<p>Does applying scea to Harvard actually increase the chance of an applicant getting in? I am aware that Harvard states that it has no affect; however, applying scea must show increased interest. I also know that a large amount of the early applicants are athletes, yet all the kids I know that have gotten into Harvard have applied early.</p>
<p>Harvard doesn’t care one whit about an applicant’s level of interest.</p>
<p>Harvard is Harvard, and Harvard is pretty sure it can safely assume that the overwhelming majority of its 35,000 applicants are pretty darn interested.</p>
<p>So far, that approach has not let Harvard down.</p>
<p>^Half true, half not.
-What’s true is that there’s no way of demonstrating greater interest than by simply applying (unless you write a unique, genuine supplemental essay about why Harvard is right for you). You’re applying to Harvard, so clearly you want to go; beyond that, they don’t care. Most of their applicants are qualified.
-However, of COURSE applying SCEA shows added dedication to Harvard, as it’s not only EA, but single-choice, so Harvard will take into account that it’s your top choice. Colleges don’t want to admit people who they don’t think will attend, but if you apply early, you’re most likely going to attend. Also, obviously, applying EA will help your chances of admission…but only if you’re qualified. The best of the best apply early to Harvard, so while it’s ~18% EA vs ~6% RD, if you don’t have really really strong credentials, you won’t be part of that 18%.</p>
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You say these things as if they’re true on their face, as if they’re axiomatic. I don’t believe they are.</p>
<p>Harvard says in its common data set that an applicant’s interest is not considered. Harvard, unlike most American universities, does not keep a list of who attends information sessions, who visits Cambridge, who goes on campus tours. And in my lifetime, Harvard has never had to worry about its yield; I am not aware of a time when Harvard hasn’t had the highest yield in the Ivies–and very nearly highest in the nation, except for a few highly specialized institutions such as service academies.</p>
<p>Can you explain, beatlestoday, how you know that “Harvard will take into account that it’s your top choice”?</p>
<p>I agree with Sikorsky- Harvard can pick and choose who they want, and demonstrated interest is not something they factor in nor do they care about. What they know is that almost 4/5 accepted students will attend. Hardly anyone applies to Harvard with the idea that it’s a safety. Anyone who applies is assumed to have demonstrated interest, but Harvard can always choose various permutations of students accepted without losing a step.</p>
<p>EA = ED in terms of chances.</p>
<p>EA applicants are on the whole stronger stronger and spend more time on the supplemental part of the school’s application or the application as a whole if it does not use a universal application program.</p>
<p>I’m not sure about either part of that.</p>
<p>ED gives colleges and universities a real benefit: they get a student whom they know they like, signed, sealed and delivered. ED helps a college’s yield. EA does none of that for a college, and so it ought to provide less of a boost to an individual applicant.</p>
<p>And while it may be true that ED and EA applicants are working only on that one application, I am not sure that it *should * be true. Early applicants need a back-up plan in case they are deferred or denied. In addition, early applicants are also facing significantly earlier deadlines. Combine that with many teens’ tendency to procrastinate, and it leaves me unsure that ED/EA applications are significantly more polished than RD ones.</p>
<p>I meant that EA = RD. Sorry!</p>
<p>ED will boost chances, though.</p>
<p>Oh, yeah. That, I believe!</p>
<p>I based what I said on speaking to two people in the Harvard admissions office and a Harvard tenured lecturer who has served on the adcom for several years now. Obviously they don’t record who came to their info sessions and the like, but obviously the admissions officers are human beings, and they realize that applying SCEA means the student is passionate about Harvard (given that their application is thoughtful and polished).</p>