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Okay ... I've been a frequent visitor to various boards on CC for several months now, and I've noticed that more than any other school, Harvard's boards seem to have an unusually high number of non-students posting negative things about the school. I just have to ask, either current students or non-students, can someone PLEASE tell me why people seem to make a habit of bashing Harvard more than ANY other college? I just don't get it ... It seems like a great place to me, so I'm curious as to why it seems to attract so much negative attention from people who, for the most part, don't attend the school.

This post is in no way meant to be inflammatory, I just really wanna understand the motivation.

By Jab93 (Jab93) on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 06:52 pm: Edit

Because some people are REALLY, REALLY, REALLY insecure.

Harvard is a PHENOMENAL institution (and so are Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, Penn, Cornell, Berkeley, Michigan, Duke... yada yada yada... you get the point)...
So I'm by no means saying it is the only amazing school out there... but some feel the need to bash certain schools to make themselves feel better... I mean, college admissions is pretty intimidating... so its a way to take control:
"Harvard can't reject me... I reject Harvard... it's just a stagnant school resting on its laurels... yada yada yada..."

By Monoe (Monoe) on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 07:50 pm: Edit

Mostly, they are people who got rejected or never garnered the stats to attempt application.

Harvard is the Yankees and Michael Jordan and Mohammed Ali and a 1600 and a four-oh. Some people love to hate the best.

By Qwert271 (Qwert271) on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 08:12 pm: Edit

Yeah, Harvard is the Yankees.

By Stanfordman99 (Stanfordman99) on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 08:53 pm: Edit

Dude, you guys are so arrogant. What about that guy who graduated from Harvard and posted a thread where he expressed his dissatisfaction of the university. I suppose he got rejected too.

And I did get accepted to Harvard, so keep that in mind before you start bashing me too.

By Serdu (Serdu) on Thursday, August 05, 2004 - 11:41 pm: Edit

"Dude, you guys are so arrogant."

Stanfordman,
I can't speak for the rest of my classmates, but when I'm talking to people about my school I *SPECIFICALLY* try very hard NOT to be arrogant. I despise it when people are so condescending, so I purposely try to avoid being the same way.

However, please understand why it may come across that way sometimes. I HATE having to constantly justify my college decision with angry posters who don't even use correct FACTUAL Harvard information. Seriously, if you go to Stanford (AN EQUALLY prestigious and selective university) you should understand that very well.

People have this severely misconstrued ideal about what Harvard SHOULD BE and what it REALLY IS.

No one is trying to bash to you or anyone else. We're simply REALLY fed up with people claiming they have correct data about Harvard and then using it from every angle that sun sheds light on to attack every SINGLE LITTLE non-perfect detail. Especially when a VAST majority of us not only recognize other schools (i.e Yale) as equally rigorous and prestigious, but respect them.

ENOUGH!

By U2tustp830 (U2tustp830) on Friday, August 06, 2004 - 10:05 am: Edit

Stanford man, if you got accepted into Harvard and you are going to Stanford, then why are you still on this board?

Make better use of your time by spending more of it on the Stanford board and less of it on bashing Harvard, especially if you are not even going there.

By College722 (College722) on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 03:22 am: Edit

From the Stanford kids to the Harvard kids:

We're better than you. And we know it!

By Staticsoliloquy (Staticsoliloquy) on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 04:28 am: Edit

shows how mature the stanford kids are

Once upon a time, there were these posters who kept about Harvard. They were very at the world, hiding their insecurity behind their criticism. People told them, "You're going to get a if you don't stop, because we are very of your infantile behavior. So here's a update, every time you do it, we are at your face. Here's an for all of you loser, grow up.

By Sakky (Sakky) on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 08:06 pm: Edit

To caramelkisses06 original question, the reason why there are so many Harvard-bashers, monoe hit the nail right on the head. When anything has been publicized as being the absolute best over and over, people naturally become resentful of it. That's why there are so many New York Yankees haters. That's why there are so many LA Lakers-haters.

By Stanfordman99 (Stanfordman99) on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 09:50 pm: Edit

"Stanford man, if you got accepted into Harvard and you are going to Stanford, then why are you still on this board?"

What.....this board is off-limits now? I go to the Berkeley board, the MIT board, and the Caltech board a lot and they never complained. You guys are so touchy.

By U2tustp830 (U2tustp830) on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 07:42 am: Edit

Why? To say the same stuff on their boards?

I am asking a serious question.

By Pat57575 (Pat57575) on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 03:38 pm: Edit

"Mostly, they are people who got rejected or never garnered the stats to attempt application.

Harvard is the Yankees and Michael Jordan and Mohammed Ali and a 1600 and a four-oh. Some people love to hate the best."

"Yeah, Harvard is the Yankees."

I don't know if stanfordman has a history on this board, but his comments above certainly aren't "bashing Harvard" as an institution. He simply assessed the comments made-- which I agree sound pretty arrogant and snotty-- and commented that not all negative sentiment is coming from rejectees and the like. Where is the blindfolded bashing? And like stanfordman, I enjoy coming to school boards other than my own in search of intriguing conversation with interesting, thoughtful people.

When you're in the limelight, it's natural that your every flaw is going to raise eyebrows.

By Hstudent (Hstudent) on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 10:20 pm: Edit

harvard bashing is rampant and pathetic - but it comes with the territory

when you're there it sucks that you can never tell ppl u love the place (without being seen as a prick)

but the worst part is, ppl who are considering schools get a very slanted, biased view of the place from peeps who dont even know what they are talking about

By Haithman (Haithman) on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 11:38 pm: Edit

Wharton is better...

By Familyguy24 (Familyguy24) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:11 am: Edit

Just try not to take anything said on this board TOO seriously. You can consider it, but I wouldn't make too many important decisions based on what is said here, its just rampant with bias and most of the time you can tell right away.

By Jarahul106 (Jarahul106) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:30 am: Edit

lol haithman. i dig the whole "lets just add fuel to the fire" philosophy

By Haithman (Haithman) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 01:53 am: Edit

It truly is the best philosophy. I mean Wharton is in its own league, with HYPS just below.......
Yeah what now!

By Pat57575 (Pat57575) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:23 pm: Edit

lol, like I said, "intriguing conversation".

I agree HStudent. Pride in your school, accomplishments, etc is all good, and you shouldn't hold that back. Unfortunately, showing pride without imparting a superior attitude has become a skill that requires practice and fine-tuning.

By Chasgoose (Chasgoose) on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 02:06 pm: Edit

Wharton is in its own league of Ivy League vocational schools along with most of the schools at Cornell besides Arts and Sciences and Engineering. Wharton isn't even the best grad school for business (either Harvard or Stanford depending on who you want to talk to).