows, hardwood floors, tons of space, huge closets, sometimes even fireplaces (non-functional though, haha). Parties in freshmen dorms tend to be REALLY low key since alcohol isn’t technically allowed, but people still do get together, and most parties are just small groups of friends hanging out. Personally, my room is SUPER nice, but I also had a really weird roommate situation so it isn’t very “typical”.</p>
<p>Did you have a specific question about the dorms or roommate stuff? I tried to give a pretty comprehensive overview.</p>