<p>I was just filling in my Harvard supplement, and thinking how sad it was that it doesn’t have this question(refer to thread title), because it’s the one school for which i would have no problem going on and on. </p>
<p>So what do you love about Harvard? As a 2015 applicant, a current student, or an alum, what makes/would make Harvard right for you?</p>
<p>For me, first and foremost, it’s the Government major plus the JFK school where I hope to one day study. I also love Boston, the houses along the river, the sheer energy, and the amazing history and traditions. I went on the ‘Hahvahd’ tour when I visited last year and it was truly wonderful. I also spoke to a few students and liked them all. They seemed down to earth, ambitious, friendly people (not to say all students are like that!). I loved the sense of being steeped in history, the feel of the place, the campus… well, pretty much everything. Really really hoping I get in. I’d love to know the little things about the college, the quirky traditions, anything really, that makes you love it. Feel free to share funny stories. :)</p>
<p>My Ds have loved all those things and more, but my advice would be to write in your supplement why Harvard would be a unique fit for you (and vice versa), based upon your academic goals and intellectual passions.</p>
<p>“My Ds have loved all those things and more, but my advice would be to write in your supplement why Harvard would be a unique fit for you (and vice versa), based upon your academic goals and intellectual passions.”</p>
<p>I talked a Harvard adcom about that and she said she would rather have us write about something that excites us or has had a meaningful impact on us, etc.</p>
<p>^^^ Agreed, but if the OP was writing in her supplement on what she “loves about Harvard,” I’d recommend basing the case for acceptance more on a rational evaluation of the fit than an emotional attraction to the university.</p>
<p>Last year, D’s freshman year dorm has right on Harvard Yard and was a tour stop. She and her dorm friends would entertain themselves by yelling corrections to the guides presentations. They were annoyed that false statements were being made about their school. I also got the impression that the tour company never bothered to correct the info.</p>
<p>What I love most about Harvard is that one way or another it manages to siphon off the lion’s share of the megalomaniacs and prestige-obsessed jerks, leaving Yale and Princeton relatively free of such types. At both the student level and the faculty level. If Harvard didn’t exist, Yale would wind up being Harvard, and that would be a bit sad.</p>
<p>What I also love about Harvard is faculty strength across departments and schools, and financial resources, that are unparalleled in the history of the world. And breathtakingly impressive students, even if some of them have a touch of megalomania or prestige obsession. And the way the buildings with different styles jumble up against one another. And the homegrown integrity of the River Houses, vs. faux Gothic versions elsewhere. And Cambridge/Boston is fun, and crimson is a classy color. And “Fair Harvard” is by far the prettiest, most moving alma mater I have heard.</p>
<p>There are many things I don’t like much about Harvard, but what I do love is the amount of resource and freedom available to students. Want help with a writing assignment? Schedule an appointment with a tutor at the writing center any time. Want help with any course work? Head over to any of the professors and TFs’ office hours. Want to join sing/play an intrument? Harvard has over forty music groups that are each amazing. Volunteering? Harvard’s PBHA organization has 86 student directed programs. Athletics? Performing arts? Research? Really, there are so much opportunities as long as you go out to find them.</p>
<p>What I love the most though are the students, who (in general) are some of the most friendly, respectful, and thoughtful people I’ve met in my life.</p>
<p>@zapfino: How many is a “great many”? I think in many ways what makes Harvard good is the quality and dedication of its student body. For instance, I’ve been impressed by the performances of a cappela groups of other colleges to some extent but a few of the performing groups at Harvard were just so astoundingly amazing. I’m sure all of the members in the music ensemble were highly accomplished before they came to college, but together as a group at the same time, it was… WOW :P.</p>
<p>In any case, I guess most of why I love Harvard are the more personal reasons. I have certain academic and extracurricular interests that just happen to coincide with the strength and personality of the school, and I guess if you have different ones, you’ll certainly find another school to be a better fit. Also, I didn’t want to have to pay too much for college, and Harvard offered an incredible financial aid package that covers tuition, room and board, and almost all other miscellaneous fees, which is so much better than the FA offers of all of my other options, etc etc.</p>
<p>Visit each school and research the financial aid options, and I’m sure you’ll find a school where you’ll love in the end.</p>
<p>It would have to be the financial aid, but that certainly doesn’t assist with your essay writing.</p>
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<p>I find that a cappella features nothing more than a bundle of monotonous musical performances that largely dissatisfies my ears. Of course, my musical preferences are distinct from those of others and some students find it to be a pleasant social and performing arts diversion, but I shudder at how prevalently entrenched these organizations manage to become in the college musical culture. </p>
<p>But even more irritatingly, there is this musical troupe rife with talentless, immature dolts who perform outside my dormitory on sporadic intervals. A few days ago, at 3:43 A.M., they sang and strummed perhaps the most asinine song I had ever heard. I am awake at that time roughly 95% of the time so I was perhaps slightly shy of a perfect 10 on a scale of annoyance. I’m not sure if they’re arrantly intoxicated but their performances are more uniformly embarrassing then the combined efforts of ten wounded gorillas. </p>
<p>Perhaps my most fruitful experience with Harvard’s musical groups thus far has been the marching band’s serving as an alarm clock. I had accidentally slept in until 4:00 P.M. and nearly missed a rather important laboratory session.</p>
<p>"But even more irritatingly, there is this musical troupe rife with talentless, immature dolts who perform outside my dormitory on sporadic intervals. A few days ago, at 3:43 A.M., they sang and strummed perhaps the most asinine song I had ever heard. I am awake at that time roughly 95% of the time so I was perhaps slightly shy of a perfect 10 on a scale of annoyance. I’m not sure if they’re arrantly intoxicated but their performances are more uniformly embarrassing then the combined efforts of ten wounded gorillas. "</p>
<p>Albeit I find it a bit upsetting that you were annoyed and distracted, I couldn’t refrain from finding humor in the above statement.</p>
I literally came on here to say something similar, although I think Yale still gets a pretty big share given that of HYPS only Y and S have early applications (and we all know how much people blow up over the early round).</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t know how much I really love about Harvard that is not offered by other top schools, but some of those graduate programs are really just unparalleled and I could see the appeal of a student body copiously glittered with studs (though I think this is overblown a tad). Oh yeah, I also have to agree that crimson is a pretty sexy color.</p>
<p>Oh my goodness, don’t tell me you’ve been sleeping from morning till four in the afternoon. See, what you don’t like has its usefulness:P One of these days you should show up for an actual a cappella performance-----though I’m sure it won’t be as entertaining as listening to ten wounded gorillas no matter how good they are.</p>
<p>Honestly, I must agree here. Aside from financial aid, there’s no compelling reason to choose Harvard over another school of equal caliber - in fact, looking back, I would really encourage anyone offered admission to highly ranked schools to think long and hard about their final choice if Harvard was among their options.</p>
<p>By the way, Princeton has better food, but I’d argue that there are an equal number of jerk-offs there. </p>
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<p>Oh, really? I can’t stand the marching band. However, I do prefer their unified cacophony to the droning of vuvuzelas played across the yard at 3 a.m. On several occasions in the last few days, I have had to shout long strings of obscenities to the fools below my window to get even 5 minutes of respite.</p>
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<p>Agreed. I’ve heard some excellent a cappella groups, and Harvard certainly does not have any of those. One would be better off turning to youtube to hear quality singing.</p>
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<p>The students were my main motivation for choosing this school, and thus far, I haven’t been too disappointed.</p>
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<p>Look before you leap, young one! Think long and hard about what you’re wishing for.</p>