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I got reject by MIT last year, got an offer from Cambridge this year. I really do think the universities look for quite different things, for instance my relative lack of EC's meant very, very little in Cambridge admissions but could've been thedeal breaker at MIT. Also Cambridge doesn't really look at grades you get in school, MIT places alot of emphasis on your track record.
I think I had more chance to show my enthusiasm and ability in my subject through the Cambridge admissions process; the MIT interview was really lame to be honest, the Cambridge interview gave me a chance to show how I approach problems etc.
Similarly, I know people who have made clean sweeps across top US school admissions, but didn't get into Oxbridge. Something like an important admissions test or some other academic intensive criteria within Oxbridge's admissions process is what nailed them (BMAT or something). The systems are different, it all depends on the candidate applying. They are afterall looking for different qualities in their applicants.
I think I had more chance to show my enthusiasm and ability in my subject through the Cambridge admissions process; the MIT interview was really lame to be honest, the Cambridge interview gave me a chance to show how I approach problems etc.
Similarly, I know people who have made clean sweeps across top US school admissions, but didn't get into Oxbridge. Something like an important admissions test or some other academic intensive criteria within Oxbridge's admissions process is what nailed them (BMAT or something). The systems are different, it all depends on the candidate applying. They are afterall looking for different qualities in their applicants.
Bismarck
That's meaningless. The process has enough randomness that people might be rejected by a place like Cornell and accepted by Harvard. Isolated incidences mean nothing.
You're slow...
I told you I need to see data to make this more meaningful. My statement was based on my personal experience and from some anecdotes of friends and acquaintances. And if you've noticed, I wasn't saying anything definitive, thus I said, "in my personal opinion." Don't make a huge deal out of it and please don't try to abuse your privilege as a moderator.
ILIGAN
You're slow...
I told you I need to see data to make this more meaningful. My statement was based on my personal experience and from some anecdotes of friends and acquaintances. And if you've noticed, I wasn't saying anything definitive, thus I said, "in my personal opinion." Don't make a huge deal out of it and please don't try to abuse your privilege as a moderator.
I told you I need to see data to make this more meaningful. My statement was based on my personal experience and from some anecdotes of friends and acquaintances. And if you've noticed, I wasn't saying anything definitive, thus I said, "in my personal opinion." Don't make a huge deal out of it and please don't try to abuse your privilege as a moderator.
He's always doing that. It's pointless arguing with him. Let it go.
Bismarck
He said it's easier to get into Harvard than Oxbridge if you're in the American system. It's not. Oxbridge will only look at the Americans' grades. Harvard asks for a million other things.
I totally agree. I am applying for Harvard undergraduate this year, although I do not necssarily think I will get in, I have met various people from the UK who have made it into Harvard, who really aren't that exceptional. As a US student applying to Harvard, I would say it is much, much harder. US students who's parents care about "college" start preparing for their admissions at about 10 years old- they are cultivated and guided, they will do charity work, take on a host of sports and try and work hard to perform well in all of their classes. They are also graded in GPA, a system that is used and recognised almost everywhere in the US. As a UK student, you can do some brief ECs, do some work- not necessarily working hard though- to acheive 10A* and 4A at A-level, and then stand a very good chance of getting into Harvard. My sister is a postgrad in Stanford and says that the UK students who get into Stanford don't tend to be half as bright as the US students, although this is a very untanglible measure, she just says that the US students are very comparable in admissions, as well as being much more committed students, UK students are very poorly documented and GCSE & A-level grades are practically their only measure of comparison against other UK students.
ILIGAN
You're slow...
I told you I need to see data to make this more meaningful. My statement was based on my personal experience and from some anecdotes of friends and acquaintances. And if you've noticed, I wasn't saying anything definitive, thus I said, "in my personal opinion." Don't make a huge deal out of it and please don't try to abuse your privilege as a moderator.
I told you I need to see data to make this more meaningful. My statement was based on my personal experience and from some anecdotes of friends and acquaintances. And if you've noticed, I wasn't saying anything definitive, thus I said, "in my personal opinion." Don't make a huge deal out of it and please don't try to abuse your privilege as a moderator.
I'm abusing my privilege by disagreeing with you?
I did not realize that every non-mod had to agree with you, your excellency.johnbrown
errrrmmm
they don't....
