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Harvard University Facts

Harvard University Facts
Harvard University is an Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, most famous for being one of the most prestigious schools in the United States, as well as its oldest higher learning institution. Harvard was established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature, named after its first benefactor John Harvard. The university, which is a research institution, has 11 academic units, ten faculties, and its main campus encompasses 209 acres, three miles west of Boston. Harvard University has been the higher learning institution of eight U.S. Declaration of Independence signors, 130 Nobel laureates, multiple Rhodes Scholars, and many billionaires.
Interesting Harvard University Facts:
Harvard University was originally called 'the college at New Towne', or 'New College'.
The first printing press in British North America opened in the college in 1638.
The Statue of Three Lies, located in Harvard Yard is the third most popular and photographed statue in the United States. It contains three incorrect facts. It states that John Harvard was the founder but he was the first benefactor. It states that it was founded in 1638 but it was founded in 1636. The statue is not of John Harvard but a random student model used by the sculptor.
Harvard's motto is 'Veritas' which is Latin for 'Truth'.
Eight of the signors of the Declaration of Independence attended Harvard, including John Hancock, Robert Tree Paine, Elbridge Gerry, William Hooper, William Williams, John Adams, Samuel Adams, and William Ellery.
Eight Harvard alumni went on to become United States Presidents including Barack Obama, Rutherford Hayes, George W. Bush, John F. Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, John Quincy Adams, and John Adams.
The cost to attend Harvard University is very high but there are many financial aid opportunities for students who wish to attend.
Harvard has 42 intercollegiate sports and is in heavy rivalry with Yale University.
Harvard University's Widener Library is the second largest library in the U.S., with six floors above ground and four floors below.
There are dents on some of the sidewalks at Harvard University's campus that are believed to be from cannonballs. They were thrown from the windows of dorm rooms during the Revolution.
Filming on Harvard's campus has been banned for commercial purposes since 1970.
The average salary for a Harvard student after graduation is approximately $60,000.
The faculty of Harvard includes roughly 2,400 members.
Students at Harvard include approximately 6,700, plus 14,500 professional and graduate students.
The alumni of Harvard (living) equal approximately 271,000 in the United States, plus roughly 52,000 located in over 200 countries worldwide.
In total Harvard has real estate totaling over 5,000 acres of land.
The largest academic library in the world is Harvard Library.
In 2011, Harvard celebrated its 375th anniversary.
Of the applicants to Harvard University each year, the school accepts roughly 7.2% of applicants. Of all the students to have attended throughout history only 2% flunked out.
85% of the students that attend Harvard are from out of state.
Harvard University has the largest endowment of any university in the world. In 2011 I was worth $32 billion.


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