Hello everyone.
So I just found out about this part of Harvard’s website: http://www.hio.harvard.edu/statistics
Here’s where it gets interesting: I’m from Azerbaijan and statistics suggest that there are no undergrads from my country. How does this affect my chances considering I have a 1460 SAT and perfect grades and graduated HS with a “distinguishing diploma”? (No I haven’t attended any universities, I AM still a freshman)
If there are no undergrads from Azerbaijan currently attending Harvard College, it means Admissions has NOT accepted one student from your country in the last four (4) years. That should be a huge wake up call; your chances of being accepted are awful. So, if your heart is set on Harvard, go ahead and apply, but expect (and plan for) a rejection. FWIW: My advice would be the same if you had a 1600 SAT with perfect grades and were from Azerbaijan, as your country does not seem to be on Harvard Admissions’ radar.
I thought that this kind of stuff made applicants stand out?
Being from someplace does not make you stand out. If there is something significant you have accomplished, an obstacle that you have successfully overcome, and that relates to where you are from, that would stand out.
IMHO, when a university doesn’t have at least one student represented over the course of four years time, it means your chances are exceedingly poor, as Admissions has not recently accepted a student from your country and may not even follow, or understand, the educational standards of applicants there. FWIW: Harvard doesn’t even offer interviews to students from Azerbaijan: https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-process/what-we-look/interviews
I’ve posted this before, but here it is again:
Nope. I agree with @gibby. Harvard gets enough applications that it will not accept a student from Azerbaijan simply to stick a pin in the map.
They want you to stand out, but odds for any international applicant to be admitted are low. Good luck.
Not necessarily. It’s possible that Harvard accepted one or more Azerbaijanis in the last four years, who chose not to matriculate there.
Possible? Yes
Likely? No
Right, it could mean no one matriculated in the time period. Not that no one from Azerbaijan will ever get the nod.
But when looking for diversity to include your part of the world, they can pick strong(er) applicants from neighboring countries. They like a long list of states and countries to show, but candidates still have to be the right, whole match.
So every individual needs to be on his game. That means knowing what H or another tippy top wants, not only stats, but also the rest of the picture.
Did you apply to Harvard? I am also from Azerbaijan and I did this year.
I know people who graduated from Harvard and are from Azerbaijan, so there is still chance for us 
I don’t think that being fro Azerbaijan would hurt, regardless of whether or not anyone has been accepted there, and it might even be helpful if you were a good candidate. You only list grades as your main accomplishment, and that could be a problem though. Without more information no one can say anything about your chances. As an international they are lower, as others have said. Beyond that, grades and scores need to meet a benchmark but admission is usually about other things.
apply and find out
@bigwhopper don’t know about this applicant, but my friend just got acceptance from Harvard and yes, he is from Azerbaijan.( obviously, he had great scores, ECs, and essays, but still Harvard is just the second college to accept him out of almost 20, so we are still in shock)