GSAS has compiled a partial list of acronyms and terms used by the Harvard community and their definition: https://gsas.harvard.edu/student-life/harvard-resources/harvard-speak
Below are a few more that we identified.
Harvard Time: 7 minutes past the scheduled time. Originally budgeted for traveling time between classes, but has permeated to all events and meetings. If you are on time for an event, that means you are early!
G-1: Year 1 of your graduate school career. Replace 1 with the appropriate number. Unless it’s 6+, in which case you are called a G-n, where ‘n’ presumably stands for ‘need to graduate’.
TF: Teaching Fellow. The Harvard version of Teaching Assistant.
The Yard: Where the freshmen live, and where the tourists are.
Residential Advisors: They put up posters on Fridays and respond to noise complains. They are specifically for grad student dorms.
Nonresidential Tutor: Non-undergrads who periodically go to the Houses and give undergraduates advice. You can be one of these as well!
Primal Scream: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primal_Scream_(Harvard)
J-term: January Term. The month-long gap between fall and spring semester. Many mini-courses and workshops are offered during this time.
IAP: MIT version of J-term. They also have mini-courses that you can probably register for.
Half Course: Don’t be fooled, all full-semester courses are Half Course, or 4-Credit.
Quarter Course: 2-credit courses. They are often offered in the summer or January, but rarely in SEAS.
Crimson Cash: Money you can put onto your Harvard ID card. Can be used with dining services, vending machines, etc.
M-2: The shuttle that goes to the Harvard Medical School Campus.
HUDS: Harvard University Dining Services
HUPD: Harvard University Harvard Police
Hierarchy of schools (FAS, GSAS, SEAS)
http://www.harvard.edu/schools
12 Main Graduate/Professional Schools
- HMS
- HSPH (now Chan School)
- HSDM
- HKS
- HLS
- SEAS (now Paulson School)
- GSAS
- HGSE (pronounced Hugzee)
- GSD
- FAS
- HDS
- HBS
- DCE or HES/Harvard Extension School
Then you have the Radcliffe, IAS, FAS (college, GSAS, SEAS, DCE), and the College (the elephant in the room).
