<p>Hello,
Well, I was just thinking. Harvard…isn’t all that it seems to be, is it? What is truly the point of an undergraduate ivy league education? I’ve read articles…that say that the salaries aren’t necessarily better at all, that Harvard graduates go on to be rather well off or at the opposite end, hardly in the middle…and are the research opportunities (for underclassmen, at least) really that excellent? It’s even said that graduates of more “mundane” univs (if you will) such as Umich, etc. have statistically been more stable in terms of livelihood, etc. than ivy league grads. It’s the grad schools that rock, I’ve been told. I seriously don’t know what to do. I can go to Harvard if I want, but do I really want to? It’s the epitome…of what every American wants for their kid…It’s just another manifestation of the American Dream…and has the American Dream always been…a good thing? I don’t know what Harvard means. I don’t know what attending Harvard means. I don’t know. Can someone please tell me exactly what happens to Harvard grads?</p>
<p>I mean this in the nicest way: Don't apply to Harvard. The fact that you don't understand why one would want to pursue a Harvard undergraduate education is reason enough for you to not apply.</p>
<p>Students go to Harvard as undergraduates to enrich their minds. They go because they're fascinated by lots of academic areas. They go for great discussion. They go to consider schools of thoughts, to evaulate their own views and philosophies. They go to be in the company of other people who are fanatically comitted to academia.</p>
<p>This is one of the reasons that Harvard undergraduates do not "major" but "concentrate," and why there are no "premed," or "prebusiness" tracks. At Harvard, the undergraduate education is not meant to prepare you for your "job." Harvard doesn't think eighteen year olds should enter college knowing what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Harvard is there to open them. </p>
<p>If money is your biggest concern, Harvard may not be the best fit. True, many Harvard graduates do become wealthy, but wealth is not a reason to go to Harvard. Harvard graduates become wealthy as a result of being ambitious and curious people, by and large. </p>
<p>Good luck with your college search. I hope I cleared some stuff up for you.</p>
<p>Why worry about it before April?</p>
<p>I, personally, would be more than willing to pass up a Harvard education in order to get closer to my goal of becoming wealthy later on. I want to "major" in the field of economics that offers the most money. Does Harvard have a pre-professional track in that field?</p>
<p>Ivy League colleges are largely places for intellectual thought and inquiry, as sunglasses just said. The whole idea is to acquire a very strong liberal arts background. To "learn how to learn", so to speak. That's really what the point of attending Harvard College is supposed to be. In fact, if you truly care about learning, any college with a very strong intellectual environment will suit you well, whether or not the name is there. Harvard's name just happens to go along with what many feel is the best intellectual environment in the entire country. And indubitably, it's a superb place for learning and growing. It really is.</p>
<p>Some people that do end up at Harvard see it as the pinnacle of success, and merely a stepping stone on the path to making gobs and gobs of money. I know someone just like that. That person is also extremely clever and intelligent, and can fake just about anything. One of their sole goals in life is to go to Harvard, on the way to making tremendous amounts of money. I would almost assure anyone that this person will go to Harvard, simply because they've got what it takes. They're really that standout, Harvard caliber quality. In fact, I know more than one truly intelligent person who has been inculated with the notion that Harvard is equal to ultimate success, and that Harvard means money. </p>
<p>The fact of the matter is, there are just some people that are so intelligent that they WILL get into Harvard, whether or not they like learning. I realize that is a very cynical attitude. But I also believe it is a realistic attitude. Many people hold Harvard to be a holy shrine of elitism and wealth, and this attitude does extend to some truly capable and talented people. I think it is unrealistic to believe that any college can see everything about everyone. Some people that don't care about learning and just care about money will inevitably slip through the cracks. They will possibly be astute enough to fake what they don't have, to get what they want. The admissions process is far from perfect - after all, it's completely human.</p>