Connhk
When applying to Harvard, the SAT is used to make the first cut, this is because all applicants of a considerable standard will have to have a minimum score of 2200 or something. After that it is all down to AP's and EC's. If however you were applying to a large state school, the SAT is more important because of the sheer mass o applicants they have.
After re-reading... this is somewhat stupid don't you think?
Let me explain. I applied this year for Engineering at Harvard and at Cambridge.
Now, I got 2040 in my SAT I and hence meaning my chances are pretty much low on getting in. I am not up to the standard, however I did manage to get into Cambridge... which has by reputation a much better engineering faculty than Harvard... so I don't quite get it... am I not up to the standard.. or is it simply that the Collegeboard SATs have several holes in them?
Connhk
Wow, why don't you learn the history of the AP, before, even the brightest of students (top 5%) would take no more than 2 AP classes, they were a big deal. I do know that they have been reduced to in modern years. The funny thing is, most Britons in my class find multiple choice hard for some reason, even the smartest are puzzled by it, I think it is free marks.
That must mean then that your brightest of students are no match in an international level because I can easily sit 5 or 6 APs
Connhk
Pro-British banter at its best I see. I can call offers to those with no less than perfect grades from Oxbridge moronic,
Pro-British banter at its best I see. I can call offers to those with no less than perfect grades from Oxbridge moronic,
Yeah... list a few... if they have those offers it's because they really excel in some other way in their field of study
Connhk
I can call the tuition system outdated, I can call the universities poor.
I can call the tuition system outdated, I can call the universities poor.
tuition outdated? What getting 1-1 lessons from a leading academic or a nobel laureatte in your field? Universities poor? What weed have you been smoking?
Connhk
But that would me moronic in itself. Two different systems of education, frankly the US seems to be the better, as it claims more international applicants and has larger endowments, a wider selection of schools, more top schools etc.
But that would me moronic in itself. Two different systems of education, frankly the US seems to be the better, as it claims more international applicants and has larger endowments, a wider selection of schools, more top schools etc.
That's mainly due to your previous economy and the opportunities for employment that so many people go there. Try reasoning a bit before you make such comments
Connhk
The beauty of the system is, Harvard then takes your 70 quid and promptly rejects you. That is why its endowment is larger than Oxbridge's combined. And then tripled. Because of the financial cost, few people do apply to more than 10 schools, and not a huge amount apply to Harvard what with all those
essays. Either way you look at it its more selective. It is the best university in the world.
The beauty of the system is, Harvard then takes your 70 quid and promptly rejects you. That is why its endowment is larger than Oxbridge's combined. And then tripled. Because of the financial cost, few people do apply to more than 10 schools, and not a huge amount apply to Harvard what with all those
essays. Either way you look at it its more selective. It is the best university in the world.
Trust me, those who can afford to apply to Harvard, either can get a fee waiver or the 70 quid don't me **** to them.
Connhk
They are essentially treated as one, the only university in the UK on par with HYPSM. If there only were Harvard and Yale in the US, they would both get a LOT more applications... I see where you are coming from, however i think that if you took 10 applicants from Singapore and half applied to Oxbridge half to Harvard, all 10 having top results. More would get into Oxbridge.
They are essentially treated as one, the only university in the UK on par with HYPSM. If there only were Harvard and Yale in the US, they would both get a LOT more applications... I see where you are coming from, however i think that if you took 10 applicants from Singapore and half applied to Oxbridge half to Harvard, all 10 having top results. More would get into Oxbridge.
You're getting back to stats again... how can you be sure you get 10 people who are exactly the same?? You can't... everybody is different.
To say the least, both universities are great universities, as to which one is harder to get into, it depends mostly on the applicant. Both universities come from similar backgrounds (Harvard was founded by a Cambridge student) however they have different philosophies when it comes to admitting new students. That's all I can say, a student getting into harvard doesn't necessarily guarantee their entry into oxbridge and vice versa...
xinolisss
After re-reading... this is somewhat stupid don't you think?
That's because Connhk is incorrect about the admissions process.
Your application will be read first by a triager (a senior admissions counselor) who will make sure that there aren't any red flags - D's, 200's on SAT I and II tests, etc. If you make it past the triage stage, your app will be read by two different readers, each of whom will write a summary for the committee to consider. Then your app will go to committee and be seen & discussed by 1-3 groups, each of which is comprised of 3-4 admissions officers. I'd say most apps are seen by at least 2 of these groups before a decision is made. So if you've been doing the math, your app will be seen by - on average - 10 or so people before it's "stamped" with a decision.
