How much does being a URM help at Harvard?

<p>Ok, so I'm applying to Harvard. Duh. Glad we established that. I wouldn't even have considered applying except for the fact that I am Native American. I'm enrolled in the Cherokee tribe.</p>

<p>I've got a 32 on the ACT (36 on Math, 34 Science, 29 Reading, 28 English)
My SATIIs were Math2,740 Chem 700, Lit 620 (gross...)
a 3.61UW gpa (yikes) but a 94.89 Weighted, so not too ugly, but probably not H standards.
I'm just inside the top 10 percent of my class 47/498, but everyone takes easy regular classes in order to go to UT (guaranteed acceptance) but I've taken 10AP classes, so it kinda hurt my GPA just a bit.</p>

<p>I've got pretty good EC's IMO, as well as a good Native American one.</p>

<p>I'm not asking for you to give me my "chances", basically, I'm asking this; I know I wouldn't get in if I was a white kid, but do I stand any relative chance? I got a likely letter from Cornell so I do have some hope, but still, it's H so I'm not expecting anything but a Holocaust. ahaha</p>

<p>Here's an even better question: doesn't it bother you, even a little, that you might gain admission to the greatest university in the world based only upon your race? I mean, you certainly wouldn't want to be DENIED admission solely because of your Native American heritage--could you really sleep at night knowing a white person, far more qualified than you, was denied admission and you were admitted in his place purely upon racial lines?</p>

<p>Just saying.</p>

<p>"I'm not asking for you to give me my "chances"....but do I stand any relative chance?"lol</p>

<p>but anyways, I think its a crapshoot for u just like anyone else, you do have a chance, but a slim one bc of the combnation of your act and gpa, kinda low even for a minority. The 10 aps and 94 average help though</p>

<p>good luck, its a crapshoot for me too, URM w/ low (1960) sat, high sat2, and high gpa
well, only 16 days!!</p>

<p>Basicaly...</p>

<p>Native American *****
Hispanic ****
Black ****
White [negative] -*
Asian [negative] -**</p>

<p>It's not to say that they don't like Asians, and that it's tougher as white... it's just you are in a much harder applicant pool. And with many many more people.</p>

<p>Race not reported (No idea why you do this- they already know you are asian or white if you do this lol)</p>

<p>~
Here's an even better question: doesn't it bother you, even a little, that you might gain admission to the greatest university in the world based only upon your race? I mean, you certainly wouldn't want to be DENIED admission solely because of your Native American heritage--could you really sleep at night knowing a white person, far more qualified than you, was denied admission and you were admitted in his place purely upon racial lines?</p>

<p>Just saying.
~</p>

<p>Not really. Is it fair that I got into Cornell but probably can't afford to go because my parents made bad decisions with their finances? Is it fair that some kids parents had enough money to buy their kids dream school new science labs, so he got in? Is it fair that this that and the other happened for one kid or another? Not really.</p>

<p>But it's certainly not gonna make me lose sleep at night. If I get into H because I was a Native American, then great, but it's not gonna be on my conscience or anything.</p>

<p>Sorry if the others came off as touchy a bit- URM/Racial Quotas is always a tough subject on CC because we have so many deserving ORM applicants with phenomenal grades and resumes.</p>

<p>Basically, being a URM is a hook. You can't gain admission on this alone. But it can help you substantially. You will be admitted over a slightly-moderately more qualified ORM if you share equivalent EC's as a native american. (From what I've seen in results)</p>

<p>ZFanatic,</p>

<p>As a URM myself I agree with you. While it is an 'unfair' system, life isn't fair. I mean- I truly offer those who lost their spot to a URM my condolences , but I would never loose sleep over it or question my spot.</p>

<p>If you are at Harvard... you deserve to be their. (Fame and development cases aside haha)</p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>Not really. Is it fair that I got into Cornell but probably can't afford to go because my parents made bad decisions with their finances? Is it fair that some kids parents had enough money to buy their kids dream school new science labs, so he got in? Is it fair that this that and the other happened for one kid or another? Not really.</p>

<p>But it's certainly not gonna make me lose sleep at night. If I get into H because I was a Native American, then great, but it's not gonna be on my conscience or anything.</p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>I personally would rather go to a state university on my own terms than go somewhere like Harvard based on a token aspect who I am, that I didn't work for in the first place... I wouldn't feel like I earned the right to be there. Like if I cheated on the SAT and got a 2400... I wouldn't feel like that was my score. I didn't earn that score.</p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>ZFanatic,</p>

<p>As a URM myself I agree with you. While it is an 'unfair' system, life isn't fair. I mean- I truly offer those who lost their spot to a URM my condolences , but I would never loose sleep over it or question my spot.</p>

