In what order are applications reviewed?

<p>Does anyone happen to know how the Harvard adcom goes through applications? Do they go through them in the order they are recieved? By last name? …Or perhaps even by region?</p>

<p>I’m curious to know, because I sent in a number of supplements and updates about a week ago, and I was told by the guy who picked up the phone at Harvard Admissions Office that the adcom had gone through most of the applications already and that my supplements would be added to my folder but probably wouldn’t be considered for early action… but if applications are reviewed in the order they are recieved, I believe that my supplements would have been factored into my application since I submitted my application online an hour before the deadline.</p>

<p>They put them in a pile by states, then they put them in reverse alphabetical order. So if you are from a rare state: (WY, AK) and your name begins with a lower letter of the alphabet (Z, Y, X) You have the best chance of getting in.</p>

<p>...are you serious??
-.-</p>

<p>no jokes, please.</p>

<p>Totally not serious, just a mood lightener. They probably do go by order received. Not to preach, but if Harvard is your choice college, then why the hell did you wait right up until the last hour to submit materials? When I applied to Kent State, I sent my application in like 4 months before the deadline.</p>

<p>I could have turned my application in a month before the deadline, but there was always something that could have used a little improvement here and there- revisions, rewordings, etc. I just wanted to take advantage of all the time that I had avaliable to continuously revise and improve my application before submitting it.
Simply stated, I'm a perfectionist.</p>

<p>Well best of luck to you. Lets just hope you don't get perfectly rejected. All kidding aside, I hear most of these upper end colleges are a total crapshoot because everyone has identical statistics anyways. When do you find out by the way? I love reading those threads.</p>

<p>When apps are brought to their committee meetings depends upon where one lives. Each adcom is assigned a region. Their regions, though, may include states that are not contiguous. </p>

<p>For instance, (and this is a hypothetical example), an adcom might be responsible for applications in Washington State and in Texas. Because the regions are so oddly configured, one can't assume, for instance, that East Coast applicants are reviewed earlier than are West Coast applicants or that applicants are reviewed in committee by alphabetical order by their states.</p>

<p>It's important to realize that most people who apply EA to Harvard will be deferred. That's the way that Harvard does things. The only candidates admitted EA are those who are so excellent and unusual that adcoms know they'd still be awesome standouts when the entire applicant pool is in.</p>

<p>Relatively few students are rejected from the EA pool. That's because most candidates applying EA are very strong. In addition, only about 15% of students who apply to Harvard each year are clearly not qualified for admission. "Not qualified" means they lack the background (grades, scores, or curriculum) to be able to graduate from Harvard. </p>

<p>N.B. Having 1 C, not taking every single one of the APs your school offers, or having a 1300 SAT doesn't mean one lacks the qualifications for Harvard. </p>

<p>Unless Harvardhopeful's late supplemental info was something like "found the cure for cancer," it's unlikely to have made a difference in his admission status. After all, odds are that his status is "deferred." </p>

<p>Adcoms are horrendously busy now, even busier than usual in Dec. because Fla. hurricanes caused problems with Fla. students getting applications in. As a result, adcoms aren't likely to look at late supplemental materials now. They can look at those materials later when deferred candidates are reviewed again.</p>

<p>northstarmom, im soooo nervous!!! :(</p>

<p>Thanks for the detailed response northstarmom!
If what you say is correct... I believe I'll be deferred.</p>

<p>I am soooooo nervous too slim.. ahhh holy cow >_<!! </p>

<p>please please please please! :(:(</p>

<p>hey. i came across your msg, and i thought this convo was interesting(lol, if ur last name starts with z u have a better chance of getting in -PWAHHH)
anyway, i go an american international boarding school in england, and one of the ex-harvard admissions officers is actually the assistant academic dean at my school. she lives in my hall like 3 doors away. freaky huh? i should be all WOAH what she gonna think of me, and do i meet her standards of a harvard kid, but u know what, she's not so scary. in fact, she's not scary at all. she's really cool, and actually quite young(compared to what we think admissions officers look like, all old n serious n stuff), and ive spoken to her loads of times, and asked her your question. she said that , of course, academics r the most important thing. i think people often forget that these 2 the number one thing for entrance to these colleges, and often stress on activites rather than academics. but then again, activites r imp. it varies from person to person, and depends on what u wanna study. if u do loads of activites, and are GOOD at them, then it shows u like to be involved, but say u were passionate about one activity and one only - say ballet for instance. suppose you dreamt and lived for ballet and your grades were excellent, it would show you are passionate about something. in my opinion its great to do loads of things but if you are excellent at something, then go ahead and stick with it. if u were involved in loads of activites and your grades r slighty lower.. well. whatever ! anyway. i duno if this helped. btw the assistant academic dean(the harvard lady) is a bit stuck up. but thats to be expected right? rightttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.</p>

<p>wait.. err.. who are you talking to?</p>

<p>hey. i wrote that msg to you?</p>

<p>Northstarmom, you seem very knowledgeable about the admissions process. I have been deferred from Harvard. I have written a letter to Harvard that I want to send, but I have my doubts about it.</p>

<p>Maybe it is a bit too long, but I cover a lot of points in it and wish to emphasize that I am still very interested in the school. DO you mind if I send you my letter for any comments or criticism you may have? It is 2 pages typed in length. Thanks so much.</p>

<p>Linda</p>

<p>hey
sure, send it, of course i dont mind.</p>

<p>hey linda
i got ur reply in my inbox. so i thought u were writing to me. sorry !</p>

<p>hey that's all right. I could send you my letter too. Especially since you are in contact with one of the ex-Harvard admissions office.<br>
Thanks babydoll</p>