-Ben Jones, MIT
xinolisss
Let me explain. I applied this year for Engineering at Harvard and at Cambridge.
Now, I got 2040 in my SAT I and hence meaning my chances are pretty much low on getting in. I am not up to the standard, however I did manage to get into Cambridge... which has by reputation a much better engineering faculty than Harvard... so I don't quite get it... am I not up to the standard.. or is it simply that the Collegeboard SATs have several holes in them?
Now, I got 2040 in my SAT I and hence meaning my chances are pretty much low on getting in. I am not up to the standard, however I did manage to get into Cambridge... which has by reputation a much better engineering faculty than Harvard... so I don't quite get it... am I not up to the standard.. or is it simply that the Collegeboard SATs have several holes in them?
Keep in mind that you didn't just get into Cambridge. You got into engineering at Sidney Sussex. In other words, a specific course at a specific college. Notably, one that has a 25-35% admit rate.
Harvard admissions, as you know, is quite different. Everyone is in the same pool. Things like SAT scores become more significant, and things like major selection become less important.
devil09
Keep in mind that you didn't just get into Cambridge. You got into engineering at Sidney Sussex. In other words, a specific course at a specific college. Notably, one that has a 25-35% admit rate.
Keep in mind that you didn't just get into Cambridge. You got into engineering at Sidney Sussex. In other words, a specific course at a specific college. Notably, one that has a 25-35% admit rate.
Let me remind you again that admission statistics have got nothing to do with admission success.
For one, I am the second person in this forum to make it into Sidney and there has been a considerable amount of applicants. Secondly rates say nothing about the actual difficulty of getting into a university for the means of asssessment is different. Cambridge gets you to sit down and let them assess your academic skills in real-time whereas most of the US applications (at least internationally) consists of papers only.
Now I get the impression that it is much harder to pass the person to person interview, however the paper requirements for Harvard are killer too.
xinolisss
Let me remind you again that admission statistics have got nothing to do with admission success.
What the 25-35% figure *is* indicative of, however, is a fair amount of self-selection. The majority of the applicant pool would not have applied if they didn't think they stood a chance. At the elite American colleges, this is somewhat less true -- hence the need for winnowing factors.
Incidentally, Harvard makes it a policy to try to interview every domestic applicant. Of course, these interviews are not at all like the ones in the UK.
Has anyone here applied for Harvard this year? And if so, what were the alumni interviews like?
University of Oxford: App/place ratio (overall): 4 ( http://www.push.co.uk/University-of-Oxford/ , obviously depending on subject:
Oxford Physics has seen a steady and rapid increase in the number of applications for places on both the Physics and Physics and Philosophy courses, with more than four applicants per place in Physics and almost six applicants per place in Physics and Philosophy (2006 numbers). From 2006, therefore, we have introduced a short-listing process, using the results of our Aptitude Test to guide us in reducing the number of applicants to around 2.5 per place. The primary short-listing criterion is the total mark on this test. Candidates for Physics and Philosophy will also be assessed on the basis of the written work they have submitted.
-> http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/admissions/AFQs.htm
Harvard University
Admissions
Harvard College accepted 7.1% of applicants for the class of 2012, a record low for the school's entire history. The number of acceptances was lower in 2008 partially because the university anticipated increased rates of enrollment after announcing a large increase in financial aid for 2008. For the class of 2011, Harvard accepted fewer than 9% of applicants, with a yield of 80%. US News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges 2009" ranked Harvard #2 in selectivity (in a tie with Yale, Princeton and MIT, behind Caltech), and first in rank of the best national universities.
US News and World Report listed 2006 admissions percentages of 14.3% for the school of business, 4.5% for public health, 12.5% for engineering, 11.3% for law, 14.6% for education, and 4.9% for medicine. In September 2006, Harvard College announced that it would eliminate its early admissions program as of 2007, which university officials argued would lower the disadvantage that low-income and under-represented minority applicants are faced with in the competition to get into selective universities.
-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University
Oxford Physics has seen a steady and rapid increase in the number of applications for places on both the Physics and Physics and Philosophy courses, with more than four applicants per place in Physics and almost six applicants per place in Physics and Philosophy (2006 numbers). From 2006, therefore, we have introduced a short-listing process, using the results of our Aptitude Test to guide us in reducing the number of applicants to around 2.5 per place. The primary short-listing criterion is the total mark on this test. Candidates for Physics and Philosophy will also be assessed on the basis of the written work they have submitted.
