Just To Bring an Old Thread Back

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>From Charles Hughes (former Harvard senior admissions officer)</p>

<p>"1. The Olympiads
2. RSI
3. Intel STS
4. Siemens Westinghouse
5. MITES (lol...)</p>

<p>There's also an interesting section about "Academic Tiers". Hughes writes about a "top tier", representing the "top 5 percent of the admitted student body" (so like 0.5% of applicants), whose "clear-cut admission is based on academic credentials alone." </p>

<p>He lists the distinguishing traits of students in this tier:</p>

<ul>
<li>Almost all of these candidates are in the top 1 to 2 percent of their high school graduating class and are enrolled in the most demanding curriculum offered at their school.</li>
<li>Most of these students have SAT I and SAT II test scores in the 770 range or higher across the board, including several 800s</li>
<li>These students have taken multiple AP and/or IB exams and have scored the highest results possible (AP scores of 5 and IB scores of 7)</li>
<li>Many of these students have enrolled, or were enrolled at the time of admissions, in university coursework in their particular fields of interest during the summer or during the term year.</li>
<li>These students have been recognized nationally by wrinning academic national and international competitions, such as those listed in the co-curricular programs (the olympiad/RSI/Intelish stuff), by scoring in the top 1 percent in national testing (hmm... this seems a bit lax... maybe he means tests much more competitive than the PSAT), or by other means that are recognized by admissions offices and university faculty alike."</li>
</ul>

<p>Assuming that the applicant pool stays relatively constant at 25 000:</p>

<p>There are about 120 such students that will be admitted based on super academics.</p>

<p>USAMO Qualifiers: About 100: Notification comes out too late for admissions purposes in senior year, so only accounting juniors that have qualified. (Plus the repetitions)
USABO: 20 Qualifiers (National Finalists)
USAChO: 20 Qualifiers (National Finalists)
USAPhO: 20 Qualifiers (National Finalists)
USACO: 20 Qualifiers (National Finalists)
RSI: About 50 Participants
Intel STS: 40 Finalists
Siemens: 50 Regional Finalists
MITES: About 50 Participants</p>

<p>About 400 individuals in total, give or take a few.</p>

<p>Which curiously comes close to our early action admit rate. :)</p>

<p>Just a random exercise since obviously some are going to have exceptional extracurriculars and leadership, and thus there will obviously be more from this pool being taken, but just a reminder nevertheless for the academic elites.</p>

2

<p>I was admitted EA and didn't do any of these things.</p>

<p>I think trying to calculate this all out is silly. I know people who've done these programs and been admitted EA and RD. So it doesn't seem to hold true.</p>

3

<p>"I was admitted EA and didn't do any of these things."</p>

<p>You are a Native American, it wouldnt matter either way. Unless you have straight Fs (and even then) you would still be admitted.</p>

4

<p>Although my logic has flaws, given that, those same 400 are not an exclusive group competing solely against themselves, it's just to show that academic elites do have a lower admit rate than you would expect, if only a 120 of them will be admitted outright. The rest have to offer something more. Implicit in which is the assertion that extracurriculars will define the destinies for the remaining 280 that fail to get into Harvard on the primary basis of their academic achievements.</p>

<p>Perhaps combinations of the various awards (overlaps), substantially boost the admit rate, assuming everything else is average.</p>

<p>The reference to to the early admit rate has nothing to do with whether the early action boosts the chances, or the composition of the early action pool. Even the academic elites seem to have only a 25% or so chance of being admitted at most (based solely on academic achievement) is the point that I was trying to emphasis - the relative uncertainty (omitting all other factors, which will more likely than not play to their favor and boost their admit rates).</p>

<p>Throw into the pool international academic elites, and we probably have another estimated 100 or so individuals with such an academic rating.</p>

<p>120/500 * 100% = 24%, which is extremely close to Byerly's estimated early admit rate for this year (emphasizing again, Mini's repeated assertions as to the relatively random nature of admissions and his repetitive postings in which he gives only a 1 to 8 shot at most for the academic nonelite, when the academic elites have only a 1 to 4 chance anyways (barring all else that they might have).</p>

