<p>To be honest, I applied to Harvard mainly for the location(I work in Boston) and strong economics program. But for anyone to say that the prestige and reputation didn't have even the slightest bit to do with their decision to apply there is very hypocritical. Going into the work force with a degree from Harvard gives you 2 huge advantages-its hard for people push you around and talk to you as if they are your superior, and a degree from Harvard will make an employer more likely to hire you(Harvard grad school is more applicable here). My cousin got her law degree from the University of Buffalo and got a job as an associate at a Manhattan firm five years ago. Today her firm only hires people with Harvard degrees. As difficult as this is to admit for anyone applying to college, anyone who told you that this reason had nothing to do with them applying to harvard is telling you a lie. It isn't necessarily the main reason why someone chooses to apply to H(it only played a slight role for me in applying there) nor should it be-it is only an advantage of an ivy education. The real reason is something you need to find out on your own. If you want to be situated in an intellectual atmosphere, Oberlin or U of Chicago are probably better places to go than Harvard(when I visited Chicago, the students outside of class tended to be more genuinely interested in various academic topics than those at Harvard did) Just know that the advantages people talk about on this forum do not distinguish Harvard from its peers-there are plenty of good schools that offer high intellectual stimulation other than Harvard. Harvard does, however, have many advantages that might suit your individual needs, and that should be the most important factor in determining a college.</p>