Welcome to Harvard! (and useful hints) - from Harvard 2011 student

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I am a rising sophomore this year. I went through the exact same experiences as you went through last year, and I absolutely loved it. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me </p>

<p>First of all, Freshman week is an amazing time. It is just SO MUCH FUN!!! There are lots of free ice cream, parties, and the entire experience of being in a world-class city and neighborhood is entirely new and unique. You will meet tons of amazing people, most of which you will have no idea are amazing until you find out about their credentials later on by accident. I encourage you to explore both campus and Boston during Freshman week. You will have less time to do so during the year (but still enough time, if you know how to manage your time wisely).</p>

<p>After Freshman week, you will be shopping for classes (also an exciting time, until homework starts piling up). I recommend that you not only select classes based upon what others tell you about them, but also how useful the classes will be to your future aspirations, expanding your horizons, and piquing your interests. Unfortunately, some large lecture classes are necessary (and fun...sometimes...), but also take advantage of more individual classes. Contrary to popular belief, Expos can be fun. You just have to make the best of what you study.</p>

<p>During my freshmen year, I took the Ec 1010 series, math 21, expos, Chinese, stat 104, and the Hebrew Bible (a core class, highly recommended). I also got involved in Harvard Student Agencies, and Harvard College Consulting Group. I also continued my ballet studies.</p>

<p>I cannot say too much about the Consulting Group. However, I did get a chance to help start a business out of my connections from working there. Meanwhile, I love my experience as an Assistant Manager at HSA. I help run a half a million dollar per year business. We work on a variety of projects, from our standard laundry services to programs such as the Freshman Linens Program that you should be hearing about in the mail very soon. This was very exciting to work on from the backend. We called all sorts of manufacturers from China, Turkey, etc. to find the best linens that we could. We then got the chance to pick out the highest quality products that we could for your year. You should consider Harvard Student Agencies if you are interested in business. It was a wonderful experience.</p>

<p>Harvard is what you make of it. There are great opportunities here, if you only reach out for them. I recommend that you keep your eyes peeled, and stay open to new ideas.</p>

<p>Charlene</p>

2

<p>Hi! Thank you for your insightful advice :) I see that you took Chinese - Did you have previous experience with the language?</p>

3

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>I did have a bit of experience with Chinese. I was in Chinese school for years. That being said, anyone who has ever taken Chinese school knows that it is actually a joke, and that no one learns anything. When I came on campus, I was immediately placed into Chinese 140, the second highest Chinese level that Harvard offers. </p>

<p>Harvard's language programs are, frankly said, amazing. They are definitely some of the best teaching that Harvard does. I learnt SO much Chinese in one year. Yes, there was a fair amount of homework, however, in the span of one year, I learned to read and write, something that I could barely do before this year. Because of my learning experiences, I was able to quite fluently call China and conduct business on behalf of HSA with our Chinese vendors there (again, on the linens program mentioned above). </p>

<p>I highly recommend taking Chinese at Harvard. The department is strict, but VERY good. You WILL learn a lot. Even so, if you work hard, you will not get below a B. I came out of Chinese with an A- and an A last semester. Meanwhile, I will continue to finish the Chinese program next year for a citation in the language.</p>

4

<p>I opted out of Chinese school many years back (although I've heard about the lack of actual learning). I will definitely look into the class! Are there different professors that teach the language?</p>

5

<p>Hey gurl, hey! I think I remember you from one of those Harvard chat rooms; you're always so helpful. <3 .</p>

6

<p>Thanks for the advice. I see that you took a total of 6 courses during your freshman year. Can you tell me how they were arranged, by semester? Which ones were half-courses, and which ones were full courses?</p>

7

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>First of all, if you haven't been in a Chinese class all this time, don't worry about it. Harvard does an excellent job of putting you in the proper class. Their placement exams are great. I also do not suggest that you study for the placement exams. BAD! It will put you in way too hard of a class, and you will hate your freshman year.</p>

