| Jen98 is right about everything.
I would emphasize that the freshman dorms are completely separate from the upperclass houses. The freshman dorms are small (anywhere from 30-250 students apiece, roughly) and most are in Harvard Yard, or right next to it. Most don't have their own laundry rooms, and none have their own cafeteria (all freshmen eat in the freshmen dining hall).
Houses, where students live their sophomore, junior, and senior years, are much bigger (each at least around 400 students), and each has its own dining hall, laundry, common areas, etc. Over the three years, a strong house culture tends to develop, and this is one of my favorite things about Harvard (I'm in Kirkland myself). |