My kid had a good experience at Harvard. Very caring deans, and staff in the houses. No real contact with Final Clubs. Dining halls in the houses are the place to hang out and there is a new student center. All the houses are being renovated, and many are finished, though I personally liked the historic houses as they were. The Yard is pretty and there are indeed flowers in the courtyards of the houses.
No matter where you go, you find your people.
Agree, my student at Harvard is having the time of her life. I’m sorry to hear about Fauve’s daughter’s experience, but I have a hunch she had some bad luck in who she connected with. I’ve had a chance to get to know my kids friends, and I am in love with them all. Kind, fun, funny….literally wonderful people. I know of one who struggles with mental health, but she came in with those issues. They are studious, it’s true, but also very social. Mine is involved in the clubs, and ha ha ha the comment on the hereditary landed gentry is amusing but pretty far off-base. There’s a really diverse group of kids in the clubs, not at all the way the “rumors” depict them. Probably the most similar thing about the kids who join is that they all enjoy social events, so I’d say there’s a personality type that they have in common, but not common backgrounds. I agree, there aren’t quite enough spaces in the clubs for all who want to participant, and that stinks. But does not seem to lead to hardship for those who don’t end up in them, there’s plenty to do as mentioned, and there are also plenty of kids who aren’t interested in them anyway. I agree the food is disappointing, could be way better, but luckily that doesn’t seem to be something my child focuses on; she loves the sociability of the dining hall and that all students live on campus and on meal plan all 4 years, so that remains a social hub. There are plenty of flowers and a few gorgeous garden areas (one near Radcliffe Quad reminds me of that famous one at Princeton, actually), but agree more could be done specifically in Harvard Yard. But the campus is so beautiful, and being situated on the Charles River is amazing, and all that is offered in Harvard Square (and Boston). I think you’ll find a lot of very happy kids there.
The persistence of exclusive social clubs that don’t have “quite enough spaces in the clubs for all who want to participate” is a shameful thing that Harvard has tried and failed to eliminate. But yes, there is plenty of social life outside of these exclusive clubs.
Hey, I’m not going to argue that it’s good/right there aren’t enough spaces…it is very, very far from how I would design it if I was given a blank slate. I think conversely Harvard could do more to actually help there be enough spaces for all interested kids rather than work fruitlessly to eliminate fun things, but not holding breath for that. Actually, there are a lot of activities/ECs that are too difficult to join for my taste. But in the end, it seems to me that because there are so many varied activities/ECs, kids will find things they love, and most kids you will meet there seem very happy. I haven’t heard that they have more kids trying to access mental health services than other colleges,and have a hard time picturing that. My public school kid has not had issues with that being valued differently than NE boarding schools, and no problem forming deep friendships. I don’t mean to jump in and sound so defensive about Fauve’s post; it’s completely legitimate for Fauve to have responded to the question of P v H sharing personal experience from within one family. But I also would hate young readers to be excessively worried based on that one personal experience, since I think kids can have a fantastic time there. I guess the best advice is for kids to talk to as many people as possible to help get a feel.
I am so sorry my son chose to attend Harvard. I wish he’d chosen to attend our state school. He has multiple friends but ended up developing long covid this year and the school was horrible at getting him help. Also MANY in his class are currently taking medical and mental health leaves. That said, Princeton just had two suicides this past week so I think the strain on mental health at these highly selective schools is common. There’s too much pressure at these schools and I do wonder if that played a role in my son’s long covid. Being in a chronic stress state affects immunity.
OH NO! I’m so sorry to hear about what a terrible year it sounds like for your son. I sure hope he’s recovering now (I couldn’t tell from your message when he developed covid/how long it’s been/the extent of the effects). And it’s definitely extra lousy to not get the medical help needed!! We actually have not (yet) needed to use any medical services, so I don’t have any experiences to share. But I’m hoping your son is feeling much better by now!! 
