<p>“My child attended Harvard several years ago. The schools sensitivity to the financial needs of the family surpassed all expectations… The college provided discounted tickets to campus events and also provided additional funds for winter clothing to those students who lived in warm climates.”</p>
<p>I know it says “several years ago,” but is this true? That is absolutely awesome. I would like evidence.</p>
<p>It is true. My son recieved $100 to buy winter clothes. Its a one time stipend only, you don’t get it every year. Apparently set up by a donor just for this purpose. The FA Office notified my son of the stipend, he did not know about it beforehand. I’m not sure what level of FA you must be receiving to qualify, but its certainly a nice gesture.</p>
<p>Thank God. I come from Florida and never have seen snow let alone ever been in the 20s before. The cold just kills me because I guess we don’t have the proper clothes down here when it gets really cold.</p>
<p>The grant is $199, actually. It’s for some students in warm climates, and some students with substantial but not-complete FA, but mainly for students with sub-$60k incomes. Both myself and a close friend from Colorado – coming from cold climates – received the grant. </p>
<p>I think I used it to pay for a flight, actually.</p>
<p>^Erh, the money is for buying a winter coat, not for furnishing your entire wardrobe… And if the concept of being able to buy a coat for “a couple of hundred bucks” is foreign to you, I don’t think you’ll qualify for the fund in the first place :o.</p>
<p>Well, I’m from New Orleans. I haven’t bought clothing (especially cold weather) in a looong time, as I get by with a variety of jeans, athletic pants/ shorts and club t shirts. 10 bucks a shirt, no more than 20 for a sweatshirt. I hear that brand-names are quite a bit more expensive, haha.</p>
<p>I thought cold weather gear was a bit pricey? Yeah, I’m not big on shopping. Forgive my ignorance of market trends. XP</p>
<p>^^^^ Yeah, I live on a peninsula on the peninsula of Florida. The water keeps us a little cooler in sumer and very warm in winter. I think the coldest I’ve ever been in is 33 …Cant’ wait for college to see some snow!..Gunna Die, though XD</p>
<p>Two of my daughter’s roommates were given money for winter coats this year. They told her the fund was set up by a former Harvard student from a southern state who always felt so cold in the North. Both girls were from warm parts of the country and one had not seen snow before. I believe both girls are on significant FA. It’s such a unique idea.</p>
<p>We are from Florida too and D is in school in Minnesota. We sent her with 2 coats, one that had 3 layers that can be added and subtracted as needed. She has one pair of boots and some sweaters. She had only seen snow twice before (once while driving thru upper Wisconsin in April) and once in Missouri in December. She loves it up there and has not complained about the weather once!</p>
<p>Yes, it really does get that cold up here. We are having a unusually bad winter - about 50 inches of snow, and a couple of sub-zero days. If you are from the sunnier zones, get some winter gear. You can just wait until you are up here - we do have stores, after all.
I would suggest: a good jacket/coat with a hood, mittens or gloves, scarf, hat, couple of wool sweaters and boots. Be sure the boots are waterproof - Harvard will clear the paths quickly, but there is always slush to contend with.</p>
<p>Actually, the Harvard Admissions video on the Harvard web site speaks specifically to the fund set up by an alum to help Southern kids buy a winter coat. It is a touching moment in that video when the fine Indian director, Mira Nair, accepted to Harvard from warm India, talks about proclaiming herself a “Southerner” in order to qualify for the fund and receive her winter coat.</p>
<p>They have a separate fund for international students from warm countries. For some weird reason, me (a Canadian) got a $125 cheque in my mailbox =p</p>