<p>Does anyone know the stats for African-Americans at Harvard?</p>
<p>I'm looking for info on the amount who apply early and are accepted and the amount that apply overall and are accepted.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Harvard is the highest-rated university in the important category of black student yield. Nearly two thirds of all black students who are accepted for admission at Harvard decide to enroll. This statistic in itself demonstrates that college-bound black students have the highest regard for the university. Also, the university's black student graduation rate remains the best in the nation.</p>
<p>I guess the real question is: how many African-Americans are accepted out of the ones that apply early? And how many apply total ? </p>
<p>I'm not surprised about the yield rate. I felt very comfortable when I walked on campus and around Boston, despite the ugly rumors about the north...that you can only hear in the south. I was glad they were all wrong.</p>
<p>Yep! This is one of the many reasons I'm applying EA.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if the specific stats you're looking for are ever released though.</p>
<p>You are probably right candilize...I might have found a way around that though. There was an article that boasted that Early African-American apps at Harvard went up to 198 (like up 30+ from previous year). And then there are stats that say the total Black population is 10.5 % which is around 220. I guess it depends on the amount that apply RD but it looks like a fair share are probably taken from the EA pool. What do you think Byerly?</p>
<p>To my knowledge, Harvard doesn't admit the stats that you're looking for. I'm fairly sure that the only place you can find such stats for top colleges is in The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, and Harvard refused to tell them how many black students applied. I think that Harvard just tells how many black students accepted admission.</p>
<p>As an alum interviewer, I have not seen evidence that a disproportionate number of black students are taken from EA. Everything I have seen indicates that Harvard is serious when it says that it only accepts only the very top EA students -- those who definitely would get in after the RD students apply. That means that an African American student would have to be walk on water to get in EA, as is the case for everyone.</p>
<p>I've also seen in the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education that black students who apply EA/ED to top colleges tend to be weaker than are black students who apply RD. As a result, it seems that black students at many top colleges are less likely to get in if they apply EA/ED. </p>
<p>Check out their web site as you might find the article posted there.</p>
<p>Hmm... that's interesting. What might be the reason there are weaker applicants for EA/ED when it's normally the other way around?</p>
<p>Thanks Northstarmom...I hadn't really thought of it that way. I totally agree that anyone accepted EA is/will be very qualified to be at Harvard. I guess I can honestly say I'm thinking of myself when I ask for these sorts of numbers. However, I will be a competitive candidate regardless of my race. I, like all the other URMs, am just curious as to how much that will help me. I want an advantage...like everyone else, but I'm not trying to just exploit the system by applying early. I am sincerely interested in Harvard and will put forth my BEST effort to try to get accepted. </p>
<p>It's hard to phrase the sort of questions. I really want to know what happens to other students like me. It's hard to compare to non-African-Americans because there is obviously a difference.</p>
<p>I'm with Candilize...i'm a little confused about why the EA black applicants would be weaker than RD when its the other way for everyone else.</p>
<p>Well either way, I know of some with very strong resumes who were rejected.</p>
<p>Because the stronger black students aren't as likely to apply EA because they know that being a high stat, strong EC black student will make them stand out in most admissions pools including HPYS. They don't need to apply EA or ED to stand out. They also may want to rack up lots of admissions and scholarship offers, and use their offers to negotiate excellent financial aid or merit scholarships.</p>
<p>As for your chances, luckygirl, if your SAT v, m combined score is 1450 or higher and you have a good gpa (unweighted 3.7 or higher), even if your ECs are not national or state level, you probably have an excellent chance of getting into a place like HPYS, though you aren't guaranteed to get into all of them.</p>
<p>I've seen URMs with similar and higher grades/scores get accepted, rejected and waitlisted at Harvard, and URMs with lower gpas/SATs get accepted and rejected at Harvard. The total package is what matters. A nuclear physicist's offspring with a 3.4, 1450 and unremarkable ECs such as being class secretary could be rejected over a first generation, low income college student with a 3.9 unweighted, valedictorian, class president and a 1250 SAT.</p>
<p>A black valedictorian with 1500 + scores but a bad attitude (blows off the interview or essays, for example) could be rejected or waitlisted while another black student with more remarkable ECs, a more thoughtful essay and interview gets in with lower scores and grades.</p>
