So Harvard is my first choice, and I was really excited to get an email today from the admissions officer for my school. She asked if I have any research papers or the sort because one of my major extracurriculars that I highlighted was my involvement with a university research group as a research assistant. The officer does say that it was the Admissions Committee that asked for this, and from what I’ve read regarding the Harvard process the Admissions Committee is the final step in admissions. Does this mean that I’ve made it that far, and has anyone else gotten this message?
Unfortunately, all of my research papers are still in the draft stages and I can’t release them as is because of some policies on the department level for the university I work at. I’m planning on asking if I can submit some of the programming work I’ve done for the paper, but I’m not sure if Harvard will be interested. Is this a bad sign that I can’t submit work, because I’m guessing that if this request means anything I’m a borderline candidate and this might push me over the top.
Harvard asked for your research papers, so If you submit your programming work you will NOT be giving the Admissions Committee the necessary tools they required to make their assessment.
My recommendations would be to speak with your department level chairman and have her/him give approval to submit your research paper to Harvard Admissions as a DRAFT. In lieu of doing that, I would have the chairman of the department write Harvard Admissions a letter detailing why it’s not possible at this time to submit your research work.
Anyone know whether most kids got in after submitted the research papers AO asked? I mean should OP take it as a good indication if he is able to provide the paper?
They might be asking for a paper so that a faculty can review it and verify whatever claims you made about it in your application. I’d recommend asking the PI of the lab about a draft, albeit a rough one, for submitting to Harvard.
@love2cheeses: Five years ago, when my son was applying to college, three of his friends were emailed by a Harvard Admissions Officer asking for their research paper or math paper. When notices came out, one student was admitted and two were not. So, while it’s a positive sign of interest to have an AO ask for your research paper, it’s not a sign the applicant will receive a “fat envelope” come March 31st.
Wow, only 1 out of 3 accepted and these were the ones AO took the initiation asking for additional info…
So, Harvard did not like those kids’ research work?
Do you think it was because the committee did not like the work or AO did not like the work hence did not push in the committee?
ksharm you could call admissions and explain the situation and ask what substitute they might take, draft, notes, programming work…or a letter from a professor you worked with. It is not clear whether they are vetting you and trying to validate this activity, or whether they want to see the quality of your work. In either case, I think there is a way around this. And, as mentioned before, you could also ask the department where you did the research what you might be allowed to do from that end.
Definitely DON’T submit something other than what they are asking for at Harvard, without talking with them or explaining.
I agree with @gibby. I would do this first before calling Harvard as @compmom suggests. Try to get what they ask for first. If you can’t get a draft research paper, see if your PI or department level chairman will write a letter on your behalf detailing your involvement in the research. I would also send the programming work in addition to the letter but that’s without knowing if you did high-level programming such as computational neuroscience work or low-level data analysis.
I think that sending something other than what is asked for, specifically, looks bad, unless the professor can explain in a letter. Harvard admissions folk are helpful and can clarify things up front. So I agree getting permission to use a draft, from the professor, might be a first step but if that is not possible, I would contact admissions (whoever made the request of you)to ask about substitutes.
Again, it matters whether this is an attempt to check on the veracity of your resume or on the quality of what you have done. I suspect there may be people cleaning cages who put “research” on their application, for instance.
It may be that Harvard wants to know more about the substance of what you actually did, and there may be more than one way to do that for them. So I would ask admissions because only admissions knows why they are asking
But yes, only if you are unsuccessful in getting a paper draft at least. (Though even for that I would consider asking admissions. And accompany it with an explanation from the professor about why only the draft and why the paper itself cannot be used.)
If you do call admissions, don’t get an answer from one of the students answering the phone!!! Hoping the request you received has a name on it.
