My D has not decided between Harvard and
M&T. I’m getting nervous. Please share your thoughts and opinions. I hope it helps her decide because we have a very little time left.
@winwin111 A bit biased but i would say Jerome Fisher (usually referred to as M&T). The big plus with with M&T is that you are a big fish in an already very big pond. The level of individual attention, guidance and mentorship that M&T students get is unparalleled. There is an entireM&T office at Penn with many counselors, administrators etc dedicated just to M&T students. Also the M&T alumni network is extremely close knit and many intimate alumni events are held throughout the year. This level of connect with a super successful and close-knit alumni base can go a long way for getting to jobs and building amazing connections. In sophisticated business and tech circles M&T is just as or even more prestigious as Harvard. Top employers know how rigorous and selective M&T really is. So M&T kids have access to all the amazing stuff Penn has to offer but also so much more. Of course for lay prestige Harvard wins.
If it was Stanford vs M&T the choice would be a bit harder, given Stanford’s strength in tech/engineering and its location, but it still wouldn’t be a clear choice given how unique M&T is. If a student is serious about engineering/tech and business I think M&T is a better deal than Harvard.
All that said, has she visited either/both school does she have a preference in terms of fit?
@winwin111 Congratulations! No reason to be nervous, she can’t make a bad mistake here. Truly, a win/win!
What are her planned majors? What does she want to do after college? Did she visit both? Does she like one better?
Yes she has visited the both schools and she likes them both but She thinks she fits in better at Penn though. Harvard is just hard to give up.
@winwin111 If she fits in better at Penn then i think you have your answer.
Are there any other reasons apart from the Harvard name that makes her undecided between the two?
Don’t get me wrong lay prestige is something to consider but given the prestige and connections M&T has where it actually matters, it makes it less of a consideration.
@Penn95 you are absolutely right. She needs to go where she will be happy and thrive as a student. Prestige and flexibility are what she is attracted about Harvard.
@winwin111 flexibility of the curriculum? Penn has one of the most flexible curriculums and one can still take electives even as an M&T student. Would she be doing a double major at Harvard?
For prestige I get it. Harvard is Harvard. But it is important to distinguish between lay prestige (the person down the street), and prestige amongst top companies/sophisticated people in her area of interest.
An analogy between Harvard and Penn M&T in terms of prestige would be comparing a Rolex to a Vacheron Constantin. Everyone recognizes the Rolex and its status but people knowledgeable about watches/sophisticated enough know what a Vacheron means. Lol kind of random analogy but makes sense haha.
@Penn95 that was actually good analogy. She does want to double major at Harvard. Either Econ/Comp Sci or Econ/Math, or even just Comp Sci. I am also concern that the competition is fierce at Harvard in terms of getting summer internships and even finding a job?
@winwin111 The competition is fierce in all top schools that is true. But most people do well given that firms recruit heavily both at Harvard and Penn (probably the two more heavily targeted ivies by top firms). With M&T the good thing is that you got hat extra guidance and connections. That said she won’t have any trouble getting top jobs from Harvard, of course not.
@winwin111 I understand. Fortunately, in this case, the difference is small.
My D is at Penn, and after her Harvard visit, she refused to apply. I tried to convince her to at least apply, but she refused. The guy that took her around campus talked down to her a few times, and she had made up her mind. H was off the list. I admit that I tried to change her mind, but now she is finishing her third year at Penn and I think she did find the best place for her.
In the big picture, it could not possibly have gone better up to this point. She is having better opportunities than I even hoped for her academically, socially, and from a leadership and work experience perspective.
Most importantly, except for finals weeks (lol), she has been very happy and has great friends there.
M&T is the right choice here. One of the best programs there is.
@Much2learn Thank you for sharing your daughter’s experience at Penn. I do agree with you that this really is a win/win situation and we can’t go wrong here.
@winwin111 best of luck with making a choice! let us know what you guys ended up choosing!
Would recommend Harvard - unless your daughter is sure about engineering and business.