Is Harvard good for an economics major if I want strong undergraduate teaching and career opportunities?

Harvard is very strong for economics, especially if you want academic depth, a huge alumni network, and excellent career outcomes. For internships and jobs, it is about as strong as it gets. Econ students regularly go into consulting, finance, tech, policy, research, and top graduate programs, and being in the Boston-Cambridge area helps with access to internships during the school year.

For undergraduate teaching, the answer is a little more mixed. The department is outstanding academically, but at a place like Harvard, intro and intermediate courses can be large, and some students feel the experience is more lecture-driven than personal. That does not mean the teaching is weak, but it does mean you may need to be proactive about office hours, sections, and building relationships with professors.

Once you get beyond the largest core classes, the experience often improves. Upper-level electives and seminars can be much more engaging, and there are strong opportunities to do research, write a thesis, and work with faculty.