<p>Is Harvard really a "crapshoot"? Or can we find, possibly, a set of recurrent features in those applicants who got in?</p>
<p>To begin, one feature that I picked up from the <strong><em>Official Harvard 2012 Decisions Thread</em></strong> is that SAT I score is typically around 2350.</p>
<p>HYP loves the SAT's... otherwise, they wouldn't be such a big deal throughout the country (as we can see from financial aid and other things, the top schools are the trendsetters for the nation). Somebody posted here that Harvard was looking for a 2260+ last year, and I imagine that it's only gone up close to 2280+ for this year. Obviously this doesn't apply to every successful applicant, but a high SAT score will put you in good standing.</p>
<p>Race matters. "Typical" Asians, no matter their SATs and piano-playing skills, tend to have a little more trouble (than, one could argue, they should). Successful black/hispanic candidates are often decidedly less qualified. You can make of that whatever you want.</p>
<p>I would assume Harvard, because it can attract such a large group of talented students, uses the SAT only as a very rough, preliminary cut. Harvard, compared to its peers, puts a lot of emphasis on ECs and who you are as a person - and thats why I like it so much. Even if I get rejected, I'll know that I was at least considered</p>
<p>I agree with laststop. Harvard indicates in its acceptance letters that essentially, its admissions process is one designed to identify applicants who have long-term prospects for making significant contributions to their communities, nations, and the world. So I'd say make the preliminary SAT cut and then be unusually accomplished in some way.</p>
<p>Everyone who got in had some sort of distinguishing quality. I read some posts from the thread months ago, and I still remember one of them. One of the accepted applicants lived on a farm, which was pretty intriguing.</p>
<p>The students Harvard accepts, and the students it doesn't accept, mostly have high SAT scores. If you look at the Naviance scattergrams for some competitive high schools, you will see that not many kids get into Harvard without reasonably good test scores, but that Harvard rejects many more applicants with excellent test scores than it accepts.</p>
<p>Post #6 (JHS) seems to have a good point.</p>
<p>On another note, I could tell with reasonable certainity which of
the current pool in my HS will be accepted at H and which will not.</p>
<p>Every year the Public HS I graduated from sends a few students to
H. Usually 1 of them is a severe underachiever in terms of
GPA and EC's who tends to have 2400 SAT and perfect
SAT II scores (3-5 tests). </p>
<p>Another 2-3 are not necessarily special in any way other than their
focus on community service, overall high GPAs (not perfect though),
high SATs and recommendations from teachers who have been
sending kids to H annually for a long while. Then there is the legacy
admit. Then there is finally the 1 or 2 real merit cases that H admits.</p>
<p>One thing I have been finding to my surprise the last 3 years, H loves
presidential scholars specifically (they could'nt care less about
NMSQT semifinalists).</p>
<p>Defintiely not a crapshoot...</p>
<p>There's a 2400 every year at your school? Or is that an approximation that expands a bit (I only ask because there were 294 last year, and even fewer aced 3-5 SAT II's).</p>
<p>Presidential scholars are selected after Harvard makes it decisions. There did seem to be a great many Presidential Scholars headed to Harvard this year.</p>
<p>In our schools scattergrams Harvard accepts students with SAT scores of about 1500/1600 and up AND grades in the top 2%. But they aren't all 2350's by any means. An article in Harvard Magazine a few years back says that there is a small number of future academic superstars, a small number of EC superstars (Olympic medalists, world class cello players, movie actors), a smaller number of developmental admits and then the vast majority - very good students with very good scores and some spark that caught someone's eye. It might be something they said in an essay, something a teacher said, something about the whole package, you just don't know.</p>
<p>Regarding Post#8: Good point</p>
<p>(Single sitting)
HS Class of '08: 1 2400 w 3 SAT II 800s
HS Class of '07: 1 2390 w 5 SAT II 800s
HS Class of '06: 1 2400 w 3 SAT II 800's </p>
<p>Regarding Post #9 (Mammall) Yes, the Presidential Scholars
are indeed announced later but the Presidential Scholar
candidate list - the nominees are announced in late January
(Same time as the Intel STS and Siemens second round)</p>
<p>Since Presidential Scholars = 1600 or 1590 SATs (in most large states) plus great grades, a killer resume and killer essays, it isn't too surprising that Harvard admissions and the Presidential Scholars selection committee would make a lot of the same choices.</p>
<p>"One of the accepted applicants lived on a farm, which was pretty intriguing."</p>
<p>Why is that so intriguing? I live on a ranch, and let me assure you, there is nothing intriguing about feeding cows. :)</p>
<p>It's not a crapshoot but don't expect to find a "set of recurrent features."</p>