<p>Does each house have a particular "flavor " ? Or are the houses a hodge podge of all kinds of people ? I saw the various videos about when students find out where they will be residing for the next 3 years . Appreciate if anybody can enlighten me about how students are placed .I do know that it has something to do with how many people my D wants to live with next year .</p>
<p>There are blocking groups (up to eight) which can then be linked to one other blocking group. Each of the 12 houses is grouped into a âneighborhoodâ of 3 houses - Quad houses are three, my dâs is Lowell, Quincy, Adams, and I would have to look up the makeup of the other two. Your Dâs blocking group will be ârandomlyâ assigned a house. If her blocking group is âlinkedâ to another, then that other group will be guaranteed not be in the same house as your daughterâs group but will be assigned one of the other two houses in the same neighborhood. D was a blocking group of 8 and were assigned Quincy. They linked to a second blocking group of 6 who were assigned Lowell.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I really donât think those details will help your daughter to decide the size of her group.</p>
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<p>My understanding is that in the old days, each house had a theme of some sort - artistic types, athletes, children of the rich and famous, etc. But this is no longer true. Supposedly they are now assigned randomly, so each house will have a similar mix of students. My D told me (but only from second-hand sources, aka rumor) that legacies may be placed in the same houses as their parents, and this was in fact true for her suitemate (and thus my D), but I do not know if this is true or not.</p>
<p>There was a girl in my daughterâs class who is a direct descendant of John Winthrop himself and a many generation legacy. Everyone assumed she would be assigned to Winthrop House, and some even joked they wanted to block with her in order to be assured of a river House. However, when the assignments came she did not get into Winthrop.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience with Harvard summer programs? What kind of financial aid might be available for overseas programs? Thanks!</p>
<p>My son did a Harvard summer program in Italy. All of his tuition (which included room and some board. He had to get there and pay for some food, plus, of course, any extras that he wanted to do. I thought it was very generous. BTW, he does get substantial FA from Harvard already.</p>
<p>Maybe youâd like to check out the David Rockefeller grant. My d traveled to Argentina for a summer internship with the help of this grant.</p>
<p>The average Rockefeller program amount granted to a student not receiving Financial Aid from Harvard is $1500.- Thus the program really benefits FA students much more significantly.</p>
<p>@Ronsard-mâaimait
Like Hat, my son also did a summer program in Italy and got the same amount of help (Tuition and some board was covered). This help was through the David Rockefeller Grant, which if I recall correctly, has to be applied for around about the same time as students send in their application for the actual summer program of their choice. I believe the deadline for applying for the grant has come and gone (Feb18).
[Rockefeller</a> Grants FAQs, FAS, Harvard University](<a href=âhttp://www.fas.harvard.edu/~oip/rockefeller/dr_faqs.html]Rockefellerâ>http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~oip/rockefeller/dr_faqs.html)</p>
<p>The other option, applying for a Office of International Programs Summer Study Abroad Grant also had a deadline of Feb 18.</p>
<p>[OIP</a> Summer Grants, FAS, Harvard University >](<a href=âhttp://www.fas.harvard.edu/~oip/resources/oip_money_featuredsummer.html]OIPâ>http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~oip/resources/oip_money_featuredsummer.html)
[Summer</a> School](<a href=âhttp://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k51861&pageid=icb.page244020]Summerâ>http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k51861&pageid=icb.page244020)</p>
<p>If you go to the Office of International Programs and click on âfundingâ it throws up a few other options including a database of funding sources, some of which are from specific departments. But the best options for funding are the two above with the Feb 18 deadlines.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the replies. Hopefully my daughter applied for those two options when she applied to the program. I have to say it was all a surprise to me! Glad to know there is some chance of financial help. Hat, it looks like the expenses match the basic program cost, according to the web site. Was your son able to keep his expenses below the suggested budget? What a great opportunity, but this does pose some problems, doesnât it, since attending the summer program means no summer job, on top of the extra cost of the program. Anyone know if the lab program in Tokyo really gives them credible lab experience, perhaps something they can continue on their return to Harvard?</p>
<p>Ronsard - I believe that my son was able to keep his costs to a minimum, but then he is squeeky cheap when it comes to food (at least when he is buying). My wife and I joined him after the program and I am sure that his food expenses went up substantially. He didnât buy much in the way of souveniers or such, but then he was in an area where there was not much to buy.</p>
<p>It did cost him the opportunity to make any summer $$, but it also enabled him to fill 8 credits (2 classes) toward one of his majors which helped him a lot with completing his requirements.</p>
<p>Ronsard, My DD spent the summer after he sophomore year in Costa Rica as part of the World Teach program. Although she was working - teaching in a very rural area - she had to pay a substantial program fee. She was able to apply for a grant through the Office of International Programs to pay for the fee.</p>
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Two of the undergrads in my lab have done the RIKEN program, and a third will go this summer. Theyâve enjoyed it tremendously, and have gained some great skills theyâve been able to use back in our lab, plus a solid data chapter for their senior theses. </p>
<p>I would just advise sending care packages â the undergrad I work with was not pleased at the quality of food in the RIKEN cafeteria. :)</p>
<p>@ anyone who has attended Junior Parentsâ Weekend in previous years: What is the dress requirement, if any? casual? business casual? (Specifically for the housemaster reception and house lunch). Thanks.</p>
<p>Nikiwe, I attended last year and there was a range - from very formal to very casual. You will not go wrong with casual.</p>
<p>thanks MSMDAD!</p>
<p>Everything over the weekend is pretty laid-back. Itâs like one big open house drop-in.</p>
<p>Speaking of Junior Parents Weekend, who is going? I arrive Thursday afternoon, leave Sunday Morning. Looking forward to it!</p>
<p>Weâre arriving Friday midday, leaving Sunday afternoon.</p>
<p>We arrive late Thursday and leave Sunday afternoon.</p>