Comparison · 10 material differences
Harvard Club of New York City vs Somerset Club
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
What the records say
- Geographic restriction: Harvard Club of New York City: Dues category is set by home and professional address: Resident/Professional (the five boroughs), Tri-State, Non-Resident East, and Non-Resident West and International; Somerset Club: No published geographic restriction.
- Annual dues: Harvard Club of New York City: $573–2,864 a year; Somerset Club: Not publicly disclosed.
Side by side
| Harvard Club of New York City | Somerset Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | 1865 (Founded in 1865 by a small group of alumni; the first meeting was held at the Mercantile Library Building on Astor Place and four members attended. A constitution was adopted in 1878 and the club was incorporated in New York State in 1887.) | 1852 (The club publishes no history. Wikipedia traces informal origins to 1826 and a group called the Temple by the 1830s, and records that the club opened to members in 1852, first as the Beacon Club and renamed the Somerset Club that same year.) |
| Headquarters | New York, United States | Boston, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Single clubhouse on West 44th Street, Manhattan, with entrances at 27 and 35 West 44th Street; members are drawn worldwide and dues categories reflect distance from the club | Single clubhouse at 42 Beacon Street on Beacon Hill, combined with the adjoining house at 43 Beacon Street |
| Members | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed |
| Chapters | Single clubhouse; no chapters | Single clubhouse; no chapters |
| Primary audience | Harvard University and Radcliffe College degree recipients, current and former faculty, fellows, officers and University appointment holders of at least one full academic year, current and former University-wide board and committee members, and former full-time students in good standing in a Harvard degree programme for at least one full academic year. | Not publicly disclosed. The club's public website consists of a home page, a member login and a guest-information page, and states nothing about who it admits. |
| Typical member | Members are Harvard-affiliated by degree, faculty appointment or University service, plus spouses and life partners admitted in reduced-rate categories. Dues bands are set by years since undergraduate degree and by whether the member lives or works in New York City, the tri-state area, the eastern states, or further afield. | Not publicly disclosed. Wikipedia describes the club historically as a centre of Boston Brahmin families; the club publishes nothing about its present membership. |
| Qualification | ||
| Geographic restriction | Dues category is set by home and professional address: Resident/Professional (the five boroughs), Tri-State, Non-Resident East, and Non-Resident West and InternationalWhichever address is closest to the club determines the categoryverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| Invitation required | No | Not documented |
| Sponsor required | No | Not documented |
| Application process | Applicants apply online in the category matching their Harvard affiliation. The club verifies the affiliation and contacts the applicant with membership information in about three weeks. There is no published requirement for proposers or seconders. A separate route exists for the graduating class of the year and for Harvard summer students. | No application process is published. The club's public site has no membership page, application form or membership contact. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. Admission turns on verifying a qualifying Harvard affiliation rather than on a published selection or ballot. | Not publicly disclosed |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $573–2,864 a yearResident/Professional category (residence, business or employment in the five boroughs of New York City), banded by years since undergraduate degree: under 4 years $573; 4 to under 6 $859; 6 to under 8 $1,289; 8 to under 10 $1,910; 10 or more $2,864. Excludes taxes.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | $250–2,864 one-timeEntrance fee applies to all membership categories and equals 100% of a full year of dues, subject to a $250 minimum. Payable in full or in three instalments over two years, the first due on membership activation. No entrance fee applies to Signing Privilege Membership or to widows'/widowers' privileges.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Annual, on a fiscal year ending 30 June; dues payable quarterly, half-yearly or annually | Not documented |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Clubhouse open daily, closing to members at 11pm; talks, performances, art classes, wine tastings and other member programming through the year | Not publicly disclosed |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Not documented |
| Confidentiality | The club maintains House Rules governing technology use in the clubhouse; specific terms are not published in full | No cell phones, listening or reading devices, or other electronic communications devices of any kind may be used in the dining and public areas of the club; members and guests may use Room 6 on the first floor for personal communication. Photography is permitted only with prior approval from the General Manager or Executive Committee, and then only for personal use. |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused | Clubhouse premises |
| Confidential peer forums | No | No |
| Local chapters | No | No |
| Virtual membership | No | No |
| Online community | No | No |
| Member directory | Not documented | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Not documented |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Not documented |
| Leadership development | No | No |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | Yes | Not documented |
| Family programming | Not documented | Not documented |
| Spouse and partner programming | Yes | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Partial | Not documented |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | Not documented |
| Networking emphasis | High | Low |
| Social emphasis | High | High |
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Last verified: not yet reviewed
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Harvard Club of New York City · Somerset Club