Academics

Science classes are pretty hard, and intro classes honestly aren't as interesting as upper level ones (in bio, at least). Social science courses are great, rigor varies from department to department.

Compared to high school, Harvard does a pretty good job of making collegiate academia pop.

Make sure you are ready to work as hard as possible for the entire year. There is no down time. There are no breaks. School must be the top priority.

Harvard is all about seeking help when you need it. Your lectures will be challenging, your problem sets hard, and your exams still harder. However, there is a strong system of support in place for every class. Professors love to meet with students, and your classmates themselves are almost always willing to help. The image people have of a population of cutthroat, backstabbing library zombies is simply false.