Aw I hope I wasnt cold emailing, I didnt even know what that is until now hah. I tried to be as nice as possible. The question was actually to give me some tips on writing a book such as the one they wrote since Im starting a similar one of my own. Until when is the semester break btw? Im an international so Im not sure (I read somewhere its the 15th). Should I wait until then?
With those emails to professors, I’d say that probably around 90% of the time they’re either not going to have the time to reply or won’t have the time to give you advice. Professors I’ve talked to, especially one’s at highly esteemed universities (HYPS) usually get thousands of emails a year from students outside of their university whether its high schoolers, other undergraduates, or graduates. And they’re usually teaching around 700 kids while most in those residential colleges are residential deans, managing probably about 1000+ students on top of their classes. That being said though, professors can respond but I’d just be sure not to be too pushy and like skieurope said, you can mention your interest in their work without explicitly having contacted them.
I would not do anything else to get the professor’s attention. I don’t think kind of strategic contact works for most. Just submit our LOCI like everyone else, if that is helpful. You don’t really even need to do that. If you end up on a waiting list, then a LOCI is very much a good idea.
I’ve heard from an AO that the LOCI is more for waitlisted candidates. It doesn’t really apply for defferred
Exactly.
Letters of continuing interest are perfectly appropriate for deferred candidates as well as waitlisted candidates
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When should I submit my LOCI?
hi everyone. i applied january 1, and haven’t received an alumni interview. is it too early for one?
No. Nor is it too late. Have patience
thanks! I wasn’t being impatient haha, just excited.
Typically late January/early February. Harvard is reading RD right now.
does it mean anything when you get an interview from harvard or does everyone get one
We’re both on pretty much the same threads, so I’ve seen your posts. I’ll just answer this one. Interviews mean absolutely nothing other than that there are alumni available in your area. Not everyone gets an interview, but that’s not a bad thing. If you get an interview, make sure you’re taking full advantage of the opportunity to learn more and present yourself in the most flattering light. I got an interview for Penn but not Harvard, Princeton, or Yale.
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cool! 
thank you for the information. what other threads are you on?
haha i think i saw you on penn and princeton, but i may be mistaken.
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probably hahaaha
Sent my LOCI. It’s all out of my hands now.
Do y’all think the same rules apply to Deferred admissions percentages since Harvard dropped their REA admit percentage by 50% compared to last year? Seems like all previous trends/patterns don’t apply this year.
Also… since the application numbers were so crazy high for REA, has anyone gotten any intel that RD applicants got scared by the numbers? Any rumors about application numbers for RD yet?
I applied in late September RD, but I still haven’t received an interview request. I live about 1.5 hours away from Harvard, so I don’t think it would be an alumni availability issue. Any idea if it’s too late for me to get an interview / what it might mean with my application
I have an interview that I scheduled for another school 4 weeks from now, and a second was scheduled two weeks after the request. And another got scheduled within a week of submitting. And one school only wants a 2 minute video uploaded—no interviews. And all other schools I haven’t heard a word.
Don’t worry about the interview. I think it’s all over the map. It won’t hurt you if one doesn’t get scheduled.
The thing I am a little concerned about is if part of this interview-scheduling difficulty is because the RD Round is seeing massive numbers of applicants.
It’s one of two scenarios: 1) schools are completely inundated by more applications than they could ever manage OR 2) The EA/ED admit numbers scared everybody and the AO is being very methodical with what they received.
I’m leaning towards #1 . I think the AO’s are bazonkers dealing with unprecedented numbers.
I’m glad I applied to my state school.
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Interviews are based on alumni availability. Most alums choose not to interview, and the ones that do limit how many they will do. Additionally, more applicants apply from the NE region, so you cannot construct a mathematical equation of alums and applicants.
Your timing of submission does not matter; Fall interviews were for REA applicants mostly, if not exclusively. Nor did they read your application in the Fall.
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