Everything to Know About Harvard University
Harvard University is one of the best universities in United States of America. It’s also one of the oldest, having been established in 1636. Today, it has an undergraduate enrollment of about 6,700 students and a graduate student body of more than 15,000. Harvard’s campus can be found in Cambridge, Massachusetts and consists of about 100 buildings on about 32 acres (13 ha). The university offers degree programs through its ten schools: Art & Architecture; Business; Education; Engineering; Government & Public Policy; Law; Medicine; Music & Theater Arts; Science & Mathematics; Social Sciences & Humanities.
Mission
Harvard’s mission is to educate students in the liberal arts and sciences, to cultivate leadership and character, and to advance understanding of the world. In addition, Harvard seeks to promote diversity through its policies, programs, and activities; promote full participation in its community; support teaching excellence; foster a collaborative research enterprise that builds on strengths across disciplines; engage with the public at large as well as with policy-makers; support open access for people around the globe through our extensive research library network (including Harvard University Library).
Harvard is committed to being a place where people from all backgrounds can come together as equals for an education that prepares them for their future careers. As part of this commitment, we strive for inclusive excellence by continually working toward becoming more diverse at all levels — from admissions through faculty hiring — and by supporting initiatives that encourage faculty members’ professional development while they are here at Harvard.
History
Harvard University was founded in 1636. It’s the oldest university in the U.S., and one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the world, with a 400-year history that includes a key role in American history and culture. The Harvard Corporation also happens to be America’s oldest corporation.
Harvard has educated many famous Americans, including John Adams, John Quincy Adams and Louisa May Alcott — and it continues to educate some of today’s most influential thinkers, writers and politicians who will play a large role in shaping our country’s future.
With an endowment worth more than $37 billion, Harvard is currently ranked as the wealthiest university on earth — and it boasts one of the highest acceptance rates (5 percent) among all colleges worldwide!
Campus
The Harvard campus is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The city is known as the “Athens of America” and attracts more than 40,000 students annually to its many prestigious colleges. It’s no surprise that Harvard is one of these colleges — it has been rated as America’s best university by U.S News & World Report for twenty-four years straight!
The Harvard campus itself reflects the school’s rich history and reputation for excellence in academia, research and athletics: with 5 square miles of land consisting of buildings ranging from century-old structures with ivy-covered walls to modern facilities designed by world-renowned architects such as IM Pei and Rafael Viñoly; a gorgeous university quad boasting impressive buildings such as Widener Library; a beautiful quadside where you can find yourself studying under an old tree or enjoying your lunch break surrounded by countless shades of green grasses; an athletic complex complete with courts for tennis/basketball/volleyball/soccer; an ice rink where you can skate during winter months…
Academics Overview
Harvard is a private Ivy League research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 and named after an earlier institution that was established by the Puritans in New England, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. The school’s history dates back to 1636 when a small group of students assembled at Cambridge to study Greek under John Harvard’s tutelage. During this time, only men were admitted into Harvard College (the precursor to today’s undergraduate school).
The university now has more than 40 schools specializing in everything from art and design; business administration; education; public health research; medicine; law; musicology — you name it!
Faculties
Harvard has more than 100 academic departments and programs, making it a unique place to study. Harvard faculty members are among the most distinguished in the world, and they include leaders in their fields as well as experts on a variety of subjects.
Harvard faculty members have been ranked by Times Higher Education as some of the most influential academics in the world. This ranking ranks professors based on their publication record and influence through research, teaching and service activities.
Schools
The Harvard University School System is divided into three categories: the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the professional schools. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences includes Harvard College (the undergraduate college) as well as Harvard’s graduate school. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers a number of graduate degrees at both the Masters and PhD levels in a variety of departments. These include studies in Biology, Chemistry, History & Literature (including American Studies), Mathematics & Statistics, Musicology & Ethnomusicology, Philosophy & Religion Studies; Psychology; Public Health; Social Anthropology; Sociological Theory; Astronomy & Astrophysics (including Physics). The professional schools are those that offer professional education programs beyond their undergraduate degrees such as Law or Medicine
Health and Medicine
Harvard’s health and medicine programs are wide-ranging. You can study public health, creative writing, or even something like conservation biology.
You have access to Harvard Medical School as a student at Harvard Extension School if you’ve been accepted by the medical school (most people who apply are).
There are many research opportunities through the Center for Health and Human Rights, which is run by students at Harvard University Extension School. This center offers graduate courses in public health, medical anthropology and human rights.
The school has a strong reputation for research due to its proximity to Massachusetts General Hospital and other Cambridge hospitals where students can gain clinical experience. The affiliated schools also offer opportunities for internships in biomedical engineering as well as graduate programs in medicine at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Student Life
Students at Harvard have a variety of opportunities to get involved in student life. Harvard has a wide range of sports, including baseball, basketball, cross-country running, fencing, football and hockey. In addition to these traditional sports, Harvard also offers ice hockey and ultimate Frisbee leagues. There are over 200 student groups on campus that students can join based on their interests or goals they want to achieve while attending college. These include volunteer organizations like Habitat for Humanity as well as service clubs such as the Harvard Business School Student Association (HBSA) which hosts events throughout the year to help support students who may have difficulties with schoolwork due to personal issues such as depression or anxiety disorders.
Extracurricular Activities and Athletics
Extracurricular activities at Harvard are a big deal. The university’s athletics program is well-known, with some of the most popular sports teams in all of college athletics.
Harvard also has many other extracurricular activities for students to participate in, including a strong student union and student newspaper; there are even several theater groups on campus that have their own dedicated performance spaces.
Paying for an Education
The Harvard University admission process is not open to all students. Instead, applicants must undergo a rigorous application process in order to become accepted at the prestigious university. If you are accepted and decide to enroll at Harvard, you will be required to pay tuition costs that are among some of the highest in the world. However, there are several ways for students to reduce their tuition costs through financial aid and scholarships offered by Harvard University.
Educational Opportunities
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university that offers students a wide range of educational opportunities. Harvard is one of the most selective universities in the world, accepting only 5% of applicants. The university has a diverse student body and offers undergraduate degrees in over 50 areas of study, as well as advanced degrees at its graduate school.
Harvard’s research programs focus on topics such as economics, philosophy and religion; psychology; government; history; literature; music and arts; science (biology, chemistry); mathematics (including statistics).
We hope this article has given you a better idea of what it means to be a part of the Harvard family. One thing we’ve learned from our time here is that there are no shortcuts or tricks when it comes to success — it takes commitment, hard work and grit. But once you have those things, the sky’s pretty much the limit at Harvard!