Established in 1636 by the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Harvard is the oldest higher-learning institution in the United States. Since its start, Harvard has grown from nine students to an enrollment of 20,000. Harvard grants undergraduate and graduate degrees through its 12 academic schools. Popular majors include Economics, Political Science, English Literature and Psychology. Harvard is very supportive of its active student groups, including those geared toward African-American students like the Black Students Association, the Association of Black Harvard Women and the Black Community and Student Theater. Students also have the opportunity to learn from one of the country’s preeminent scholars of African-American history, Henry Louis Gates, director of Harvard’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. For more than 375 years, Harvard University has been a leader in academic excellence. Harvard has fostered the minds of many influential African Americans, including President Barack Obama.
Location: Cambridge, MA
Type of Institution: Four-year, private research university
Tuition and Fees (per semester)
• In-State/Out-of-State: $19,240
Size: 20,000+ students
Percentage of African-American Students: 6%
Percentage of Men: 49%
Percentage of Women: 51%
Student-Teacher Ratio: 7:1
Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate
Colleges/Schools: Business, Continuing Education, Dental, Design, Divinity, Education, Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Government, Law, Medical, Public Health, Radcliffe Institute
Housing: On-campus housing provided. All freshmen live in dormitories on the Harvard Yard. For the remaining three years, students are placed in one of the 12 campus houses. Every house has a residential house master and a group of tutors.
Groups/Organizations:
• African-American Greek: N/A
• Others: Africa Business and Investment Club, African Student Association, Association of Black Harvard Women, Black Christian Fellowship, Black Community and Student Theatre, Black Men’s Forum, Black Pre-Law Association, Black Students Association, Haitian Alliance, Pan-African Dance and Music Ensemble, Society of Black Scientists and Engineers
Famous Black Grads/Faculty: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Rashida Jones, W.E.B Du Bois, Carter G. Woodson, John Hope Franklin, Cornel West, Henry Louis Gates
City Life: Historic sites, museums, art galleries, theater/performing arts, music clubs, shopping, dining
Website: www.harvard.edu/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Harvard
Twitter: http://twitter.com/harvard