Harvard University

Pros: as long as you can pay, you are accepted.
Cons: the dorm rooms are not airconditioned.

I am a teacher in the Cambridge Public School system. Last May, an interesting email popped up in the "news" mail folder, asking for teachers to apply for a fellowship to study at Harvard Summer School. I downloaded that application within seconds of...

Pros: The eternal cachet of the name
Cons: It just may not be the best "fit", and you will pay dearly to put that name on the resume

Harvard. The name itself has a mystique, perhaps unlike any other university in the world. Certainly boasting of a degree from that elite institution is one of the more notable criteria one can carry when it comes time to get a job. It can also evoke...

Pros: reputation, research & heritage
Cons: arrogant & idolized

Facts And Fiction Where does legend start and fact end at fabled Harvard University? This is the University that wants to be seen as the first and best in every academic area. But is it? Or is Harvard borrowing heavily off of its past ...

Pros: Excellent academics, brilliant student body and faculty
Cons: social atmosphere, administrative support of students

While the tirades against snotty Harvardians, over-hyped academics, or silly ratings systems may be amusing, they seldom have actual information to lend to people reading these reviews. In this epinion, I will try to distill what I think to be wrong...

Pros: Plentiful, hearty fare
Cons: None

the.MYTH
There's nothing students like more than to complain incessantly about college food. It's like being at a party and complaining about the watery beer - a guaranteed conversation-starting technique that even the socially reticent can...

Pros: great for highly independent souls
Cons: tough for those seeking a little guidance

I stepped out of the car into Harvard Square, and I don't know how else to describe this--I felt electrified. There was something emanating from the brick sidewalks, perhaps, or from the strangely welcoming wrought-iron gates surrounding Harvard Yard....

Pros: convenient location
Cons: horrible service

In a word, Harvard University Health Services are abominable. The staff is horribly disorganized, it is next to impossible to get an appointment when you need one, and the majority of the doctors are inept. I would not normally be so unequivocal...

Pros: Fair process, thorough admissions personnel and application readers, financial need-blind
Cons: It's VERY hard to get in

You're a high school senior right now, or maybe a parent of one, and you're desperate to get into a good college like Harvard. It's an arduous process, I know. You're probably well-versed on all the standard advice: get good grades, score well on...

Pros: Unparalleled Academic Resources, Endless Extracurricular Activities, Wonderful Tradition and History, Great Location
Cons: None

My college experience at Harvard was as incredible as I thought it was going to be; in fact, it exceeded my expectations beyond anything I might have imagined, and, given the opportunity, I would do it all over again. There are few places like it in the...

Pros: super-professors, current view of issues
Cons: large, there is an easy path

The Government department (we don't call it political science because Harvard always needs to do things a little differently) is one of the largest departments for undergraduates. Generally most people don't see this department as a very difficult...

Pros: Great athletes and competition
Cons: Little support from administration or students

I am not a Harvard Athlete (not enough to count at least) but it's pretty easy to realize that athletics are not officially a very important part of the university. It's not that athletes or coaches don't care, it's that most students and the...

Pros: Diverse student body, rich resources and course offerings
Cons: not the best fit for extremists on either end

Upon beginning Harvard Divinity School after college 5 years ago, I was a bit apprehensive about attending a school full of "religious" people. Would I encounter a bunch of religious nuts? Pontificating preachers hell-bent (no pun intended) on...

Pros: brilliant students and faculty, lots of opportunity
Cons: $$$$$, unapproachable faculty

Harvard's School of Public Health draws students and faculty from all over the world. They are the best and brightest. By the time they get to Harvard, they have been doing the most amazing things in their already-flourishing careers. I could not...

Pros: Tolerating environment, rich academic resources, diverse environment, famous professors, helpful student services, generous financial aid
Cons: A little too big and impersonal, professors can't teach

Let me start by debunking a commonly held view of Harvard: It's only for rich kids. The truth is, while Harvard's tuition is not cheap, once you are admitted, the school does everything to make sure you can afford it.

Harvard College does not...

Pros: The admissions process looks at more than just test scores.
Cons: Only about one in ten get in.

I wish I could tell you how, in a few paragraphs. There's no one secret, but these are a few tips that might help:

1. Don't expect to get in. Given that Harvard admits 10% or so of applicants, don't expect to get in. It's a tough thing to...