<p>But academics according to Dov Fox's 2004 book, "The Truth about Harvard," declares that "three quarters of your evaluation hinges on the academic rating, which is based principally on the high school transcript and standardized test scores," but also on "academic initiative outside of the classroom... The honors/awards chart on the common application helps to confirm admissions judgments about your academic ability and achievement.</p>

<p>So on average, academics account for 3/4 of the total chance, which stands at around 25% right now (maximum academics). Assuming maximum extracurriculars, we multiply to obtain the total maximum chance, and thus have a 33% chance of admission.</p>

5

<p>Mini is a guy.</p>

6

<p>LOL I thought Mini was a girl</p>

7

<p>(Obviously there are many things wrong with my statistical analysis, particularly in the last calculation, which basically assumes that they are being compared only to others in their own group, but I still think it gives a flavor to those that have Olympiads and so forth as to the visiccitudes of Harvard admissions).</p>

8

<p>Oo big boy words.</p>

9

<p>Are you Pheonixy?</p>

10

<p>correct me if i'm wrong but...</p>

<p>doesn't this assume that all of those 400 individuals apply early? and isn't that <em>highly</em> unlikely considering the single choice aspect of the ea policy?</p>

11

<p>"You are a Native American, it wouldnt matter either way. Unless you have straight Fs (and even then) you would still be admitted."</p>

<p>Don't be so tasteless. </p>

<p>"doesn't this assume that all of those 400 individuals apply early? and isn't that <em>highly</em> unlikely considering the single choice aspect of the ea policy?"</p>

<p>Yes, to say the least. Not to mention that it narrows everything down to one field of interest. I'm going to have to agree with the assertion that calculating this all out is silly.</p>

12

<p>yeah it is silly, go watch some tv, read a book, dance around like an idiot, all of those would be more productive and useful then calculating this out.</p>

13

<p>"You are a Native American, it wouldnt matter either way. Unless you have straight Fs (and even then) you would still be admitted."</p>

<p>"Don't be so tasteless. "</p>

<p>Fine, I wont. But I dont like her.</p>

14

<p>there's a similar sort of post-thing on google somewhere, that i like because it seems to emphasize some humanities factors that distinguish the "cream de la creme" - <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/soc.college.admissions/browse_thread/thread/9085e79a7c8a98d8/4bb4108d1547ec5a?lnk=st&q=TASP+telluride&rnum=2#4bb4108d1547ec5a%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://groups.google.com/group/soc.college.admissions/browse_thread/thread/9085e79a7c8a98d8/4bb4108d1547ec5a?lnk=st&q=TASP+telluride&rnum=2#4bb4108d1547ec5a&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

15

<p>dha_06- Over 200 Native Americans applied last year, and only 21 were admitted (this included EA and RD). I don't care if you like me- I make statements based on the reality of facts, not opinions. Why don't you learn the facts before you make assumptions? Or better yet- graduate high school? I also had 3 800 SAT scores, but I'm sure that had nothing to do with my admission, right?</p>

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<p>EAS- I don't believe your assertion that 200 Native Americans applied last year. There is no way in hell that figure is so high. A figure like 50-70 seems more accurate, with the acceptance of 21-30, or half. </p>

<p>I have learned the facts. Any middle-class kid with determination and resources can get 800s. I am not saying your achievement isn't admirable, but hey, you are middle class, what do you have to worry about? Not all of us have the ability to prep and use all our time to waste it on this.</p>

17

<p>A little birdie gave me this:</p>

<p>""Hi guys, I am a junior at Harvard right now (and I'm female) and don't worry, we definately have sex at Harvard.""</p>

<p>Did you write this? Wow, I don't think I need to make anymore assumptions. And clearly I need to graduate high school.</p>

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<p>oh, and btw Harvard senior, learn to to spell "definitely"</p>

19

<p>dha_06,</p>

<p>Shh! Don't reveal the fact that I am actually a 16-year-old Canadian pretending to be a Harvard senior--you'll ruin my reputation!</p>

20

<p>I'm hurt. :(</p>

<p>Phoenixy, I looked up to you...</p>