Higher learning institutions and their societal impact

¶ … Higher education [...] Harvard University in the year 1770, as it relates to two potential students, Noah and Rachael. Harvard University, established in 1636, is America's oldest college and America's oldest corporation. Noah and Rachael would like to enter Harvard College, and as Admissions officer, I will be happy to help you make Harvard your children's educational choice.

To gain admission to our esteemed university, Noah must be able to pass the requirements for admission, which include speaking and writing Latin and French, they must be proficient in mathematics, and they must have studied some of the ancient authors, such as Plato and Socrates. You must be able to pay the tuition, and Noah should be prepared to live on campus, and pay the room and board associated with that. Unfortunately, Harvard in 1770 does not admit women, so Harvard will not be able to attend Harvard University. If Noah does not possess the necessary requirements for enrollment, you, as his father, should not worry. We can provide Noah with the secondary education he needs to gain admittance, right here at Harvard.

Noah's curriculum will be comprised of the highest educational courses offered in America today. He will learn a variety of subjects, including literature, mathematics, history, political economy, natural sciences, and philosophy, and he will attend lectures and give oral arguments in these subjects, which will be scrutinized and reviewed by his tutors, master's level students, and undergraduates. His first year will be composed primarily of language courses, as the study of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and most textbooks used in the course of study are composed in Latin, so mastering this language is an essential part of the curriculum. Logic, ethics, metaphysics, oratory, mathematics, and natural history also make up a large part of the curriculum during the entire course of study.

Not only will he be learning a variety of information that will serve him later in life, he will be learning logical and critical analysis, giving him the ability to think on his feet, debate with authority, and analyze situations that may arise in his day-to-day life. We excel at creating gentlemen at Harvard, but we pride ourselves on developing young men with enquiring minds, who are free to debate and discuss their ideas openly with their tutors and their peers.

His graduation and successful completion of his courses is always overseen by the College Board and by the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, indicating the seriousness of his degree and its approval by the King's appointee. Harvard was founded by graduates of Cambridge and Oxford who wanted to recreate these high-ranking English institutions in the New World, and it has always included the Puritan work and learning ethic in its curriculum, to perpetuate these standards in our commonwealth's finest gentlemen. However, we welcome students from any faith, as we recognize the changing nature of religious belief in our New World.

Harvard is a respected and learned institution, and we insist on the highest standards for our students, including participation in outdoor activities and extra-curricular societies and groups. However, many of our students matriculate to other colleges, or do not finish their course of study, and if this occurs, we want you to know that Noah is welcome back at any time to finish his degree and graduate from Harvard.

Of course, you know that Harvard is keenly interested in improving the minds of its students, but we at Harvard are highly aware that there is more to a successful life and career than academics alone. Because of this, we stress many other area of education for your son and his classmates. Noah will learn in a pious environment, in fact, almost half of our graduates enter the clergy after leaving our institution. We also stress socialization and societal lessons that may not be available at home. We want to build your boy into a man who can function successfully in society, and we feel it is our job and duty to transform your son into a successful and influential citizen of these colonies. Many of our society's leaders have been educated here at Harvard, such as John Hancock and John Adams, two of our colony's greatest leaders and debaters.

We believe attending Harvard is also the place where a young mind can gain the education and socialization to become culturally superior to those who do not attend an institution of higher learning, and where young men learn the skills of a gentile gentleman. Learning the classics, the ability to argue effectively, and understand the nuances of politics serve our graduates well, and we are sure your son will be no exception to that rule. In addition, as the first institution of higher learning in America, we have the experience in education that will benefit your son. We have a long tradition of creating leaders and outstanding citizens, and we fully expect Noah will be prepared to join their ranks after completing their education at Harvard.

Rest assured that your son will be attending classes with some of the colony's finest young men. Campus life is demanding, but always lively and energetic. Noah will dine in the dining commons with some of the area's finest young men from the most influential and successful families. He will make friends with the future leaders of our colonies, and he will study with some of the finest tutors in the area, as well. He will enjoy the grounds of the university, which are lush and well tended throughout the year, and he will have a large library of volumes at his disposal throughout his stay at Harvard. Your son will become part of the larger "Harvard family" here, and he will spend his days in the arms of this extended family. He will eat, sleep, live, and breathe Harvard with this family, and he will never lose the ties he feels with his Harvard brothers. This is one of the magical aspects of a Harvard education -- our students become our family and remain as such throughout their lives. Harvard will nurture your son, and make him into a man, in the company of other like-minded and socially equal young men. Your son will be part of the college community, he will make friends for life, he will gain life experiences that prepare him for the future, and Harvard will assist him all throughout that journey.