We asked James...
What are the academics like at your school?
There's a lot of work to be done at Harvard. Just like any other university, actually, you can find classes to coast through or courses that will challenge you more than you ever thought possible! (The likelihood of those "coast" classes is probably lower here, of course...) Harvard students study, study, study, but at the same time it's pretty difficult to get a terrible grade if you do your work. The key to enjoying your courses (and challenging yourself) is, at least in my opinion, finding small classes -- which is almost always a possibility at the higher levels of any department. That being said, the huge intro-level courses are often well-taught, and help is always available if you're feeling lost.