<p>Just wondering, how large of a factor is luck in admissions decisions? I'm sure that even 70% of the applicants are qualified to attend harvard, so luck must have some influence</p>
<p>more than 70% are qualified.....luck is the name of the game</p>
<p>based on all the literature i have read on college admission (a lot), with careful planning beginning in 9th grade, anyone can have a fare shot. the luck factor only comes into play in having a specific admissions officer look favorably/unfavorably on specific details on your application, and even then, pretty minimally. if you are a stand-out student, academically, athletically, or otherwise, it shouldn't play a large role. luck only plays a role in those candidates with marginal (within the realm on the ivy league) records. but it's one of those things like ethnicity, geographic diversity, and economic background, that one just can't control. so it's best not to focus on it, and rather, focus on those things you can control.</p>
<p>I wouldn't consider luck to be a factor. Personally, I don't believe in luck. It's not like they draw names out of a hat. </p>
<p>The admissions process is based on more factors than you can imagine (see sevitagen's post), some of which are completely out of your control. Someone could be a more attractive applicant than someone else, simply because of their ethnicity, or because of their geographic location. The people who get into Harvard deserve to get into Harvard. Most of the people who don't get into Harvard deserve to get in. However, the reason for their rejection isn't luck.</p>
<p>It's not luck in the sense of randomness. But it is luck in the sense of having the good fortune of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right qualifications. E.g. it would be good luck to be a stellar harpist applying the same year that the Harvard orchestras were in desperate need of harp players. But it might be bad luck to be a terrific bassoonist that same year if the school already had an excess of bassoon players.</p>
<p>I revoke my statement. Yes, you have the opportunity to make yourself stand out, but with so many, many qualified applicants it is circumstantial? better word? Yet, if you're good enough; you'll get noticed.</p>
<p>I just don't believe in any form of luck. I believe in hard work. If you're good enough, you;ll get in regardless of your ethnicity and where you live.</p>
<p>According to H's dean of admissions, 90% of applicants qualify for admission, which means if accepted, they'd have the smarts to be able to graduate.</p>
<p>However, from what I've seen, those who are accepted truly do stand out from the pack, particularly in terms of ECs. The students who simply have great grades and scores, and are officers of a few clubs aren't likely to get in. To get in, you usually need something extra that shows you've been self motivated to go above and beyond what's expected.</p>
<p>Valedictorian, SGA president are ordinary things in H's admissions pool. National officer of a club or being a person who themselves (not their parents!) organized a creative fundraiser that raised thousands of dollars, that's the kind of thing that stands out.</p>
<p>And, if H admissions feels that one will contribute to creating a well rounded class, then such people might get acceptance letters.</p>