<p>I am a non-U.S. student intending to apply to Harvard later this year. I currently reside in a country which sends many students to Harvard, but hold citizenship of a country which has only one person studying at Harvard. </p>
<p>I was wondering if Harvard would take into account my citizenship or country of residence for admission purposes.</p>
<p>Probably not. You will likely be compared against those students applying from your country.</p>
<p>They’ll compare you to the context of your HS. Are you outstanding in the context of your educational environment?</p>
<p>But if you happen to be the child of a diplomat from a far flung country who happens to be studying in the UK or something (for example), that lone fact might catch someone’s attention.</p>
<p>Thanks for your replies. I know that Harvard will assess all applicants in the context of their educational system. </p>
<p>If I understand the process correctly, applicants from oversubscribed countries have a lower chance of getting accepted, and the opposite applies for applicants from underrepresented countries. So, I was wondering if I would be given an advantage or disadvantage.</p>
<p>My country of residence has ~60 students studying at Harvard, and my country of citizenship has just one person at Harvard, and he is finishing next summer.</p>
<p>Absolutely no way to know how Harvard or any other school factors this in.</p>
<p>I actually thought national status was based on the location of your school: [Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: International Applicant Information](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/international/index.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/international/index.html).</p>
<p>But if I happen to be wrong, then I wish you good luck.</p>
<p>I’m sort of asking myself the same question myself, although I won’t be applying before next fall lol. I am a Norwegian citizen studying at a int’l school in Serbia, so I assume I’d have to apply from Serbia. Since they sort international applicants into different regions and compare them thereafter, is it safe to say that Norway will fall within the Scandinavian applicant region whilst Serbia will be in the Balkans/EE region? Without having a clue myself- which do you think is easier to apply through? Most of us Nordic kids are wild on EC’s, but not so on the academics, vice versa here in the Balkans…I see Serbia for instance has 0 students at the college whilst Norway has 8.</p>
<p>I have the perfect opposite as my situation. My nationality is Indian - and hundreds of Indians apply every year. But I live in Qatar - where not a single Indian has ever applied.
So, am I under-represented or over-represented? Will Harvard see me as one of hundreds of Indian applicants - or the only Indian from Qatar, where the study environment is COMPLETELY different from back in India?</p>
<p>I’ve read applying from India is extremely tough…I mean I know many of you guys are on top in the world when it comes to academics- I always mock Indians and Pakistanis(nice combination right…) who complain when getting an A instead of an A* on their IGCSEs haha. Tells me a bit about the competition there I guess. Anyway, applying from Qatar I’d be seriously worried about all those royals who donate huge sums to HYP hoping their kids will attend…:D</p>
<p>Aspirationist, Harvard will look at your academic ability relative to people from your school (i.e. in Qatar) — that’s for sure. But, what we don’t know is whether you will be disadvantaged due to being an Indian citizen, or advantaged due to living in Qatar.</p>
<p>@pipercub - The last royal to attend college did so almost a decade ago. The royals apply REALLY late - to enjoy life and stuff - and yeah, thanks to their wallets - HYPMS don’t mind.</p>
<p>I’m clear of Royal competition for the next 10-12 years, I guess. (They take their time in marrying their 10 wives too :D)</p>
<p>@MeIsHM - I am really great at school and extracurriculars too. I study at the top Indian school in Qatar. (It became the top school while I was in the 8th grade, I guess.)</p>
<p>Plus - In India, I’m an ethnic minority. Google “Tuluva”.</p>
<p>My people comprise just under 1 percent of India’s population…Harvard has to consider that - I will be writing about my ethnicity in the supplemental essay.</p>
<p>“My people comprise just under 1 percent of India’s population…Harvard has to consider that” While a unique feature, H is under no obligation to give you an advantage because of this. Don’t overestimate this feature, aspirationist.</p>
<p>I’ll keep that in mind, thanks! Should I abort my heritage essay, then?</p>
<p>I’m not saying that. I said don’t expect an undue advantage about that feature in how H will evaluate you, that’s all.</p>
<p>@Asp, you should abort any and all essays for now, because you’re still a sophomore. Leave the decision for what to write about, let alone actually writing it, until the summer before you apply, May at the very earliest. Maybe you’ll still want to write about your heritage, maybe take a different spin on it, maybe not.</p>
<p>At the Harvard info session this summer the adcom was asked a similar question and his answer was that the applicant’s stats will be compared to the country from which s/he graduated from. However being Indian nationality might be a disadvantage due to the large number of applicants from your native country. Among the 4401 international students accepted in 2011-3012, almost 6% were from India, which is a considerable proportion among the 81 countries represented. </p>
<p>Harvard has turned down hundreds of royals and children of billionnaires who could not reach the acceptable standards of the college. For proof, search for news stories about the scam “educational consultants” who charge rich foreign families hundreds of thousands, with the promise to get their kids into Harvard but fail to do so. </p>
<p>Although there are only 2 students from Qatar among the 2011-12 class, this does not mean you dont have competition. </p>
<p>Since you are living in Qatar, one would expect some decent comments about the country hosting you, rather than your inappropriate and distasteful remarks about the Qatari people (10 wives?? Who do you think you are kidding? CC readers are more intelligent than you obviously think).</p>
<p>I am sure your wonderful personality and character will be obvious in your college essays.</p>
<p>“Among the 4401 international students accepted in 2011-3012, almost 6% were from India,”</p>
<p>What? Assuming @Aljubail meant 2011-2012, Harvard only accepted about 200 international students. Perhaps, he/she meant 2011-2103 and the number was 440 or 401? Anyway, where do these numbers come from (i.e. 6% from India)? If 6% is correct, then that would imply that 12-13 student are accepted from a country with the second largest population in the world (four times the size of the third most populous country which is the US). Pretty sobering thought given how qualified many of their applicants are.</p>
<p>@Aljubail - Firstly, I didn’t mean to offend anyone.
I was just having some fun - that’s all. I really didn’t mean it. (Although it is true that polygamy is common in the royal house of Qatar.)
Furthermore, you thought I am making distasteful remarks on the Qatari people. This isn’t the case - I was passing a satirical statement on the ROYALS only- who are also wonderful people who have greatly developed this nation - but that doesn’t mean they are safe from humour.</p>
<p>Look, I don’t want you to judge me based on this silly joke.</p>
<p>I have been honoured by several facets of the Qatari government and have been a resident for over 8 years. I witnessed Qatar’s growth from nothing to the world economic power it is today.</p>
<p>Please, I REALLY loved your information and inputs - but don’t judge my character on a simple joke.</p>
<p>Anyways, thanks for the reply!</p>
<p>The stats about international students at Harvard by college and year can be found in this link:
<a href=“http://www.worldwide.harvard.edu/iws/facts/[/url]”>http://www.worldwide.harvard.edu/iws/facts/</a></p>
<p>@Asp i am glad you explained and clarified your comment. Sometimes people do not realize that they are perpetuating racist stereotypes. Jokes and blanket statements referring to any race or ethnicity should not be condoned and in this day and age they are not to be tolerated.</p>