^^ FWIW: My daughter just graduated this December from Harvard, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude. About half the classes she took were small, seminar like classes, where she got to know professors. The other half of classes she took had about 100 to 200 student’s in the class. She did NOT get to know those professors, and her professors did not grade her papers or Psets. That was all done by TF’s and sometimes she was at the mercy of a TF when it came to grading. Student’s like my daughter attend Harvard for those iconic classes that often have higher teacher-to-student ratios than the norm. Pomona has an 8 to 1 teacher ratio (one better than Harvard), but they don’t offer a single class with 700 students. My point, which you seem to be missing: there are many fabulous reasons to choose Harvard, but the teacher-student ratio really isn’t a big factor.
The point you are missing is if you have a 100 person class you can get to know the professor if you go to office hours or stay after class to ask questions . Also if half her classes were large classes she is the exception rather than the rule most of the large classes at Harvard are beginning classes. I just looked at the course enrollment data for Econ at Harvard Of the 90 or so classes only about 6 had more than 100 students
Most general education classes tend to be large, with 100 to 200 students in the class, and Harvard requires kids to take 8 of those classes throughout their 4 years. Most of the intro pre-med classes like Bio, Chem etc tend to be large classes, as well, and those are then split into sections taught by TF’s. So much, I suppose, depends on a student’s interest and their concentration.
BTW: I don’t think my daughter is the exception, but I’m willing to be corrected by other Harvard students and parents. Are you a Harvard graduate? A current student? A parent of a Harvard student?
Most of my sons’ classes are small or very small. My older son has had courses with as few as one other student - and that was a graduate student. Even in larger courses (25 or more students), my sons have mostly found professors who were generous with their time, and many outstanding TFs, as well.
But then again, my older son took CS50 his first semester and having learned from it, both my sons have been more selective in the courses that they take.
I guess that to some degree, it’s what you make of it.
Here’s an interesting article about the role of undergraduate TFs at Harvard.
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/9/16/students-tf-math-cs50/?page=single
Another thing-
When I apply to college, I’ll get my acceptances in 2017. But if I win something big in 2017, after I’ve sent my application, can I still notify colleges of this?
@PassionatePoet, sure, Harvard has the applicant portal where you can upload additional documents; I think the scan of the award and small clarification on how big your achievement is would do.
Guys… another thing-
(Hypothetically) If I apply to MIT intending to major in Economics and Statistics, will admission officers still expect national or international science awards?
^^^ While MIT (and HYPS) Admissions Officers don’t expect every applicant to have national or international science awards, some applicants will have them.
I get all the blow-back these days surrounding the issue of why students shouldn’t be shooting for the moon (and if your idea of the moon happens to be Harvard then so be it) when applying to colleges. Obviously if the fit isn’t right, or the odds are just astronomical based on metrics, or the costs or anticipated debt burden going forward seem impossible to bear- then yeah…you might want to do your homework and find other choices that better suit your needs,your qualifications and your resources. That’s just common sense. But if you’ve dreamed your whole life long of applying to a particular school, and you can pay the application fee, and you’re willing to deal with rejection if it comes to that, then go ahead and give it your best shot and apply to Harvard, to Yale, to Swarthmore…to wherever or whichever school floats your proverbial boat
Of course there are, objectively speaking, less-good reasons for choosing any given school (people love to knock on the “prestige” factor, for example) but so what? You don’t have to justify yourself to anyone.It’s your life and it’s not as if you’ll be harming the planet by shooting off an application to a fantasy reach with finger’s and toes crossed. You’ve worked hard, You’ve done your best. So go ahead. Press “send”. And if it doesn’t work out, then get over it and move on.
@smartchoices I couldn’t agree with you more. Why the hell not? You might get lucky
@PassionatePoet No, they are not required. A few of my friends HAD these awards(USAMO, Intel STS, Siemens) , and did not get into a single Ivy or top 10.
I’ve been taking up a few projects lately, and I want to know what you guys think of them-
First of all, I started a local magazine, as well as an online literary magazine (advertised in a few listings on the web)
I am in the process of starting a library in my apartment (collecting books, friend made a software system to keep track, putting up notices)
(oh and I recently won 2 international essay competitions)
I get that what I’m doing is pretty limited. But for HYPS- do these schools expect applicants to start international NGOs that span eleven countries, which generate electricity for rural villages and get water to drought afflicted areas?
My two sons got into Harvard by doing what they each wanted to do, without regard to whether Harvard would take them or not. My older son really didn’t choose Harvard until after he had all his offers, and he visited the campus. He was leaning toward an extremely generous offer from our state flagship almost till the last minute.
My younger son wanted to go be with his brother, but was perfectly happy to go to any good school that would take him, so long as he was free to study lots of math. Which is what he’s doing. For both, it was about what they could DO. I think Harvard saw that each of my sons would put the resources available to them from Harvard to good use, because they were already DOING what they wanted to do. Neither spent much time doing things to get Harvard’s attention or to say, “Pick me! Pick me!”
Q- I’m switching schools for 11th and 12th (currently a sophomore) So, who will write my letters of rec- only the counselor of my new school, or even the teachers of my 9th and 10th grade school?
Schools normally expect letters from 11th grade teachers who know you well. Changing schools doesn’t change that expectation. So you’ll want to get to know your teachers well from the very beginning. Ideally, your English and math teachers. If possible, I’d suggest doing some research before you register so that you don’t get stuck with the English teacher from hell.
@PassionatePoet: You will have to ask your 9th and 10th grade guidance counselor to fill out a Secondary School Report (SSR) on your behalf and send it to your current guidance counselor who will fold it into their SSR when you apply to college. It’s probably best to ask your 9th and 10th grade guidance counselor NOW to fill out the SSR and sent it to your new GC while their memory of you is still fresh. The Common Application no longer provides a pdf of the SSR, so use this one and give it to your old GC to send to your new one: http://ugadm.northwestern.edu/documents/UG_Admissions_SecondarySchoolReport.pdf.
Colleges want recommendations from teachers who have most recently taught you in class, so you’ll need to ask your 11th grade teachers for those recommendations – and that’s usually done towards the end of your junior year. If you don’t bond with your 11th trade teachers, then you can ask your 10th grade teachers, but your 9th grade teachers are too far removed from who you are now, so it’s not appropriate to ask them.
@PassionatePoet I moved schools also after 10th grade (currently a senior), but I did not have any trouble bonding with my 11th grade teachers at the new school. Don’t worry! Just be friendly and attentive in class, and you’ll be able to develop some awesome connections with your new teachers.
I’m BIG into blogging.
so… does having a blog with 1000+ international followers count as leadership or anything that I can put on my application?
@PassionatePoet: I guess blogging would count as an EC, but It’s not leadership. FWIW: I’ve posted this before about leadership, but I guess it needs repeating.