> If this is the case, I really need to get a refund on my Harvard tuition.
No refunds.
It's your own fault really. Going to Harvard (or any other Ivy League school) and focusing on classwork rather than networking is incredibly short-sighted. The price premium that Harvard commands is not because they have access to math or chemistry or philosophy that other schools don't know about, it's because of the opportunity to network.
If all you wanted to do was learn, you could have gone to state school.
I was joking, of course—there are no secret handshakes.* I had a great time at Harvard and have always been grateful to have the chance to attend. I also did plenty of networking while I was there. Finally, don't underestimate the value of learning alongside some of the great minds of your generation. (For example, my classmate Manjul Bhargava just won the Fields Medal.) Having top classmates inspires you to up your game.
By the way, Harvard charges no price premium vs. other private schools, and with financial aid it cost me and my parents the same as a state school.
*Actually, there probably are some secret handshakes, but they're not taught to people who merely "network". If there are such handshakes, they exist at the so-called final [sic] clubs, which most people in my circle of friends either knew nothing about or openly disdained.
I chose Harvard over a state school, but I was driven primarily by the great research opportunities for undergraduates and the easy access to and funding for those opportunities, not by networking opportunities. I'm very happy with my decision and believe I received a great education in all respects.
No refunds.
It's your own fault really. Going to Harvard (or any other Ivy League school) and focusing on classwork rather than networking is incredibly short-sighted. The price premium that Harvard commands is not because they have access to math or chemistry or philosophy that other schools don't know about, it's because of the opportunity to network.
If all you wanted to do was learn, you could have gone to state school.