<p>While true of any school, the “it is what you make of it” cliche is especially applicable to life at Harvard. Truthfully, any substantive answer to questions regarding the drawbacks of life at Harvard would have to be informed by your personality, interests and expectations. In my experience there are some seriously unforgiving dichotomies between different crowds and cliques here that go way beyond the typical stuff that you expect from any college. For example, a shy “mathy” introvert who has never been very social or had many friends but who is very gifted that takes Math 55 will probably be pleasantly surprised by the level of camaraderie and ease with which he or she makes friends with similar interests. An introverted student of modest means with no clear academic focus on the other hand might well have a very different experience. Some departments have very close knit and collaborative groups while others are highly competitive and adversarial. So it really depends on what your plans are. Unfortunately, freshman housing is very hit or miss. INSIDER PRO TIP: make friends (for real, don’t just use them, that would be ******y) with someone who has a medical condition that exempts them from the housing lottery EARLY, if you are crafty and coach your new friend on what to say to the AEO, you can usually finagle your way into choosing your house or at the very least getting into one of your top two choices. If you are having problems making friends, when everyone starts talking about blocking start mentioning the fact you have a master plan that guarantees avoiding the Quad and lets you cherry pick your house and watch how popular you suddenly get.</p>
<p>Since this thread seems frequented by a host of past, present and future Harvard parents, I won’t go into too many details but suffice to say, there are two very different party scenes here. The first is your typical binge drinking stuff (as a side note getting drinks underage here is laughably easy). If you hate the partying scene don’t worry you won’t be alone. If you love that kind of thing, its not hard to find despite what many here seem to think. The second party scene is, well, not your typical binge drinking scene. Lets just say you could build a snowman in the summer with how much powder some of these parties have. While I am sure this is an issue at many colleges, the difference here (and indeed the only reason I mention it) is that its not the social outcasts or delinquent miscreants that constitute the greater part of this second scene. Generally speaking, its the students that many impressionable freshman “want to be” that make up the core of this group, so it can be a real temptation.</p>
<p><em>EDIT</em> the first student that got Quaded that sees my pro tip is going to go berserk, watch, it will be great.</p>
<p>Make of it what you will, but unlike some seemingly trolly posts by first time posters, Hvdstudent’s post isn’t one. It isn’t all that off the mark. With that said, a few things: his ‘second type of party scene’ is very very easy to avoid. And to be honest, it’s not a particularly big crowd, and definitely a minority. As for feeling left out for abstaining from all substances, there are lots and lots of teetotalers. More than you think. You won’t feel alone. </p>
<p>As for avoiding the quad at all costs, if you’re reading this Hvdstudent, can I give it a go at making YOU go berserk? I was in a river house for two years before leaving to go live in the quad senior year out of my own volition. Had a great time all three years. [Then again, I willingly chose to move, so I guess I’d never understand how it feels to be involuntarily dumped in the Quad. Maybe that IS a really, really painful experience. I’ll never know.]</p>
<p>I’m in an organization renowned for being druggy, and I’ve seen drugs harder than pot twice. In my life. One of my freshman year roommates was very New York Prep School, hard-partying, in all sorts of exclusive social organizations/ticket to every finals club. She came back from a weekend at Trinity College shocked at the “snowman in the summer” vibe of parties (obviously not that people participated in such things, but how much of a regular part of life it was). After that she went praising Harvard to the skies because we do not have that sort of a drug culture. So I’m sure such parties have happened; I’m also pretty sure they’re laughably easy to avoid.</p>
<p>Also, most medical conditions that let you pick your house will guarantee that you get Quadded. Mobility issues? Quadded. (Other houses can’t guarantee elevators/first floor housing/a dhall you can get to without steps.) Allergic to whatever nasty things live in river house walls? Quadded. etc</p>
