How can I find internship opportunities as a freshman?
How can I find internship opportunities as a freshman?
The Harvard Freshman Experience
Starting your first year at Harvard can be daunting. With a new campus comes a multitude of questions about academics, extracurriculars, recruiting, and all the other aspects of student life that await you. Check out our Q&A with Harvard students of all backgrounds to get your questions answered so that you can take charge of your own freshman year experience!
Excelling at Academics During Your First Year
How can I create a schedule that is conducive to my learning?
Navigating requirements and decoding the Q guide can make picking your classes overwhelming. Especially before your first semester, you will have many questions about how to start your academic career on the right foot. Take a look at some current Harvard students' advice for making sure your schedule is the best for for you!
FOCUS ON WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU
Applied Math Concentrator '24
"You will have a lot of friends who are like taking classes that are extremely hard, and that may not be the route for you. Don't just choose classes because your friends are; your semester could be hell for the next three months or so. If you truly want to take the class and your friends are in it, then yes, take it, but just don't do it just because of your friends."
How did you pick your concentration?
From African and African American Studies to the Study of Women Gender, and Sexuality, Harvard boasts 50 concentrations. Although you do not have to declare yours until sophomore year, some people like to get started on fulfilling concentration requirements during their first year. Here is what some Harvard students had to say about picking their concentrations.
BE OPENMINDED
Computer Science Concentrator '23
"Explore as much as you can. You might come in with a certain concentration that you have in mind, but it definitely does not hurt to explore many different fields, especially because most high schools don’t have as diverse a curriculum as Harvard does."
How can I connect with professors?
Among the many opportunities Harvard will give you, one is the ability to surround yourself with the great thinkers and scholars. Harvard is home to many esteemed professors whose classrooms you will have the chance to sit in. Here’s how some upperclassmen have found ways to connect with their professors.
OFFICE HOURS
Computer Science Concentrator '22
"I definitely recommend going to office hours. I didn't do this enough, but literally just go to office hours to talk to professors— you don't even need to have questions about the class necessarily; you can just talk to them about life and kind of tell them about yourself. Fostering those professor relationships early on is really, really great."