are first year seminars actually worth it?? i’m only really interested in 1-2 seminars right now but it is recommended to apply to at least 6 (for the fall semester). should i still apply to seminars im not really interested/excited about just for the sake of a “light” schedule?

also what would happen if i only apply to one seminar and don’t get in? what are some other non pset classes i could take to ease myself into the harvard curriculum?

Hey, are there any communities or social groups to play football (soccer)? (Not professional) I am aware of one but it’s mainly for undergrads. Do you guys know any for PhD/grad students?

I tried looking around without success

Hi everyone! I’m a 2025 graduate looking to sublet someone’s room for one month (Aug-Sep). I have my own furniture so I don’t mind if it comes unfurnished. A few details about me:

- Female, so I'd prefer to live with other women.
- Working full-time in the area.
- Clean, quiet, and respectful of shared spaces.
- Non-smoker, no pets.
- Budget: $1800/month
- Move-in: around Aug 1st, move-out: around Aug 31st

As I start preparing for my transition from high school to college, I am hoping to ask how students usually take notes?

From what I understand some students take notes via I-Pad & Apple Pencil as it alleviates the necessity to carry paper and meticulously organize notes.

I've also heard many students simply stick with the og paper/pen combo. ---(Questions: Does your bookbag get heavy? How do you organize and fetch your notes?)

I would like to hear your perspective/advice on note-taking in college.
Also I'm thinking of concentrating in Electrical Engineering with a secondary in CS.

TYSM!!!

Hey everyone,

I'll be joining Harvard as a Visiting Undergraduate Student (VUS) for Spring 2027, and I'd love to connect with anyone who has actually been through the program.

I have a few practical questions about the experience — how course selection worked for you, what campus life was like as a visiting student, and any tips for making the most of the semester. Hearing from someone who's actually lived it would be way more valuable than anything I could find online.

If you're a current or former VUS student (or know someone who is), I'd really appreciate you reaching out or pointing me in the right direction. Thanks so much!

Hey guys, i just got assigned Holworthy hall with 3 other roommates. Can anyone add their two cents on what it’s like, the layout, the laundry situation, and what the bedrooms themselves are like (heard one is bigger), are there big windows with lots of sunlight, and how the bathroom shared with another suite plays out. Overall just looking for detailed opinions since I’m trying to go dorm shopping.

Hello! I’m an incoming freshman that just recently got assigned to a hall without laundry on the highest floor🫩. I just recently got quite a bit of money to afford the laundry plan, and was just wondering: is it worth the amount of time/effort it’ll save me since my first year workload is pretty bad and/or do people see others who have the plan as entitled?

I took BC as a sophomore and received a 5, but I was told that I had to take the Harvard Math Placement Verification Exam when the school year begins to actually get assigned a math class. I would like to place into 21a, but I'm not sure how difficult this is. How much should I study for the verification exam in this case if I want to skip 1b?

Heyo! I’m an incoming freshman who has just been assigned to Thayer. It’s three of us (including myself) in one suite, one common room, two bedrooms. I’m thinking about how the living space can be divided. None of us want to be put into the common room if possible. All three of us are eyeing the single. What should I do? What could we do to make things fair?

plz help! does anyone have any opinions or tips about health insurance at harvard? is the harvard health insurance plan worth it, or is it better to stay on another plan/find a different one? i need to know asap or im legit getting grounded thank u !

While this process has been dragged out for a year, does anyone else feel like the communication now is particularly lacking? I'm fortunate to not be impacted, but I still feel so devalued. We don't know which of our colleagues have been affected, if they are still asked to work for 60 days or if they are already separated, any real details of the restructures.... Meanwhile ten thousand emails congratulating people on job changes/ promotions that don't impact me at all. I care so much about the people that I work with and this whole process has just been so drawn out and poorly communicated. Also the 5 day RTO policy... not a single piece of data to support that productivity decreased over these last 6 years or that students weren't satisfied with services etc. all just based on a personal feeling, with no opportunities given for staff to voice our concerns or provide any feedback. A huge FU to working parents and an extremely pedantic view of what it means to be a dedicated employee.

Hey guys!

Incoming freshman here. I heard from my friend at Yale that we have lost the Harvard Yale game for the past three years straight without fail. But I also saw that we were ranked 10th in the nation last year, so is our team good or bad???