<p>As for how classes are arranged, the standard course load is 4 classes/semester. Some people are very ambitious and choose to take even more (up to about 6 classes, before the school seriously asks you to reconsider your decision to essentially have no life). Additionally, for the first semester of freshman year, the college will not let you take more than 4 classes. You can option to take 3 by special permission, but I do not recommend it, because that could potentially delay graduation requirements. I took Math 21a, Expos, Chinese 140a, and Ec 1010a first semester. I took Stat 104, Chinese 140b, Ec 1010b, and the Hebrew Bible Core class. (Core classes are graduation requirements).</p>

<p>Does that help?</p>

8

<p>Oops, as for different professors who teach Chinese classes, yes, there are quite a few, as in any department.</p>

9

<p>I got a question
is it better to take a placement test to test out of foreign language or just to take the class?
I'm pretty proficient in my native language and think I can make a high grade both semesters. If I do choose to do it, it would be like padding my GPA with some easy classes.
Then again, I probably could just take the placement test to get out of the class. This would clear up some room to take some classes that has to do with my major and future profession.</p>

<p>Which is the better option?</p>

10

<p>I second Hamman's question. Also, do you think it's feasible to continue with one of your HS languages (Spanish for me) and reach fluency by the time you graduate, and also take up another language and reach reading-level proficiency in it (I was thinking French, since it's also a Romance language and would be easier) for a MC Bio major?</p>

11

<p>First of all, to Hamman's question, grade-padding is not a good idea. Yes, you will have a ridiculously high GPA, but then again, you are not learning anything. If you truly like your native language and would not mind working very hard to achieve a higher fluency in it, I recommend you do that. That's what I did. I took Chinese, even though I am Chinese myself. That being said, I took the placement test regardless and had already had all my language requirements fulfilled. I chose to take a higher level class in order to improve my Chinese. I also had to work very hard to earn my grades.</p>

<p>Then again, if you have a ridiculously hard course load, it might be better to pad your grade with some easier classes. However, do not aim to do this unless you feel that it is necessary. There is some inherent value to challenging yourself in college. Harvard is not cheap (if Harvard made you pay at all, that is), and you should not waste your time there by not learning.</p>

<p>As for continuing multiple languages, I recommend it. When I have finished Chinese at Harvard, I plan on also finishing the French program. You will not be able to do both in one year, however, due to natural time limitations that you will discover when you get on campus, however, you can take two years to do one language and take another two years to do another language. If you follow that path, you WILL be fluent in Spanish and proficient in French.</p>

12

<p>I just want to stress one more time that you should start college with the goal of challenging yourself. Do not take classes that you feel will be too easy/a repeat of last year. For instance, I took Ec 1010 even though it is a sophomore-level class because I took Macro/Micro last year. Taking the 1010 series was a great experience, even though taking Ec 10 would have been very easy.</p>

13

<p>Also, don't kill yourself at college. That is a given. I know plenty of people that do, and it is not good. If you'd much rather be dead than doing what you are doing at any particular time, you need to stop and reassess what you are doing.</p>

14

<p>Good looks on the advice, but I think I'll pass on Hebrew Bible.</p>

15

<p>^^ Gurl, you trippin'!</p>

16

<p>Hebrew Bible was a great class, surprisingly. I'm not Jewish, nor even Christian, but it did expand my horizons. Additionally, it helps fulfill a graduation requirement (a core requirement) for literature and arts.</p>

17

<p>Okay, just FYI, this is also no<em>mans</em>land. I changed my screen name.</p>

18

<p>Did you declare a major upon entering Harvard? Would it be "okay" to just wait to do so? Thanks so much :)</p>

19

<p>Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you declare your major towards the end of your sophomore year. I think its perfectly fine to not know what you would like to major in going into college</p>

20

<p>^^ You declare in the middle of your sophomore year... I think.. I'm pretty sure.</p>