A theme park is not really an apt analogy for Harvard, unless your Disneyland is filled with Psets, some of which can take 14-20 hours a week in addition to class time: (copy and paste the full link, as it’s not coming through)
https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/hear-our-students/student-blog/“-harvard-hard”-and-other-commonly-asked-work-related
What part of “metro area” do u not understand?
“A theme park is not really an apt analogy for Harvard, unless your Disneyland is filled with Psets,…”
It depends on whom you ask. Some people actually like psets. 
And this is another question-
My friend and I are both working on different internships this summer. He’s doing something relating to data mining, and I’m writing for a nationally recognized magazine. But I can’t stop thinking that his is so much cooler, and that although I seem to be working harder, colleges will look more favorably at his. Is this true?
No
@paul2752 Thank you for your quick reply!
And this is another- I want to pursue a career in economics and statistics, maybe even physics. But all of my achievements are national essay awards, publications in international magazines (poetry and stuff). The only thing to show that I’m interested is that I’ll be taking Phy HL, math HL and eco HL in IB… so I would have done them for all 4 years of high school.
But… (and I don’t intend on changing my major), hypothetically, if I said my major would be in journalism or lit, would I have a higher chance of securing a scholarship?
Do you realize that Harvard has need based aid ONLY? It doesn’t have merit scholarship.
I’m sorry, @paul2752 I wasn’t referring to only Harvard. I was referring to top 30
Many try so hard to get into Harvard without ever truly experiencing it. While in HS attend their summer SSP program that is for HS students. You will dorm on campus and attend two classes with the Harvard college students during an 8 week program. You leave with 8 college credits and a full view of Harvard. The program was a bit costly, but IMHO worth every penny. The summer program can really open a kids eyes.
My D did attend Harvard SSP and when she was ready to apply for her favorite college early decision, it was not Harvard. She received A’s in both her classes, so the hard work was not what turned her off. When I asked her what turned her off, she claimed that the college food was not very good, (she ate out at the nice restaurants in Cambridge often to compensate) and the professors pretentious. I am so glad she spent that summer there, lest she would have chose and possibly been accepted to a school that at this time in her life is not for her.
She made great friends that summer, and matured immensely. So, all in all the Harvard SSP program delivered.
College must truly be a great fit for a student.
I support this post. Who in their right mind would pay 50 grand PER YEAR to attend a school when there are many other universities that compare? And keep in kind that this 50 grand per year tuition is only for you undergraduate degree. After graduate school, your fucked!
It depends on the resources you have available, and the expectations you have for earning after you finish school. Usually, people being asked for $50K per year are people who can afford a good bit of money. Usually folks who ask the question, “Who in their right mind would pay 50 grand PER YEAR” are folks who aren’t asked to pay it.
If a school asked ME for $50K per year, I’d just laugh. But my kids’ school isn’t asking that much from me.
It is not 50k it is now 60k with room and board. Some people drive around in a 5,000 car and some people drive around in a much nicer car. It is a world class education that has few comparables. It is mostly people who don’t get in that some how find fault with it.
Actually, it’s closer to $65K, but most folks pay neither $65K nor $60K, nor even $50K. Which was the point. Those who do have to pay those amounts are often a little better off than most.
I’m thrilled that my kid is getting a Harvard education. Not thrilled enough that I would pay $65K for it. Or even $25K.
Harvard has one of the most generous financial aid packages on the planet. My daughter would have most likely paid a LOT less $$$ for Harvard than she is for Cornell. But Harvard does not offer the major she is studying at the undergrad level. Try their financial aid calculator and see for yourself. Actually if one makes less than 120,000 then tuition is FREE!
If one takes the annual operating expenses for Harvard and divides it by the number of students the number is about $225k per year. That doesnt include money for large capital expenditures. An argument could be made that just in terms of cost involved Harvard is a great value. The faculty to student ratio is 7 to one at Harvard. That means that each student gets about 25k in faculty time alone. I think the people who complain about the costs of Harvard have no understanding of the true cost involved in a harvard education not to mention the value of the extrinsic benefits of such an education
Not sure if my daughter’s experience is typical, but she actually spent MORE time with her TF’s in sections than she did with her Harvard professor’s during class time.
Harvard has one of the highest full time faculty ratios of any school in the country
^^ While that may be true, Harvard professors are expected to teach class and be available for office hours. But, at some large classes – think CS50, Principles of Economics, Justice etc. – where the professor is teaching 700 to 900 students in class, it’s just not possible for the fabulously famous Harvard professor to get to know each of their students. That’s where sections and Teaching Fellows (TF’s) come into play. A TF (which is usually a graduate student, but sometimes in the case of CS 50, it can be an undergrad) is expected to know each student and grade their papers or Psets.
At a smaller Liberal Arts College, for example, which has a higher teacher ratio, but doesn’t have such large classes, and where the professor actually leads the sections, it’s possible to personally get to know each of your professors and have them personally grade your work. At Harvard, that only happens with smaller classes. So, teacher ratios are not always a good predictor of teacher availability and accessibility.
The large classes at Harvard are the exception rather than the rule. 80 per cent of the classes are less than 20 students and the teachers do get to know their students at Harvard . Even in the 100 to 200 person classes lots of the teachers do get to know their students. Pomonas faculty to student ratio is higher than harvard