<p>I was fortunate enough to get into several top schools, and I've narrowed these two down as my final choices. I'm planning to major in economics, and possibly a minor (or certificate) in music.</p>
<p>I've had my sights set on Harvard for a long time, but for the past several years I've also heard reports (which I admittedly ignored) of family friends' kids who graduated from there and now can't find a job anywhere. From everything I've been gathering, it seems like you can either make it or break it at Harvard - either you work really hard and do really well, or you end up transferring majors to something easier so your GPA doesn't drop too much. </p>
<p>On the other hand, Princeton seems like a 'safer' route - I've heard lots of instances where people with just a bachelor's degree are getting positions at big banking companies, and that P is for undergrad while H is for grad. I also like how you get a lot more attention from professors at P!</p>
<p>I haven't visited Princeton, but really want to go to Boston, and I couldn't care less about any comparisons between the prestige of the two schools :P</p>
<p>Hi Paperbeaar, and welcome to CC! With two daughters at Harvard, I can offer a few personal observations:</p>
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<p>I’m quite certain that no one’s career or job prospects have ever been harmed by a degree from Harvard. :)</p>
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<p>I’ve never heard this as a consistent issue. The Harvard workload is rigorous but the median GPA there is between 3.4 - 3.5. Be aware that nationally, the typical college student changes majors more than once.</p>
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<p>Not my Ds’ experience at all. They have both had outstanding experiences with and attention from Harvard profs - even famous ones. You’ll find that most of the stereotypes you have heard about Harvard aren’t accurate.</p>
<p>If you’d like to do an advanced search for my posts that I included the word “Harvard,” I’ve given a lot of observations on CC about how remarkably personalized my kids have found their college experience to be. It’s not that I’m trying to be a Harvard cheerleader - it’s more like my penance for originally having tried to steer them away from applying there due to the stereotypes that are rampant. Had I succeeded, I’d have deprived them of the greatest experience of their lives, and I try to keep other prospective students from buying into those stereotypes. The Harvard experience is remarkable.</p>
<p>That said, you’re in a no-lose situation and a decision to pick Princeton over Harvard would be a perfectly reasonable one if that’s where you feel the bond.</p>
<p>I think for jobs, it’s not like one’s chances can be hurt by a Harvard degree, but a Harvard degree does not guarantee you a job. same is true for Princeton but Princeton does have more engineering students and most undergrads have to do a year-long senior thesis which helps their job prospect. When we visited Harvard, our tour guide had graduated but could not find a job, she was majoring in religion studies. If you choose your major carefully and work hard you’ll do find in either amazing place.</p>
<p>I’m hearing from two recent grads from Harvard (who both do have amazing jobs) that if they had to do it again, they wouldn’t have gone there. (They didn’t say they’d go to Princeton, they just said they wouldn’t re-do Harvard) Their take on it (they don’t know each other, just two sons from two friends of mine) was that the kids weren’t that well adjusted, well rounded. They were grinds, sure, but that that’s all they knew how to do. Study. They also both mentionned Harvard hiring recent grads to be “party czars” to teach the kids how to organise and attend parties. It sure wasn’t like that in the 70’s!! These guys I spoke to are both attractive, smart, well spoken. One played squash, one didn’t do a sport at Harvard.</p>
<p>I live in Princeton, and I am pretty sure you would love it. I have heard from many people that they did not particularly like Harvard. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s the #1 (economics) program in the world for undergraduates right now. Princeton also has Nobel laureate Paul Krugman.” Plus, Princeton campus is #2 in the world, after Oxford (or maybe Cambridge, i forget).</p>
<p>If you want to go Harvard at some point, take the bird in the hand. Getting into Harvard grad schools is just as difficult as getting into Harvard College. Even with a Princeton bachelors degree, don’t assume you will be able to breeze right into Harvard for grad school.</p>
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<p>I have no experience with Princeton to compare the two, but I can assure you that you will get as much attention from Harvard profs as you want. They are there for you and eager to help if you want it, and they will leave you alone if you prefer that.</p>
<p>What, exactly, would that phenomenon look like, if it’s accurate? How would it manifest itself? The various Harvard schools, including Harvard College, are highly autonomous. No one who teaches at or administers Harvard College is particularly concerned with, say, Harvard Business School. Harvard puts more resources toward undergrad student aid than anywhere else - that wouldn’t be consistent with a disregard of undergrads. I attended a university that US News ranks in its top 20 for undergraduate teaching. My Ds at Harvard have had far more interaction with faculty and personal service from their college than I did from mine.</p>
<p>Similarly, my second daughter attends a college that is currently ranked Number ONE in undergraduate teaching, and there has been no significant difference in the amount of faculty attention and interaction she has received compared what her sister got at Harvard.</p>