Harvard University is an Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is best known for being one of the most prestigious schools in the United States, as well as the country’s oldest higher education institution. The Massachusetts legislature established Harvard in 1636, naming it after its first benefactor, John Harvard. The research university has 11 academic units and ten faculties, and its main campus spans 209 acres three miles west of Boston. Harvard University has been the primary educational institution for eight U.S. states. Signers of the Declaration of Independence, 130 Nobel laureates, multiple Rhodes Scholars, and a slew of billionaires.
Interesting facts about Harvard University:
Harvard University was originally known as ‘New Towne College’ or ‘New College.’
In 1638, the college housed the first printing press in British North America.
The Statue of Three Lies in Harvard Yard is the third most photographed and popular statue in the United States. It contains three false facts. Although it is stated that John Harvard was the founder, he was also the first benefactor. It says it was founded in 1638, but it was actually founded in 1636. The statue does not depict John Harvard, but rather a random student model chosen by the sculptor.
Harvard’s motto is ‘Veritas,’ which translates to ‘Truth.’
John Hancock, Robert Tree Paine, Elbridge Gerry, William Hooper, William Williams, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and William Ellery were among the eight signers of the Declaration of Independence who attended Harvard.
Barack Obama, Rutherford Hayes, George W. Bush, John F. Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, John Quincy Adams, and John Adams are among the eight Harvard alumni who have served as President of the United States.
Harvard University is very expensive, but there are many financial aid opportunities for students who want to attend.
Harvard University has 42 intercollegiate sports and is fiercely competitive with Yale University.
The Widener Library at Harvard University is the second largest library in the United States, with six floors above ground and four floors below.
Some of the dents on the Harvard University campus’s sidewalks are thought to be from cannonballs. During the Revolution, they were thrown from dorm room windows.
Since 1970, commercial filming on Harvard’s campus has been prohibited.
After graduation, the average salary for a Harvard student is around $60,000.
Harvard has approximately 2,400 faculty members.
Harvard has approximately 6,700 students, plus 14,500 professional and graduate students.
Harvard alumni (living) number approximately 271,000 in the United States, with an additional 52,000 located in over 200 countries worldwide.
Harvard University owns over 5,000 acres of land in total.
Harvard Library is the world’s largest academic library.
Harvard celebrated its 375th anniversary in 2011.
Harvard University accepts approximately 7.2 percent of all applicants each year. Only 2% of all students who have attended throughout history have failed.
Out-of-state students make up 85 percent of Harvard’s student body.
Harvard University has the world’s largest endowment of any university. I was worth $32 billion in 2011.