<p>I totally agree with everything except about applying early. I know the whole package is what counts which is why I try not to focus too much on SATs. But about the early thing...as a URM I know I will stand out with good grades, but I'm still trying to put myself in the best position. For me...I think that's early.</p>
<p>I know the whole process is sort of a lottery, I just want to help myself as much as possible. My SAT isn't quite that high...but other parts of my app are more important...I think. </p>
<p>The good thing about applying early is I can still get other admissions offers for safety. Harvard is my number one choice, for me it's a win win situation. And if you're correct about weaker AA applicants in the fall...then maybe I have a better chance of standing out.</p>
<p>northstarmom mentioned the usefulness of the journal of blacks in higher education on this topic. see their article "ranking america's leading universities on their success in integrating african americans," linked below. (note, however, that the data is a couple years old now.) harvard places second among the ivies after princeton, and eighth overall among 26 elites, in the JBHE rankings. </p>
<p>I don't think that you'll have a better chance of standing out because from what I have noticed, Harvard isn't going to accept a relatively weak candidate of any race EA. If your SATs are good, but not great, and your grades are good, but not great, I'm doubting that Harvard will accept you EA because they only accept people EA when Harvard is certain that there will not be stronger applicants available when the entire admission pool is in.</p>
<p>I also don't think that as a URM you'll stand out in the admission pool EA or ED simply because you are a URM with good grades. Most students of all races who apply to Harvard have good grades. </p>
<p>I think that you'd be better off applying EA to a place like Georgetown where it might give you an advantage in admission. If there are places that give merit scholarships to people who apply EA, you also might consider applying EA to such a college. I think that Boston College is such a place.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, applying RD to Harvard would give you more of a chance to polish your application, interviewing skills and ECs.</p>
<p>Northstarmom...please don't misunderstand. I haven't posted any stats for a reason. I don't want to post my stats just to have people tear them down. And as for your recommendations, thanks for your input but you have nothing to base your advice on. I wanted to keep this forum from being about me but more about African-Americans at Harvard in general. I'm sure you're trying to help but your advice comes off more negative by telling me how I won't stand out. Make no mistake that my application will be polished and I have great interview skills. I don't want to talk about what I'll present to the adcom b/c there will be other students ready to bring me down just to up their chances. I dont want to give off the impression that b/c I'm not bragging that I'm a weak candidate. I understand that I'll have to work to present myself. If you would like to talk more about my chances at Harvard feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>p.s.
The actual stats say that only 54% of Harvard students score over 1400. That means almost half didn't. Alot of people on CC have a chance.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tips northstarmom! You're always so helpful.</p>
<p>I think, however, with the schools I'm considering, Harvard EA is the best bet for me.</p>
<p>Though lucky, I'm not sure where you heard that statistic about SAT scores, because I remember reading that the median last year was a 1495.</p>
<p>Thanks scottie</p>
<p>Northstarmom, I think you're pretty much on the mark numberswise, but I also think it depends on the school. I've seen over 1500s get rejected because my school is an elite prep and they are affluent. In my observation, Harvard doesn't give much of a boost to wealthy AAs.</p>
<p>Lucky, the purpose of posting on a forum like this is usually to get the truth. If you're afraid of it the better idea is to just daydream.</p>
<p>I do know one AA young lady from Silicon Valley who is on her way to Harvard for the Fall 2005 term, after also being accepted to Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, Stanford and MIT. I don't have access to her stats, but know that she had a 3.9 uw GPA at the end of 11th grade. (I have her transcript). She is a product of public HS. I also know AAs from Silicon Valley who are currently at Yale, Princeton and Stanford.</p>
<p>The competition for URM youth is fierce, as it is for all students applying to the Ivys and other top schools. There really IS NOT much of a break (if any) just for being a URM. In most situations, they still have to be BETTER THAN THE REST !!!</p>
<p>I personally think that URM retention/graduation rates are much more important than acceptance rates. It is a major challenge to be accepted, and a much more prestigious accomplishment to actuallly graduate! For example, I have been told that the retention rate for AA students at San Jose State U (here in Silicon Valley) is a dismal 23%. I have also heard that Stanford will bend over backward to retain and graduate its students.</p>
<p>suze
I want the truth. I know everyone is trying to help.</p>