Prefrosh
Harvard Helpers
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" You've heard this quote from Mr. Rogers so many times over the past week—over television, the radio, and on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter. Surely it would've gotten stale by now if only it weren't so true, and here at Harvard, we've gotten to see firsthand the power of "helpers" throughout the crazy mess that was last week. Flyby thinks they deserve some recognition—so here, in no particular order, is a list of some of our favorite "Harvard Helpers."
Without Visitas, Harvard Bands Together To Welcome Prefrosh
Hundreds of prospective Harvard freshmen, many eager to see the College for the first time, had their plans interrupted by the lockdown in the Boston area Friday which forced Harvard officials to cancel the annual spring weekend for admitted students.
Getting Down & Nerdy: Undercover @ MIT’s Prefrosh Weekend
The three of us rolled down Mass. Ave., maps in hand, surrounded by high school seniors. It didn’t matter that we had never applied to MIT and never would. It definitely didn’t matter that we were sophomores at Harvard; nothing was keeping us from MIT’s Campus Prefrosh Weekend, fondly titled CPW. We wanted free shit.
Attention, Class of 2017: Faust's Advice for Prefrosh
Hey, Prefrosh! Can't make it to Visitas this weekend? Eager to make your choice before then so you can have fun? Want to feel more confident in your tentative decision to stay away from New Haven? Look no further for guidance. We spoke with University President Drew G. Faust and asked her what advice she would give to potential members of the Class of 2017.
Fifteen Visitas Rumors
Imbibing alcohol during Visitas will result in a retracted offer of admission, but also you get an oversized cotton t-shirt reading: “Getting into Harvard is hard, getting kicked out is even harder.”
Be a Great Prefrosh Host
I was never a prefrosh at Visitas, I never officially hosted a prefrosh, and I don't even know what the word Visitas means (is it Latin or a pun?). I did however, own a dog, and I'm pretty sure that means I’m qualified to give advice on how to host prefrosh.
The Prefrosh You Meet at Visitas
Remember Visitas? That magical weekend when you acquainted yourself with your potential new home and met your fellow brilliant overachievers was not so long ago. As future members of the Class of 2017 prepare to come to campus sooner than you can say "advising fortnight," take a few minutes to walk down memory lane with us. By the way, for all you prefrosh out there: Hey there, future members of the Class of 2017! Welcome to Flyby. We've put together a little classification of the types of the characters you are likely to meet. See if you can spot these various species throughout the weekend.
Snail Mail
Senior Admissions Officer David L. Evans emerges from the Admissions Office with the first box of acceptance letters for the class of 2017, to be loaded onto a waiting mail truck, on Wednesday as his fellow admissions officers cheer. After an hour-long delay in the arrival of the truck, Admissions Office employees formed an assembly line to send off regular decision acceptance packets and rejection letters.
The 81 Percent: Why They Chose Harvard
This year's high yield rate of 81 percent for Harvard admits—up four percent from last year—only proves that playing "hard to get" can work.
Indecision
Exactly 2,032 students were accepted to the class of 2016, and those who haven't already committed must make a decision tomorrow. While we here at Flyby know the choice is obvious, we offer this playlist to any prospective students still grappling with indecision.
MADE: Prefrosh Edition
While the age discrepancy is small, the gap between a prefrosh and a Harvard student is large. With their red Visitas folders and herd mentality, prefrosh spent the past weekend walking around Harvard Yard with wide eyes and dangling lanyards. It is easy to forget that that was us a few years ago. From living at home and taking AP tests to living in dorms and pulling all-nighters, how can a high school senior smoothly make the transition? Silas M. Farley is an ordinary prefrosh: naive, confused, and still immersed in high school. Can he discover his inner Ivy Leaguer and be MADE into a Harvard student?
Undercover Prefrosh
Having tragically missed Visitas as an actual prefrosh, I felt as if I was lacking a fundamental aspect of the Harvard Experience. This past weekend, I finally got my chance (again). Taking advantage of my journalistic skills and one semester of seventh grade drama class, I went undercover to experience the life of a prefrosh.
Getting Directions
After attending a Lacrosse game, visiting mother and daughter from Connecticut take a break by shielding from the rain in Straus Common Room. They both decided to use this time to get acquainted with the area through one of the maps available in the room.
1,300 Prefrosh Flood Campus During Visitas Weekend
Descending upon Harvard en masse, prospective members of the Class of 2016 scurried from event to event this weekend to get a taste of life on campus before making their final decisons.
