Faust Welcomes 2014 Admits

High school seniors and their families traveled from all regions of the country and the globe to Cambridge this weekend, hoping to sample life at Harvard before making their college decisions.

The visiting students, about 1,000 of the 2,110 admitted to the Class of 2014, were treated to a weekend jam-packed with panels, presentations, and parties.

University President Drew G. Faust described this attempt to lure students to Harvard in terms of a romantic relationship during her speech to the prefrosh on Saturday.

“We’re ready for the long-term commitment, and you’re still checking us out,” she said.

Faust recounted stories of students’ successes in a variety of fields and emphasized several new initiatives at Harvard, including the the Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology concentration and the College’s increased emphasis on the arts.

“That’s Harvard, the research university that puts no ceiling on your mind and your imagination,” she said.

The admitted students—who filled Sanders Theater and spilled into Science Center B, where the presentation was simulcast—inquired mainly about academics at Harvard. They questioned the president about cross-registration at MIT, opportunities for field work in biology, and the effect of attending Harvard College on acceptance to a Harvard graduate program.

However, several visiting students said they were glad to find out during the weekend about the non-academic side of student life.

“Some people get really drunk a lot, based on what my host says,” said Michael F. Trang. “I think you will get the college experience even though it’s Harvard.”

“I’m really glad to see how open and almost aggressively friendly everyone is,” said Michael E. Mitchell, noting the students outside the Science Center and Annenberg who peppered prefrosh with flyers for their student groups’ activities. “It’s very easy to stereotype Harvard students. I really feel like I’ve been welcomed.”

In addition to over 100 events hosted by student organizations, prefrosh were invited to performances, social events, and panels on topics like “What It’s Like to Be a Harvard Freshman,” “Queer Life at Harvard,” and “Financing a Harvard Education.”

Today, most academic departments will hold open houses, and students are invited to sit in on classes.

—Staff writer Julie M. Zauzmer can be reached at jzauzmer@college.harvard.edu.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: April 27, 2010

An earlier version of the Apr. 26 news article referred to the "new" Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology concentration. The correct concentration is Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology, which SCRB began offering this past fall.