I was fortunate enough to conduct a Skype interview with Dana, a graduate of Harvard University, who shared some information with me on what it’s like to be a student at Harvard. Dana earned a Bachelor’s degree in the humanities within the past five years.
Q: What did you like most and least about campus (physically)?
“Most: The campus is quite beautiful, and Harvard Square is very picturesque. When you’re there, you feel like you’re getting an authentic college experience.
I loved the libraries. They just felt so academic, and you could find any book that you could imagine. I was very into reading at the time, so it was really a beautiful thing to have such huge libraries on campus. There is a 24/7 library as well, which was great. I could study until late at night and feel safe walking home from the library.
Least: No complaints about the physical campus. I’m very fond of the campus.”
Q: What did you like most and least about your professors?
“Most: They were legitimately brilliant and at the top of their respective fields, literally people you read about in newspapers. If you are majoring in government, you will have professors who are advisors to the President, and if you are majoring in the sciences, your professors will be people who have made important discoveries.
Least: I didn’t feel that they were very present when they were teaching their classes. Most classes with well-known professors weren’t intimate experiences, as they have many other projects going on. Moreover, I didn’t truly get the sense that studying with Harvard professors was a better educational experience than I could get at another school.”
Q: What was your favourite class at Harvard?
“My favourite class was taught by James Wood, an English professor. I really loved his work and I admired him a lot. His class was very charming in that his lectures were like conversations, and he told us that we didn’t have to take notes if we didn’t want to. But most of us did, because we wanted to absorb all of his wisdom.”
Q: How was dormitory life at Harvard?
“Really lovely. You get placed in Houses and become very close with the people in your House, which acts as a community. Of course, students are rather immature when they first get to college and sometimes don’t know how to live with strangers, so everyone encounters problems from time to time, but overall, it was great.”
Q: Is Harvard more introverted or extraverted?
“Definitely more introverted, but the most successful students are extroverted or at least very good at pretending that they’re extroverted.”
Q: A potential new freshman asks: I am not super smart. Will I feel intimidated at Harvard?
“Yes. I tried really hard in high school to be the best, and I felt pretty confident in myself when I arrived, and I still felt really intimidated at Harvard. I went to a public school rather than a college preparatory school, so I didn’t receive specific training for the college experience.”
Q: Is leadership experience the most important factor in the Harvard admission process?
“Personally, I did have a lot of leadership roles in high school. I was President of one club and had leadership positions in three others. Leadership is important. With that said, I don’t think any one part of your application is the most important. What is important is having a hook and setting yourself apart from the other applicants.
My brother went to Harvard as well, but he had fewer leadership positions than me. However, he had a hook because he was more science-oriented and specifically knew what he wanted to do in college. Something about his application really clicked and gelled really nicely. Showing that you have a focus and are clear about what you want to accomplish is a good thing.”
Q: Is the culture of Harvard really that aggressive and competitive?
“Absolutely. There’s grade inflation, so people aren’t worried about failing out. The problem is that you have the most competitive students in the world, and a lot of them wanted to go to Harvard to be the best—but what do you do when everyone wants to be the best? They all end up getting caught in a rat race.
Harvard is a great introduction to what certain industries are going to be like. Depending on what field you want to go into, it can be an incredibly instructive experience for finance, business, law, etc. If you are looking to be nurtured, Harvard may not be the best place for you.
Certainly, a huge proportion of Harvard students want to go into finance and consulting, fields where they often wouldn’t consider a student who didn’t go to a big name school. I think that students who want to enter those kinds of fields will fit right in at Harvard.”
Q: I will probably visit Harvard this summer. What’s your recommendation for my visit?
“Definitely visit the libraries and just kind of wander around and get a feel for the people who are working there, because you’re going to be spending a lot of time in those libraries. In terms of having fun, I mean, Harvard Square is a really great place. Go to the restaurants and check out the shops.
I definitely recommend the Harvard Summer School. I have taken classes there and have really enjoyed them. The high school students who study there seem great.”
Q: What’s the most important thing that Harvard has given to you?
“I think that going to Harvard made me realize that I can survive in a really high-pressure environment.”
Q: What 3 words sum up Harvard to you?
“First, type A.
Second, prestigious.
And third, academic.”
