Harvard Class of 2021 RD Thread

Students aren’t guaranteed an interview – the applicants outnumber the volunteers. They may never get an interview request but the assigning of them is randomized so getting a request is not indicative of eventual outcome.

Harvard, Pton and Penn are the top schools as far as offering interviews among the eight ivies in the 80s and 90s percentanges. Yale is next at about 67%. B, C and D have a low interview rate. Cornell has few if any interviews.

As far as the timing goes, my local Yale ASC sent out the bulk of assignments yesterday. Now it’s up to us volunteers to set up our meetings – I’ve not contacted any assigned to me yesterday, I can attest to that. It’s up the vagaries of the assigned volunteer so there’s nothing to read into it – or indeed as I’ve said above, if you don’t even GET offered one.

Students w/o interviews are admitted. Most students who are interviewed are rejected. Nothing to read into this – that’s just the circumstance of the numbers involved.

@y90y90 Not quite a holiday party but I got invited to coffee.

hopefully I get a Harvard interview

I only sent Harvard my math subject test score because my science subject test score was not ivy material. Anyone else?

@swim1128 same here!

I sent both science and math even though neither were “ivy material.”

I sent a history, a math, and a science

My math score is ivy material, but not my chemistry…

700 Bio E, 720 US History - not Ivy material but I still sent both

Didn’t send any lol. Sent two ACT scores so they’ll look at subscores hopefully. Also, does Harvard focus the most on the English and math section? They only report those two in their CDS…

I have my interview today too!! Not stressing about it at all because I know they don’t mean much and I probably won’t get in anyways. My mom’s an interviewer for Harvard though so I guess I know what to expect. Wish me luck!

Just got back from my interview. It went well! It was very informal, and he told me that these interviews mean next to nothing in terms of admissions. I also told him I was legacy, and he asked me if I had applied anywhere early. He also asked my the “why Harvard” question and the “three words to describe yourself” thing. It lasted about an hour, and it was very colloquial and easy-going. He wasn’t the most interesting guy, but we carried a conversation quite well.

All-in-all, I’m pretty sure this will have little - if no - affect on my admissions decision. Good luck to everyone else!

@ap012199 Nice! I had an interview last week and I enjoyed it. What do you mean interviews mean next to nothing?

@woahitsdice I mean that in 99% of cases, how an interview goes won’t have an affect on your admission decision. My mother, a Harvard interviewer, wrote an amazing rec for one of her interviewees who had amazing stats and was an amazing person, and still didn’t get in. Harvard does it more as a formality/ a chance for applicants to learn more about the university. As long as no red flags come up during the interview, they won’t likely affect your admissions outcome.

Alumni interviews also keep the alumni connected to the school which make them more willing to give. @woahitsdice

Ah i see, thanks! Does that apply to all universities?

@woahitsdice Not necessarily. For example, Georgetown uses interviews as part of the admissions process and makes every applicant have one. It varies from university to university.

Did any of you get the interview questionnaire? Are you supposed to just list your activities, etc. or do you have to explain them a little, like on a resume?

@juliejes I didn’t get a questionnaire but my interview said to send him an activities list. I didn’t elaborate on any activity/award I’ve received because I want to describe them in person

How do alumni interviews work? I heard they have some collective meeting at harvard in february. Not sure.

Haven’t gotten an interview request. Submitted 1/1. Anyone in the same boat?