<p>Don't get me wrong, I am NOT naive enough to believe that being in-state is a hook. I just have a good friend who had a good application, but if I'm being honest nothing spectacular [good SATs (2280), decent rank (not val or sal), and decent extracurrics (some volunteering and 1 or 2 clubs)]. Anyway, he/she was waitlisted, which again isn't amazing or something to jump for joy about, but I do believe it's something to be proud about. Anyway, I feel like there are probably another 1000 applicants just like him/her, so I was wondering if the fact that we go to a decently respected catholic school in Massachusetts may have helped him?</p>
<p>no, unless you’re at cambridge rindge and latin</p>
<p>I just found out today that my friend got off the waitlist and will be attending next year! Super excited for him/her!</p>
<p>Oh, I just found out my friend was accepted into the harvard class of 2014. What’s up with that?</p>
<p>no it wont help you. It won’t hurt you either though</p>
<p>I have read that it does help a bit.</p>
<p>Dreamsofivy - I believe that is the z list that I have read about here on CC. Admitted but with a forced gap year. That is about all I know.</p>
<p>With the exception of students going to school in Cambridge, in-state probably hurts because of the flood of outstanding applicants – including legacies – from Mass. The competition is very stiff for in-staters.</p>
<p>Yeah, I agree with Northstarmom.</p>
<p>I think it makes it HARDER, because the states that are closer to the Ivies emphasize them more. Where I’m from, going to the state flagship (which is quite good) makes you a genius. Not many people strive to be Ivy caliber, and if they do, they just don’t apply there because we never really hear about them (except on TV.) So I’m sure the competition in my state was less competitive than if I had lived in New England.</p>
<p>Probably hurts. MA produces a disproportionately large number of qualified applicants, probably due in part to the elite private schools and many strong public schools in MA.</p>
<p>Though, at the same time, the “quota” effect is a bit overestimated, I think. I am from the North Shore in MA and, though competition was stiff, we had a 10% admit rate compared to the national average. Harvard didn’t “cut us off” at the national average but admitted more to accommodate the applicants.</p>
<p>wait…I’m sure I’ve read an interview with Dean Fitzsimmons that they will favor students from Cambridge, Boston, and New England, in declining order.</p>