<p>Please, make no mistake about it. I don't support a view of college as a stepping stone on the way to greatness. I'm just saying that it can, and probably does, happen. I'm just alluding to the fact that there can be no human shield, especially one that must see through 20,000 applications, can completely ensure that every person that enters the walls of Harvard truly loves learning. Perhaps there are some "special case" admits that may not. Perhaps, as I mentioned before, there are some extraordinarily gifted people that have a certain unrealistic expectation of Harvard, and then will game the system, to some degree.</p>
<p>I laud Harvard for everything it does in the world of higher education. So I hope no one takes offense to this.</p>
<p>Joey</p>
<p>sunglasses: I think the image that you presented of Harvard is a tad idealized. From what I know of several Harvard students, money is a big motivating factor. While there are no "pre-med" or "pre-law" tracks, as you said, a great deal of Harvard students are pre-professional in their minds; that is, they intend to become doctors, lawyers, or investment bankers. Of course there are also many true academics who don't care about money, but many students, IMHO, manage to combine their interest in money with their intellectual pursuits.</p>
<p>I agree, not to mention i was a bit turned off by the fact that on another thread people's main reason for choosing Harvard over Stanford or other presitigous schools was the name. I find that pretty lame, but it's the same reason the only H student i know chose to go there as well. I think that's just a reality people have to face.</p>
<p>About 95% of the people who want to go to H do so for prestige, and only about 5% of those would ever admit it. It's true that for most people, going to H seems impresive. However, anyone who knows about undergraduate education can see right through that, and, therefore, instead of looking prestigious, they look shallow and idiotic (which is probably a more accurate description). How ironic.</p>
<p>Sunglasses: I was actually accepted to Harvard EA, so I guess that precludes the possibility of my not applying there at all. I just want the best of both worlds, I guess: A grand liberal arts education, but also an engineering background that is sufficient enough to allow me to synthesize fruitful experimental designs.</p>
<p>So was I. But isn't the course catalog enough for you? I am blown away by the core curriculum and by the prospect of four years of a Harvard liberal arts education. It seems like such a gift--I too think about wealth, livelihood, etc...but I wouldn't turn down Harvard or a school similar to Harvard for that sake, I don't think.</p>
<p>Since when is wanting prestige wrong?</p>
<p>There's nothing wrong in wanting prestige, it just seems to me like a bad reason when a school other than H suits your personal needs much better and can give you a better education but you choose H just because it has a better name. It looks like that's what a lot of people are doing and I just don't think it's smart.</p>
<p>Let's see...I was just thinking, and Stanford seems the best of both worlds. One can earn a BS and a BA there, and the minors seem much more than adequate. Perhaps Palo Alto is The Place to Be. I mean, it's not an ivy league, so no stigma there. And...the weather is awesome...the people rock...the campus is beautiful...I see no reason but prestige to pick Harvard over Stanford, and prestige is quickly becoming a less and less compelling issue.</p>
<p>If admitted to both, you should visit and make up your own mind, based on whatever values are important to you.</p>
<p>After all, one out of four people admitted to both Harvard and Stanford choose Stanford, for whatever reason.</p>
<p>Hey Byerly, thanks for all the Harvard info. I've been reading your posts on the Harvard board, and you seem to know a lot. What exactly is your affiliation with Harvard? Are you a current student? Admitted student? Alum?</p>
<p>Anyone who can graduate from MIT gets full props from me ... particularly any female. Did you follow the exploits of the lovely Erika?</p>
<p>Ah, yes I did..... Miss Massachusetts proved that MIT females don't fit a negative stereotype.</p>
<p>Not many Massachusetts girls have ever made it to near-finalist status!</p>
<p>Havard Law School actually had the "real" Miss America 2 years ago, but she made it to "the show" via selection as Miss Virginia.</p>
<p>Dayadhvam, I could not agree more. I am also perplexed by why only 1 out of 4 students would choose S over H. Again, must be the prestige thing, but that just really isn't one of my "values".</p>
<p>Suprising as it may seem, there are some top applicants who actually think Harvard is a pretty good school, with a brilliant faculty, outstanding facilities, stimulating fellow students, and a great location.</p>