Harvard University Top Questions

Don't be afraid to try new things. You might be afraid of wasting time with something, but you must be proactive about your future to figure out the best path for you. You will be happy no matter where you go to college if you keep this in mind. Take advantage of the opportunities in your life, and don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. Take advantage of office hours for professors and don't be afraid to major in something your parents would not choose or to admit when something is too hard to do by yourself. It might sound kitschy, but the more your believe in your own success, the more doors will become open to you.

Be yourself. Yes, at first being surrounded by peers who seemingly save the world on the weekends is intimidating, but they will love you for who you are. Make sure you keep a good sleeping and exercising schedule - it will help you more than you can imagine. But, most importantly, do not stress about your grades. Although there will be a ton of pressure from competitive classmates to worry endlessly over your grades, don't. This does not mean "don't study hard" or "don't worry about homework" - you will have to put in a lot of effort to get good grades, more than high school. But once you pass in your paper or finish the exam, let it go. When you study, don't panic. If you need help, get help, and don't be afraid to admit you don't understand something. There are so many things in this world that can go wrong, but grades are one thing you have control over. So, take a deep breath, do what you got to do, and get on with life. Because college may be the best four years of your life, you need to enjoy them, too.

As someone who has been very satisfied with their college experience thus far, there are only two pieces of advice I would give to myself if I could go back in time to when I was a senior in high school. Firstly, I would advise myself to focus on career opportunities, even if I am unsure about my potential major and career path. Experience in any field is better than no experience at all, and it would have been extremely beneficial to dive headfirst into an internship and develop a strong work ethic in the summer before I went off to Harvard. Secondly, I would stress the importance of trying new things in terms of extra curricular activities. While I am proud of the immense impact I've had on one major student organization on campus, it would have been even more gratifying (and educational) to take on smaller roles in other different types of organizations. Not only would I meet new people with different interests and talents, but I also would gain essential knowledge in fields I am not as skilled in.

It is not a s bad as you would think the most important part is to save as much money as possible and not to stress out to much because if you have determination it will all work out in the end.

Everything you're worried about now won't matter one year down the road. Really enjoy senior year, but honestly college is the best 4 years of your life. Get ready to have an amazing time!

College is the time to lose yourself and find who you are, try something new and fail, and form lifelong relationships. Living in a dorm with three people I'd never met before was a chance to reinvent myself and the rules I wished to respect. I made dozens of choices daily that were inconsequential but added up to a lifestyle. I messed up in some respects (letting physics take over and ignoring my messy room) but got other things right (visiting office hours and finding new ways to study). College is a low-risk arena to live life the way you want and adjust your attitude and actions based on the responses you get. However, college is also "the real world." The clock's ticking, and our (bad) impressions on people won't be erased. College is a marathon. The training you've done makes a tremendous difference, and if you don't keep running after knowledge, you'll lose the glorious 26 miles you've already covered. Ahe words of others via iPod or present company help me go the extra mile that's a part of college campus people have access to but don't necessarily use.

I attended a small high school, and so when I finally arrived at high school, it's fair to say that my world exploded. I have taken classes on subjects I've never explored before, including Japanese History, and all the classroom experiences have led me to consider a concentration in East Asian Studies. I've also learned what true dedication is. College is different in that you focus only on a few clubs, and for me, it's kendo and the Taiwanese Cultural Society. In both, I've decided to step up to the plate and undertake responsibilities as, respectively, equipment manager and educational chair. In addition, I've started creating connections with students, professors, and alumni that I'm sure will be of great benefit in the years to come. Since I've learned to reach out more, I've gotten so much excellent advice on everything from internships to science. I surround myself with kind, intelligent, and successful people, and because of that, I'm starting to change for the better. Finally, college has encouraged me to take better care of myself, since I've truly realized that a healthy body and mind is best for success.

My first semester at college allowed me to take independence to the next level as I chose from endless courses, making decisions based on my interests. The faculty is amazing--my life sciences professor created the famous animation, "Inner Life of a Cell," and pioneers modern day biochemistry. My global health class, in addition to being taught by Dr. Paul Farmer (founder of Partners in Health) and Prof. Arthur Kleinman (scholar in caregiving), invited some of the biggest names in healthcare to speak in lecture. And the best part of it all is that they care so much about undergraduate students (contrary to the Harvard stereotype) that they are constantly willing to discuss and share with their students. During the semester, I worked with my classmates and peers. I have become involved with the Harvard Pops Orchestra and Parliamentary Debate. As a result of this, I have become close with members of the most diverse student body imaginable. Not only are they from every racial, geographical, religious, and socioeconomic background possible, but they also have such a wide variety of interests. Altogether, I have made memorable connections with so many interesting and talented people, both in and out of class.

It has been a privilege to attend Harvard, primarily because of the intellectual discourse between students, which is unlike any I've experienced in my life. Thinking deeply about ideas isn't just a pasttime here--it's a social requirement. I have enjoyed interacting with my peers in both social and leadership settings; as president of Tuesday Magazine, the College's only general interest publication, I've learned how to manage and interact with people in ways both personally and professionally enriching. Volunteering with the Harvard College Democrats has introduced me to some of the most socially aware and active citizens I've ever met, and has allowed me to interact with the community in Boston and elsewhere. Still, the best part of attending Harvard is what it's famous for--its world-famous staff, who are uniformly engaging and happy to interact with students.

When I started attending school, I was skeptical ? was it really worth $40,000 a year? After my first useless meeting with my ?advisor,? and my first 300-person class with a professor who could write books but not teach, my doubts became very real. Those doubts were never corrected ? my academic advising during school was non-existent, and I spent most of my time in anonymously large classes. But that was never the point. Ironically, it was not my college, but rather my classmates who defined my college experience. Surrounded by their talent and motivation, I was inspired to overachieve. Their support and instruction as we struggled through an intense workload taught me more than many professors. And, most importantly, our shared experiences as we grew together into adulthood connect us for life. College gave me many opportunities ? some spectacular professors who revolutionized my perspectives, post-graduate opportunities I never considered that have enriched my professional development, and incredible staff and support resources to help me navigate a new life away from home. But it was my classmates that were truly worth the thousands of dollars, an investment in permanent friends and colleagues with priceless dividends.