Original post: http://macaulayhunterblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/hunter-vs-harvard.html

Contrary to Chevy, I had a great weekend. I stayed with some friends at Harvard, and I’m currently on a bus back to NYC.

Since I brought up Harvard, I think its important to note some things for prospective/incoming freshman. I talked about this a bit last week with some accepted Macaulay Hunter students, and after visiting my friends in Cambridge, I’m sure what I said was true: I believe that the academic education I’m getting at Macaulay Hunter is just as good as the one I would’ve gotten at an ivy league school (like Harvard). There are really only two differences between Harvard and Macaulay Hunter: the names, and the atmosphere.
The name “Macaulay Hunter” doesn’t quite carry the same prestige that “Harvard” does (although I think it should!). Picking a school because of the prestige factor of it’s name is, in my opinion, not a good idea. Some people like to argue that going to Harvard opens up more opportunities because of this factor, networking with Harvard alumni and other ivy leagues, etc. but I think Macaulay does this as well (we have alumni working to give Macaulay kids expanded opportunities, and just look at the list of Macaulay events to see some of the big names that Macaulay kids have the chance to meet).
The other difference is the atmosphere. Harvard and other ivy league schools have self-contained campuses, and even if they are in/near a big city, this is much different from Macaulay/Hunter, which are spread all over NYC, along with the rest of CUNY. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but personally, after spending three days ONLY on the Harvard campus, I’m thrilled to be heading back to the city. I was starting to feel a little cooped up!

Sorry for the long serious discussion, but I think it’s really important. Last year, when I was rejected from the ivy league schools I applied to, I was crushed. But over the weekend, listening to some of my friends and their classmates talk about their struggle to keep a budget and worry about their mounting debt, I realized even though I go to Hunter and they go to Harvard, in many ways, I’m better off.

Time to face that mountain of spring break work in my bag…

-Kaitlyn (kt.ohagan@gmail.com)