Harvard REA notification will be Thurs, Dec 17th, 7 PM. An alum interviewer called admissions office to ask, and was told this.
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Guys thanks for valuable suggestions and remarks. I have emailed the AOs of both universities and informed them of my condition. Let’s wait for their reply and don’t worry even if I get accepted I would first inform them again about my mistake and get a clearance. I also don’t want to have a bad impression at AOs.
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Guys I aint a cheater, if I was why would I tell you all about my condition. I didn’t realise on the time of applying and that was my mistake and it was purely unintentional. Afterwards I was busy due to isolation process and then my mid year exams so I couldn’t even look at my portal. It was just a day befor yesterday I realised my mistake but it was too late as the decision is made by Stanford to reject me. I tried to do good by switching to RD but it won’t allow me. I have contacted the AOs for this and I am waiting for their reply. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN A CHEATER WHY WOULD HAVE I INFORMED AOs ABOUT MY MISTAKE RATHER THAN SNEAKING IN.
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I totally agree, I think it was a mistake too. And, because of YOU being international too. I Believe that you are not a cheater! Don’t stress, all will be fine! 
Thanks … Atleast I know everyone in this thread is supporting me 
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Hello. Long-time Harvard interviewer here. Here is my experience with interviewing FWIW. This is just one person’s experiernce, and not an official reply in any way. I am not on the AdCom. I’m just an alumnus who has volunteered to interview…:
(1) When I first started interviewing 20 years ago, my local Club usually managed to interview all applicants.
(2) Since then, the number of applicants to Harvard has skyrocketed and the number of volunteer alumni interviewers has stayed stagnant or dropped.
(3) Alumni interviewers are complete volunteers. To be able to interview everyone, each of us in my area would have to interview like 15 applicants each year. This is just impossible. It’s not only the interview time that is the issue, but also the time it takes to write a report on each applicant. We take this very seriously, and it is time intensive. I look at my job as being an advocate for every applicant, and always try my best to emphasize an applicant’s good qualities even when I suspect they won’t be admitted. My job is to give each applicant the best chance they can.
(4) Because of this lack of volunteers and the sheer volume of applicants, several years ago the AdCom provided us with a broad rank order of interviews they wanted to see. 1 = priority, 2 = if possible, 3 = only if we have time.
(This may have changed the last several years. I haven’t interviewed in the last three years. They may have stopped that practice. But soflowatcher is wrong. Harvard did prioritize interviews, at least for a few years, in my particular area. They may still, but I can’t confirm that.)
Sometimes this changes. Sometimes they will specifically ask for an interview with one specific student, but late in the cycle. That happens.
I also disagree with him/her about not getting an interview. It’s not a great sign, but it’s not necessarily a death sentence, either. Harvard does tell us when they want us to interview a specific candidate.
However, if you’re in an area that just doesn’t have many volunteers, then most applicants may not get an interview, so it may mean nothing. The thing is, you just don’t know which it is.
Therefore, I would agree with soflowatcher that since there is nothing you can do about it, you shouldn’t worry about it!
Good luck to all applicants!
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It’s hard to make any definitive answer to this, but the fact that you got an interview request so late in the cycle is a good thing.
It’s a good thing.
And no, my experience is that it is not a usual practice to reach out to your school counselor.
Think about it like this: They would only be spending time amassing more information on you if you were still in consideration.
I suspect that means they haven’t made a final decision on your application.
Any time the AdCom asks for more information about an applicant, it’s a good thing.
I hope it works out for you.
Good luck1
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Hi,
Thanks for your valuable input.
If Harvard really does rank interviews, wouldn’t their statements be considered deceptive and false? They keep stating that interviews are completely random and don’t depend on merit whatsoever.
Something to think about…
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That’s interesting.
Can you describe the timeline for the applicants based on their priority ratings?
For example, I got an interview request on the second week of November so where would I supposedly fit in the interview categories? I’m not close to any Harvard clubs in my state and I do reside in the US. Would priority applicants have gotten an interview the first week of November?
Thank you for your time.
And… now… all the candidates on the thread who only got one interview or no interview and don’t know if school counselors were contacted, are going into an anxiety tailspin… LOL!
Just kidding, kidding… This is all good information and thank you.
I still think the prediction that, the “strength of the coffee in the AO breakroom,” is the most reliable factor given on this thread… 
See you guys on Thursday. I’ve got an AP Calc Exam I’m focusing on for most of the week.
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(1) I don’t know what statements you’re referring to. Can you provide a reference?
(2) If Harvard has actually said recently that interviews are completely random, their statement may actually be true.
As I mentioned in my original post, four years ago was the last time I interviewed.
Harvard’s policy may have changed since that time.
I don’t know one way or the other, as I mentioned
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I can’t say for certain that Harvard has continued to rank interview priorities. That practice may have ended.
Even if there is such a system still in place, there is nothing at all you can conclude from a November interview date, sorry. That is squarely in the middle of the interview season.
It doesn’t work like you think it works. It’s not like “priority ones” go first. It’s much more messy. It’s more like “How many interviewers do we have this year? How many can each do? OK, then we can interview 84 applicants right now. I’ll send Jim this batch of 5, Janeane these 7 etc etc.” Then it’s up to the interviewers to reach out and schedule the interviews based upon their commitments, calendar, geographic area, etc etc. There is a broad window when interviews take place. All Harvard says is “Please have them to us by this date.”
Within that very large window, there is no time priority, so when you got your interview tells you nothing.
Sorry.
“And… now… all the candidates on the thread who only got one interview or no interview and don’t know if school counselors were contacted, are going into an anxiety tailspin… LOL!”
The whole college application process nowadays is entirely insane and anxiety-provoking. I’m really sorry for all of you high school students that it has come to this.
No matter what happens between now and April, you will all be fine, you will all go to college, you will all get a job, enjoy your lives, and do amazing things if you want to.
College is just the first step, not the last step, and not the whole journey, either.
(By the way, just because your counselor hasn’t been contacted doesn’t mean anything. They never contacted mine, and I got in. I think they only do that for those on the bubble, where they have a hard decision to make. So, there is no way you can read that at all. Ditto with a “second interview.”
Take a breath. It will all be fine.)
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Thanks for the information. Were you interviewing U.S. applicants or international applicants?
Mostly US. A couple international.
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Hey guys,
I know this question gets asked a lot on here, but I’m freaking out. If I got a B this quarter (it’s looking likely as I moved up two courses in math), would my unlikely admission be rescinded? Thanks!
What exactly are you asking?
That if you got admitted, and then got a B, would they rescind your admission?
No, is that answer to that question.
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Nobody in the history of the universe has ever been rescinded for a B.
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Yes, that was my question. Thank you so much.
Thank you!