Harvard University Top Questions

No. Most people are rather ordinary.

Part of them are true.

Yeah

no. some students don't have such personality

yes. when i read the question above, many stereotypes immediately popped into my head, all very different but sort of perversely similar. Anyway, I suppose we're stereotyped as overachieving in some way or another, be it school, extra currics, social, etc.

Sometimes, but the campus is really friendly and students definitely help each other out in classes

Smart and cut-throat are very accurate, but wealthy and preppy describes only a very small part of the student body.

for the most part, but there are definitely exceptions (both students and faculty)

Only slightly

In as much as any stereotype is going to be accurate about a certain percentage of the group you're stereotyping. I'd say that you probably get more type A overachievers at Harvard than elsewhere, but far from everyone is that way.

No, Harvard students are kind, willing to help other in the community and mix community of social and ethnic class.

Yes, but there is also a lot more to Harvard student then just that. Of course there are other minorities, and some are here on financial aid.

No, they are not at all. There is a very diverse population around here.

somewhat

somewhat accurate

no

in most cases

msot are true on average, but there are alot of people who dont fall into the categories

partly

No

In some cases they are, is other cases they are not. I have friends here who exemplify the preppy new englander stereotype, and others that could not more unlike that. The one that is probably true, though is that everyone here is pretty smart. Even the athletes I've met are for the most part very clever.

We have lots of fun here, there are people who don't go out at all but the majority of people are social and don't work all the time.

No, they are only correct for some

Harvard is so diverse (that is the only one I can say is entirely true) that while it is true you'll find people who fit all of these stereotypes, not any one Harvard student fits all of them, and you'll find many students who fit none.

Sometimes, for some people.

These stereotypes are almost 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} accurate.

This is a bad question. I think so.

Pretentious: some. There are definitely students who are full of themselves, and some elitist groups (finals clubs, for example), but most students aren't like that. Study all the time: No. We just tend to overburden ourselves, which leads to us studying when we don't have anything else to do. Rich: Somewhat. The socioeconomic range is pretty big. Very difficult: Depends on the classes you take, and how many. Generally we overburden ourselves with other things (extracurriculars) and that's what makes things hard...classes can vary from easy to extremely difficult. Fantastic living space: Ha. Beautiful outsides of the buildings. Not so great rooms, depending on which House you end up in. Immensely talented and brilliant: Actually, this one is true (I speak for the general population--there are a few exceptions, haha). I've learned more from Harvard students than from most other things on this campus.

About one in five stereotypes are probably true.

You will find those type of people everywhere, I haven't found them particularly numerous here on campus.

To some extent, however, the university is so big and diverse that those statements can not and do not apply to the majority of students here. Yes, people are competitive, but no more so than at any other ivy.

Not really, although to some extent. People study a lot, but socialize and party a lot too. Athletic ability, social skills, and attractiveness stereotypes are mostly false.

Nerdy - mostly no, though there are some who are amazingly nerdy Sex-deprived - eh, no, thin walls make for interesting background noise every year without fail Super Smart - yea, mostly true Stuck-up - not at all

NOPE (...well maybe the last one is 50-50)

To some extent -- yes, there are people like that; no, not all of them are like that.

For the most part, no, though the extent of how accurate they are does vary according to which social circles you run with. Contrary to public opinion, Harvard these days is much more diverse and egalitarian than its blue-blood puritanical past. We have international students, athletes, people from rural Kansas, and classmates with no apparent academic merits whatsoever. Not everyone who belongs to a final club is rich, and few people are so wrapped up in their studies that they?re constantly locking themselves up in their room.

I am pretty sure that Harvard students are smart. But then everyone comes from a different background, I am not sure that everyone is rich and privileged. I certainly am not. As for clothes, I haven't seen enough MIT students to be able to judge that.

Harvard doesn't have the shiny golden aura that most people perceive it to have. It's a great school that doesn't make or break you. Sure, there are tons of opportunities -- but no one hands them easily to students. Students have to be motivated and search for the opportunities themselves. As for grade inflation, it's true that if you study hard, you probably won't get a C or D. But look at it realistically -- Harvard students are people who are used to working hard and getting A's. Most of them work extremely hard, so getting a B+ and up can be very tough in most classes. Those who come into Harvard thinking it will be easy will be brutally shoved into real-life with the heavy courseload of essays and difficult exams. Harvard students are smart and hardworking -- but not all of them are brilliant and not all of them care about studying. Perhaps they did in high school -- but there are a fair number of students that slack off when they come to Harvard and end up nearly flunking out of the school. Many students who are not that smart are extremely hard workers -- and they handle the coursework as well or better than their "genius" peers. As for the party life, if you're into partying, it's definitely there and easily accessible. If the party life isn't for you, no fear -- you're in good company and won't be forced to participate.