@x2019x mechanical engineering and my secondary I put environmental science and public policy
where did you guys find a spot to list your concentration? nothing like that is within my harvard questions on the common app
I just put “Social Sciences,” which I know is not a concentration, but it was an option for “which program interests you.” There was only room for one academic interest on my application. I would probably concentrate in Social Studies at Harvard–not sure yet! But for other colleges that require me to choose a major I am applying for PoliSci.
Neurobiology or Cellular and Molecular Biology.
I did biomedical engineering, computer science and economics
@dreamthief001 it was just a drop down with options under the questions on the common app
“What academic program at Harvard interests you?” The choices are not super-specific.
@x2019x that was just general things though like humanities and computer sciences not specific programs
They don’t ask for more specific than that. One may, of course, mention something more specific in an essay.
@skieurope okay thank you!
@dreamthief001 oops I forgot they weren’t that specific, other schools were. You’re right they are more general!
@skieurope you said that a 1 in extracurriculars is earning a national award. However, does a 1 in extracurriculars require a national award for a specific extracurriculuar, or do you think you can get a 1 in extracurriculars for a national award that’s not related to a specific extracurricular. For example, if you win a national essay contest, would that be considered a 1 in the extracurriculars category, even though writing that essay was not really an extracurricular activity?
Lol sorry for the long question
IMO, no. Become a nationally known activist, setting up a foundation and earning a Nobel Peace Prize along the way; then you’ll be rated a 1. That said, your ECs are your ECs. They will rate them however they will rate them. Again, this whole. "What’s a 1 vs. What’s a 2+/2/2- is a party game. Get accepted to Harvard, then enroll, then request your application file, then report back to tell us how you were scored to help future applicants. 
Based on the lawsuit documents and the internal admission file of my DD who was admitted SCEA, Harvard’s rating system is extremely stringent, definitely the opposite of grade inflation many people associate with the Ivies. Starting off with the overall rating (for unhooked), the most important indicator for admission, only 0.04% of applicants receive a “1”, 4% receive a “2”, 54% receive a “3” and the rest receive lower than 3 , and the admission rates for these categories are roughly 100%, 60%, 4% and <0.1%. In Harvard’s admissions’ book anything better than a “3” is phenomenal.
Just one data point to consider: my DD had many national and international level awards in her EC (not I said so, the AOs commented it too), yet the rating was only a “2”, her academics was perfect in every way from ACT 36/36/36/36, SAT II 800s to GPA(4.0/4.8), yet the rating was just a “2”, and she played three varsity sports yet the rating was only “3” & “4” (by two readers), and we thought the LORs and interview were great (again AOs agreed) yet the personal rating was 2 & 3. Her overall was only a “2-”, which suggests less than a 50/50 chance (2+, 2 and 2- have an average of 60%). But my DD was very lucky----she was invited to submit some additional materials if she wished in late Nov. It turned out the material was later reviewed by a very prominent faculty on the admissions committee right before the full committee met and she got a rating of “1-” from that professor, which clinched the deal for her.
@skieurope i was told that an EV 2 is regional prominence eg state level, 3 is school and 4 is participant. No?
@Robbyb According to documents from the lawsuit, it is as I listed above.
So which category would a national essay contest be in?
@jzducol thank you for sharing! that is so interesting. if you don’t mind me asking, what type of additional material did she submit?
@jzducol Thanks for giving us a real example. Those two readers are really tough on your daughter. 
Did anyone here be asked to send fall semester transcript to AO ASAP? Is it required?