<p>I really like both, but I'm afraid that I won't get the quality of teaching as a harvard undergrad that I would at Swarthmore, but I am also a little burned out of four years of working very hard in high school, and not sure if I can take a place with renowed intensity for four more (swat)</p>
<p>I'm visiting the two this weekend (never been to harvard, been to swat once for 2 hours) and that will probably decided it, but I wanted a little outside perspective. Thanks!</p>
<p>If you really feel burned out, decide on the school you would ultimately prefer, and take a gap year to "regroup". Either one of those two will be a bad choice if you are looking for an opportunity to slack off.</p>
<p>Actually, a friend recently graduated from Harvard and did not find it particularly difficult. She did say that there is alot of competition among the students and that they are very future/career oriented; she visited Swarthmore many times since her best friend was enrolled there and she felt that Swarthmore was far more demanding from an academic standpoint. The thing with Harvard is the getting in.</p>
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Actually, a friend recently graduated from Harvard and did not find it particularly difficult.
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<p>That may be a little misleading. The "culture" at Harvard is that the "go-getters" spend insane amounts of time doing their own thing on extra-curricular activities. So, I'm not sure the time commitments are really any different, just different.</p>
<p>The same is true at Swarthmore to some degree. For example, some of the students most heavily involved in one of Swat's more visible student-driven efforts recently (I'm trying to be vague here), reportedly fell behind academically because of the time commitments. Apparently, they must have worked it out with the College, because they all graduated. I suspect that the poo-bahs at Swat saw more than sufficient educational value in the EC activities.</p>
<p>Be that as it may, I do think Harvard tilts more frequently towards EC hours at the expense of academic hours than is typical at Swarthmore. Many of Harvard's ECs are quite ambitious.</p>
<p>saibondy:</p>
<p>You should just sit back and wait for your reactions after the two campus visits. If you are lucky, you will have a clear preference and the decision will be easy. If not, then you can sweat the decision the following week!</p>
<p>saibondy:</p>
<p>Also don't forget that Swat has a pass/fail first semester policy. If the only thing that is slowing you down in choosing Swat is the (very legitimate) desire to take a bit of a break for a while, then that freshman fall is the perfect chance to do so.</p>
<p>Maybe you could find some students at Swarthmore when you visit that chose Swarthmore over Harvard and other similar Ivies, and see how they feel now about that decision. If you are going for Ride the Tide, you should be able to find some. Other accepted students will also be making similar decisions. There is obviously no right answer, either one gives a great education, just try to get a preference and go with it!</p>
<p>Sorry if I gave an incorrect impression or incomplete info. Actually, what ID says about the culture at Harvard and the emphasis on ECs is confirmed by my friend. She says there is an lot of concern with resume building.</p>
<p>I'll post as a current Swat student. </p>
<p>Swat isn't as academically challenging as I thought it was going to be. I say that coming from a generic, large, public high school in CA where we definetly don't have a lot of work/competition. I don't think anyone has gotten into an Ivy in the past few years....so I would say I came somewhat less prepared than most and I've definetly survived.
Also, high school burn out is way common. Senior year sucks the life out of you, at least it did for me. Learning in college is TOTALLY different! I felt like I wanted a break after high school, but then I got here, and realized, I decide what I want to learn, which means I like learning it. It is therefore no longer work, and yay! Haha, that is a bit of an exageration, but you know what i mean. Also pass/fail rocks. Lastly, I feel like Swatties work so hard not becuase indecent amounts of homework are assigned, but because they are doing 5 million other things as well. I have yet to meet a Swattie who isn't heavily involved in SOMETHING. So work load is really up to you.</p>
<p>saibondy,
My S came from an ultra-competitive high school, and when my husband was concerned that my son was applying ED to Swarthmore and giving up his chance to go to HYP, he set up a meeting with the head of college counseling at S's high school. The head of counseling told my husband that my son would not get a finer undergraduate education anywhere else in the country than he would at Swarthmore. That being said, "Harvard is Harvard," and hopefully you'll have a strong feeling one way or the other after this weekend. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree with momof3sons. You cannot get a finer undergrad education in this country than the one you would get at Swarthmore. </p>
<p>My son, on the other hand, did not "give up" Harvard, he would have been rejected straight away had he applied (BWRK from New Jersey with nothing much standing out and not top of the class, well at least not val or sal) and I did not know too much about Swarthmore before my son applied; to us it certainly is a "hidden gem" and worked out wonderfully.</p>