-> http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/admissions/AFQs.htm
Harvard University
Admissions
Harvard College accepted 7.1% of applicants for the class of 2012, a record low for the school's entire history. The number of acceptances was lower in 2008 partially because the university anticipated increased rates of enrollment after announcing a large increase in financial aid for 2008. For the class of 2011, Harvard accepted fewer than 9% of applicants, with a yield of 80%. US News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges 2009" ranked Harvard #2 in selectivity (in a tie with Yale, Princeton and MIT, behind Caltech), and first in rank of the best national universities.
US News and World Report listed 2006 admissions percentages of 14.3% for the school of business, 4.5% for public health, 12.5% for engineering, 11.3% for law, 14.6% for education, and 4.9% for medicine. In September 2006, Harvard College announced that it would eliminate its early admissions program as of 2007, which university officials argued would lower the disadvantage that low-income and under-represented minority applicants are faced with in the competition to get into selective universities.
-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University
everestek
Has anyone here applied for Harvard this year? And if so, what were the alumni interviews like?
Piss easy...
Just some general questions about yourself... did mine in Madrid though, so... I mean, the guy who interviewed me was an economist, had no idea about engineering so...Lindath
University of Oxford: App/place ratio (overall): 4 ( http://www.push.co.uk/University-of-Oxford/ , obviously depending on subject:
Oxford Physics has seen a steady and rapid increase in the number of applications for places on both the Physics and Physics and Philosophy courses, with more than four applicants per place in Physics and almost six applicants per place in Physics and Philosophy (2006 numbers). From 2006, therefore, we have introduced a short-listing process, using the results of our Aptitude Test to guide us in reducing the number of applicants to around 2.5 per place. The primary short-listing criterion is the total mark on this test. Candidates for Physics and Philosophy will also be assessed on the basis of the written work they have submitted.
-> http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/admissions/AFQs.htm
Harvard University
Admissions
Harvard College accepted 7.1% of applicants for the class of 2012, a record low for the school's entire history. The number of acceptances was lower in 2008 partially because the university anticipated increased rates of enrollment after announcing a large increase in financial aid for 2008. For the class of 2011, Harvard accepted fewer than 9% of applicants, with a yield of 80%. US News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges 2009" ranked Harvard #2 in selectivity (in a tie with Yale, Princeton and MIT, behind Caltech), and first in rank of the best national universities.
US News and World Report listed 2006 admissions percentages of 14.3% for the school of business, 4.5% for public health, 12.5% for engineering, 11.3% for law, 14.6% for education, and 4.9% for medicine. In September 2006, Harvard College announced that it would eliminate its early admissions program as of 2007, which university officials argued would lower the disadvantage that low-income and under-represented minority applicants are faced with in the competition to get into selective universities.
-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University
Oxford Physics has seen a steady and rapid increase in the number of applications for places on both the Physics and Physics and Philosophy courses, with more than four applicants per place in Physics and almost six applicants per place in Physics and Philosophy (2006 numbers). From 2006, therefore, we have introduced a short-listing process, using the results of our Aptitude Test to guide us in reducing the number of applicants to around 2.5 per place. The primary short-listing criterion is the total mark on this test. Candidates for Physics and Philosophy will also be assessed on the basis of the written work they have submitted.
-> http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/admissions/AFQs.htm
Harvard University
Admissions
Harvard College accepted 7.1% of applicants for the class of 2012, a record low for the school's entire history. The number of acceptances was lower in 2008 partially because the university anticipated increased rates of enrollment after announcing a large increase in financial aid for 2008. For the class of 2011, Harvard accepted fewer than 9% of applicants, with a yield of 80%. US News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges 2009" ranked Harvard #2 in selectivity (in a tie with Yale, Princeton and MIT, behind Caltech), and first in rank of the best national universities.
US News and World Report listed 2006 admissions percentages of 14.3% for the school of business, 4.5% for public health, 12.5% for engineering, 11.3% for law, 14.6% for education, and 4.9% for medicine. In September 2006, Harvard College announced that it would eliminate its early admissions program as of 2007, which university officials argued would lower the disadvantage that low-income and under-represented minority applicants are faced with in the competition to get into selective universities.
-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University
I'd wish we could keep numbers out of cases of deciding whether somewhere is harder or easier to get into... I mean to be honest... there's quite a lot of factors influencing each case where can drastically change those numbers...
Also, each person has their own case as to which place they may find easier/harder depending on personal situations
Anybody any idea the number of UK applications to Harvard and the number offered a place.
Do you think the average UK student is admitted with lower SAT scores as our school system is not geared to this test.
If you are doing English, language type A levels maths may be quite hard
and vice versa if you are doing maths the english SAT 1 papers may be more difficult
Also sometimes the americanisation of the words employed catches you out on the test
Do you think the average UK student is admitted with lower SAT scores as our school system is not geared to this test.
If you are doing English, language type A levels maths may be quite hard
and vice versa if you are doing maths the english SAT 1 papers may be more difficult
Also sometimes the americanisation of the words employed catches you out on the test
number12
Do you think the average UK student is admitted with lower SAT scores as our school system is not geared to this test.
If you are doing English, language type A levels maths may be quite hard
and vice versa if you are doing maths the english SAT 1 papers may be more difficult
If you are doing English, language type A levels maths may be quite hard
and vice versa if you are doing maths the english SAT 1 papers may be more difficult
Most students find one section more difficult than the other.
Oxbridge requires a slightly higher GPA but Harvard focuses slightly more on ECs.
Based on what I've seen, Oxbridge is the place to go. You will get a much better undergrad education that matters where it counts: a focus on depth, not breadth. And beyond that, Harvard is a very, very overrated university.
I've come across many Harvard students, and a huge number just seem like people with slightly above average intelligence who just happened to be the biggest nerds on the planet (hence the top grades). Based on what they said and the way they acted, most of them didn't exactly come across as genuinely highly intelligent.
The lectures I've seen are also very underwhelming, with the pace often being slower than at many lower-ranked universities, and the material often being taught in a very elementary manner.
And then there's the fact that there are many, many universities with a significantly greater number of Nobel Prize winners, Abel Award winners, Academy Award winners, other prestigious award winners, citations in notable papers, top-ranked departments or professors, etc. than Harvard has.
... Yet so many people continue to tout Harvard as being the absolute "best" university in the US and possibly internationally. Why?
It's down to crowd mentality: a very flawed human behavior that manifests itself in irrational beliefs.
Ask the average fan why they think Harvard is the best. Chances are they can't give you a specific reason other than something along the lines of "cuz every1 else dose lol".
Based on what I've seen, Oxbridge is the place to go. You will get a much better undergrad education that matters where it counts: a focus on depth, not breadth. And beyond that, Harvard is a very, very overrated university.
I've come across many Harvard students, and a huge number just seem like people with slightly above average intelligence who just happened to be the biggest nerds on the planet (hence the top grades). Based on what they said and the way they acted, most of them didn't exactly come across as genuinely highly intelligent.
The lectures I've seen are also very underwhelming, with the pace often being slower than at many lower-ranked universities, and the material often being taught in a very elementary manner.
And then there's the fact that there are many, many universities with a significantly greater number of Nobel Prize winners, Abel Award winners, Academy Award winners, other prestigious award winners, citations in notable papers, top-ranked departments or professors, etc. than Harvard has.
... Yet so many people continue to tout Harvard as being the absolute "best" university in the US and possibly internationally. Why?
It's down to crowd mentality: a very flawed human behavior that manifests itself in irrational beliefs.
Ask the average fan why they think Harvard is the best. Chances are they can't give you a specific reason other than something along the lines of "cuz every1 else dose lol".
(edited 13 years ago)
cassiex
I've come across many Harvard students, and a huge number just seem like people with slightly above average intelligence who just happened to be the biggest nerds on the planet (hence the top grades). Based on what they said and the way they acted, most of them didn't exactly come across as genuinely highly intelligent.
Here's a few profiles of Harvard students:
Even though he's a mathematician at heart, Martin has always enjoyed branching out – his many interests include academics, music, sports, and volunteering. After entering high school at age 10, he proceeded to found his high school's quiz bowl team, leading it to three nationals, and he has served as captain of his school's science bowl and math teams. A three-time USA Mathematical Olympiad qualifier, Martin has taken classes full-time at the University of Minnesota for the past two years. He's attended the International Science and Engineering Fair and the Research Science Institute through two mathematical research projects. As a pianist, he's topped several area competitions. In his free time (which, surprisingly, abounds), Martin plays on his high school's Ultimate Frisbee team, teaches Sunday School at his local parish, and enjoys reading, linguistics, and computer programming. In the future, he'd love to be a research professor in mathematics.
