So I’ve heard from CCers that Fitzsimmons sometimes hand-picks applications and puts them in the “yes” pile, so to speak. I tried to search it up but I couldn’t come across any articles that said whether or not he actually did that. I know he must be very involved in admissions (duh), but does he see every “maybe” application/ every application that is brought forth to the committee as a whole?
There are ways to flag apps, development reps will inform admissions early about the kids of uber-major donors, and individual adcoms can refer files to him, for his special magical powers. The number of kids he will free-will flag for an admit is actually very small. He could be actively reviewing others, to keep a hand in the overall process. No, unless he’s sitting in a final committee meeting, he won’t see every maybe. But by the time you reach final committee, there aren’t that many true maybes- every one of them is a real possibility and the fine tuning is to get consensus, work out geo diversity, balance in majors, gender, and more.
More or less.
@ap012199: I can’t remember where I read this, but William Fitzsimmons, along with Marlyn McGrath, personally reads all legacy and developmental applications (children of big money donors who usually are alumni and therefore their kids are legacies) and they decide which of those students to bring before the full Admissions Committee for a vote. So, Dean Fitzsimmons and Ms. McGrath don’t have the time to read “the maybe’s” and besides that’s not how Harvard Admissions works. Here’s a great article to read to understand the process: http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2006/05/keys-to-the-kingdom/
@gibby thanks! What are developmental applications?
^^ Developmental applications are applications from the sons, daughters and grandchildren of families who have donated millions to Harvard and have buildings named after them; people such as . . .
Kenneth C. Griffin - http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/2/19/largest-gift-college-history
T. H. Chan - http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/09/largest-gift-to-harvard/
John Paulson- http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/06/harvard-receives-its-largest-gift
Steve Ballmer - http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/11/13/ballmer-computer-science-gift/
@gibby oh ok. Since I’m a legacy, will Fitzsimmons and McGrath read my app?
Your application will probably be given a “first read” by your regional Admissions Director, who will make comments and then bump it up for a 2nd or 3rd read to Dean Fitzsimmons or Ms. McGrath.
Keep in mind that 70% of legacies are rejected as they are generally held to a higher standard than non-legacies: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/5/11/admissions-fitzsimmons-legacy-legacies/
Respectfully, I don’t think it’s possible to know it will be bumped up. And I don’t think, when we consider how long Fitzsimmons has been at this, how many thousands of apps he’s read over the years, that his seeing yours will necessarily be an advantage. In 2005 (the link,) H had just under 23k apps. This year, 39,000.
Your savvy bet, OP, is to really know what you’re applying for and why. Understand how your app and supps can convey what they want to see. (Have you seen that helpful page on the H website yet?) Then you determine your approach. Try to make them like you, your app.
I also don’t think legacies being better candidates means they’re held to a higher standard than non-legs. Not, Susie’s mom is an alum, let’s run her through a tougher wringer.
@lookingforward I’ve done exactly that and I’m crafting my app in a way that will appeal to not only Harvard, but all of the schools to which I’m applying (principally Harvard, though). My uncle is the president of the Kennedy Alumni Association at Harvard and he’ll be writing a letter of rec for me (possibly) beside my two teacher recs. Is that a good choice or is it a waste of time (I’m very close with him)? Also, my mother went to high school with Fitzsimmons and his brother and also went to Harvard. Will that help at all? I think they still talk from time to time. Plus my mom is an interviewer and donator.
“Is that a good choice or is it a waste of time (I’m very close with him)?”
Waste of time.
Why? @Hanna
What can your uncle possibly put in a LoR that would add to your application? “He’s a nice kid and he’s nice to his parents.” Do you really think the Harvard does not already know what your uncle does? Basically any rec along these lines is just blatant name dropping and will do no good.
No.
It’s worth the personal contact if your mother really knows him and can reach out and make a personal contact. But it’s a long-shot. And if you do it in any kind of heavy-handed way, it’s not going to help, and it could even hurt. I would not put it into an essay or in a written letter from you; it will look forced or silly. But if your mother feels comfortable writing a handwritten note or email, saying that you are applying, that’s all you need to do. If Fitzsimmons wants to, he can follow up on it, or he can completely ignore it; it’s up to him. It’ll depend on how well he knows your mother and the depth of your mother’s association with Harvard. (Same with your uncle; I agree with @Hanna that it generally is a waste of time, but we don’t really know the answer unless we know how important your uncle’s association is with Harvard. e.g, a well-known politician or donor may have some more pull than just a run of the mill KSG graduate.) My D applied several years ago and her grandfather (my father) is an alum and friends with a longtime admissions officer (not Fitzsimmons), so he dropped into casual conversation at a dinner party that his granddaughter had applied and had been waitlisted. The officer did pull the application without being asked and reached out to interview my D. She didn’t get in off the wait list, so I cannot say it was a successful tactic, but he definitely put the gears into motion and gave her an interview, even if it was just as a courtesy. Later, he called my father and said with great regret that he really wished my father had told him earlier that his granddaughter had applied when he could have done more for her. Make of that what you will.
In the end, it really is going to come down to your qualifications and there is no way for these connections to get you in if you’re not up to their standards. I know of one family that has a long association with Harvard–a building with their name on it and many generations of the family that attended, some of them very well known. The current (3rd or 4th) generation of family members that apply–maybe one out six of them attend Harvard. It’s slightly better than average, but they don’t seem to be cutting them much slack just because they are all legacies.
Looking back over your previous posts, I see you have 4.0 GPA with a 32 ACT – all of which makes me think you are grasping for straws, searching for a way that might give your application a leg-up in the process and help off-set an ACT score that is at Harvard’s 25th percentile. My suggestion would be to think about what YOU can offer Harvard. What do you bring to the table that another applicant cannot? That’s ultimately what the Admissions Committee is going to be asking themselves.
@gibby I don’t think I’ll get rejected because of the fact that my ACT score is one point below the average. Rather, I think I will get rejected if I’m not a unique enough applicant or because my essay/ recs aren’t the best. However, I have a very unique sport in which I am highly ranked and part of the Olympic committee for. I believe that I do have a multitude of things to offer Harvard that is unique to myself. I’m not trying to offset my ACT score as I’m confident it won’t be the reason I’m rejected. If it does, on the off chance, happen to be the reason for my rejection, I wouldn’t want to attend a school that values numbers over real personal qualities anyways. I’m only trying to increase my chances of acceptance. It’s as simple as that. Anyways, I’m retaking the ACT in September and practice tests have yielded 33s and 34s (I also currently have a 33 super score).
Just wondering… Were you a Harvard student yourself or do you just know a lot about the school?
^^ My daughter graduated from Harvard in 2014, my son graduated from Yale in 2015.
@gibby yeah, I know. Just thought I’d let you know that I’m capable of scoring higher (hopefully in one sitting this time).
While I’m not sure how involved Fitzsimmons is in regular ol’ admissions, I do know that he personally approves (and signs, with a nice little congratulatory note) every “likely letter” Harvard issues.
Perhaps this is what you’re referring to?