Harvard University

Harvard University is one of the most recognized universities in the world. The school has graduated seven US presidents starting with John Adams and including Franklin D. Roosevelt most recently including John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush. Harvard has been the academic home to over 40 Nobel prize winners.

The oldest higher education institution in the US, Harvard was established in 1636 and as the New College. The name of the university was changed to Harvard College on March 13, 1639. It was named after John Harvard, a young clergyman who graduated from England's Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Presently, Harvard University covers more than 300 acres in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The university's students comprise a diverse mix of backgrounds. Students come from all sections of the US and from more than 100 countries. About two-thirds are from public schools and about the same ratio fund at least part of their tuition through financial aid. Harvard has taught students as young as pre-teens and has granted degrees to students that are as old as 87 years.

Harvard University's individual schools include:

• Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Graduate School of Design
• Harvard Business School
• Harvard Divinity School
• Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Harvard Law School
• Harvard School of Public Health
• John F. Kennedy School of Government
• Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study

Some of the notable alumni of Harvard University are: A. Michael Spence, 2001 Nobel Prize winner economist; Al Gore, former US Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize winner; Linda Greenhouse, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times journalist; Tommy Lee Jones, Academy Award winning actor; and Steve Ballmer, President and CEO of Microsoft.

Harvard has a long tradition of athletics. A Harvard athlete was the very first winner of a gold medal in the very first modern Olympics – the medal was for the hop, skip, and jump (now known as the triple jump). The school is part of the Ivy League and its sports teams that have recently competed for national titles in ice hockey, lacrosse, squash, and fencing. With more than 41 varsity sports for men and women, Harvard has the biggest intercollegiate sports program in the US. The name for Harvard's sports team is Crimson, which is also the school color.

Visitors to Harvard University have many activities to select from. A popular tour is to walk the historic campus, including the Old Yard, to take in many well regarded samples of American architecture. Other sites of interest associated with Harvard include: Harvard Museum of Natural History, Peabody Museum, Art Museums, the Harvard Library, and the Harvard Yard gates.

Highlights

Where the school stands out most compared to other schools (details below):

• Many students concentrating in religion and philosophy, architecture and planning, mathematics, family and social work, medicine, science, and law.
• High faculty salary.
• High SAT scores (combined Verbal and Math).
• Selective admissions.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• Large number of students.
• Number of dorm rooms for students.
• High yield: the portion of accepted students who enroll.
• Good faculty-to-student ratio.
• High male/female ratio.

Other important characteristics:

• Faculty tenure system
• Library on-campus
• Campus housing available
• Student meal (board) plan
• Study abroad option
• Part-time classes available
• ROTC

Degrees Awarded (in 2008-2009)

Students

Student enrollment was 25,690 in 2007-2008 (24,243 full-time equivalent).

About 49% of the freshmen class in 2008-2009 was male and women were 51% of the class.

Undergrads are 43% of enrolled students and graduate students are 57%.

Students living in the US make up 100% of incoming freshmen.

Tuition and Other Costs (2008-2009)

Financial Aid: Harvard participates in US Title IV financial assistance programs.

Please refer to BrainTrack's financial aid articles section for background information.

Housing and Meals

Harvard provides on-campus housing for 13,042 of its 24,243 (full-time) students (as of 2008-2009).

Students may purchase a meal plan which includes 21 meals weekly.

Athletics

School sports include football, basketball, baseball, and track. The school is in the Ivy Group for major sports.

Admissions (2008-2009)

SAT Test Scores: