Visitas Advice from Around Harvard
By Maya S. Bhagat
Curious about how to navigate Visitas and what it means in the scheme of choosing your college? Hear from members of the student body, staff, faculty, and administration at Harvard to get different perspectives on this jam-packed weekend!
From Harvard Administrators
“If you got into Harvard you probably got into a lot of other great schools. You can’t make a bad decision so don’t lose too much sleep over this one. Talk to current students to learn about their experience. Then go with your gut (but come here!).”
— Lawrence S. Bacow, President of Harvard University
“We are so excited that you are here. While the College has a long and important history, I am most excited about the students who will determine our future. I hope you see yourself as part of that future during your visit to campus. As Dean of the College, I want to convey that while this campus is a special place, it is not perfect, and we don’t have all the answers. Nor should we. Instead, Harvard’s great strength as a campus and community comes from the fact that it is constantly changing and renewing as a result of the questions students ask and the solutions they advocate for every day.”
—Rakesh Khurana, Dean of Harvard College
“Greetings prospective Harvard College Students! Welcome to Visitas for the first of what I hope will be many opportunities for us to spend time together here at Harvard. Throughout the course of Visitas, I hope you will take advantage of some of the many academic and social events, and explore Harvard’s campus and surroundings. Most of all, I encourage you to look around and introduce yourself to current and prospective students.”
—Katherine G. O’Dair, Dean of Students
From the Staff
“Try anything. Go to an event describing something you’ve never heard of. Introduce yourself to someone you would never talk to. Try anything and capture the magic while it unfolds. And throw it back into the universe if you can.”
—Daniel M. Lobo ’14, Career Educator Fellow at the Office of Career Services and Member of First-Generation Alumni group
“Don’t just talk to presenters or the people who you’re staying with. While they’re wonderful resources, you might also want to strike up a conversation with other staff members you meet about why they work at Harvard and what they like about it!”
—Lena Denis, Harvard Map Collection Cartographic Assistant and First-Year Librarian
From A Current Student
“You've worked really hard to get to this point. Use Visitas as a time to unwind and explore the campus, either by yourself or with other prefrosh. Can you picture yourself as a Harvard student walking to class in the morning?”
—Joe A. Grochmal ’19, Senior in Leverett House concentrating in Government
From Faculty
“My classic tip for pre-Freshman during Visitas is to make sure they attend a few Harvard classes. Sniffing up the lecture hall atmosphere and getting a glimpse of the material and pace will help them form a better image of their future at our college.”
—Dr. Sien Verschave, Preceptor for Life Sciences 1a: “An Integrated Introduction to the Life Sciences: Chemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology”
“Every student's experience at Harvard is different, so try to talk with a variety of current students about what they've found rewarding and challenging.”
—Janet Chen, Head Preceptor for Math 21a: “Multivariable Calculus” and Senior Preceptor in Mathematics
“I remember visiting Harvard, just before or after Visitas, staying with someone who'd gone to my high school. And on my way back to the dorm late that evening, I remember passing through Harvard Square, which was so brightly lit, with folks playing chess, of all things, outside of the now-Smith Center. I don't actually play chess, but that late-night vibrance was so new to me, having grown up in the suburbs. And that's what decided it for me. Harvard just seemed like such an exciting place to go to school.”
—David J. Malan ’99, Professor of the Practice of Computer Science and Course Head of CS50: “Introduction to Computer Science”
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