Harvard University Reviews

The teachers are incredibly...

The teachers are incredibly passionate, deep people. Sure, they often can be difficult to understand and obnoxiously tough, but if you take the time to talk with them, their passion is inspiring. The teaching fellows are often better than the professors are because they are more realistic and reachable. As for classes, it depends on the topic of the class, the teacher, and the personality of the student. Some of the required classes are interesting, some aren’t.

I think that Harvard has some of...

I think that Harvard has some of the best dorms around. There are very few that aren’t, in relative dorm terms, spacious and nice. There are many different arrangements, but almost everyone I know likes their dorm and develops a good deal of House pride! All of the freshmen live in Harvard Yard (or close by, in the Union) for their first year. After that, you’re able to choose a group of seven other people (collectively, called a blocking group) who you want to live with for the following years, and all of you are assigned to the same upperclass House—you don’t get to choose. I think it’s a pretty good system.

Varsity is not too big at all,...

Varsity is not too big at all, except within the team. IM sports are big among the people who do them. It’s all relative, but you don’t hear much about either unless you’re really into them.

Sorry, I’m a dork—I don’t get out...

Sorry, I’m a dork—I don’t get out much. I’ve heard that Cambridge Common is a good bar, and so is John Harvard’s and Grendel’s Den, but I haven’t been to them.

No. Don’t bring a car. You don’t...

No. Don’t bring a car. You don’t need it.

A car is a horrible, horrible...

A car is a horrible, horrible idea, people will bum rides off of you and you will pay a lot for your car to get covered with snow and hit by people like me who can’t parallel park.

It’s impossible to park. There are...

It’s impossible to park. There are metered spots during the day that are usually full. They offer garages for exorbitant full-time rates. Also, they aren’t close by. In other places, you need to be a resident of Cambridge to park.

Parking is extremely hard to find,...

Parking is extremely hard to find, but annual-parking contracts can be purchased at a variety of lots, such as the Harvard Business School Parking garage. These contracts tend to be expensive, but in reality, students shouldn’t need parking because a car is pretty useless in Cambridge or Boston. Almost everything you will need is within a 10- minute walking distance.

I don’t have a car, so I don’t...

I don’t have a car, so I don’t really know, but most people with cars complain that parking is tough to find.

Two words for parking: very...

Two words for parking: very expensive.

It’s horrible. I’d say don’t bring...

It’s horrible. I’d say don’t bring a car. The public transportation will take you anywhere, and Boston drivers are insane and very, very, scary. Take the T.

The weather sucks. It really does....

The weather sucks. It really does. It’s no fun to walk to class in the winter and not be able to tell what time it is because it’s been grey and cold since you woke up. The snow takes some getting used to, but a warm jacket and learning to layer your clothes should give most students enough warmth to get through the winter. When it’s not frigid and wintry, Cambridge’s fall and spring feature some wonderful weather. Fall is a bit crisp, but not too bad. Spring generally brings with it cool temperatures—perfect for shorts and t-shirts.

Hmm . . . life is difficult. It’s...

Hmm . . . life is difficult. It’s a great place; the opportunities are overwhelming, and so is the coursework. But it pays off.

I love it. The things I thought I...

I love it. The things I thought I would look for in a school (lots of school spirit, good professor to student ratio, prestige) ended up not mattering at all. What is important is the location and the people. Harvard has the best of both.

Yes, I hate the weather, and I...

Yes, I hate the weather, and I think the students can be a bit pretentious and too career-oriented, but overall, it is simply amazing. Professors and courses are thought-provoking and creative. Even though I might not have individual conversations with most of my professors, they are generally the experts in their field and simply listening to them is quite engaging. While binge drinking can be fun, Harvard’s student theater productions, speaker events on campus, and Boston’s various other attractions offer opportunities to enjoy yourself, no matter what your idea of fun is.

I can’t imagine being anywhere...

I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I love my classes, my dorm, and my friends. The resources available to me as an earth and planetary science concentrator are unbelievable, and I have no doubt that I would not be able to do the research I am doing at many other schools. Sure, sometimes the stereotype of Harvard kids being stuffy and nerdy is true, but for the most part, it is a very fun and admirably impressive group of people.

Taking into consideration that...

Taking into consideration that about 25 percent to 50 percent of the students don’t leave their rooms, the student population you actually see out is a fun, good-looking bunch. There are very few overweight people, so bodies tend to be either stringy or buff. Some people say there is no dating scene, but I would disagree. Asking or being asked out to dinner or for coffee has been pretty commonplace among both my girl and guy friends.

Facilities are generally...

Facilities are generally state-of-the-art. Harvard has the nation’s largest endowment, and most of the time it shows. Nearly all classrooms are equipped with amazing technology, some of which seems like it’s never used, but was added just so they could write about it in their admission guide. The athletic facilities were a bit pathetic, but Harvard rennovated the MAC (Malkin Athletic Center), adding more space and equiptment.

In one word: unimaginable. In...

In one word: unimaginable. In every sense, Harvard has fulfilled my highest expectations. The academics, people, resources, and opportunities are unbeatable. I wouldn’t go anywhere else. But a word of warning, and this kind of depends on your concentration . . . you do have to do a good amount of work if you want to do well. You can’t really fail out, but you have to work hard to do well and get anywhere above a B- or B average.

We don’t have Greek life. The...

We don’t have Greek life. The University does not officially recognize [fraternities and sororities]. On the other hand, we do have finals clubs where most girls go, but not the boys, since they can’t get in. If people really want to socialize, you go to the parties in the upperclass Houses or in the Quad—they’re famous for parties.

You’re lucky if you ever meet your...

You’re lucky if you ever meet your professor in almost every class. Graduate students do the majority of the instruction. Some of them are good teachers, and some of them are not. Classes can be interesting, but those are often the hardest ones. A lot of requirements are painful experiences, such as statistics.

My first encounter with a Harvard...

My first encounter with a Harvard professor left me simply dumbfounded. As a naïve freshman, I dared to argue about the author James Joyce with my professor, who I later found out had just won an international book award for his criticism of Modernist literature. I thought he might be the exception, but many courses later I have found that nearly every professor approaches undergraduate education with a rare combination of excellence and enthusiasm. However, to avoid sounding like Harvard’s admission guide, I must admit that occasionally, and especially in the Government department, you will come across professors who allow their views to heavily bias their lectures and the selection of course readings.

I like Harvard. It is a challenge,...

I like Harvard. It is a challenge, but that is to be expected. The class sizes are often too large, but every now and then a professor will prove to be human and make himself accessible outside of class.

The hardest part about Harvard is...

The hardest part about Harvard is getting in. Frankly, it's easy to get by in classes without doing the readings and or putting in the effort, and too many kids choose that path.

Girls here are certainly mediocre,...

Girls here are certainly mediocre, though perhaps not significantly worse than other top schools. One gets the feeling that the prettiest of girls probably wouldn't hold that status were it not for her bank account (fine clothes, careful grooming, etc.). Girls are mostly sapped up by guys on the final guy scene, and the snootier set (read: the best underclassmen and many good-looking seniors) are carted off by grad students.