<p>If you are at Harvard... you deserve to be their. (Fame and development cases aside haha) </p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>Fame cases bother me too. Rivers Cuomo, Natalie Portman, etc. Both got in--neither deserved to be there.</p>

<p>"I personally would rather go to a state university on my own terms than go somewhere like Harvard based on a token aspect who I am, that I didn't work for in the first place... I wouldn't feel like I earned the right to be there. Like if I cheated on the SAT and got a 2400... I wouldn't feel like that was my score. I didn't earn that score."</p>

<p>That's total crap. Your Heritage makes you who you are and to chalk it up to the equivalent of being some sort of trust fun baby is ludicrous.</p>

<p>You just compared being a URM to Cheating on the SAT.... Are you out of your mind?</p>

<p>@impm5150</p>

<p>I agree totally with you about the fame. There are a few people that can legitimately back their fame up with academic credentials... but rarely.</p>

<p>Now development... I guess if you are going to pay millions of dollars to the university you are going to get your kids admitted if they're in the ballpark for academics. I'm not going to chastise a system that our economy is built on lol.</p>

<p>~~
"I personally would rather go to a state university on my own terms than go somewhere like Harvard based on a token aspect who I am, that I didn't work for in the first place... I wouldn't feel like I earned the right to be there. Like if I cheated on the SAT and got a 2400... I wouldn't feel like that was my score. I didn't earn that score."</p>

<p>That's total crap. Your Heritage makes you who you are and to chalk it up to the equivalent of being some sort of trust fun baby is ludicrous.</p>

<p>You just compared being a URM to Cheating on the SAT.... Are you out of your mind?
~~</p>

<p>No, I'm not. A lot of URMs didn't earn the right to go to Harvard--they got in because of their racial status. Just like people who cheated on the SAT didn't earn their scores.</p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>@impm5150</p>

<p>I agree totally with you about the fame. There are a few people that can legitimately back their fame up with academic credentials... but rarely.</p>

<p>Now development... I guess if you are going to pay millions of dollars to the university you are going to get your kids admitted if they're in the ballpark for academics. I'm not going to chastise a system that our economy is built on lol.</p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>Well yeah, but I don't think either of them got admitted because they're especially rich, they just got in because the university wants a famous name. Just like Jodie Foster got into Yale.</p>

<p>Being a URM alone will not get you admitted.</p>

<p>Yeah, but it does help. Consequently, I think it's fair for us whities to feel a teeensy bit of unhappiness about the process itself (not towards the applicants, of course; they didn't create the system). I mean, it's awesome for you guys, but it kinda blows for the rest of us. :&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
Fame cases bother me too. Rivers Cuomo, Natalie Portman, etc. Both got in--neither deserved to be there.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Please tell me, which part of Cuomo's application was below Harvard quality? The awards and accomplishments section? Having written and performed on two of the most acclaimed albums of the 90s? The SAT scores? Do you know them?</p>

<p>/Weezer fan, obviously</p>

<p>Also, Natalie! My homegirl! SHE TOTES DESERVED IT. :( (Ditto Jodie; love her.) Now, fond as I am of Emma Watson, that Yale acceptance....hmm.</p>

<p>~
No, I'm not. A lot of URMs didn't earn the right to go to Harvard--they got in because of their racial status. Just like people who cheated on the SAT didn't earn their scores.
~</p>

<p>I cheated to become a Native American? When in my past life did I get to choose my parents? Did I earn being a Native American? I guess not. Did anyone earn all the money that pays for college or that paid to put them in a top prep school? Doubt it. </p>

<p>~
I personally would rather go to a state university on my own terms than go somewhere like Harvard based on a token aspect who I am, that I didn't work for in the first place.
~</p>

<p>That's a bunch of bull.</p>

<p>Life is about who gets dealt what cards, and what you do with those cards. Some people get dealt ****ty cards, and some of them make a lot out of it, some use it as an excuse to say why they didn't get one thing or another.</p>

<p>Harvard wants to admit a diverse population of students. Anything that sets you apart from everyone else will help you. Your stats are good- they wouldn't have a problem with these. I think that being a URM will set you apart from people, and would increase your chances.</p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>Please tell me, which part of Cuomo's application was below Harvard quality? The awards and accomplishments section? Having written and performed on two of the most acclaimed albums of the 90s? The SAT scores? Do you know them?</p>

<p>/Weezer fan, obviously </p>

<p>~~</p>

<p>They'd only released one record, actually, when he was admitted to Harvard.
Fail.</p>

<p>And ZFanatic--it's not a bunch of bull. For instance, both my father and grandfather went to Duke University. And my grandfather's contributed millions to that school. I could easily get in. But my grades just aren't up to par for standard Duke students, and I'd feel like a fake, being there only because someone related to me went. I'm actually going to a state university next year, funnily enough.</p>