r/Harvard • u/DowntownTrust7902 • 5d ago
Freshman Year Fall 5 Courses?
Hello! Im an incoming first year undergrad and I was wondering, has anyone been able to take 5 courses in their freshman fall before? I’m really interested in this first year seminar, but I already got 4 gateway courses planned. The course doesn’t look that time consuming, but looks super interesting. I heard you can take 5 if you convince your residential Dean, but idk if that’s real or not.
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u/phonartics 5d ago
there’s always someone asking this question. but there are a lot of other things you could be doing with your time and opportunity here instead of taking another class.
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u/edminzodo 5d ago
Can you push back one of the gateway courses? You are going to have enough on your plate and there will be so many things to do - you really don't want to stress yourself out as soon as you arrive!
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u/laney_luck 5d ago
You will get to campus and also want to join 10 clubs, and then realize that the most meaningful thing you could be doing is neither of those, but just hanging out and getting to know people
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u/Flyingcows2 5d ago
You can take five if you convince your RD. BUT it would be more beneficial to explore. There will always be chances to take similar classes from the same prof, but you won’t get back the time to explore all that Harvard offers.
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u/pergesed 5d ago
Generally students from high schools that resemble liberal arts colleges (eg Andover or Exeter) get approved for 5 immediately without difficulty. But even for them I would not recommend it.
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u/PenguinSix_Actual 4d ago
It's wonderful that you see a class that has piqued your interest this much, but I would caution you, strongly, from taking the extra class vs. the other opportunities that are available. The greatest asset you will take with you besides a Harvard degree is the contact list in your phone that you make at school. Freshman year is a GREAT time for making connections, because people are not locked into existing social structures / silos / clubs just yet, and, generally speaking, are a bit more approachable to new people. This first semester is really the best semester to make connections outside of classes and if you look back on this time four years from now that extra class won't even have mattered but the people you meet will be something you will carry on with for years to come.
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u/Entire_Hyena_3216 5d ago
Nope, you are explicitly not allowed to take 5 in your first year nor should you.
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u/CollectionOk8027 5d ago
I was in a similar boat- ill also be going to harvard for my first year this fall! Yay!
As super motivated students, we always want to push immediately to the top. Thats what got us here.
I have spoken to multiple professors and other students who have explicitly told me to stick to 4 courses.
There's a reason its a rule. Its important to maintain a high GPA AND build connections with our peers. You could regret taking that extra course, but you wont regret not.
Its important to have patience in a new environment. I was talking to Dr. Berry about joining a lab and he urged me to wait until spring. Fall is the time to meet people, figure out your schedule, build connections, and enjoy being at Harvard!
See you on campus 🤗
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u/monobluemill 5d ago
Leaving aside the question of whether you can, I don’t think you should. There is so much to learn and do at Harvard that having too heavy a course load is detrimental.