Joy He, 17, is a senior at Parkway Central High School in St. Louis, Missouri. An avid violinist, Joy has served as Concertmaster of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra for two years, and has been invited to participate in master classes taught by such renowned musicians as Christian Tetzlaff and Gil Shaham. Yet, music is not her only passion. Joy fell in love with biology while researching the soybean genome as a freshman. Since then, her research at Saint Louis University on the effects of opioids on the differentiation of neural cells has earned her much recognition, including publication in the Journal of Neurochemistry. In addition, Joy has served as class president of her student council, has won state and national titles for competitions in finance and business, and plays varsity tennis for her school. In her free time, Joy loves to read and jam with friends.
Kenneth I. Brewer is from Provo, Utah and is the oldest of six brothers. A graduate of Timpview High School, he was a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar (2004-2007) and completed honors college courses through high school concurrent enrollment, completed math and chemistry minors, lived on campus in the foreign language houses, and researched the creation of Resveratrol synthetic derivates with Dr. Merritt Andrus. As a graduating high school senior, he was one of 20 students across the nation named to USA Today's 2007 All-USA High School Academic Team. He has studied abroad in Austria, Germany, Mexico, France, China and Costa Rica, and is fluent in English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese and reads Latin. He has studied tropical medicine through Duke's TIP program in Costa Rica as well as linear algebra at the University of Vienna. Brewer participated in the Intel Science Talent Search and attended the Research Science Institute at MIT.
cassiex
The lectures I've seen are also very underwhelming, with the pace often being slower than at many lower-ranked universities, and the material often being taught in a very elementary manner.
I'm skeptical. Taking math as an example, honors analysis at Chicago and Math 55 at Harvard are considered to be the toughest freshmen math classes in the country.
Harvard
This is probably the most difficult undergraduate math class in the country; a variety of advanced topics in mathematics are covered, and problem sets ask students to prove many fundamental theorems of analysis and linear algebra. Class meets three hours per week, plus one hour of section, and problem sets can take anywhere from 24 to 60 hours to complete. This class is usually small and taught by a well-established and prominent member of the faculty whose teaching ability can vary from year to year. A thorough knowledge of multivariable calculus and linear algebra is almost absolutely required, and any other prior knowledge can only help. Students who benefit the most from this class have taken substantial amounts of advanced mathematics and are fairly fluent in the writing of proofs. Due to the necessity of working in groups and the extensive amount of time spent working together, students usually meet some of their best friends in this class. The difficulty of this class varies with the professor, but the class often contains former members of the International Math Olympiad teams, and in any event, it is designed for people with some years of university level mathematical experience. In order to challenge all students in the class, the professor can opt to make the class very, very difficult.
cassiex
And then there's the fact that there are many, many universities with a significantly greater number of Nobel Prize winners
Only four colleges have more Nobel laureates (Columbia, Cambridge, Chicago, MIT), with MIT having only a slight lead.
cassiex
Abel Award winners
Insignificant due to the small sample size. Try a better measure, like the Fields. Only two universities (Cambridge and Princeton) have won more.
cassiex
citations in notable papers
Harvard comes in #2 for faculty citations, trailing Cambridge only slightly.
http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities/articles/2010/02/25/worlds-best-universities-citations-per-faculty-member-methodology
cassiex
top-ranked departments or professors
According to sources like the NRC rankings, only Berkeley, Stanford, and possibly Princeton can match Harvard's breadth and depth. In terms of overall undergraduate selectivity, graduate program strength, and professional school strength, Stanford is the only American university that can try to compete on level footing.
cassiex
Yet so many people continue to tout Harvard as being the absolute "best" university in the US and possibly internationally. Why?
I'd say it for the following reasons:
•
Extraordinarily selective admissions and high yield resulting in possibly the most intelligent and talented student body in the US
•
Virtually no academic weaknesses
•
An endowment roughly equal to the GDP of Yemen or Jordan, and Harvard uses this money extremely effectively
•
The best award (Rhodes, Marshall, NSF, Truman, etc.) production in the US
•
The best professional (law/medical/business) placement in the US
•
The largest academic library in the world and one of the top 10 largest libraries (public or private) in the world
•
Long list of distinguished alumni and a constant flow world-famous speakers
I'm sure there's other reasons, but I'm too lazy to write more.
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