Sell me Harvard

Hanna
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:47:12 +0000

Big factors for me (I made this decision):


Housing system. Stanford gives you a lot of different choices, including frat/sorority housing, ethnic theme housing, etc. The result is a lot of self-segregation. I preferred Harvard’s system of small communities that are microcosms of the university. Jocks, artists, beautiful people, internationals, etc. all live, eat, and study together in each House. You can still choose your close friends, but you can’t avoid mixing with, and learning from, everyone.
Location. I felt that Stanford was quite isolated, and even if you get into town, you’re in a fancy suburb. It’s a very pleasant place to live, but it feels nothing like San Francisco or even Berkeley. I like that Harvard isn’t so separate from the real world.