Academic Ones

Colleges & Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>"The highest academic rating of one is reserved for students who rank first or second their high school class, score over 700 on at least five SAT tests, score 4 or 5 on at least three AP tests or 6 or 7 on three IB tests, and show academic initiative outside the classroom.... Roughly 10 percent of applicants to Harvard are given academic ratings of one.... Academic ones are virtual locks for admission."
--Dov Fox, "The Truth About Harvard"</p>

<p>Can anyone verify this? It seems like this statement is outdated, since I'm sure many applicants with all of these stats are routinely rejected. According to Fox I'm a "one," but I'm sure the process is more complicated than that, even if I have decent ECs. What do you guys think?</p>

2

<p>There's one very obvious weakness in that quote '10 percent of applicants to Harvard are given academic ratings of one.... Academic ones are virtual locks for admission."'</p>

<p>Now, these days some years less than 10% of applicants get into Harvard. That would mean just EVERYONE admitted met the desciprtion above. Clearly that's not the case, so that statement can't be accurate.</p>

3

<p>Yeah, I noticed that too, UKRUS. I wonder what the acceptance rate for ones really is, assuming that Fox's definition is still used. Somewhere from 30 to 80% possibly?</p>

4

<p>No idea. Pointless speculating really - you've got a chance and should apply, if you get in and your chance was 1% it doesn't make a difference, if you don't and your chance was 99% it doesn't help either.</p>

5

<p>I believe the catch phrase is "show academic initiative outside the classroom." Even then, if your personal qualities aren't favorable, you will not be accepted, as it happened to one of the guys here who was an Intel finalist this past year.</p>

6

<p>Maybe what he meant was 10% of Harvard admits have an academic one. That would make more sense.</p>

<p>Or, perhaps most admits do indeed have an academic one. It can't be that hard to achieve, you just need 700+ on all your SATs and do well the other exams. I imagine the academic rating would carry most weight.</p>

7

<p>Those numbers are really not that impressive. I'd hope it'd be harder to be a "1" at Harvard. 4 or 5 on 3 AP tests? Please, that's a joke.</p>

8

<p>As i recall from an article posted here about the admisions process they also give a similar numerical rating for e/c's and essays right?</p>

9

<p>Mr. Payne:</p>

<p>The test score standards dont seem all that demanding. I'm sure that most applicants are kept out of the "one" rank just because they arent 1st or 2nd in their class.</p>

<p>Tarun:</p>

<p>Yes, Fox mentions that in his book as well. However, the academic rating is weighted 3 times as heavily as the EC rating.</p>

<p>UKRUS:</p>

<p>But isnt speculation what CC is all about? ;)</p>

10

<p>all this "speculation" makes me want to see what they gave my app, and what "got me in"</p>

11

<p>"The test score standards dont seem all that demanding. I'm sure that most applicants are kept out of the "one" rank just because they arent 1st or 2nd in their class."</p>

<p>Yeah, and this is just a <em>stupid</em> requirement. At least at my school I don't think it was a good predictor of anything. It's funny though, because I think our #1 ending up going to Harvard.</p>

12

<p>Interesting statement - considering the acceptance rate for all applicants including those who aren't academic ones is less than 10%</p>

13

<p>I met all of the requirements given by the poster and I was deferred and rejected from Harvard (yet accepted to Yale).</p>

<p>Good grades and test scores get you in the door. EC's get you to the front of the line. Good essays/rec's make you look a little bit shinier.</p>