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@gibby: Based on my experience, the experiences of people I’ve known, and the official “word” from Harvard, the admissions process is need-blind.</p>
<p>The degree to which ethnicity plays in admissions decisions is debatable. Many of my Harvard classmates happened to be Asian. All were outstanding students (took a ton of AP tests, had high GPAs, received prestigious honors/awards), but each had interests outside of class as well.</p>
<p>I have to say that, since college, I have yet to encounter such a concentration of smart, hard-working, and interesting human beings.</p>