<p>I am sure voluntary exile to the Quad is a far less traumatic experience! Plus, we all know that once you start drinking whatever it is they put in the water out there you start talking about how tight knit Quad houses are and how with the shuttles etc etc etc its not “really that bad”. Let me take a wild guess, you were a PfoHo?</p>
<p>exultationsy</p>
<p>Obviously everyone has very different experiences here, but I am not speaking hypothetically or about one of my “freshman year roommates” who may or may not have been at exclusive social events or whatever, I am speaking from personal experience. To be fair, before coming to Harvard I had led a fairly sheltered and privileged life, I had never done or considered doing drugs, drunk sparingly, nothing too wild, etc. The same could not be said of me now. You are right to say that it is a minority of students who are involved in such things, but wrong to say that it is easy to avoid if you are singled out for inclusion in that minority. </p>
<p>As far as the AEO goes I am obviously not going to post a public step by step tutorial and ruin it for everyone, but it worked for me and it has worked for others. Intuitive students who are interested in avoiding exile will figure out what conditions may be beneficial to their cause. You were right about mobility issues though, a wheelchair is not the answer. Avoiding the Quad is not the only motivation for interfering with the housing lottery though (think about it…)</p>
<p>As a matter of fact many kids would gladly give up a River house–you can figure out which one in particular to which I am referring–for the Quad, yet there are those students who love that house…what I am saying is that there are advantages to any House-and the Quad has real advantages-- check out the new Cabot Cafe, for example and Hollis (clubs) is near by too.</p>
<p>Yes there is a fair amount of drinking, and yes, more than there should be (and that number should be ZERO) is binge drinking but the College tries quite hard to seek out and help those kids who get into trouble-- the advising system is SOOOO much better than even a few years ago-- now, a student has to make a bit of an effort to avoid everyone who is a potential advisor. True, the proctor system is spotty and needs to be revised, but even that is getting better, but the changes in the FDO to create Deans for sections of the Yard, for example is a welcome addition to the levels of coverage.</p>
<p>As for drugs-- it is like anywhere I have worked in mental health–if you want it you will find it-- but no one will look down upon you if you want to be drug free or clean.</p>
<p>If there is one aspect of social life that is probably more prevalent than a few years ago is that the hook-up culture is stronger–and by hook-ups I mean intercourse. Those students who don’t (and I know of some) can find themselves on the outside looking in and have to have a firm sense of self not to conform to the peer pressure to become sexually active. I don’t think for one second that this is a Harvard thing-- but a generational thing. </p>
<p>The students I have encountered as a resident and non-resident tutor and now a parent are by and large not cut throat-- that is not to say that the fighting for the president of the Crim or the IOP will not be fierce (and that feelings might be hurt) but as for grades, no–Harvard students have already won the brass ring-- if they want med school or Harvard Law, for example, it will be more a struggle within themselves than competition between students. There are very few classes (and almost all are freshman classes) that have a “forced curve”. They do poorly in the Q Guide–often just because of the notion of curve grading (which I absolutely find academically and morally repugnant) and I would guess that even these courses will in the next few years get fewer in number.</p>
<p>HVDstudent is right–almost every student will find her or his niche and will make friends there – from the most outgoing MUN/UCC/IOP proto-politico to the math 55er who is more insular (basically because the rest of the class is intimidated by them…) to the varsity athlete to the Phillips House devotees. If you come here – you will too will find your place in the amazingly rich tapestry. If you don’t it will be because you have, almost always, made a choice not to do so–and people will respect that too…</p>
<p>@etondad: very, very true. I’ve also found that Harvard students go through several phases. They’re generally super excited to get to the Yard as frosh. Almost everyone turns a shade more cynical and jaded by junior year–this is when you hear a vocal minority of students say they regret attending Harvard/get really stressed out and so on. However, once you graduate, the world is suddenly strangely open again. </p>
