<p>Hello all,</p>
<p>I'm more of a social sciences kid and I am looking to have a broad liberal arts attached to a pre-law/government track. I got admitted to both Stanford and Harvard. I've read in this forum that Stanford is more about engineering/entrepreneurship, and not so much about Government and Law tracks. Is that true? I know Harvard has a lengthy record of successful pre-law/government track students and alumni. Should I go to Harvard then?</p>
<p>Thanks. I appreciate the help.</p>
<p>Yes.
Go to Harvard.</p>
<p>Both are reputable universities and will offer opportunities aplenty</p>
<p>However, the question to ask yourself is “Where will the world be in 4 or 5 years from now when you graduate”. Are the movers, shakers and disrupters of the next generation more likely to come from Silicon Valley or elsewhere?"</p>
<p>Education in a vacuum, without context, leaves much to be desired. You have one shot, why not learn, be a catalyst and join a community of people at the bleeding edge of technology and social modelling? Stanford seems like the win-win-win choice. Plus you can always go East for a Masters degree in the future.</p>
<p>I love Stanford but… if u got accepted to the big bad “H”…then I say go to HARVARD!!! Harvard has an absolutely amazing pre-law/ gov’t track.</p>
<p>For social sciences, Stanford has numerous unique course offerings through freshman and sophomore seminars, Thinking Matters courses, one-credit classes, and academic offerings over spring break and with sophomore college. There are internship and research assistant opportunities, numerous organizations to join, and interesting speakers visiting.</p>
<p>Definitely. Go to Harvard! You’ll make so many unbelievable connections and will probably receive the wildest job offers, that you could never have imagined.</p>
<p>@parentoftoo, awesome summary.</p>
<p>I’m a Stanford senior.</p>
<p>I have a few good friends going into government. If that is your primary focus, I would ask why you didn’t apply to Georgetown but that’s beside the point now.</p>
<p>Stanford is awesome for pre-law/government. Many of my friends took a class taught by Condelezza Rice. Many others used their time ‘abroad’ at Stanford In Washington. Its an awesome program and a few got to work in the White House. You get paired with an internship that fits your desires from my understanding.</p>
<p>As far as the entrepreneurship/engineering thing, well yes the largest major is now CS and I am CS. I chose Stanford because of the balance with humanities. If you randomly switch to engineering, you will be out of luck at Harvard. Stanford has you covered on almost any track you could possibly see yourself choosing.</p>
<p>(The secret they don’t tell you is you probably will switch jobs a ton of times before your career is over so don’t think your ‘track’ is all figured out now.)</p>
<p>@uddhavagita
Did you also post a thread on Harvard’s CC? If not, you should and try to get Harvard students’/ other acceptees’ opinions as well. </p>
<p>Several of my friends who currently attend Harvard are thinking about majoring in pre-law/ gov’t- and they love it. They always update me on how they are doing and tell me about these incredible opportunities and internships they have. As jmvldz stated for S students, H students also intern at the White House. (Harvard is closer to Washington DC than Stanford 
Furthermore… there are more supreme court justices who are alumns to Harvard than Stanford. You will so many incredible alumni connections, it’s mindblowing. Afterall, getting accepted to Harvard is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity! Well, I mean… if you do get in there for grad school, that’s another story. But grad school is harder to get into :)</p>
<p>Totally agree with @jmvldz. Stanford will give you more flexibility if your interests change during your four years. However, if you’re set on pre-law/govt, I would highly recommend you go to Harvard. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some Harvard undergrads who are doing govt there and they love it. </p>
<p>You did mention Harvard track-record of successful pre-law/govt alumni. I would take note that many of these are from Harvard’s graduate schools (particularly their law school). There’s no question Harvard’s law school is among the best of the best, and so you may want to consider if you want to go to Harvard for grad school and if so, would you want to be at Harvard for both undergraduate and graduate.</p>
<p>I agree w/ @jordan2-- if you post it on Harvard’s CC forum (I’m not sure if you did), you might get more insight from Harvard students’ perspective as well. </p>
<p>Hmm, in your case, if you really want an advantage and ‘your foot in the door’ for really great internship/ job offers related to pre-law/ gov’t, I think you should go to Harvard… I’ve heard that the program there is really great. One of my best friends got into Harvard and she has a pretty similar background to yours, including the fact that she got into Stanford haha. She also wants to have a broad liberal arts education but w/ a focus to pre-law/ gov’t and told me that Harvard provides a really great broad liberal arts education and the opportunity to “explore, find your passion, save the world.” 
