<p>harvard1636: <That Crimson article about unhappiness is really starting to irk me. If anyone knows the Crimson magazine board (who authored the article)…those guys seriously love to complain. About anything and everything. They’re sarcastic and snippy. You can’t base your judgment on Harvard from one stupid article from 2003 that truly does not reflect the student body. A lot of the hype surrounding this theory of Harvard unhappiness seems to me like people are trying to make Harvard what they THINK it must be–a pressure-cooker of intense proportions where everyone thinks only of academic work and their own miserableness. The truth is so far from that. Of course there are unhappy people at Harvard–duh, there are unhappy people everywhere. Of course there are people with impossible expectations–when you go to the #1 university in pretty much the world, you’re going to have lots of unrealistic expectations. That doesn’t mean you can’t be happy at Harvard. I (and everyone I know, for that matter) am most definitely happy and right now counting down the days until we get to go back. Of course Harvard cares about its undergraduates–everyone loves to say they don’t, but I have absolutely no complaints. The new advising system gives you multiple options of people to talk to, not to mention you can take the initiative to talk to pretty much anyone who isn’t assigned to you as your specific advisor. A lot of happiness at Harvard is about ambition–whether you’re the type of person who will seek out what you want to do and what you need. Harvard doesn’t spoon-feed you. The problem is when people who need that extra push or spoon-feeding attend Harvard, they tend to be unhappy since they are unable to get what they want out of it. I think Harvard isn’t right for everybody, but if you can be the person who will take initiative, you’ll be happy and satisfied with your experience. How can you say Harvard doesn’t care!? That is just an unfounded generalization. My impression is that Harvard cares a great deal. One of my roommates was struggling in a class–our dean sent her a letter and just talked with her and discussed tutoring options and how she was adjusting to school, without my roommate even requesting a meeting. I like this article from the Crimson regarding happiness: The Harvard Crimson :: Magazine :: Dropping the H-Bomb</p>
<p>The other annoying thing is when people claim Harvard classes aren’t taught by professors. Of course they are! Some of the most prominent, knowledgable professors in the world, in fact. Yes, our larger lecture classes break down into sections led by TFs (teaching fellows, which are grad students)…but that happens at pretty much every other university across the country. At Penn, they call them recitations and they’re taught by TAs (teaching assistants, same deal). At Columbia, some TAs are even current undergrad students. I actually loved my sections and my TFs so far–one of my TFs even became a professor and got his doctorate while he was teaching me. So just because you have a “grad student” doesn’t mean you’re at an educational disadvantage. I just spent a semester in very close proximity with a guy who will now be a professor this year, which is pretty cool. This only applies to big lectures of course…there are tons and tons of classes out there with extremely small sizes.</p>
<p>As for the academic schedule, I actually like our current one-it has its advantages. No one studies during Xmas break, you don’t need to since you get an extended reading period once you’re back. But I’m fine with the change, which is permanent and will go into effect your first year. You’ll still get a nice reading period, same as Yale.</p>
<p>Housing at Harvard is regarded as the finest in the country, hands down. My freshman year room was incredible, especially compared to my friends’ rooms from other schools across the country, and the same goes for rooming in my house. I can’t account for Stanford housing, but I’ve seen Yale’s freshman rooms–they’re tiny and cramped based on the ones I’ve been in, certainly not any superior to Harvard’s. As for the concrete walls you mention, have you ever seen Morse and Ezra Stiles at Yale? Pretty ugly. I can’t say that Yalies feel more house pride–based on the barrage of information and mail and excitement I’ve received since joining my house, Harvardians love theirs just as much. It’s your true community and home and one of the things you identify with most. I met a Harvard alum from like 30 years ago and one of the first things he said about himself was his house and how much he loved it. If you want the community feel, Harvard’s houses will give that to you, no question. I actually like our housing system better because you’re not placed with your house as a freshman (whereas at Yale your freshman dorm corresponds to your house) so that you meet tons of people in your freshman dorm and then the next year, you meet lots of new people in your new house community (while of course being able to live with your friends from your blocking group).</p>
<p>One last thing and then I’m done this exceptionally long post…I know almost nothing about Stanford, but as far as New Haven vs. Cambridge, there’s not even a competition. Cambridge is the most perfect college town–enough right around Harvard’s borders to keep you occupied but then you could also go into Boston if you needed (which most people don’t need to when Cambridge offers so much).</p>
<p>Of course, you don’t need to decide between the three until you actually get accepted, but knowing these differences between the schools and thinking about what you really want helps inform your application process. Hope this helps!></p>
<p>Terrific post. I really appreciate it.
The reason that article hit me is as I stated, my school loves to complain too, mostly because it is so terrible. The thing that really bothers me about my school is that the administration does not care about the student body as a whole, only catering to extremely high donors ($1million+/year, we are a private school) and “disadvantaged” students. They treat the smart students like absolute crap, which is amazing because we are the people who solidify my school’s reputation as a top 15 private high school in the country.
I something I think is very true is that people are jealous of Harvard because it is so prestigious (and ranked #1 
) and this allows problems to be blown out of proportion to outsiders.</p>
<p>For professors teaching, I know how easy it is to manipulate statistics and it is something that I worry about at all colleges. I know that Harvard is not alone in using TFs or TAs.
At what point (size of class) are TFs introduced to a class, and what are their function i the class? I am sure it depends on the subject, but could you possibly run down your classes? How small do the sections tend to break down into? I am currently under the impression in the large classes, you sit through somewhat of a lecture from the professor and then you break down into your groups.</p>
<p>I really like Yale current schedule, and am happy that it will be harvard’s going forward.</p>
<p>I actually have been in Ezra Stiles and didnt think it was so bad. I didnt like the fact that it wasnt in the gothic style though. It was nice to hear your experience on residential community.</p>
<p>I understand that bars shut down at 2am due to puritan law. Does this go for boston as well? What do people do after 2 am, sleep?</p>
<p>Again, thank you for your great post.</p>