<p>My son had completed a number of aps before hearing from Harvard. He had really worked hard on them, so even though he withdrew his aps from the other schools once accepted (he waited until after the New Year just to be sure), he couldn't bear to just toss them after all that effort. Those aps still sit in his drawer to this day!</p>
<p>As an alum interviewer, instead of having a bored-looking student waste my time by going through the motions of an interview, I'd rather have a student decline an interview and withdraw their application if they've been accepted to another place that they'd rather attend. That has happened, and it irritates me no end.</p>
<p>Students who know that they have been accepted to their first choice college, and know they plan to go there, shouldn't waste the time of the volunteer and professional interviewers. If the students aren't sure that they want to attend their EA college, then continuing to apply makes sense and talking to them is not a waste of time for the interviewers.</p>
<p>I get shivers when I see selfishness like this out of supposedly mature and intelligent almost-adults.</p>
<p>Cripes.</p>
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I absolutely think they have fixed numbers---if they admitted everyone who meets their standards, they could triple their class. And I agree that it's not ethical to potentially take someone's spot just to boost your ego, ie. if you have no intention of considering the school. Pushing another candidate to the waitlist is needlessly causing someone else a very difficult time, regardless of whether they eventually get in.
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<p>I absolutely agree with Donemom. They have absolute number of spots owing chiefly to housing limitations. Harvard had to keep open a dorm that had been slated for renovations in order to accommodate Katrina refugees.</p>
<p>I support students who apply RD to other colleges if they need to compare financial aid packages. But students who apply elsewhere (at $60 a pop) just to see how many other places they can get into or because they don't know how to say no in January to some other colleges show real immaturity and a lack of consideration for other applicants (never mind the interviewers and admission officers who have to deal with applicants who have no intention whatsoever of attending their college).</p>
<p>Don't withdraw any applications until you have a financial aid package you are entirely happy with. The amount of variation from one Ivy to the next is surprising, and yes, it does provide a small amount of leverage when negotiating with them.</p>
<p>I had other apps going out for financial reasons, but Harvard sent me an aid estimate through the mail with my acceptance letter, and they were more than generous.</p>
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As much as they say they don't, admissions committees do compare kids from the same schools, and you could be changing your good friend's life for the next four years (and beyond) by taking his spot at a school that you are certain you do not want to go to.
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I think it is pretty selfish to apply after getting into Harvard and knowing you will go there. You'll probably end up keeping other deserving applicants out of their top choice colleges.
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<p>Oh Please. </p>
<p>Apply to every school that you want to apply to. The point of having an Early Action policy, rather than an Early Decision policy, is that you are free--even encouraged--to apply to other schools for the sake of anything from comparing financial aid packages--which you can't do if you've no other school to apply to--to simply having options to choose from so that you can make a more informed decision about where you want to go. I mean, unless something has changed since a year ago, at this point, you don't know how much money you're getting from Harvard. If you're a financial aid applicant, having the opportunity to compare financial aid packages can be very helpful when making your decision.</p>
<p>I don't buy the "taking other qualified students" argument. That's what the waitlist is for: to fill the remaining spots in the class when other students turn the school down. If their "spot" is taken -- though, for the record, getting into an Ivy is not a privilege and thus a spot in the class is not theirs to claim -- but they really are extremely qualified, they will be waitlisted; and once you turn that school down, they'll be reconsidered and possibly accepted to the class. </p>
<p>Bottom line: If you really don't know if Harvard is for you, or are not sure what you want to do and are considering specific programs at other schools, or want to see what kind of money you get from other schools--</p>
<p>Whatever your reason, if you are unsure about Harvard and want to apply to other places, do it. No guilt or justification necessary.</p>
<p>That said, if you are positive you'll attend Harvard, why waste the time, and the money?</p>
<p>The only two applcations I have left in are the ones for colleges I could potentially decide to go to.</p>
<p>I don't know anyone else from my school applying to these colleges (some already got in ED). </p>
<p>I do want to see other aid packages. </p>
<p>Thanks for the advice guys.</p>
<p>I find it extremely difficult to believe you're actually considering other colleges, although it would depend upon exactly which colleges we were talking about. I smell BS.</p>
<p>Just keep in mind that every action has a consequence, and as many schools do not keep ranked waiting lists, you may well keep a qualified student out of their first choice school. The fact it could even POTENTIALLY cause someone else harm should give you pause. Your admission to Harvard was literally an act of God, just like everyone else who was admitted. You have been given a precious gift, four years at the country's most revered institution of learning. Despite it, you're not satisfied. Your actions could deny someone else their deserved admission. </p>
<p>I think you're lying about the financial situation, as I know for FACT that Harvard's aid is EXTREMELY generous. If you or your family truly need help paying for college, you will receive it.</p>
<p>You're also wasting the time of the interviewers, as NSM said.</p>
<p>It is reprehensible and low behavior, not fit for someone admitted to Harvard.</p>
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Bottom line: If you really don't know if Harvard is for you, or are not sure what you want to do and are considering specific programs at other schools, or want to see what kind of money you get from other schools--</p>
<p>Whatever your reason, if you are unsure about Harvard and want to apply to other places, do it. No guilt or justification necessary.
