<p>Haha. Lol you scared me there. The thing is that he is a good friend of mine and throughout the summer I just plauged him with it. Its like we were going to Loker and I would be like (randomly) "Are you Pheonixy?" Lol it would **** him off. He's like : "I am not a Female Harvard Student!" Lol It still bothers him : P Doesn't it Chancellor Pheonixy?</p>
<p>He's actually harvard bum that performs regularly in the pit.</p>
<p>DHA- You can believe me or not, but the facts are the facts.</p>
<p>This site is funny, because all of you high schoolers on it want to know your "chances". You want to know about Harvard admissions. I've worked in admissions as a student recruiter, I've made recommendations about what students should get in, and I've seen who has gotten in and who hasn't- for half of my 4 years here. Now when I say something some people on this site don't like to hear, or don't want to believe, I am told I don't know what I'm talking about by a 16 year old. </p>
<p>Interestingly enough, the attitude that I find here is overwhelmingly against affirmative action and pro-admission based solely on "stats"...which is a complete 180 from the predominant attitude here at Harvard, where students value the diversity present and often remark that the best part of Harvard are the diverse people- not the fact that their roommate was in RSI or scored a 1600 SAT score. No one talks about that at all.</p>
<p>When faced with the opportunity to actually get some accurate information about this mysterious and often pondered Harvard admissions process, you shoot down the messenger, which just again reinforces my view that this site isn't about actually knowing one's changes; rather, its just a place to toot one's horn. The real Harvard admits spend their time doing that in activities they love, instead of needing validation from the internet. And so I'm done with this site. I stumbled onto it because a prospective student had told me about it, and being interested in admissions I thought I'd check it out. But considering the arrogant and self-aggrandizing environment, I'm gonna just "peace out" (does that prove that I, too, grew up with public assistance, benefit from the HFAI, and am not middle class, DHA).</p>
<p>I have never posted a "Chances Thread" I am against affirmative action and not pro stats. You clearly need to see what I say to make an overall generalization. Even though this kids predominantly just care about stats and prestige, there are some of us that dont.</p>
<p>I may have gone too far and disrespected you, I apologize, however, how can you know what we are going through? This anxiety is horrible. Especially when your career depends on it.</p>
<p>I think EAS has some sense of what you're going through, DHA; she applied to Harvard too, some years ago.</p>
<p>And it may seem like it, but your career does not really depend on going to Harvard.</p>
<p>Anyways, I was just playing around with numbers. In reality, it is futile to attempt to calculate the odds and a useless exercise.</p>
<p>Let's leave it at that.</p>
<p>Never. I understand that she might have, but she was a Native American with 800s across the board. Its like she knew...she would be accepted. I have good credentials as well, but my GPA/rank really destroys everything. So its either way for me because I am such a unique case.</p>
<p>I want to go into politics, and it will be super hard to run for Senate as some latin guy from some regular college. Ive set my life around this university. Not because of the name or prestige, but the 2 am conversations about foreign policy in the middle of the Kirkland Yard. I feel trapped in high school because it so difficult to share your opinion, because if it goes against the norm, its wrong. In college, at Harvard, you could change the norm. Thats what I love about that place. If I go there I will flourish, if I go somewhere else (even Princeton, Yale, etc) I wont be happy and wont be able to reach my full potential and be happy 100%. In addittion, I owe this to mu mother. She has worked so much, unrelentlessly, and she deserves the undisputed best.</p>
<p>It's super-hard to become a senator no matter what, but consider that no current or former Hispanic senator has gone to an elite college. Ken Salazar, Joseph Montoya, and Mel Martinez, and Octaviano Larrazolo all went to regular colleges (Collorado College, Regis College, FSU, and St. Michael's College, respectively). I don't even think Dennis Chavez went to college at all.</p>
<p>Wanting intellectual engagement, etc. is all well and good but there are other schools that provide just as much engagement as Harvard, or more. It's not the only college in the world where people stay up late into the night talking about politics. There's nothing wrong with being ambitious, but you probably shouldn't idealize Harvard so much; it's not really all that different from its peer institutions.</p>
<p>True. However, its too late. It has become a dream, and something I aspire to very much. Hispanic senators arent that great, they havent really done anything (compared to front runners, Clinton, McCain, etc) therefore, I want to have atleast that edge on them (I plan to run for office someday. The way I relate it to is a ladder. Sure I can get to the next step, however if one step is missing (Harvard) then its gonna be very tough and more time consuming to try and reach the next.</p>
<p>dha,
I don't deny that you expect to "flourish" at H. People with outstanding academics who are also very issues-oriented often choose H as an excellent environment for discourse. But H has no lock on discourse & debate. </p>
<p>I understand that Princeton has an outstanding debate club.</p>
<p>Check out where the better orators & thinkers in the Senate had their schooling. Was it all Harvard? I doubt that. I'll bet a few of them went to Publics or to non-elites. I don't know where Obama, for example, was educated.</p>
