VISITAS 2017

I’m starting this thread for discussion related to Harvard’s Admitted Student Weekend (Visitas) for April 2017. If any current or past Harvard students/faculty/parents have tips/info to help the incoming class maximize its Visitas experience, that’d be great. Share your stories and experiences!

FWIW: Visitas 2017 occurs on SATURDAY APRIL 22ND TO MONDAY APRIL 24TH, and not in June: http://fdo.fas.harvard.edu/files/fdo/files/6_harvard_asp_visitas_web.pdf

We dropped my daughter off for Vistas and didn’t see her until it was over. I attended the financial aid workshop, took a tour, and walked through Cambridge. Most of the activities are geared for students, not parents – and truth be told, students DO NOT want their parents hanging out with them for Visitas weekend. So, my suggestion for parents: Use Visitas for getting to know the school, but have zero expectations that your child will (or should) be with you for any part of the experience. For parents, it’s the first step for the journey of learning to let go!

BTW @Jay37p: If you were accepted in the SCEA round, you should have been notified by Admissions of the correct dates of Visitas (and not have gotten them wrong in your post). So, I’m a bit perplexed as to why you would ask this question if you haven’t been accepted yet. Wishful thinking on your part?

My kids always visited a school on days other than the accepted students weekend- in addition to it if possible, to get a better feel for the place. I would make sure to visit departments you are interested in and ask questions. Focus on the “vibe” if you can, because hard information is so easy to obtain these days. Being on site offers a chance to experience the intangibles.

We did not have the convenience of dropping our student off at Veritas as we are a very long distance away. We flew together to Cambridge, my husband and I booked into a lovely hotel and DD disappeared into the Veritas swarm. There are many delightful activities for parents: tours of library, lectures at the Fogg Art Museum, lectures on health services, financial aid, and academic programs. We were occupied the whole weekend, and enjoyed forming our own impressions of the campus. Once our DD rejoined us for the flight home, we all had exciting stories and crucial info to share.

Traveling together gave our daughter the opportunity to study the route through the airports, how to find the Silver line then Red Line to Cambridge. She was able to travel solo in September for her early pre-frosh arts program and later comfortably lead her friends on Boston excursions.

@gibby I was given the dates but made a mistake on the post (had a lot running through my mind when I created it); thank you for the edit. I’ll try to go early and check out some spots around Boston (anyone have any favorite spots to recommend?) I’m very excited for the whole thing and psyched about Harvard

^^ Harvard specifically asks students NOT to arrive early, as traditionally the night before Veritas (this year Friday April 21st) is Yardfest and from an insurance standpoint, the administration is NOT responsible for any underage pre-freshman who show up early to witness and take place in the event. My advice: Admissions likes students who follow their advice.

Sorry for the confusion; I meant arriving early at Boston (not Harvard) to spend some time exploring the city and then making the short trip to Harvard on the scheduled Saturday.

Jay37p, congratulations! Of course you can arrive early and get to know Cambridge and travel into Boston to get to know the city as well. It is a great place to walk and explore with many interesting and fun things to do. Walking the yard, science center, upperclassmen houses, and quadrangle are all things you would want to do. Harvard square, the athletic complex, the Coop, the book store. Doing these things leisurely will easily occupy a decent amount of time.
You could walk to MIT and tour that Campus. There are many great tourist attractions in Boston. Historical tours, Quincy Market, the Harbor area and the North end. The Prudential center and the shopping districts. There is so much to do.
Congratulations again and best wishes!

Jay37p I think it was clear that you planned on arriving early in the city, not on campus.

There is so much to see, it is hard to choose! For Boston, I think that Beacon Hill (Charles Street, and Louisburg Square on the hill) and the nearby Public Garden are a first choice. The Swan Boats should be in the water in the Public Garden. The State House is at the top of the hill.

The North End has become a bit of a theme park but is still a great place to eat. The Esplanade or the waterfront (the latter is on the border of the North End, and Quincy Market is in that area). Haymarket, the Union Oyster House. Or the famous Durgin Park with its wood tables, chowder and Indian Pudding.

In Cambridge, take a walk down Brattle Street, Tory Row. The Harvard art museums and Museum of Natural History (glass flowers). Get a handle on the various squares: Harvard, Central, Inman (my favorite), Kendall (MIT), Union and Davis in Somerville. Walk the entire campus, and along the river. April is a great time to be in town.

I think it’s great you want to see the two cities. Many students come to Harvard and almost never leave campus. There is a lot going on, and depending on your interests, many things to do off campus.

Congratulations and good luck!

@Jay37p, congrats. You asked for advice on how to “maximize” your Visitas experience. I suggest you try very hard not to arrive at Visitas sleep-deprived and to try to get enough sleep while you are there, go to the classes and student fairs, be open-minded and meet as many potential future classmates as possible. Take some pictures to update your social media profile in front of Widener, Mem Church, the Science Center or Matthews but not in front of the John Harvard statue because you’ll seem like a tourist. You’ll be storing your suitcase, etc., in someone’s room, and you won’t really know that person or his/her roommates or friends, so leave your valuables at home. Above all: do not drink or do drugs. I have heard several times about rescinded offers when students were drinking at Visitas.

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions! With Visitas less than 10 days away, I hope this thread can help other incoming freshmen make the most of the experience and start off their Harvard story on the right foot!

The Visitas schedule seems absolutely packed with events; the hard part right now is choosing between events that take place at the same time. Something that might be helpful to incoming students is discerning between whether we should focus more on making friends and socializing or learning about the university and attending more informative based events.

I say spend as much time speaking to current students as possible. Also, get a feeling for what your future freshman classmates will be like because many of the kids you meet have already decided they will accept Harvard.

Another Boston suggestion: the MFA (the Museum of Fine Arts), and also Faneuil Hall is fun. Have a wonderful time, and congrats. (We’re from the NE so our D just took a bus with friends.). Hope the weather treats you all well.

Any thoughts on the Visitas experience? Did it help any of your kids decide on whether to attend Harvard?

I haven’t had a chance to talk to S about his experience yet. He won’t be home until Sunday, after LSJU accepted student event, when he’ll have to decide between them.

My daughter and her (female) friend could not have been more excited upon their return from Visitas. They met many people from far-reaching backgrounds, and reported that everyone was approachable and friendly. I had the good fortune to speak to them at length over dinner, and they said that current students had told them that Finals Clubs wielded little influence on campus. Visitas clinched it and she committed to attend later that evening.