Dear Eighth Grader, from Harvard

<p>Andrew</a> S. Doctoroff: Dear Eighth Grader: So You Want to Apply to Harvard? Some Words of Advice...</p>

<p>Very interesting read. My opinion is that Mr. Doctoroff is a bit naive, though. What do you all think?</p>

<p>Wow. That was indeed VERY interesting. He sounds mildly jaded, however I think all of his points are fair and valid. He ertainly told it like it is. Thanks for the article!</p>

<p>Best article ever. And almost verbatim the things I’ve been saying for over a year. BTW - the same approach and thought process applies to boarding schools.</p>

<p>Very interesting indeed.
I agree with you, though. He does seem a bit naive.
Worth reading, though. Thank you.</p>

<p>Sorry, don’t understand . . . could Cherry Rose or GlassChild explain how he seems “a bit naive”? Thanks . . .</p>

<p>xGlassChild - that’s a pretty bold statement coming from a student trying to get into college. Forearmed is forewarned. You might want to heed the advice rather than dismiss it. The reality is exactly what the article implies- too much competition to be bothered with dime a dozen students who feel their scores and grades “entitle them” to admissions (and show up to interviews wearing that attitude on their shoulders) or whose emphasis on academic performance leaves them with not a wit of other activities that stand out in a way that sets them apart. Especially when they can’t hold a conversation on any current event, can’t articulate why a school is a match, and don’t demonstrate any passion for anything other than getting into college. Do we root for those kids? Nope. We write honest assessments but we don’t go the extra mile to advocate for them. </p>

<p>Naive? I’ve been doing this for thirty plus years and the article is dead on accurate and a good reflection of what we all talk about behind the scenes.</p>

<p>The man gave you a gift. I’d advise you to read the article again.</p>

<p>Based on my kids’ experiences with both prep school and college admissions, I couldn’t agree more with Andrew Doctoroff. The great thing about intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm is that it cannot be faked or coached!</p>

<p>I thought the article was spot on … I interviewed for Cornell for a bunch of years. Each year I interviewed 5-10 kids and probably 80% of the kids I interviewed had the stats and ECs to be qualified … and about 1/3rd were accepted. However each year I met 1-2 applicants that just blew me away … some of these kids were very shy and quiet … but with each of them eventually we hit a topic where their eyes lit up and the conversation was spectacular … their intellect, energy, etc came through in spades … they had “IT” in spades.</p>

<p>Frankly, the I’ve had a similar experience interviewing professionally … lots of qualified candidates … but among any candidate pool 1-2 candidates just jump ahead of the pack because of their presence.</p>

<p>Great article. Will try and keep that in mind 4 years from now.</p>

<p>The author of the article has raised some VERY good points. However, - slightly off topic -, for most colleges, interviews are optional and they have the least significance in admissions decisions. Once a director of admissions at an ivy league school explained that they don’t really take interview comments “seriously” mostly because they rely heavily on un-trained and often volunteer based off campus interviewers and the interviews are indeed “optional”, which makes it unfair to others who don’t go for an interview.</p>

<p>At prep school level, as we can see, an on campus interview is often times a sales pitch so the potential applicants can make up their minds to actually jump in and submit their applications. At the same time, an interview is “required” so it has more signicance than in college admissions. However, alumi interviews for prep schools have the same problems as for colleges. From we have gathered in this forum, some interviewers are biased and are not the strongest advocate of the schools they represent. I don’t think they’d go as far as denigrating their schools, most of the times at least, but they could draw on personal expriences heavily and exaggerate certain aspects of the boarding school life, leading to overly rosy or discouraging prospects for potential applicants. So, my advice tp new applicants is try your best to go to an on campus interview. If you can’t, know that alumni interviewers can vary in quality GREATLY. Be prepared to deal with one that are heavily biased.</p>

<p>This is great article.</p>

<p>DAndrew- agreed on the alumni interviewers- had some inappropriate ones. However, we also found that actual admissions people from the colleges, as well as the actual regional readers (the ones who in the end often make the actual admissions decisions) often showed up on campus to personally interview the kids. This was from colleges and universities that publically stated that they don’t count or require interviews.</p>

<p>Thanks for posting - super perspective</p>

<p>Oh my god, that article is awesome.</p>

<p>So, no one else found his opinions pretentious and stuffy?</p>

<p>I guess I’m the exception.</p>

<p>I find it funny how, in the author’s perspective, the burden of proof falls only on those who disagree with the President’s policies. He seems to me another liberal ideologue that needs proof for God’s existence in order to gain his high-horse approval.</p>

<p>To explain why I thought the letter was, while well-intentioned, a bit naive, I thought Mr. Doctoroff puts too much faith in colleges’ abilities to detect the “fakers”. And “shunning materialism”? Why do you think people apply to Harvard? Also, though meant to be humourous, his Facebook references irked me. Not all eighth graders are mindless social media addicts; there are some of us trying to do exactly what he described.</p>

<p>With that said, he does do a well-written job. He IS perfectly right on the alarmingly prevalent things that should be avoided. It’s just when he relates what we should do and pursue, it sounds to me like “Harvard only takes the true best and nothing less. Okay? Got that? Now go and make yourself into perfectly passionate, wonderfully competent, etc. Harvard material before you interview; maybe I won’t have to see another made-to-order Tiger Child.”</p>

<p>Google ‘college peas’ and you find a more practical answer.</p>

<p>Thanks, CherryRose . . . you’ve clearly put a lot of thought into this. I appreciate your explanation. (And I’m darned glad that college is several decades behind me!)</p>

<p>^ You’re very welcome; it’s my pleasure. :)</p>