<p>Well is it a fun place to go to college?
Relative to Princeton/Yale, which I hear are way more fun than Harvard..</p>
<p>'Fun' is a relative quality. It seems to me that Harvard has less of an undergraduate emphasis, but I don't know how much that affects its 'fun' factor.</p>
<p>I'd say going to Harvard is a lot more fun, because you have:</p>
<ol>
<li>a ton of really cool people you're going to school with to begin with & lots of fun student activities you can participate in</li>
<li>Boston/Cambridge nearby if you want to go into the city and do stuff</li>
<li>a bunch of other colleges nearby, in case Harvard doesn't have enough fun parties/activities for you (plus you can always go for crazy shenanigans at MIT!)</li>
</ol>
<p>Lol I've heard people are miserable at Princeton, though I'm not one to judge.</p>
<p>My D agrees with mcb52, and she especially enjoyed Primal Scream last week. Unlike other campus's Primal Screams, this one revolves not around screaming per se, but joining a mob of hundreds for a late-night exam streak through Harvard Yard and surrounding Cambridge, while the Harvard Band plays for the amusement of classmates and townies who've come out to watch. I dunno - running stark naked through an urban area in New England in January, accompanied by a marching band. Does that qualify as fun?</p>
<p>My D has a great time at Harvard. She hates to come home even during the summer. As far as primal scream, she'd rather watch than run!</p>
<p>Not going to comment on Primal Scream, but I've had a ton of fun at Harvard (am a senior now, not looking forward to leaving).</p>
<p>It's a bit hard to be comparative - very, very few people have gone to Harvard <em>AND</em> Yale or Princeton. I've definitely had fun at Yale when I've been there for Harvard-Yale, but that's not exactly a typical weekend.</p>
<p>Our daughter is having a lot more fun than she did in high school. A lot of funny stories. Harvard is a pleasant surprise in this regard.</p>
<p>Just want to correct the comment about Harvard having less of an undergrad emphasis. There has been a lot of recent focus at Harvard, on improving the undergrad experience, and, from we have seen, the new attention to undergrads has really paid off in terms of their experience there.</p>
<p>^^^ "Our daughter is having a lot more fun than she did in high school."</p>
<p>That's true for both my Ds - a junior and a freshman. I wonder if most students would agree. Many Harvard admits were on the extreme ends of a lot of normal curves in their HSs, and perhaps for the first time, now find themselves surrounded by peers who share their interests and within whose company they're now in the norm.</p>
<p>BTW, I've found the undergrad emphasis at Harvard far greater for our Ds than I had in the '70s at a small, private university that has a reputation for personal attention.</p>
<p>No, everyone sits in their room all day, only venturing out for food/the library.</p>
<p>Once a band came to play at Harvard Square, and the Crimson Secret Police lined them against a wall, shot them, and recycled them as meat in the dining halls.</p>
<p>Laughter is illegal at Harvard.</p>
<p>Smiling is illegal at Harvard.</p>
<p>Sex is illegal at Harvard.</p>
<p>Alcohol is illegal at Harvard.</p>
<p>At Harvard University, television watches YOU!</p>
<p>But, to be serious - your social life anywhere is what you make of it.</p>
<p>"At Harvard University, television watches YOU!"</p>
<p>:P</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm trying to bring back Soviet Russia jokes.</p>
<p>compmom and gadad,
My D is having the same experience as your D's. Her social life is way better at Harvard as compared to high school. She is going to New York over intersession and is meeting up with several friends from H and so many have invited her over to stay with them. She is very happy and feels the social scene is just right. Most kids seem to work hard from Mon-Thursday and Fridays and Saturdays, one can socialize. Also, I was a bit worried about kids being cut-throat at Harvard. That is absolutely not the case. She arrived a day later during reading session and already had messages from friends who wanted to share their notes and update her on one of the review sessions that she had missed. None of her friends or suitemates discuss grades. In fact, we felt that kids at her high school were more obsessed with grades and ranking. We certainly miss her but are extremely relieved to know that she is surrounded by such nice people and is thriving.</p>
<p>LAmom - That's right; it's amazing the social environment there doesn't seem to stop at the campus. My D1 spent nine weeks last summer on an internship in Buenos Aires. The Krokodiloes a cappella group came through while she was there and performed at the mansion of an Argentine alum - she saw several friends. She also ran into a couple classmates doing other internships there. The summer before, she did a study abroad program in Lima. She posted what she was doing on her Facebook page and a friend from her Spanish class responded "You're in Lima right now? Where?" He was staying a couple blocks away and they met for dinner. Then last August, she was teaching in a Harvard program in Shanghai for Chinese HS students. She and her Harvard roommate ran into five friends from school in a Shanghai nightclub.</p>
<p>"She and her Harvard roommate ran into five friends from school in a Shanghai nightclub."</p>
<p>Heh. I was sitting on a park bench on the south bank of the Thames one summer and heard my name...a friend I did theater with at Harvard was jogging past</p>
<p>My tenth reunion is coming up in June, and I can't wait to get back to campus and see everyone again. Talk about fun!</p>
<p>My son is having a wonderful time. He has met some great friends and is enjoying his time at Harvard. Nothing but GREAT news to hear for parents.</p>
<p>Those are pretty awesome stories about the friendships your (oh, look at that...English doesn't have a word for the possessive of different parties..) children making friends....but...</p>
<p>It seems like no matter where you go, you'll be able to do comparable things</p>
<p>^^^ I think you were looking for "you all's" but here in Texas y'all's will do just fine.</p>
<p>Oh wow. What a coincidence....my uncle from..."N'awlins" (btw...I love the Southern accent), was reading over my shoulder when I wrote that and said "Ya know, ya could use 'y'all' ".</p>
<p>Awesome, I guess going to Harvard wouldn't be so bad.</p>