Harvard University

Visit Report by crazy mom (Member since May 24 2007 with 178 posts) Visit Date - August 2007

2 of 5 people found this visit report helpful
Visit to Harvard University in August 2007 by crazy mom (Parent of Student, HS Class of 2008)
Visit Activities:
Information Session: Yes - This was excellent. Admissions officer and students were funny and seemed like normal guys. Campus Tour: Yes - This was absolutely dreadful. Terrible guide talking by lawnmowers and heavy traffic, only went in hallway of one building. Been to 4 campuses, this tour was worst and useless.
Harvard University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 2 - Fair - Those on admissions discussion were great. Tour guide was just there. We were rushing to get there on time and while students went by, none offered help. Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good - Admissions staff was very helpful, but the tour guide was not. Appearance of Campus: 3 - Good - They didn't let us see anything inside except hallway of Memorial Hall. Guide told us science building was ugly, which was obvious. Other buildings looked nice from outside. Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 3 - Good - Looked OK from outside. Dormitories: 3 - Good - Again, bricks on outside looked fine, didn't let us go in. Security/Safety: 2 - Fair - I didn't see any security efforts such as call boxes, in any obvious places. Overall Campus Impression: 3 - Good - Hard to tell when they show you so little.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 2 - Fair - While Cambridge is charming, the absence of most street signs is deplorable. Have they ever heard of signs? By the way, Brattle Street turns near campus. City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent - Wonderful city with great public transportation and people of Boston were very friendly, much more so than on campus.
Campus Visit Notes for Harvard University:
Visit Description: We made the mistake of driving to campus. I would highly recommend staying near subway or going to a park and ride facility and taking subway to Harvard. The directions in their brochure are based on streets that are not marked with street signs. While finding Harvard Yard is fairly obvious, the building where admissions is located is not. My son and I rushed to get there while the rest of the family hunted for parking. While we passed numerous people, no help was offered. The admissions staff and students there were wonderful. They were friendly and helpful, and seemed much like my son and his friends in demeanor and interests. The tour guide, however, was awful. We couldn't hear much he said except that the science building, where he spends most of his time, is ugly. He took us in a hallway at Memorial Hall and inside no other buildings. Most of his talk was by heavy traffic or lawnmowers, and pushy parents always shoved us to the back where there was no hope of hearing much. We wandered a bit on our own but many buildings were not open. When the admissions people tell you that you can stay and ask questions or use the rest room, don't believe them, they take off immediately for the tour it seems. Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments: We stayed at a Best Western in Waltham and learned after our mistake of driving to Harvard that it wasn't far from Alewife on the subway, where you can park and ride, which was great. Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments: Being of modest means with a son who loves seafood, we highly recommened No Name restaurant, a great value. Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.): We made the error of walking to MIT along the river, about a three mile hike. Take the subway.
2 of 5 people found this visit report helpful