Most Harvard undergraduates will take 12-20 courses for their chosen concentration, three classes that fulfill general College writing, language, and quantitative reasoning requirements, four general education courses, and three divisional distributions of arts and humanities, social sciences, and science and engineering across their four years on campus. This does not account for the many students pursuing double or joint concentrations or the option to take on a secondary field of study. With Fall 2025 course registration having opened on April 2, the stress of finding a place for these requirements has hit students across Harvard’s campus. Undergraduates find themselves overwhelmed by the over 3,700 courses (not including the courses available for cross-registration).
Some will default to filling their four or five slots with easier classes, known as “gems,” to lighten the burden of often strenuous undergraduate schedules—a practice Harvard tries to eliminate through grade standardization. Others will seek out courses they feel help build their intellect and character. And most will have to find ones that also fulfill their graduation requirements. However, regardless of which category or combination of such groups a student falls under, almost all look to their peers for advice on which course may fit them best.
Arguably one of Harvard’s most popular courses is Psychology 1: “Introduction to Psychological Science,” taught by Professor Daniel Gilbert in Fall 2025, and Professor Jason Mitchell in Spring 2026.
“First off, I’ve got to say, take Psych 1 with Professor Gilbert,” Emmanuel Edwards ’27 suggested. “[It’s] just one of the most engaging classes I’ve ever been in.”
Edwards was not the only student who suggested Psych 1. Gaia Negrini ’27 also had positive things to recommend about the course. “I think everybody, low-key, should take that class, because it just gives you an idea and an insight into people’s brains that is useful for everyday life,” said Negrini.
Negrini, a Psychology and Math concentrator, also recommended Math 25: Theoretical Linear Algebra and Real Analysis (I and II) as a good introductory course to the math department. “If you’re interested in math…[choose] Math 25. I loved it. It was a great community,” added Negrini.
Edwards also recommended General Education 1046: “Evolving Morality.” “I’m a full-fledged Christian, so some of the points that were touted in that class I don’t necessarily agree with, but it is just a super fascinating class,” he said. “Just to hear a pretty complex analysis of how morality can arrive from what they’re trying to frame is a completely secular perspective.”
For Prish Sheth ’28, Computer Science 182: “Artificial Intelligence” was one of the highlights of his first fall at Harvard. “[I recommend this class] for freshmen in CS who want to take an advanced CS class without taking 124 because of the large time-consuming nature of [CS 124],” commented Sheth. “I think the teaching staff is wonderful. They do a lot and genuinely want the best for their students.”
Stella Maymin ’28 shared her praise for English CNFR. Creative Nonfiction: Workshop. “You do a writing sample, we have three writing projects, and then we do workshops,” Maymin shared. “You read five people’s pieces before class, and then workshop them in class.” After taking this class, Maymin has found a passion in the Creative Writing department. “It’s my first creative writing class here. I want to take more.”
Beyond the College, Harvard students have the unique opportunity to cross-register for classes at the University’s graduate schools and partner schools, like Brown, Tufts, and MIT. Feriel Terras ’26 and Mitja Bof ’26 highly recommend taking advantage of such expanded offerings outside the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. “There’s a lot of stuff that doesn’t get taught at the College, but you would benefit a lot from taking [graduate courses],” Bof said.
According to the FAS website, Harvard College students are allowed to take an unlimited number of cross-registered courses, which can contribute to concentration and general college credits. However, such course grades are not included in GPA calculations unless a student receives a failing grade or petitions the course to be included. Regardless of this process, Terras likewise believes instruction outside the College is worthwhile.
“There can be so many things that are super relevant to the things you want to learn about that aren’t necessarily offered in a very rigid academic [structure],” said Terras, who is taking a class at the Harvard Kennedy School. “There’s always a value to just lurking on my.harvard and finding stuff that’s really connected to what you want to learn the most.”
Fellow students aren’t the only valuable perspective when seeking out classes. After hearing reflections from students and professors during her tenure as a proctor at the College and research associate at the Harvard Business School, Catherine Huang HGSE ’22 has gathered her own course recommendations. In Huang’s experience, General Education 1033: “Conflict Resolution in a Divided World,” taught by Professor Daniel Shapiro, has been a favorite among students. However, the class hasn’t been taught since 2022, as Shapiro is currently on sabbatical. Huang hasn’t only heard about this course from students; “I got to TF for it!” said Huang.
Because of her and others’ fantastic experience with the class, Huang suggested Gen-Ed 1033 to all students. She further shares that undergraduates should “keep an eye out” if it is offered again in Fall 2025. “It was the top-rated class in the Q-Score for 10 years in a row…and literally, people will say, it changes their lives,” Huang continued.
Outside of advice from peers, students may struggle to decide what to take from Harvard’s expansive course offerings. The College likewise provides helpful resources from the standard my.harvard course search syllabus explorer, like Q-reports, the Peer Advising Fellow (PAF) system, and first-year and concentration advising programs. There is plenty available for getting more personal advice on enrolling in future courses.
With thousands of options, all undergraduates curating a perfect schedule can be overwhelming. However, as students plan for their next semester, many recommend stepping outside one’s academic comfort zone—the best experiences could come from the unexpected.
Kalvin Frank ’28 (kfrank@college.harvard.edu) will probably register for classes on the last possible day.