Harvard Outreach Newsletter
130th Issue, June 2024
In this issue:
- School Visits Programme - book now for the autumn term
- Harvard Commencement Ceremony, 23 May 2024
- Important information if you are applying to US colleges next year
School Visits Programme - book now for the autumn term
Photos of some of the school presentations delivered by the Harvard Club of the UK during the 2023/24 academic year: (Photos subject to copyright)
We are now taking bookings for the Autumn Term to deliver our school presentation entitled ‘Study in the USA – Is it for you?’ The aim of the talk is to provide accurate information about the US higher education system – using Harvard as an example – so that students are fully aware of the opportunities available to them and can make informed choices. It covers the following topics:
- Differences between US and UK higher education
- How to research US colleges and find those that fit well with a student’s needs and abilities
- Financial aid – ‘need-blind’ admissions and need-based financial support
- Application process to US colleges: Common Application Form; student essays; standardised tests; school reports; alumni interviews
- Life on campus: academic study and extracurricular activities
- What opportunities does a top US college provide after graduation?
The presentation takes 40 minutes plus time for questions – a total length of 45-60 minutes. The content is most suitable for students in the following year groups:
Years 11 & 12 (England and Wales)
S4 & S5 (Scotland)
Years 12 & 13 (Northern Ireland)
Parents, teachers and university advisers are also welcome to attend.
To request a visit, send an email to school visits co-ordinator Stuart Gordon schools@hcuk.org giving the name and location of your school and roughly when you would like us to come. Presentations can be arranged at any time of the day or evening to suit your school. We welcome requests from both teachers and students, but if you are a student, the request must be made with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate member of staff (the Head of Sixth Form or the teacher in charge of university applications).
We look forward to seeing you, particularly if we have never been to your school or college before.
Harvard Commencement Ceremony, 23 May 2024
‘One journey behind them, grads pause to reflect before starting the next’
is the sub-title to an article about the 2024 Commencement Ceremony in the Harvard Gazette.
A number of the graduating students spoke to staff writers on the Gazette to express their dreams and emotions into words. Here is a small selection:
Maria Gonzalez, a master’s candidate in management from the Harvard Extension School said: “The key to really having a great experience here is to be best friends with your adviser. They will guide you the entire way through and make it as easy as possible for you to succeed.”
Genevieve Waldorf graduated in applied math with a focus on government and a secondary in computer science, and had to balance her studies with also being a professional ballet dancer, taking almost a decade to earn her degree. “I’m just really grateful for a lot of the people who helped me with my journey here. It was complicated and unique, and they really kept me motivated and found new pathways for me to make sure that I could earn my degree,” she said.
Maggie Kern gained a master’s degree in creative writing and literature at the Harvard Extension School, which she undertook remotely except for a 3-week summer residency. Coming out of the program, Kern is excited to start writing novels, a process she began in school.
Samantha Maltais, a native American, was the first member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe to enroll in and graduate from Harvard Law School, and said she was overcome with joy and gratitude on graduation day. “Our community has been for so long in the shadow of Harvard University,” said Maltais, calling her achievement “a reminder of the obligations that I feel toward my community and Indian country more broadly.”
Jordan Alexandra Sanchez, a math concentrator with a secondary in psychology, was originally a member of the Class of 2023 who took time off during COVID and came back to join the Class of 2024. “I was a first-year who was kicked off campus during the pandemic,” said Sanchez. “A good number of my friends graduated last year, but a decent amount of us stayed in to walk together this year. Being able to befriend a lot of the members of the Class of 2024 while also having some of my 2023 friends is special.”
Here are a selection of Commencement photos published in the Harvard Gazette.
Important information if you are applying to US colleges next year
This information is relevant for students in these year groups:
Year 12 (England & Wales) S5 (Scotland) Year 13 (N. Ireland)
If you are still researching which US colleges you want to apply to in the autumn, make sure you have identified your final shortlist by 1st August when the online application forms go live. You can apply to as many colleges as you like, but a shortlist of 5-8 colleges is typical.
Be sure to read the July and August editions of this newsletter.
The July issue will contain information on the main two application methods, the Common Application Form and the Coalition for College, together with tips and resources for students, teachers and recommenders.
The August issue will provide an introduction to the Student Essay that is part of the application process for US colleges, and show how it differs from the UCAS Personal Statement required when applying to UK universities. A full list of essay titles will be provided, together with guidelines about how to answer them.
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