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<p>Great, I used to buy into all that too. I was very worried for exactly that reason when my daughter chose Harvard over Stanford. But what I’m here to tell you is that reality on the ground didn’t match the stereotypes in the guidebooks. Not for her and not for all her friends.</p>
<p>As with all schools, your mileage may vary. But the unhappy Harvard kid who is disappointed in the school, a stereotype you hear about all the time on CC, is the very rare exception and not all the rule. In four years of getting to know bunches of Harvard kids, I personally never met one. </p>
<p>And the point about Dartmouth is very relevant. Because Dartmouth consistently ranks even higher than Stanford in the polls and guidebooks. And the undergrad teaching is indeed great there - just like at Harvard. The point being that if Dartmouth is number 1 and Harvard is not even on the list, then they must really be splitting hairs among a lot of schools with excellent teaching in order to develop that list. The other point is that a few years of personal experience can go a long way in showing you where the guidebooks are outdated or simply missing the mark.</p>