<p>This idea topic obviously sprouted from the featured discussion "Is it true that the more prestigious a college is, the harder the coursework?".</p>
<p>So my question is this- for those attending a reputable college/university at the moment, do you have an intense workload? And how much does it get in the way of your social life/private ambitions?</p>
<p>I've always heard people talk about how difficult schools like Cornell, MIT, and Cal tech are (possibly just in the engineering field). But I have never heard any Harvard or Yale attendee complaining about their workload. Have I not heard or enough or is it true that those elite schools are relatively lenient? On a pop culture related note, Social Network just came out, and it pretty much displays Harvard as kind of a joke. Mark Zuckerberg is just focused on his website, and all his friends are partying and getting laid. Accurate portrayal of the general harvard life? lol</p>
<p>Anyways, post away. Please state the college you're attending, and whether or not the classes are strenuating.</p>
<p>I am interested in this topic too. What schools would be appropriate for a student who wants interaction with other academically talented students and who wants a rigorous environment (but not one that makes life a drudgery and allows no time for fun and extracurricular experiences)?</p>
<p>So often we have only possibly inaccurate generalizations to go by, such as avoid Swarthmore because of its famed intensity, but perhaps consider other “top” schools that would be less demanding.</p>
<p>We run on quarters, so the pace is much quicker than the one in high school. I don’t think the classes are too bad, but others I know think the school is incredibly hard. A lot depends on your aptitude and level of preparation.</p>
<p>I guess that was pretty vague and unhelpful. I don’t know if this will help, but here’s my homework tonight:</p>
<p>Introduction to Int’l Development: 85 pages of reading
First Year Seminar: 80 pages of dense reading; 5-page paper due Thursday
Biology: Light reading</p>
<p>Oh, another note – the tests here are a lot different from the ones in high school. They emphasize critical thinking, not memorization, even in information-heavy classes like bio. It can be a bit of an adjustment, but it’s not too rough.</p>
<p>People tend to assume more prestigious schools are more difficult, which is probably true in most cases, but it has more to do with your major than what school you attend. E.g., An engineering major at UMass might spend more time / have more difficulty with his/her work than an Asian Studies major at Columbia might have.</p>