Harvard vs Yale vs Princeton for Econ/CS/Applied Math

grandscheme
Sat, 01 Apr 2023 03:33:21 +0000

DD is a math major at H and a Calc I and Calc II course assistant and tutor (actually majoring/concentrating in math/econ/Arabic).

Harvard is and feels like a smaller school than we expected despite it being in a city in a city. Most (90%+?) upperclassmen live in “houses” which are like large dorms. You are assigned your house at the end of freshman year and it is where you live for the next three years. That gives the opportunity to make the school feel smaller and you have your own community within the greater university. The houses have their own deans and tutors as well as social events, intramurals and facilities such as dining halls, libraries, fitness rooms, dance rooms, dining hall, games rooms, wood shops, arts rooms, community rooms, etc. My daughter’s house has a couple of pianos available for the musically inclined.

Her house is in vigorous competition for the intramurals sports trophy (which ANYONE may play in whether or not they have ever played before-the house earns points for participation, not athletic prowess!). She has been heavily involved in a class wide game of Assassin. As a parent, I find it a big time suck, but she has straight As, she teaches (which is effectively a whole other class) to make extra spending money, and she participates in many extracurriculars just for the fun and fitness of it.

One of her friends travelled to something like 20 countries on four or five continents last summer with a school choir. Our student has had funded travel opportunities each year with itineraries which offer amazing insights into those regions and introductions to top leaders and dignitaries.

Just a snapshot of one experience at Harvard.