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The housing system is generally really good, although the blocking system could use some refinement -- I've seen a lot of groups fall apart after sophomore year. It is great having everyone live on campus, though, and it creates a strong community. Harvard's size is perfect, because you never know everyone but you always know someone. Dropping the "H Bomb" can be both a satisfying and an awkward experience, but it is really comforting to know that it will be that much easier to get a job when I graduate. Harvard Square has lost some of its character with all of these new chain businesses moving in, but it is hard to beat the location of Harvard right next to Boston. In terms of spirit, Harvard people aren't really crazy fans like at a lot of state schools, although everyone goes nuts for things like the Harvard-Yale Football Game. I guess it seems a little pompous, generally, to go around cheering Harvard.

The core program is pretty inconsistent in terms of quality (a lot of the science and math cores are pretty bad), but the administration is really working on changing it. Harvard seems like a big place, but within your concentration dept it is a lot more personal, even with big concentrations like English. The library tends to be pretty full Sunday - Thursday, which actually makes it kind of a social hot spot. The quality of discussion will almost always be far beyond anything you had in high school, although sometimes you get one of those extremely annoying Harvard kids who just loves to hear their own voice. But in general it is a fairly laid back environment, people work together and make study guides before finals, etc. Harvard's classes are definitely not geared towards getting a job and there are no pre-professional concentrations. By junior year, though, a lot of people are preoccupied with getting i-banking and consulting jobs, and Harvard definitely tends to push people towards those types of careers.

Harvard's campus is getting more and more diverse, although there is definitely a bit of choice segregation. But racial groups (BSA, SAMA, etc) are very visible on campus, and they don't seem to face any discrimination. The final clubs (Harvard's version of frats) are definitely a diverse crowd racially, if not necessarily socio-economically. Students tend to look fairly put together for class, unlike my high school where everyone wore sweats and pjs. On weekends people tend to dress up, girls wear heels and such. The east coast mentality definitely dominates at Harvard, although there are people from ALL over. Depending on your crowd, it can sometimes seems like everyone is really wealthy, but that is just because the rich kids can flaunt it sometimes. There are certainly politically active segments, but it's definitely not a campus of radical liberals or anything like that. The average student is probably center-left and supports Obama.

I think like 30% of guys are in a frat or final club and 15% of girls, but I could be making that up. Athletic events are not generally well attended unless it is a big game against Yale or something. Theater is pretty rampant -- generally 2-4 shows a weekend. Dorm rooms aren't generally left open, but apart from the final clubs, that is where the majority of parties take place. Dating here tends to be either casual hook-ups or "you're almost married." Friday and Saturday are the main social nights, although sometimes Thursdays can happen. There are very few wild, trash-the-house keg parties here, because no one wants to do that to someone's dorm room, and the final clubs are fairly classy, multi-million dollar establishments. For those kinds of parties, one can easily go to MIT or BU.

Everyone is very type-A, has no fun, doesn't go out, big nerds. You get no personal attention, it is really easy to get A's, undergraduates get shafted.

People do care about their work, but there are plenty of people who go out more than two nights a week -- I usually do something 3-4 nights. You can get as much attention as you seek; all professors and teaching fellows have office hours, and are generally very eager to help you out. Difficulty of classwork varies by department, but you definitely need to work hard to do well.

Harvard is entirely what you make of it. There are enough resources, opportunities, and different types of people here that you can essentially do anything you want -- you just have to have the drive to go out and get it.