<p>I know, guys, if you go to either Harvard or MIT, you can take courses at the other college, but which one offers us the most satisfaction? What’s your opinion?
I personally think that MIT would be a much better fit for me cuz students’ amazing ability to create and invent. At Harvard, uh, of course there’re brilliant students, the atmosphere is totally different.
What’s your opinion?
Thx</p>
<p>Since you're posting in Harvard's home, most ppl will probably prefer Harvard.</p>
<p>The general image is that MIT is where geeks reside. On the other hand, Harvard students are more well-rounded. Isn't it the sterotype?</p>
<p>I'd say it all boils down to your major and the name you'd want it to go with. If you're a political science or English major, it's pointless to go to MIT. If you're into chem engineering, then MIT is the right place. After all, when you apply for a job, a chem engineering MIT grad sounds more right than a chem engineering Harvard grad. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>I think Harvard does have an extremely good pure math/science curriculum, but applied sciences and math...MIT dominates.
The MIT enrironment is more conducive to creations and advances in technology than that of Harvard as well.</p>
<p>I am applying to both MIT (first choice) and Harvard. Since I am an international, I had to go with Harvard EA because MIT doesn't let internationals apply early. </p>
<p>Anyway, if I get into both, there is a reason that there is no day that I will not choose MIT over Harvard. Its because its MIT... :)</p>
<p>My personal opinion:</p>
<p>MIT is more dynamic than Harvard, maybe the curriculum has the same strength, but different importance, i.e. For student from MIT it is mor important than for Harvard's.
My preference is MIT.</p>
<p>But for better opinion we need to listen to real students from Harvard and MIT.</p>
<p>My daughter, a molecular biology major, was accepted to both schools. She chose Harvard because she thought she could get a first-rate science education at either school, but the course offerings in non-science topics such as history, literature, etc. were much richer at Harvard.</p>
<p>I am also going to major in biology, but I hate literature, so I'm right to go to MIT, if accepted.</p>
<p>I don't know much about MIT, but I go to Harvard, so I'll comment on that. To be honest, when I was applying to schools, Harvard wasn't my first choice. When I visited, I got the impression that students here were intensely concentrated on their work, and that there wasn't a great social scene. Other colleges seemed to strike a much better balance. At any rate, I ended up here, and let me tell you, all the stereotypes are dead wrong. There are students who study all the time here but they are definitely in the minority. That said, students here don't party 7 days a week either. But when we do go out- Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights usually- we have a blast. There are always parties to go to. On the other hand, during the week, Harvard is VERY intense academically- not in the sense of cutthroat competition, (even the cutthroat among us quickly realize that one simply cannot compete for grades here- you would go crazy)- but in the sense that students are really interested in what they're doing. The same goes for extracurriculars. Harvard is a great place, and I wouldn't rather be anywhere else. But be forewarned before you apply here- there is absolutely no coddling or handholding. You are expected to take the initative in everything- from studying, getting academic help, social help, etc. No one will give you help unless you ask for it. The environment tends to make passive students much more assertive. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>1) Science, Engineering : MIT
2) Economics : pick anyone
3) Everything Else : Harvard</p>
<p>Personally my first choice MIT (I fall in category 1)</p>
<p>
[quote]
there is absolutely no coddling or handholding. You are expected to take the initative in everything- from studying, getting academic help, social help, etc. No one will give you help unless you ask for it. The environment tends to make passive students much more assertive.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>My dream school. :)</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me the difference between Harvard's and MIT's computer science? I know you can cross-register between these two colleges, but how do the computer science between these two colleges compare in terms of curriculum, reputation, student attitude, etc.?</p>
<p>this whole science issue: how about biology and the natural sciences? i'd think harvard, but...now, i'm curious</p>
<p>Lets not worry about all this know, first lets get accepted to both :)</p>
<p>hello, you're right...but i'm trying to decide whether or not to apply to mit</p>
<p>I think Harvard for 1 reason, graduates are more well-rounded. Not everyone there is in engineering, and they have liberal arts classes, while MIT caters to the typical "engineering nerd" and they're students come out just knowing science</p>
<p>so how about natural sciences?</p>
<p>There are many things documenting MITs attempts to change the way students exit the intsitution. You're right that in the the past, people coming out of MIT cant do much outside of the lab, in fact, someone at mit,i think it was MIT's prez was quoted as saying "Too many MIT grads end up working for too many Harvard and Princeton grads." I think that MIT will eventually be able to give kids a more broad-based education, but I'm not sure exactly where they are right now. Although I do know that for engineering, there is nothing like an MIT diploma, also there is the blackjack team.</p>
<p>I don't want to comment on which is better, but I think that Harvard is the safer choice. You should really choose MIT over Harvard only if you are absolutely sure you want to major in something technical. What happens if you go to MIT and find out you want to major in something more art-sy? Yes, you can still do that at MIT, but you would have probably been better served at Harvard.</p>
<p>I say that because of one tremendously important reason. The fact is, a lot of people enter MIT wanting to study something technical, then find out how difficult all the technical fields (especially engineering) are at MIT. There's a reason why the IHTFP abbreviation was invented. A lot of MIT students feel overstressed and overworked - reference "The Idea Factory" by Pepper White, which I consider to be a must-read by any MIT aspirant. People who really like science/tech come to MIT and then find out that the tech coursework is simply too difficult for them, and that they don't like tech as much as they thought they did. The term they use is 'drinking from the firehose', and some people find that they don't like it. </p>
<p>I would say that there is no harm to apply to MIT and Harvard, but if you get into both, you definitely have a serious choice to make. If you absolutely know that tech (especially engineering) is your baby, then it's MIT in a landslide. But if you have any doubts, well...</p>
<p>Personally, I think that a truly awesome choice is a certain school in Palo Alto, because there you have a choice between strong artsy majors and strong tech majors, including engineering. But I digress...</p>
<p>Good points, Tobsta and sakky. What does IHTFP stand for?</p>
<p>Cultish MIT humor, it is. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.ihtfp.com/ihtfp.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.ihtfp.com/ihtfp.html</a></p>
<p>But seriously, what other school (save a certain one in Pasadena) do you know that actually takes morbid pride in how much its students dislike it? MIT is certainly not for everybody.</p>
<p>LOL... IHTFP... that makes me love MIT all the more.</p>