Harvard University Class of 2023 SCEA Applicants

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421

I applied early as well and haven’t gotten an interview. I’m extremely unsure of what to make of it, since full committee has already started… I have a near-perfect SAT and GPA, high-level international accomplishments in two academic areas, and I play 5 sports (some as team captain). I’m also a nice fella (non-Asian) and my rec letters were good (one teacher showed me hers–her idea). I also don’t live in an area of America with a lot of achievement, which should help me stand out.

Is it possible that I blew the supplemental essay really hard? I only had an hour to write it, although I thought it was kind of nice. (It’s a long, tragic story as to why I was so pressed). Lesson learned, I guess. I’ll keep you guys updated. Thanks! Good luck to all of the people on here.

422

OK

If these grades, great as they are, are consistent with past grades, and Harvard has not asked you for an update, then there is no reason to submit. If you want to, fine. But for 99.99% of applicants, they had everything they needed on 11/1 to make a decision.

You explain nothing. If it requires an explanation, your GC should do it. As an aside, Harvard does not care about your attendance record

423

Here’s my entire schedule:

7th Grade:
Algebra I
Year-long version of Spanish 1A, the only version offered at my middle school.

8th Grade:
Started Geometry but had to only receive a “Pass,” as this was the year my chronic illness set in and I was almost completely bed-ridden, preventing me from completing the course.
Year-long version of Spanish 1B, again the only version offered at my middle school, and I did actually complete this course.

9th Grade:
Honors Geometry
Freshman Band

10th Grade:
Honors Algebra 2
Wind Ensemble/Symphony Orchestra combo (highest level of music offered)
1st Semester of APUSH online, started in April of sophomore year, and finished over the summer between sophomore and junior year

11th Grade, 1st Semester:
Physics
College in the High School English 131, a University of Washington Expository Writing Course taught at my high school, considered the hardest language arts course at my school.
Wind Ensemble (now not including Symphony Orchestra but still the highest level music option, don’t ask my why they changed it after only having Wind Ensemble with Symphony Orchestra for 1 year)

11th Grade, 2nd Semester:
Physics
College in the High School Comp Lit 240, UW Comparative Literature course that followed English 131 (so again, still hardest language arts option). There were 3 options of comparative literature themes and focuses to choose from, mine was film.
Science Fiction Literature (fulfills half of my school’s “LA Options” requirement, where we choose a specific literature course from a list of about 10 options. All options are considered equal except for one that I couldn’t do because it had travel I could not afford, but which is considered more rigorous and is a year long instead of a semester)
2nd Semester of APUSH online
English 101 at a local community college, which made up for missed 9th grade language arts credit.

Summer Between 11th and 12th:
Honors Precalculus - online
Chemistry 121 at a local community college
AP Human Geography - online (started in August and continuing currently), makes up for missed 10th grade APHG requirement.
Honors World History - online (started in August and continuing currently), makes up for missed 9th grade WH requirement.

12th Grade 1st Semester (currently taking):
AP U.S./Comp. Gov
AP Calc AB
AP Physics C Mechanics
AP Human Geography - Online and a separate transcript. I am not planning on submitting these grades because there are ONLY final semester grades, no quarter progress reports as with my normal, on-campus, public high school.
Honors World History - Online and a separate transcript. Again, I am not planning on submitting these grades because there are ONLY final semester grades, no quarter progress reports as with my normal, on-campus, public high school.

12th Grade 2nd Semester:
AP U.S./Comp. Gov
AP Calc AB
AP Physics C Mechanics
English 102 at a local community college, will make up for missed 10th grade language arts credit.
English 256 at a local community college, a literature class that makes up for the second half of the “LA Options” requirement, which did not fit into my on-campus high school schedule this year.
Health
Biology 100 at a local community college.

424

@skieurope Sorry, had started typing my schedule and posted it before I saw your comment. Thanks for the advice. Does the unusual schedule change your opinion at all?

And good to know that they don’t really care about the attendance record. I believe my counselor explained it anyways, and I think one of my teachers doing an LOR was planning on doing one as well, kind of saying that I had done exceptionally well in the class and been one of the top students despite not being there every day.

425

No. I’ll just assume that any explanations that needed to be covered on your 9th-11th schedule were already addressed b the GC

426

Is it full committee or sub-committees meeting this week and the following weeks? Or both?

427

In reference to a question from @Amyd19, no, my DD still hasn’t been contacted for an interview. Also for those worried about not yet getting an interview, I’ve reposted what I stated earlier in this thread:

DD didn’t get contacted for her interview until Nov 29 (a few years back). And the interview itself didn’t happen until Dec 2nd. She was accepted. Her sister (this year) hasn’t been contacted yet for an interview. She has a 4.0 unweighted, 35 ACT, and 800s on SAT math2 and chem. We live in a medium sized city in Southeastern US.

428

^ Sorry the first DD is the younger sister.

429

@havesomeheart, it may be that your daughter is basically accepted so the interview is not material. I would imagine Harvard push for quick interviews on those students on the border of acceptance and deferral.

430

https://www.wsj.com/articles/take-it-from-an-almost-harvard-man-1543276801

431

@Robbyb I don’t think that makes sense because some people are contacted for interviews just one or two days after turning in their application, so admissions officers do not have enough time to assess whether or not the applicant will be accepted or deferred.

432

@Robbyb actually I don’t think I understood your comment. When you say “quick” interviews, what do you mean?

433

Last year’s Harvard SCEA thread had 48 pages as of November 27. This year, as of today (November 27), there are 29 pages. Although it likely means nothing, it is still interesting to note.

434

@worldwide1 I had noticed this too a few weeks ago. I saw that it was across other threads as well. I think it will pick up considering decisions come out soon. I hope to get to know others more :slight_smile:

435

everyone keep us posted on when you get an interview!

436

Thanks @havesomeheart for your quick response! I know that there are multitude of aspects considered during the admissions process, but, at a glance, my daughter’s academic profile is very much close to your’s. So, your response gives me some hope. Please let us know once your DD gets interview request and I will do the same. Thanks!

437

@shehar17, i meant time from submission of application to time of interview request. Your point makes sense. I have come to conclusion that the metric has some correlation with “IVP 1” or other priority status, but lowish r2 (basically not much)

438

@AnnaNura I submitted my app on October 27th and got contacted for an interview around November 6th I believe. Had my interview on the 13th.

I really don’t think they would have had time to go through applications and assign a priority number in one week, so I don’t know how to take into account the IVP system.

Anyone have some insights?

439

Okay. Also, is IVP 1 a bad thing or good thing? Can a high priority, which is IVP 1 I believe, mean that your application is on the edge of acceptance or deferral?

440

maybe @skieurope can shed some light ^