He got Covid in early March. He still has debilitating symptoms. He was lucky he could finish the term. He did have to petition to drop a class because after he got sick he spent so much time in bed he wasn’t able to carry 16 credits. We now have him on several wait lists for long covid clinics.
Oh boy, that is very rough. Sorry to hear that, and I hope the clinics can help.
I am not sure I would blame Harvard for his situation, since they did grant a reduced course load. If accommodations are not enough, a medical leave can be the best approach. Did he register with the Office of Disabilities? Curuious if kids with long COVID are doing that.
We had amazing experience with Harvard’s understanding and accommodation of serious health issues, but my kid did take medical leaves when things got tough. Grades are wiped retroactively for the semester. Like your son, she often powered through.
We found the MD’s at the health center and the deans were so understanding, as was the admin board.
I think COVID is causing many mental health issues for students, and that also cannot be blamed on Harvard or any school for that matter. A lot of us older folks have been impacted that way too.
I am not sure a state school would be any easier and dealing with that bureaucracy can be tough.
Sympathies to your son and you and hoping that the clinic is helpful. I know 3 young people with long COVID and my kid with underlying conditions is scared about it and has been relatively isolated since 2/20.
You haven’t walked in our shoes. Your kid went there years ago when covid wasn’t a thing and there was a different administration. My complaints about the health services are not unique – many parents of class of 2025 are having the same issues. There was so much illness this year with Covid and the flu and HUHS was not equipped to handle it. There are three long covid clinics in the area but somehow the clinic didn’t figure out a way to partner with then so they could serve these students. UT Health actually has a long covid clinic and there is no waitlist. So yes, I can blame administrative failure of this institution.
Did your kid register with the Office of Disabilities? Or was no doctor willing to document?
As I said, my kid took two medical leaves. Reduced course load was not offered until 4th year to avoid further leaves. That is the strongest accommodation any school offers because it means more time in the school, which means one less spot, and in our case, meant an extra year and a half of financial aid.
Your kid got reduced course load. If that is not sufficient, then not sure what else can be done other than a medical leave.
The ADA says accommodations cannot pose an undue administrative or financial burden on the school, or substantially change the curriculum. It seems that so many kids with long COVID may mean needs for accommodation that don’t fit the criteria of the ADA and may need to be argued in the courts.
I know that in our experience, HUHS sent students out for care not provided there. If there is a long COVID clinic in the area, did you or your kid contact them? I would not expect that of a university, but I would expect competent assesement and referral.
I am not sure that I have not walked in your shoes. My kid has several serious health issues. I think long COVID is introducing more young people and families to the kinds of experiences and challenges my kid has always and will always live with. Anger is a natural reaction. I persist in saying that I don’t think there should be so much blaming of colleges for an unprecedented public health situation.
You are not responding to my criticism of the school- his professors were fine and willing to. work with him. My issue is with the healthcare that was available and the clinic not making a referral because his medical insurance was through us and not them. He needed a ‘medical’ referral, not an insurance referral. This is my chief complaint and disappointment. You would expect a referral but we couldn’t get one. Please stop telling me what our experience was, you weren’t there.
His ‘reduced’ load consisted of dropping a single class in late March which would have been available to him because the drop date is April if he were not a freshman. Freshman are not allowed to carry less than 16 credits each term, while sophomores and beyond can drop.
I hold a JD so I am well aware of what the ADA allows.
We contacted every single clinic there and they are all on long waitlists in Boston. Long Covid is a serious issue up there despite the higher vaccination rates and masking. I don’t know why.
Your ‘experience’ was years ago. Institutions are not static. Please quit gaslighting me.
Also when I say you haven’t walked in our shoes - I mean you don’t have a kid starting college in 2025 when covid is ripping through and everyone is getting sick and the undergrad population is larger than it’s ever been.
I have two kids in school right now, one with health challenges. We can agree to disagree but please don’t direct anger at me. Long COVID clinics have high demand and not sure what colleges can do about that. Last post.