She’s already packing her bags for Harvard haha! It is true that Harvard would be a great school for grad school, but in my opinion, it’s harder to get into and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be accepted into a great school like Harvard again. I say, seize the chance while it’s here! If you can go to Harvard both times, then hurrah for you!</p>
<p>I’ve dabbled in the political science track here and have generally been underwhelmed. Two out of the six classes have been taught by grad students. The students are mediocre- even the ones who get into the Condi class, though they may make it far in their fields, never really impressed me in conversation (too one dimensional for my tastes). The others seem to have no intellectual direction whatsoever. </p>
<p>If Harvard’s govt/pre-law is as good as the posters above make it seem, you should probably go there if academics are really important. From a student body standpoint I think Stanford’s is superior in terms of life outlooks, but that’s a personal taste. I used to have more faith in the residential system here as well, but the administration’s really cracking down there.</p>
<p>This is of course to be take with a grain of salt, but my cousin majored in government in Harvard and, while she enjoyed the experience and vast opportunities, begins her recollections of her undergraduate experience with a wish that she had gone to Stanford instead. No amount of prestige (and I do think the differences between Harvard’s and Stanford’s academics are minimal) can get you back your college years; if Stanford’s quality of life is higher, its students are happier, and its weather fantastic, you may just enjoy it more. Try to see which school is more comfortable for you and where you will be happiest. It is four years of your life, after all.</p>
<p>And while posters above remind you that the opportunity to go to Harvard is incredible (and it is), the opportunity to attend Stanford is just as amazing.</p>
<p>Stanford and Harvard are different, sure, but the relatively tiny differences between them in actual academic matters won’t really matter to you. You and what you do are going to be the main determinants of your future success or failure, whether you go to Stanford or to Harvard. So you should go with your gut, and do what you think will make you happiest, most excited, and most engaged, because that’s what will make a meaningful difference in your life and career, not the differences between two universities that are each nearly perfect in a somewhat different way.</p>
<p>i wish there is a “like” (or dislike) button on each of the replies, to help out those seeking opinions of others in making their own decisions. that said, i just cant get enough on saying how awesome Stanford is on all programs. i would even go extreme in saying Stanford is just incomparable:)</p>
<p>Whether you pose this question on the Stanford or Harvard site it will be very difficult to get objective answers from either side. As no one, as far as I know, has attended both Harvard and Stanford as college students at the same period of time with the same set of parameters and criteria to give a true analysis…it is rather moot. As a parent, I have an idea what my son may or may not prefer in terms of academics, extracurricular activities available, laid-backness or outright competitiveness, left coast vs east coast, head to head top ranked programs in most humanities and social sciences programs, Stanford representing the present and the future vs Harvard representing the present and the past…but, ultimately the decision will come down to how my son feels at the respective campuses when he goes to visit. There is no right or wrong answer here. Both schools are at the apex of higher learning at this point. I am confident he will make the right choice for “him.”</p>
<p>Students and parents agree: Stanford is the #1 “Dream School”</p>
<p>[College</a> Hopes and Worries](<a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com/college-hopes-worries.aspx]College”>2023 College Hopes & Worries Survey | The Princeton Review)</p>
<p>But seriously: see you all at Admit Weekend next week, and you’ll see for yourselves!</p>
<p>Living vicariously through you all. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to attend Stanford’s Admit Weekend somewhere down the road. 
</p>
<p>Stanford is actually ranked higher than Harvard in social sciences and humanities:
[CWTS</a> Leiden Ranking 2013 - Ranking](<a href=“http://www.leidenranking.com/ranking]CWTS”>CWTS Leiden Ranking - Ranking 2022)
[Top</a> 50 social sciences universities - Times Higher Education](<a href=“http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2012-13/subject-ranking/subject/social-sciences]Top”>Subject Ranking 2012-13: Social Sciences | Times Higher Education (THE))</p>
<p>After a wonderful weekend at Stanford and talking to many wonderful students/alumni/professors and carefully weighing the pros and cons of Stanford and Harvard my DS has committed to Stanford. He is so relieved and happy!!</p>
<p>Stop this thread…kid go to Harvard…period</p>