@Barcelona17 Harvard tries to interview all their applicants to get as close to a full portrait of each prospective student. If you’re not interviewed, don’t worry; it will just be one less report in your application file. There are a lot of students applying SCEA, and sometimes, (especially within such a limited timeframe) alumni can’t reach every single applicant. I wouldn’t worry at all.
I honestly wish decisions were still a “thick envelope, thin envelope” situation. But, alas, our fate will be revealed with a click of a button. If decisions (as projected) are released on December 10, 2015 at ~5:00 P.M, we have 11 days, 6 hours, and 12 minutes remaining. curls up in a ball and mumbles incoherent science related blabber
But doesn’t Harvard has the option of interviewing every student on skype or phone (if not by alumni)? These are options which don’t require the candidate to be near the interviewer (Hence the location doesn’t matter). But so far I have not received any mail from Harvard regarding an interview (on skype or in person). I am from India btw. If Harvard was interested in me, it could have easily interviewed me through Skype. I hope you get my point.
Box of lies: admission decisions. On TV this Dec. 10th/11th at 5pm EST
Does it mean my application was automatically denied if I didn’t get an interview. I know at least one alum interviewer that lives in my city.
@zoomloom From what I’ve been told by admissions counselors at Harvard, no. The regional admissions committee will just consider your application sans interview report. There are ~5k students that apply SCEA, and not every student will have the opportunity to be interviewed within just a month of time. Interviews are just a +1 (if you interview well) on your application. A lack of an interview is not a sign of being denied, however, this is only what I’ve been told. Anyone who knows otherwise please correct me.
@Barcelona17 I completely get where you’re coming from! But, in all honesty, don’t fret too much. I’m not too knowledgable about admissions for international students, but it may just be an issue with the sheer volume of applicants. The best thing you can do is sit, relax, and wait. I was told by a student when I visited if I had not heard from Harvard for an interview, I should call admissions and see if I can arrange an interview. Maybe you could give that a shot.
Hi, all! Glad to see that the thread is getting more active. Question: if I didn’t visit the campus this summer (due to a multitude of reasons), will I be less likely to get in? I think I demonstrated lots of enthusiasm for the school outside of directly visiting the campus, but I really had no time to visit this summer. Do campus visits play a major role in admissions? Is it make or break? Do I still have any hope of getting in???
@collapp77 When I registered to visit campus, there was a disclaimer that stated that visiting campus would not affect admission decisions. On the other hand, when I was interviewed, I was told that it was great that I had done my research about Harvard and visited multiple times. If you’ve shown interest in the university I’m sure you’ll be fine. (Then again, I don’t know the inner workings of admissions. I don’t think such a thing like visiting campus is a make or break for applicants. As I see it, every little thing is either a +/- on an application. One - should not, hopefully, take you out of the running.)
@collapp77 Nope, I’m pretty sure whether or not you visit doesn’t even make a difference. Honestly, I’d be surprised if demonstrated interest is something they care about in the slightest.
@collapp77 With a school like Harvard, there are so many students who desperately want to get accepted and show great enthusiasm for the school. At that point, demonstrated interest means absolutely nothing. You could be as apathetic or as enthusiastic about Harvard as you like and your chances of admission wouldn’t change. That being said, if you demonstrated complete disregard for the school in your personal statements, that might be a negative. So to answer your question, no. Not visiting the campus does not make it less likely to get in. The only things considered are the things in your application and your interview report. So long as you’re academically qualified, you still have hope! 
on the CDS, it is clearly stated that Harvard does not consider demonstrated interest AT ALL.
guys I’ve come up with a theory:
H wants to protect its yield (80%! highest in the nation); therefore it only accepts the most outstanding and top students during REA. H knows that the other competitive, but not as outstanding, students would attend if accepted, since they showed their utmost interest in applying RESTRICTIVE early action. Thus, H defers them in order to polish its numbers and won’t harm its yield.
thoughts?
Hey guys! I’ve been lurking on this thread for awhile and thought it’s about time to join in 
I attended the summer program and the people, campus, and dorms are all amazing. :x
I don’t think a visit would impact anything on acceptance because that wouldn’t be fair to individuals who live far away from Boston. I live far away but still visited because my brother lives out there so we visited at the same time. But for others who live in lets say, Arizona and don’t have the funds to fly exclusively for a visit, that wouldn’t be fair.
Everybody worried about interviews, trust me when I say they are of no indication of your decision. A friend of mine with a 21 ACT and a very low GPA applied as a joke and got an interview; later he was denied. So trust them when they say lack of an interview isn’t going to break your application.
Sitting in front of my is my bedside library because I’m still in bed. Truth or lie?
@expertiger True!
@RandomRhino well done!