Harvard University is an Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the oldest establishment of higher learning in the country. It was established in 1636, and was the first corporation to be chartered in the United States. It is one of the most prestigious universities in the world due to its influence, history, and wealth. The main campus is centered on Harvard Yard in Cambridge, which is just over three miles from downtown Boston, although there are other campuses located throughout the Boston metropolitan area. 75 Nobel Laureates have been associated with Harvard (students or faculty), and 8 United States Presidents graduated from the University.

History

Harvard was founded in 1636 (making it the oldest College in the United States) by the vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was originally called “New College” before being renamed Harvard College on March 13th 1639. It was named after John Harvard, who was a young English clergyman from London. He donated the College his entire library (400 books) and half of his estate. Many leaders of Harvard had attended the University of Cambridge, and as such shaped the college in a similar model, although keeping the Puritan philosophy present. In 1805, the Unitarians took over Harvard and made it secular. Prominent professors expanded the university’s scope during the 20th century, and Harvard’s reputation began to grow worldwide. In 1977, Harvard and Radcliffe, which was the women’s college, merged their admissions, and the number of female undergraduates began to increase steadily each year. Today, there is approximately a 50/50 split of male and female undergraduates.

Programs

Harvard has some of the best undergraduate and graduate programs in the world. Harvard Business School is ranked #1 by U.S. News. It offers both an M.B.A. and doctoral degree. The M.B.A. curriculum is frequently updated with new content and offers a wide range of exciting courses. Students start their M.B.A. by studying under a common curriculum, which helps students build a broad and strong foundation of general management skills and concepts across all the important disciplines. The second year of the program allows students to build on these concepts by choosing from a wide range of elective courses. Students also have the opportunity for cross-registration, which permits students to take classes at other specific graduate school programs. Harvard Law School is ranked by U.S. News as the 2nd best Law School in the country. It provides students with unmatched opportunities to study law and other related disciplines in a collaborative and rigorous environment. Harvard Law School has a diverse student body drawn from all over the world as well as a wide array of research programs to choose from. The Juris Doctor program is a 3 year program that gives students the foundations for legal study before providing them with a chance to focus their studies on specific areas of interest by offering clinics and advanced classes. The Master of Laws is a one year program which is designed for students who already have excellent legal experience and training. It provides students with a broad latitude to design their own course of study that will expand their knowledge of legal theory and law. The Doctor of Juridical Science is an advanced degree intended for students who want to pursue a career in legal education. Harvard Law School also presents joint degree programs with the other schools including Business School, Kennedy School of Government, and School of Public Health.

Pros & Cons

Harvard ranks as the #1 University in the United States in U.S. News’ University Rankings. It provides students with a top-notch education and prepares them for top positions in their field. The student-faculty ratio is excellent at 7:1, and 78% of Harvard’s classes have fewer than 20 students, allowing students to better connect with their professors. All freshmen live around the Harvard Yard, which allows students to meet new people and bond with other students in their field. It is an extremely selective University, however, as the acceptance rate in Fall 2011 was only 6.3%. It is also very expensive. Tuition and Board cost well over $50 000, requiring almost 60% of full time undergraduates to receive financial aid.