<p>So, as we approach the deadline for decisions, there must still be some of you who are undecided/unsure about your college choices. If you have any questions regarding Harvard that you would like a current student to answer, please post here. I hope other current students will join in...I have 2 midterms and a paper this week, so won't be able to answer that many questions.</p>
<p>Also, note, this is not a Harvard vs. Yale vs. Princeton vs. Stanford vs. etc thread. Ask specific questions about Harvard, but don't ask us which school we think is better...cos that's kinda obvious, ;)</p>
<p>Can you be more specific? What are you planning on majoring in? I'm assuming you've received either better financial aid packages or merit scholarships from other schools. If it's the first case, then just tell the finanacial aid office and it will readjust your package to match the other school's (in most cases, anyways). If you have a merit scholarship to another school...that's a tough call. Harvard has tremendous resources, great faculties and classes, etc...but if it's 30+k vs. full scholarship to another school...that's really hard decision. Have you talked it over with your parents? Are they willing to pay that much? Ultimately, I think it's your choice. I have many friends here who rejected a full scholarship to a state school or non-ivy, so people have definitely done it before. But I also know some people who rejected Harvard in favor of another school because of merit scholarships. Sorry I'm not being that helpful...I think whenever you mix financial problems into college decision...then it becomes extra tough. I was lucky that Harvard gave me the best fin-aid package out of all the schools I applied to. Maybe you should talk to your financial aid officer if you think 30+k is too much for your family.</p>
<p>Harvard gave me more need based money than any other school, more than FAFSA said to give. We will have to pay around 31k/year.</p>
<p>But I also got some merit scholarships for Rice, which would make it cost an average of 19.5k/year.</p>
<p>I also got a free tuition scholarship to BU, and full ride to UMass Amherst's Honors school, but I don't want to go to either of these schools.</p>
<p>I plan to major in engineering, so most people would tell me to choose Rice over Harvard. But I am a slacker, and I heard Rice is more rigorous. I also hate Texas. I want to choose Harvard, but I don't know if my parents will let me.</p>
<p>Regarding engineering: Harvard engineering isn't the greatest, but it's next-door to MIT and students can cross-register at MIT for classes. I know a lot of engineering students who are doing that. </p>
<p>Location: I can't say much about Rice, but Harvard has one of the best locations out of any college. Harvard Square is a bustling, vibrant place and open until the wee hours of the morning. It's also a 3-min subway ride away from Downtown Boston, great for shopping, sightseeing, etc.</p>
<p>You definitely should talk to your parents asap and figure out your financial situation. You can't go wrong either way...</p>
<p>Open until the wee hours of the morning? Sob. I wish. I can't understand how fricking Harvard University can't (or won't) pit its lobbying might against a bunch of Cambridge citizens with sticks up their aged rear ends who are afraid that allowing students to eat pancakes in the Square at 2:30 AM will lead to a precipitious increase in rapes, murders, drunken brawls, and general crimes against humanity. The only place that's open at that hour is 7-11, which can be a lifesaver sometimes, but doesn't change the fact that just about every establishment in the square is forced to close at 2am, and the T shuts down even before that.</p>
<p>cncm, what's your concentration at Harvard?</p>
<p>I don't know if you're familiar with this but how strong is the economics department there? (I know it's highly rated, but...) I heard somewhere here on cc that a whole lot of recruited athletes concentrate in econ because it's easy... </p>
<p>Quote from pre-frosh.net about Harvard... "liberal propaganda. professor spouts liberal propaganda" Rather amusing, but is the education/professors really "liberalized" in how they teach?</p>
<p>Do you know if it is possible (do you know anyone doing something similar) to dual concentrate in a pure science like, Chemistry, and Biology? If not, who should I talk to during admit weekend about such a possibility?</p>
<p>Could you give me some examples of what many Harvard economics concentrators do after graduation?</p>
<p>I'm actually contemplating concentrating in economics. The Ec department here is arguably the best in the country. If you do decide to enroll, you will most likely be taking Ec10 your freshman year. Ec10 is the first-year intro economics class taught by Professor Mankiw (who was the Chief Economic Advisor to the Bush administration)...although the class is mostly taught in sections. You do get guest lecturers, though, and they're usually the top economists/researchers. Larry Summers gave a lecture last week about the current US trade deficit. Marty Feldstein gave a talk on social security about a month ago. The current Secretary of Treasury is coming soon as well to talk to us (first time ever a Secretary of Treasury has talked to intro ec class). So, in terms of strength, economics at Harvard is hard to beat. </p>
<p>Economics is also the largest concentration at Harvard with over 700 students majoring in it. Though it has a reputation of being a "jock major", there are definitely a lot of hard classes as well as some gut/easy classes. E.g. my roommate took Ec1011a last semester and the class average on the first midterm was around 35/100. So, really, it's up to you, Ec can be an easy major but it can also be a challenging and worthwhile one. </p>