<p>It's great to be so goal-oriented, but there are many avenues toward that goal. I just hope you'll keep that in mind.</p>
<p>"I'll bet a few of them went to Publics or to non-elites. I don't know where Obama, for example, was educated."</p>
<p>Barak Obama went to Columbia and then Harvard Law. So technically, he went to elite private schools.</p>
<p>lol... I understand, I should be more open-minded towards other institutions, however, as we can clearly see, it certainy doesnt hurt to have a Harvard diploma. Where it might hurt, to have lets say, a Southern Methodist Univesity one <em>cough</em> Miers <em>cough</em>, and then have your own base turn against you.</p>
<p>The other thing is that many politicians are already set-in to their Senate/Cabinet offices. Tell me, who do you see in high government offices? Old, white, protestant men. Not only are they WASPs, they are old money. Kerry and Bush for example, are related to a degree (cousins or something), the Kennedys were on the Mayflower for Christ's sake. Most of these people are set in. We like to believe we like in an egalitarian society, but the truth is we don't. Its partly an aristocracy, and the only way for some poor kid, son of an immigrant cleaning lady to get up there is to atleast have some tool, that diploma, to fight against the elites and become one himself.</p>
<p>Even though there might be some people who have gotten up there and who havent had their families in the upper circles for generations, many of them just fall in to the puppet scene (The Democratic Party so controls Obama).</p>
<p>I need this. I would not be happy at Princeton, Yale, etc. I would not be happy anywhere else, except Harvard.</p>
<p>dha, you need a contigency plan. It can't be "Harvard or nothing" or you may be standing on top of some bridge ready to jump come December 14th. Let's face it, at least 75% of SCEAs will be deferred or rejected, including the majority of URMs. Harvard is great, but you need to focus on Plan B. This is just not healthy.</p>
<p>Hmm...I like the bridge idea if it falls through. Have people commited suicide for not getting into an elite school before? Anyways, I do have a plan, of course I am going to apply to other universities and just hope for the best.</p>
<p>While a large portion of the minorities may be deferred, their circumstances are different than mine. What I can tell you for sure is that 90% of them are not poor. During the summer I met around 200 of the 900 kids attending SSP, including every single hispanic and black individual. I only met one poor minority kid who had come with financial aid as well. Every other hispanic and black was not only upper-middle class but in most cases wealthy. Every single one. They applied to Harvard EA, and my credentials are by far more superior than theirs. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, thanks for your concern. This process is so evil. I am a confident person, but currently I am shaken up.</p>
<p>^yeah DHA, SSP was all rich people...lol... the first night all the people in my dorm were like, "i guess SSP is just for the people who can pay for it"...
i was the only one on financial aid...and i met a friend who had fundraised all of her money....that was about it. haha.</p>
<p>i know people say have a back-up plan, but i have to agree with DHA... getting into harvard (and not having to pay under HFAI) is an absolute dream.</p>
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<p>I would not be happy anywhere else, except Harvard.</p>
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<p>This strikes me as the kind of thing that can turn into a self-fulfilling prophesy. IMHO, if you'd be happy at Harvard, but miserable at Yale, then chances are, your priorities are out of whack. 95% of the experience as a student and an alumnus is the same. We're going to the same grad schools, hanging out at the same parties, and working at the same companies. We all love our school. The only reason to be unhappy about this is because you're dwelling on the 5%.</p>
<p>As a Hispanic with my eyes set on politics, I can say that I used to share the same outlook on college as dha_06. However, throughout this waiting process, I have realized that if I don't get into Harvard, there will plenty of other schools to choose from. Studies have shown that people who are successful are successful because they want to be, not because they went to an Ivy League school. Yes, I'm sure Harvard would help you on your way to wherever it is you intend to go in life, but think about this: If you are allowing something out of control to decide your future, you might want to find other goals. I know that if I don't get into Harvard, that's okay because I will still control my destiny. Don't fret; rejection is only the end of the world if you let it be the end of the world.</p>
<p>(First paragraph deleted)</p>
<p>Getting back on track, I want a Harvard diploma because I want one. As simple as that. Not only because of the experience I know I could have at that particular university, but because it somewhat legitimizes your being. Old money cant look down on you if you have something they dont.</p>
<p>Its true, rejection isnt the end of the world. However, I would feel cheated. My own university from my own country takes rich foreign nationals and rejects its own citizen who has gone through so much to reach his current level.</p>
<p>Wow....</p>
<p>"...but because it somewhat legitimizes your being..."</p>
<p>No, it does not. </p>
<p>"My own university from my own country takes rich foreign nationals and rejects its own citizen who has gone through so much to reach his current level..."</p>
<p>I disagree with this statement; however, if you harbor such views on the applicants Harvard accepts, don't apply to the school.</p>
<p>I already did, foreign national.</p>