Accomodation at Harvard University?

My friend just got accepted into Harvard to do her MBA. She's 26 (will be 27 when she arrives). She wants to know if she will be better off living in a dorm or in an appartment?


Also if she lived in a dorm, can she have people over to stay the night?


Thanks, Lou in Melbourne, Australia

Accomodation at Harvard University?
I would STRONGLY suggest you or your friend check the current housing rules since many universities DO now have very solid policies about overnight guests. Boston University, for example, closed their dorms to overnight guests as a "security factor," several years ago. Everyone has to sign in with someone with an ID and the location they will be, and sign out by a stated time. Glad they didn't have this when I was there!





Also as a grad student, there are usually additional types of housing (such as nicer apartments) than just the dorms. I know Harvard used to have one for professors and grad students right on Memorial Drive on the Charles River. It was stunning and would be an amazing place to live. BUT all schools change rules and ownership fast as you can blink, so not sure if that is still available.





In general there are pro's and con's to each. If she is new to the country, living in University housing can be a great way to meet people. That said, a regular dorm can be HELL for anyone with any maturity that might want to actually study lol. So my biggest suggestions is to find out what Harvard has for graduate housing and what they have for university owned apartments. I'd start there since that would be the best of both worlds. And I'd definately check on their guest policy. I would hope it would be more liberal than a regular dorm. But I'm sure if BU set that policy, many are doing it.
Reply:Even small dumpy aprtments are expensive and hard to find in Cambridge.





Since she's coming from another country, maybe she should start out in the dorm and plan her next move from there.





She may decide she likes Arlington better than Cambridge or even Boston. Both are easy to get to via Boston's subway (which is called the T).





Have her start reading www.boston.com and www.wbztv.com to get up on the news, etc. in Boston.





Best wishes to her.
Reply:BU's policy is the only such policy in Boston, for any college. Harvard's undergraduate housing allows guests without having to sign them in or out, and their grad is the same. (I once stayed with an MBA student in grad housing for over a week, no problems whatsoever, no one asked any questions). Also, apartments are expensive to find right around school and even harder to meet people, so I would recommend the student housing. It's not that bad either, the dorm apartments are fairly nice, or nicer than what you would find at an equal cost.
Reply:I know at Northeastern you have to have any guests signed in, and they do not allow overnight guests. At least, that is how it was in 2003, I suppose it could have changed. . . I do not know about Harvard's policy on this. That having been said, they DO provide seperate housing for Grad students, so even then, the policies could be different. . . .Anywhere to live in Cambridge area will be very expensive. I would say live off campus housing if it is something which can be afforded. Dorm housing is expensive as well, but can be added on to most student loans, etc.
Reply:Do the dorm. A huge part of the experience will be meeting other students, and if you're living off campus you'll miss that. The dorms are nice, but the off-campus apartments are generally poor quality, much dirtier and more dangerous than she would be used to if she's coming from a lovely city like Melbourne.
Reply:Harvard, like most US universities, does not have parietals or in loco parentis anymore except in specific dorms where students have chosen for that.





Also, Harvard has separate housing complexes for grad students.





All Harvard student housing is located in the vibrant and multi-cultural Cambridge neighborhoods near to the university and served by the subway, so I would suggest there would be little difference for your friend's Boston/Cambridge experience whether she lives in Harvard housing or a private apartment.
Reply:Depends if security is a concern and the amount of networking she would like to do. Nothing beats being on the Harvard campus