<p>Do you mean you want to concentrate in ec and a science? I don't know anyone doing that (usually it's ec/applied math or ec/gov) but I'm sure there are a lot of people in the Ec department you can talk to. There will be a concentration fair (if I remember correctly) during prefrosh weekend and you can talk to representatives from different departments there.</p>
<p>Harvard ec concentrators typically go on to Wall street after graduation. Investment banks and consulting firms recruit heavily on campus. Just the other day, Goldman Sachs had a reception for freshman who are interested in i-banking. If you want to go on to grad school, Harvard Business School also take more Harvard College grads than from any other college. </p>
<p>Also in case you haven't heard: Harvard now has minors. So, if you want, you can major in Ec and minor in a science instead of doing a joint. Difference is that you have to write a thesis connecting your two majors if you want to do a joint concentration, whereas you only have to take a certain number of classes in each field to qualify for major/minor. </p>
<p>So is it pretty certain that if you do reasonably well in Harvard undergraduate economics you can get a consulting or i-banking job? I know this is a very, very competitive industry (with a bunch of wharton people taking up a lot of slots as well), and I am worried about what one could do with an economics degree besides that. Any thoughts? Thanks.</p>
<p>is it true that one stray grade will lessen your chances although you may excel in something else? also, if i am going to be studying in another country for my senior year, do i have to apply as an international student? lol another question i have is if it would be better to have the interview while i am still in america or when i am abroad? would going abroad on a scholarship senior year be considered slacking off? would an applicant who as subpar grades (i.e. - i am ranked 14 and even had a C+ in one of my year-end averages sophomore year) or even say, two more C's have his/her chances significantly decreased? Can character and leadership really allow poor academics to be condoned? How important are the SAT II and AP scores? Sorry to shoot all these questions at you! Thank you for your time and consideration! And it's really such a benevolent thing for you to do! =) I mean, starting this thread. Thanks again!</p>
<p>I recommend that you actually RTFA on ec jocks, which provides a pretty thoughtful analysis of reasons for why, say, football players major in ec; the difficulty level is only one component.</p>
<p>Ec majors with good GPAs have a much better chance of being successfully recruited than your average Joe does, but it's no means a guarantee. Here are some things recent ec graduates are doing:</p>
<p>Consulting
I-Banking
Plain old banking
Hedge funding
Corporate strategy
Medical assistanting
Working in public policy or think tanks
Law school
Market research
Ec grad school
Microfinance</p>
<p>One bad grade will not get you rejected and I don't see how going abroad to study will affect your chances negatively. You don't need to apply as an international student, as long as you are a US citizen or permanent resident (greencard holder). Regarding SAT and AP tests: they're not the be-all and end-all, but they ARE important. You should aim for at least 4s on your APs and 700 on your SATIIs. Again, there is no cut-off line, and strength in one area can compensate for a weakness in another. Most important thing, though, is to show that you're passionate about what you're doing/learning. I cannot stress enough the importance of personal essays. Definitely work on those.</p>
<p>Thank you very very much!! I was wondering if you have time to look over my stats and give me an overall answer? If you are too busy I won't push it! I mean lol, you have already given me so much information. ! There seems to be a descrepancy though; on the harvard supplementary application, it says "for students applying outside of u.s. or canada (regardless of citizenship)." (?) And sorry, one last question! Because this is what I'm most worried about, I am expecting another C this year, however in AP Micro/Macroeconomics (an integrated course), in conjunction with my C+ in last year's Algebra II Honors class, does That get me rejected? I'm sorry that I repeat similar questions!! Lol a minor difference feels like a big one to me.. Ok =) I will work on the essays and I am glad that I do have passion lol. (What attracted me to Harvard in the first place, its emphasis on character and potential rather than academics, um right? lol) Thank you!</p>
<p>I think the question on the supplementary application is for those who come from a different academic system. E.g. If you're from the UK, you'd be doing A-levels. I don't think you need to worry about that if you're only going abroad for a year. If you'll be studying under a different grading system, maybe get your counselor to send in an explanation (however, if it's A-levels, you don't need to, since adcoms are already very familiar with it). If you're still unsure, best thing to do is email/call the admission office. They'll be able to answer that question far better than I can.</p>
<p>I think you might be pushing it with two Cs, but again, it won't get you an automatic rejection. One of my close friends here got a C in her Stats class senior year. Don't fret too much over grades.</p>
<p>do you know how common or possible it is to joint concentrate in economics and applied mathematics? I think it should be one of the more do-able joint concentrations... Do you know of anyone who's doing/did it?</p>
<p>If you do applied math you have to do a track within it, like Applied Math: Physics or Applied Math: Computer Science. Applied Math: Economics is probably by far the most popular track.</p>