The Geographic Confusion: Is Harvard University in Boston?

This might seem like a silly question, but I'm honestly confused. Isn't Harvard located in Cambridge, Massachusetts? Then why do people often say it's in Boston? Any clarification would be awesome. Thanks!

I understand your confusion! You're absolutely correct that Harvard University's main campus is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, not Boston. However, Cambridge is just across the Charles River from Boston and is considered part of the Greater Boston metropolitan area.

Cambridge and Boston are very closely knitted, with fluid transportation and societal exchanges. Many students at Harvard frequent Boston for its cultural offerings and additional resources. On account of these factors, when speaking generally, people often reference Harvard as being in Boston because it's the better-known city on an international scale, and they're geographically and socially intertwined.

Furthermore, some of Harvard's facilities and graduate schools, like the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Medical School, are actually located in Boston. So, it's not entirely incorrect to say Harvard is in Boston, but for accuracy, the main undergraduate campus is indeed in Cambridge.