<p>First of all, don't get me wrong, I'm just THRILLED that I've gotten into the school of my dreams. I couldn't be happier there's no mistaking that. This thread is really mean to be a question about Harvard admissions in general and how they choose people. I come from a pretty typical background in a very competitive area of the country, and I don't really think I'm anything outlandishly special, but Harvard seemed to and currently wants me to join them next fall. What in your opinion made them want someone like ME over some of these other applicants who appear to just be international superstars in science, music, and all else, and what does that say about the reasoning behind a Harvard admissions decision? I'm curious as to your thoughts, and for those of you interested, you can go and find my stats posted in the Harvard SCEA Class of 2017 decisions thread if that will help you with the initial question. Thanks a million! And to those accepted I'll see you on campus!</p>
<p>You don’t look all that ordinary to me:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/15187437-post74.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/15187437-post74.html</a></p>
<p>It looks like an impressive high school record to me. Plus there aren’t enough true international geniuses out there to fill up the freshman classes of HYPS. In fact, the bulk of the students at these schools are “merely” very, very bright, hard-working, and accomplished. You and most of the rest of the kids accepted into Harvard probably fall into that category. </p>
<p>Congratulations. Keep up the good work.</p>
<p>If people are expected to be better than you to get into Harvard, god help Harvard.</p>
<p>Stop doubting yourself. Congratulations.</p>
<p>If you say you are ordinary… I’d rather call myself a cat!!</p>
<p>I’m thrilled you were accepted. You seem like a bright young man who cares about this community and, as importantly, encourages others to do so. Kudos to Harvard for seeing that.</p>
<p>Now, did you just use Jesus and hell yeah in the same paragraph?!</p>
<p>Wuuuuuuuuutttt? you consider yourself ordinary? no way haha:P
Your academic credentials are impressive as everyone else applying to Harvard, but I think what set your application from 4000 other candidates were your candid passion in community service and music/performance. You seem to be always doing something productive, not wasting any second of your life. I think Harvard spotted these kinds of qualities in your application. Congratz tht you got into Harvard!</p>
<h1>humblebrag</h1>
<p>@nebraskagallover I don’t really understand why you’re choosing here to be hostile about my acceptance. Like most people I hate how the system works, and although it worked in my favor, I think it doesn’t make the right decision every time and by no means would I say it’s entirely fair to everyone. But i certainly think i deserve this and will hopefully add a lot to the college during my time there. I’m sorry that it didn’t work out for you, but come on, let’s all get along here.</p>
<p>You are not ordinary. I honestly don’t know why you would consider yourself ordinary?
Perhaps because you go to a private school? I heard a lot of the religious schools are competitive. </p>
<p>In any case, you are not ordinary.</p>
<p>You said you think you deserve to be accepted to the country’s #1 school. If you’re right, that would certainly make you “outlandishly special.” I don’t see the mystery here.</p>
<p>1) As a Harvard admitee, it’s natural to wonder “did they make a mistake?” That thought will hit you a few times. No worries. but…</p>
<p>2) PLEASE DON’T SHARE THAT SENTIMENT/QUESTION with someone who isn’t a fellow HYP-type student. Otherwise, it can immediately come off as “braggy” . You’ve gotten some replies by people who have assumed this of you – and who knows? They may be 100% correct.</p>
<p>3) A real fact for you: from now on, whenever you are discussed by strangers, employers, fellow employees, relatives, your kids and your kids’ kids – the word “Harvard” will be used. Get used to it. Enjoy it frankly. But don’t walk around saying “how did this happen to me? I’m so lucky!”</p>
<p>It’s just bad form.</p>
<p>4) Congrats!</p>
<p>Perhaps it’s just me…but your post appears to be tinged with a false sense of humility.</p>
<p>Given your app details on the other thread, it’s pretty clear why you secured an acceptance at Harvard. You’re smart. You’ve shown initiative. You have leadership qualities. You’re a well-rounded applicant. You are certainly deserving of the acceptance. However, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Harvard thinks you’re “special.” (On a side note, your interviewer sounds like a fairly recent alumnus who lacks experience giving interviews.)</p>
<p>Congratulations. You did well in high school.</p>
<p>That being said, prepare yourself to be a middle-of-the-pack student at Harvard. (I’m not joking about this at all.) If you decide to challenge yourself by taking the tougher chem, bio, and biochem classes, you’ll struggle at times. That’s a good thing. During college, you’ll learn a lot about yourself, others, and the world.</p>
<p>Someday you may even understand why starting a thread like this, in a virtual space populated by many who won’t be fortunate enough to secure an acceptance from Harvard, demonstrates a tremendous lack of self-awareness.</p>
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<p>my thoughts exactly</p>
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<p>This is an essential Harvard skill. You’ll want it for all those Class Reports they publish around your 5th, 10th, 25th, etc., reunion, when you’ll be given the opportunity to write a narrative about your life since Harvard. The formula goes something like, “Imagine my surprise then the [pick one: Nobel Committee/Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences/voters/Pope] selected me to…”</p>
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<p>Another essential Harvard sentiment. But you’re about 12 months too early. I remember when I went home at winter break during my freshman year, my father (Class of '55) met me at the airport. We were driving home, kind of discussing how it was going, and I said something like, “It’s going fine, I guess, but I’ve never felt so thoroughly ordinary in my whole life.” Dear old Dad said, “Oh, right, I meant to warn you about that!”</p>
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<p>True fact.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptance.</p>
<h1>humblebrag</h1>
<p>^this, basically. Congrats though</p>
<p>I honestly don’t even think this is a humble brag. I understand exactly what you mean…usually you hear about kids that go to Harvard have won Intel/Siemens and have done absolutely ridiculous things like intern under Obama or something. Compared to that, I can see why you would doubt yourself. You actually give me hope because I’m very similar to you in almost all respects with the same doubts running through my head (although of course, given the RD acceptance rate I’m not expecting much from Harvard 
)</p>
<p>But I’m glad Harvard saw your love for intellectual activity which I think shows in your credentials. Congrats :)</p>
<p>there is an interesting school of thought that the entire next batch of denied students at HYPSM at any given school would create a class indistinguishable from the accepted batch. </p>
<p>Congratulations and best of luck to you. Stay calm and focused about your good fortune. My experience has been that I would not be able to pick the Ivy grads from my Dr cohorts in a blinded comparison test. Again good luck.</p>
<p>Congrats, but don’t go around digging for attention by being “humble” and be surprised when somebody complains. This is kind of insulting to people who didn’t get in simply because you think you’re “ordinary” with those stats, when in their world, it’s far beyond “ordinary.”</p>
<p>You may have humility, but have some consideration.</p>
<p>Ps. To op. you worked your whole life and made major sacrifices to be where you are. I just want to reiterate my congratulations. You may and in my opinion probably should wish to take an iota of advice from my post and others here but please enjoy and celebrate and relax upon your monumental achievement. You have opened unimagineable doors for yourself. My own sentiment as regards this thread is feeling happiness on your behalf. This reads as a better and more specific and direct reflection than my first post. WAY TO GO. AMAZING. keep up the good work.</p>