<p>i believe zamzam's post was a reference to the movie "legally blonde"</p>
<p>The only way to get into Harvard is spraying perfume on your application.</p>
<p>Being a model + luck helps a lot.</p>
<p>Our daughter got in w/math SAT in 600's and French SAT subject test in 500's, and one of two AP's so far was a 3. Harvard looks at the whole person. She has lived her life without giving college admissions a second thought, frankly. I don't know if she will go, but the admissions process is a whole lot more thoughtful than many places, probably because Harvard can afford the admissions staff to look beyond the superficial, such as stats. Everyone should relax and be themselves. In high school, leave yourself time to explore who you are and what you love, and you will end up in the right place for you. Corny, but true.</p>
<p>I also want to reiterate that really stats don't mean a lot.</p>
<p>the val at my school with perfect SATs, tons of math club awards, hours of research experience, and loads of flute awards and titles got waitlisted at Harvard.</p>
<p>and then a girl in choir and theatre, intensely devoted by the way, with more than a few regulars classes and a fairly reasonable SAT score got into Harvard. and then waitlisted at Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>I honestly believe they look more at personality and fit into the class they're building.</p>
<p>
[quote]
reiterate that really stats don't mean a lot.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Because a lot of the times, a applicants admissions status is out of their hands. Harvard follows a pick and choose method to diversify itself. Not only in ethnicity, but also personality and pedigree. Thats why its possible that someone gets in with seemingly low stats relative to other applicants.</p>
<p>Harvard's message: You're wasting your time studying to get a perfect GPA and SAT scores. Get a life.</p>
<p>Now, what about getting tenure at Hsrvard for professors? It's literally impossible unless you're super famous, a Harvard alumni, or get your tenure elsewhere and bring it with you! The last piece would mean taking another 5-10 years...</p>
<p>Well, I'm God and I didn't get into Harvard. Then again, I don't need to. I already know everything.</p>
<p>Who knows how they make their decisions these days. They probably take out applications from the blatantly under qualified and then throw the rest of them in a pile on the floor and pick as many as they need.</p>
<p>There's more to life than aspiring to go to Harvard.</p>
<p>"That article is no good. the real way to get into harvard is to have perfect SAT/ACT highest class rank highest GPA madd EC and community service, good essay, and good interview....no matter how unique and down to earth u are if ur stats arent up they wone look at u twice"</p>
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<p>You don't know many people who went to Harvard, do you? While the school itself may be top notch, its student body is certainly a far more mixed bag.</p>
<p>Admission officers choose classes, not individuals.</p>
<p>I wore formal clothing (minus a tie and blazer) to my interview. It didn't seem to be too much of a problem ;)</p>
<p>A friend of mine got in with a 2010 SAT...impossible is nothing. I find that a lot of the chances threads here seem to be a bit too strict.</p>
<p>While there will always be examples of people who get into Harvard with less than stellar stats, from what I have observed over the years, for the majority of high achieving applicants, outstanding stats and leadership/humanitarian ECs are a necessity if there is no legacy or other hook.</p>
<p>Odyssey is definitely correct here.</p>
<p>Everybody seems to know that one person who got in without seemingly stellar stats, but the other 99.5% do not stand a chance if their numbers and activities are not up to par.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Seriously? Gosh, you learn something everyday.</p>
<p>its amazin stuff in highschool + a lot of luck
i got waitlisted, so w/e
Stanford 2012 woot! :D</p>
<p>
Good choice. Why the heck would you choose to spend 4 years in--where is Harvard again?--when you could go to California instead? XD</p>
<p>I was double legacy/val/33/captain of a nationally ranked lax team/ others and got waitlisted. </p>
<p>LETS GO HOYAS</p>
<p>"A friend of mine got in with a 2010 SAT...impossible is nothing. I find that a lot of the chances threads here seem to be a bit too strict."</p>
<p>Please stop acting like scores like 2010 are low scores because they are not. I know some people who would kill for a 2010 on their SATs.</p>
<p>"There's more to life than aspiring to go to Harvard."</p>
<p>Unfortunately not many people realize this.</p>
<p>What top colleges are mostly looking for is the answer to the question </p>
<p>"Will the faculty and students like to have this person on campus for the next 4 years?"</p>
<p>The answer needs to be an emphatic YES.</p>