<p>Personally, I had a great time at Visitas, but I know that it was only two days and so it only offered me a very limited view of what Harvard is like - one of my relatives attends Harvard and basically told me to attend Stanford for the following reasons: (I would appreciate it if current/past students could comment if these claims are accurate)</p>
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<li><p>Harvard is a very competitive place not only academically, but socially as well. He says you always have to watch what you say and how you act because people are very quick to judge you, which will tarnish your social "status".</p></li>
<li><p>At Harvard things are based more on who you know, your family, and ass-kissing - while at Stanford things are based on how smart you are and how good your ideas are.</p></li>
<li><p>Harvard prepares you well for the corporate world, but there are few people who are actively perusing entrepreneurial things, while at Stanford a large portion of the student body is involved in start-ups, etc.</p></li>
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<li><p>No? Academics here can be competitive, or they can not be… it varies hugely based on what courses you want to take. No matter what, using the Q guide (student evaluations) you’ll almost always know what you’re getting into with a given schedule. Students here, in my experience, aren’t competitive with each other academically… of course they are all used to As and want to get them, but they don’t feel the need to trample on others to get there. Socially, again, you can choose to idealize the final clubs and stuff and then find things quite competitive, but for the vast majority of students the social life isn’t competitive at all. Social “status” is an abstract concept to me that I don’t see lots of evidence of in day to day life (I’m not from a high income family or a legacy either) and people here aren’t quick to judge at all. Your family member might be hypersensitive to these things, but there is no way they are that different between here and Stanford.</p></li>
<li><p>No again? Not sure how someone who doesn’t go to Stanford knows so much about it, but at Harvard things are definitely based on intelligence… way moreso than in the real world. Of course, there are family connections here and there, finals clubs, legacies, etc. but those are fact of life, and way less so at Harvard than in the real world. Again, I don’t see how there could be a huge difference between Harvard and Stanford on this front… and I’m not sure what “things” are in particular so I could be wrong, but I know very little about the family of most of my friends (besides their parents’ names).</p></li>
<li><p>This is just wrong. Facebook? Lots of people here prefer the stability of Wall Street or another line of work just like any place, but there is tremendous entrepreneurship as well, especially in the non-profit sector. Google “Harvard Start ups” for a list of companies founded by recent graduates.</p></li>
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<p>Basically, I would encourage you to trust you Visitas instinct rather than your relative’s warning. He or she is experiencing a very different Harvard from the one that I am experiencing, and odds are you would too, in my opinion.</p>
<p>I’m at Stanford and I would disagree with all those statements. You can find those attitudes and behavior at either school, but both schools are large enough that it isn’t true of most students. And that goes for both good and bad attitudes/behavior. As for students pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors, many students at Stanford are interested in start-ups but the vast majority of students are pursuing traditional career paths. Of those who are interested in start-ups most are investigating employment with start-ups, not starting a start-up. And just remember, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg both dropped out of Harvard to create their start-ups.</p>
<p>Sounds like your relative has had some bad experience at Harvard. Like others have said, as a current student I don’t find these things accurate at all.</p>
<p>Go to the school where you can see yourself enjoying yourself WHILE you are there, not looking back. And, I’d say to follow your gut instinct. Undergrad college isn’t just a stepping stone to the next level.</p>