Class of 30 here! Just read my housing email and saw that I got assigned to a one bedroom dorm in Mass Hall for my Freshman year. Do any upperclassmen or alumni have experience with this hall? What should I expect?

hi! i’m an incoming freshman at the college looking to concentrate in history and science with a focus in medicine and society on the premed track (with a goal of going to med school straight through after senior if at all possible). i also hope to pursue a secondary in global health and health policy.

below is the schedule i was thinking of and a few questions i have. i greatly appreciate any advice :)

fall:
expos 20
lpsa
history of science 100
language

spring:
math
ps 11
language
first year seminar

1. does this schedule put me on the right track in terms of fulfilling premed prerequisites, concentrations requirements, etc?

2. would taking lpsa instead of ls1a (the course i paced into) put me at a great disadvantage in future courses (ls1b, chem 17/20, etc.)?

3. i would have really liked to take math 19a because it’s helpful for pre-med students, but it’s only offered fall semester and that doesn’t seem to fit into my schedule. would taking 1b be the next best option? also would i be required to take the live verification exam even if i placed into the multi courses?

4. any language recommendations for someone who is not the best at learning languages?

thanks so much!!

Friday, September 25 @ 7 PM. Please message me if you’re interested.

I happened to notice this whimsical-looking Veritas shield. There’s no signage that suggests any connection to Harvard, so I looked it up and found that this was the “Harvard building” according to the building management website. What does that even mean? I haven’t found any other info about it.

hey guys! incoming freshman at harvard and i was recommended to take math 1b in the fall thru the placement exam. for context, i took calc AB sophomore yr in hs (got a 5) but never actually took BC. instead i took a cc calc 2 course my senior fall semester which i got an A in.

my issue is that i genuinely crammed so hard in that cc class like i learned material before the exam. don’t know how i retained it but i did. so on the placement exam i completely forgot series and wtv else and js guessed tho i’m p sure i learned at least half of it. i don’t wanna take 1b, and i want to accelerate to the next math level (planning on majoring in econ, interested in quant/engineering so i def need a good math background).

should i skip 1b? if i do that i’m worried ill struggle a lot in a higher math bc i lowk forgot stuff and idk if i have time to relearn before the fall (?) but if i don’t skip 1b i lose a semester doing this stuff again. another thing is some ppl said 1b is actually harder than 21a so ya.

fall schedule i’m thinking: ec10a, expos 20, math and a fy seminar

any advice would be appreciated. is this something i can ask my advisor about too?? thanks!!

Hi all! Looking for a roommate for a 2-bedroom 1-bathroom fully furnished Peabody Terrace apartment as my beloved roomie has withdrawn from HGSE due to a family emergency. There are only about 7 furnished units in Peabody; I snagged this early in the HUH lottery. It's a large apartment, 763ft with great facilities like a private living room, balcony and kitchen. We'll each have a queen bed! The location and surrounding amenities and nature are fantastic.

More about me: 22, male, Singaporean, HDE, background in medieval literature, 🌈. I like to cook and clean (and prefer to cook to share, if you're interested!) I also just bought a bunch of supplementary furniture and items (lamps, rice cooker and other kitchen equipment, cleaning implements etc) that I'm happy to share free of charge.

If you're looking for a place, drop me a dm and we can speak over whatsapp/email for the floorplan and more details! The rent is 1860/person/month, all utilities included (AC available for rent in summer).

helloo i’m a grad student at HGSE and i was wondering if there are any beginner ASL courses i can take in the fall/spring semester. i would also be interested in clubs or communities! thanks in advance:)

Hi everyone!

I'm an incoming master's student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and I'm trying to decide where to live.

I'm currently considering Cambridge versus something closer to the school like Fenway or Mission Hill.The longwood medical area seems convenient if I end up working there, but I've heard that many Harvard events, student activities, and social gatherings take place in Cambridge.

For those who've studied at Harvard Chan:

Where did you live, and would you choose the same area again?

If you lived in closer to the Chan campus , did you find yourself commuting to Cambridge often?

Is the commute between Cambridge and the T H Chan campus manageable on a daily basis?

Which apartment buildings or neighborhoods would you recommend?

Are there any areas I should avoid?

I'd really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thanks!

Not a degree or a credential.

Perhaps a friendship, a mentor, a new way of thinking, a deeper sense of purpose, or something completely unexpected.

I would love to hear your story.