<p>I’ve probably met as many new people (many college alum, as well as alum from the other grad schools) out of college as I did when I was still in school in the various cities I’ve lived in; many alum are happily involved with various alum groups. I also don’t think I’ve ever seen so many alum wear H-sweaters and misc attire this week. This has been a very good two weeks for school pride.</p>
Grade inflation. In classes I’ve received A’s for writing subpar papers, I’ve gradually lost interest and effort - to the point where I feel that I’m not learning much anymore. And since I plan on spending the next four years learning, Harvard isn’t seem ideal. (Of course, Harvard’s grade inflation is probably less severe than my school’s, but I assume it still has some effect.)</p>
<p>Littlepenguin, if you’re happy with every one of your grades being a B+ and you’re of above average intelligence, make sure to come to Harvard. If you want a 4.0, I’d recommend somewhere else. It is, essentially, impossible-- though if you don’t really care about social life, sleep, or taking an interesting and/or risky course load, I suppose you could do it.</p>
<p>littlepenguin, you write you are interested in learning at college, yet you write about grade inflation-- one has nothing to do with the other–if you are truly interested in learning then who cares what your grade is-- go to learn-- if however you will only do work if have to work hard for a top grade, then you aren’t interested in learning at all–</p>
<p>Learning, education, is an internal process that should never be dependent upon a grade. Who cares if everyone gets As or Cs?-- The question at the end of your time at college–even Harvard-- is what did you learn? The rest is, in the title of that great movie, just a “Paper Chase.”</p>
<p>Seriously if you just want hard work but don’t care about learning for learning’s sake, you will be much happier elsewhere…no one here will hold your hand or give a rat’s behind about your grades–That’s the ethos, if you need a different environment, there are lots of great schools that will provide what you need to make your college experience what you want it to be…</p>
<ol>
<li>I wouldn’t get in (Grades and SATs more than enough but weak ECs and no major awards. But, here’s the thing, I would have applied to Yale or Stanford if I were more “well-rounded”)</li>
<li>Harvard seems a bit impersonal and I feel there is little in its identity other than that it is considered the best university in the world. Harvard tends to attract a lot of students who are only after its supreme reputation.Competition is the character of the school and its people–Harvard must be the best in everything and everyone in Harvard wants to be better than everyone else.</li>
<li>Related to point 2., it has been said by some insiders, including its professors, that Harvard is “not the best place for undergrads”.</li>
</ol>
<p>All these said, there’s no doubt that Harvard is an excellent school in many respects, only that it is not the best fit for everyone. I have applied to UChicago and Pomona, and would have tremendous difficulty choosing Harvard over these two schools (there would be great pressure to do so) if I had the choice.</p>
<p>Responding to asianeekamkee, a thing that is definitely not so great about Harvard is its dorms. Most of the river houses are cockroach-infested and some rodent-infested. </p>
<p>Some of the rooms in the river houses are also literally the size of generously sized closets. There’s a high chance that you will live in a double for your first three years.</p>
<p>You can avoid these problems if you live in a non-river house, but then you will have to take the bus to classes every day, which is very inconvenient, to say the least. </p>
<p>However, you get used to anything, and however horrifying and surprising these attributes sound before you actually experience them, your high expectations for the world’s finest university will, in most cases, gradually adapt to the stark realities and you will be able to continue to be happy to look forward to the Harvard diploma you will receive after graduation.</p>
<p>However, in defense of Harvard’s dorms, I would say that if you are lucky, you definitely can get very nice housing. Also, housing renovation has started and is already underway in one of the houses, so in about ten to fifteen years, the housing conditions should become a non-issue.</p>
<p>@Rovena: I voluntarily transferred to the Quad at one point. Honestly, the walk from where I lived to my classes wasn’t that much further than from the river. It’s all psychological.</p>
<p>A bit delayed, but…
my comment on grade inflation was definitely out-of-context; I realize now that I’d assumed Harvard’s grade inflation would somewhat resemble my high school’s (ridiculous).</p>
<p>But…if a professor who has a grade inflation policy tends have lower standards for student work than a professor who has a grade deflation policy, does that standard then limit what the professor can or is willing to teach?</p>