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<p>Are you kidding? Don't "oh please" me when you are making the same exact argument as me. I said only if you are 100% sure then don't apply to other schools because there is absolutely no reason to put someone on a waitlist and have them stress out about it.</p>
<p>Why would I be lying? That makes no sense. If I wasn't considering the other colleges, why would I leave my applications in? </p>
<p>You don't know what my situation is, so you shouldn't make assumptions.</p>
<p>You really need to relax buddy.</p>
<p>Apply wherever you want - the only "moral" or "ethical" thing to do in the college process is to look out for your best interest, no matter what that is.</p>
<p>If you paid the application fee and filled out the application, I see no reason to withdraw from anywhere.</p>
<p>Humor me then. What is your situation?</p>
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Are you kidding? Don't "oh please" me when you are making the same exact argument as me.
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<p>My post wasn't a direct response to what you said, Terra, but a response to the overriding sentiment on this thread that applying to other schools is "so wrong." That's a gut reaction that I really hope people reconsider. I only quoted you because I think the quote I pulled was a good example of this sentiment. </p>
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I think you're lying about the financial situation, as I know for FACT that Harvard's aid is EXTREMELY generous.
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<p>You would think so, wouldn't you? Of 7 schools, Harvard pretty much gave me the smallest financial aid offer. I had to bargain with them to get it high enough for me to even come here--and that was only after I re-researched all of my other schools and decided this was where I wanted to be, despite financial struggle. And I had to cite other aid packages before Harvard even began to budge. That's the benefit of having more than one school/package to choose from.</p>
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Bottom line: If you really don't know if Harvard is for you, or are not sure what you want to do and are considering specific programs at other schools, or want to see what kind of money you get from other schools--Whatever your reason, if you are unsure about Harvard and want to apply to other places, do it. No guilt or justification necessary.
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<p>Contrary to the justification for your post, the over-riding sentiment in this thread, is, I think, ONLY IF YOU ARE CERTAIN about Harvard, don't seek trophy acceptances at the expense of others. Your argument is not a response to this, since you are talking about some degree of UNCERTAINTY, be it for financial or other reasons. And of course, in that case, one would be foolish not to keep one's options open.</p>
<p>If you apply and are accepted to a university you do not plan to attend, you could still be taking someone's spot. Here's how:</p>
<p>Colleges usually overadmit depending on their yield rate. Let's say Harvard wants to enroll 1600 students and had a yield rate of 80%. So Harvard will accept roughly 1900 students to compensate. Now let's say that this year, 1700 students decided to accept the offer of admission. Harvard already has more than its target of 1600 students, so they will not accept any students off their waitlist. "Overbooking" is why in some years, Harvard does not accept any students off the waitlist even though they have never had a 100% yield rate. </p>
<p>Now, if you happened to apply to Harvard just for the heck of it and you were accepted over another student, you will have taken his spot. You turned down your spot, but Harvard did not replace you with him in this case. The process is not as simple as substituting one student for another.</p>
<p>notify all other schools - its the rgiht thing to do.</p>