***Official Harvard Class of 2012 Waitlist Thread***

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
621

<p>
[quote]
logistically, going through 1000+ applications (especially when reg admins have said that theyre area is being looked over for the first time TODAY) and calling those "144" kids is impossible, literally.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Not true. 2 minutes per applicant (it's possible; all that are needed are a vote and very brief discussion - they've already fully discussed the waitlisted applicants in the regular round) means 30 applicants per hour. 7 hours a day (9 AM - 5 PM, 1 hour for breaks and things) means 210 applicants per day. Starting on Friday and working on the weekend, they could have reviewed at least 1,050 applicants by Wednesday and 210 more on Wednesday itself, bringing the total up to 1,260. Calls could have been farmed out to regional representatives and secretaries.</p>

<p>I still think xjayz's mistaken or trolling, but as you can see such a scenario is not unfeasible.</p>

622

<p>I can't comment on any of this waitlist speculation, but I will say that xjayz is a respected poster on this forum who has always been willing to assist prospective students.</p>

623

<p>ok i misspoke when i referred to it as "trolling." but what he's stated (if accidently mis-phrased), is just not consistent with everything that has been posted thus far - that's all i meant. and dude, i don't think they can literally do 2 minutes an applicant for 1260 applicants in a row. that's machine-work. like who can read an app, the essays, and then discuss it in 120 seconds.</p>

624

<p>Maybe we should all give xjayz a brake. He/she may have made a mistake or he/she received incorrect info and they in good faith passed it on. Maybe the info IS correct. Let's just wait and see and hope for the best. </p>

<p>Let's remember that these threads are not to cause trouble, but to help. Let' give everyone the benefit of the doubt :)</p>

625

<p>where is this guy? he needs to visit us more often.</p>

626

<p>aristotle1990: While you lay the mock scenario out nicely, I'm going to have to disagree. I don't think 2 minutes is enough to review an application - think of everything they have to look at: course load, GPA, SAT reasoning, SAT subject, ESSAYS, interview, letters of rec., any additional supplements... and more. Remember that the waiting list is not ranked, meaning they're looking at all the apps as if everyone is equal again.</p>

<p>If someone did indeed receive a call yesterday in which the admissions officer said that the MA "area" would be evaluated today, Wednesday, then they clearly have not finished and certainly have not contacted everyone.</p>

<p>I realize you're just trying to be reasonable - but I think you're stretching things too much. Sure, they could have met over the weekend, but I doubt, unfortunately, that was the case.</p>

<p>I just can't imagine how this person would come across such a fixed number - 144? Had he said "between 100 and 150," I might be slightly more inclined to believe him. But the only people who know a) the exact number of applicants removed from the waiting list AND b) that all of those people were contacted would HAVE to be very, very high up in the admissions committee... and I simply refuse to believe that this person, whether or not he/she is from Harvard, would somehow be able to attain such precise information.</p>

<p>I'm not taking shots at anyone - I'm just trying to be logical and prevent undue panic and hopelessness. Realistically, the 144 figure could be correct and none of us here COULD be taken off the waiting list. But when you analyze the situation, to believe this one person over all the official information we've been given from true Harvard sources is ridiculous.</p>

<p>We'll see tomorrow and Friday whether this person's information is legitimate - and if it is, my apologies; but like I said, right now, with no provided source and honestly no real reason to go out of the way to accept this person's information as valid is unreasonable.</p>

627

<p>Just registered after reading this entire thread...
If not Harvard, I'm going to UVA. I really hope I get off the waitlist though, since UVA is kind of a long shot from where I wanted to be... all the colleges higher up on my list didn't give me enough financial aid :/</p>

<p>a532
alohasam89
an0nym0us
APLinke
aristotle1990
art<em>star
believer8 (son)
blueberri89
bleumom (son)
braaap
brownflavors
CaliforniaDad (daughter)
Christopher546
CNI
CollegeMom08 (daughter)
ConcernedPapa (daughter)
dancinggirl
didgeridoo08
dna3
Don</em>Quixote
dragon12 (son) - ADMITTED (northeast)
drnoeyede
dwindlelights
edorshorst (missouri)
emily814
Emmabelle (son)
Gadli
hdani90
hunniebunnie
Ijmom (daughter)
justchecking (daughter) Last name begins with B, No. Cal., ADMITTED last night via phone call from Harvard regional admissions director
1nkbl0tch (Florida)
jodi92657
kat41911
la montagne
lionstigersbears
mayday
mj<3
Moonofdeath
ohioguy218
oldtimeyfan (son)
palhe20
Peachiepizzaz
Philly<em>Mom (son)
pianonan
ppruks
rdemom
Remi10001
Sequoia (daughter)
Soxfan717
Smile90
snowball2600 (girl)
Sparkley
Sprtn117
Soquidus
Standbyme (son)
superman123
TAdd
tongchen1226
Wallawalla01
wellnow
white</em>rabbit
Wii Seller - ADMITTED (Indiana)
wsm173
xd32 - ADMITTED (Virginia)</p>

628

<p>
[quote]
like who can read an app, the essays, and then discuss it in 120 seconds.

[/quote]
Harvard. Many of these people have close familiarity with and memory of many of the applications. Besides, the regional representatives, who have probably reviewed their applicants' applications more closely before discussion, could dominate it and have sway over the committee vote. If a regional rep says "no way," the committee might definitely be expected to vote with him/her.
[quote]
aristotle1990: While you lay the mock scenario out nicely, I'm going to have to disagree. I don't think 2 minutes is enough to review an application - think of everything they have to look at: course load, GPA, SAT reasoning, SAT subject, ESSAYS, interview, letters of rec., any additional supplements... and more. Remember that the waiting list is not ranked, meaning they're looking at all the apps as if everyone is equal again.

[/quote]
I doubt they completely re-review the application. Again, only the regional rep really has to know the applicant to give a strong recommendation either way; an iffy statement could perhaps prompt more discussion, but such discussions would be balanced with quick, even minute-long reviews and votes.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Let's just wait and see and hope for the best.

[/quote]
Indeed. I still hope xjayz is wrong, trolling or not...</p>

629

<p>ok - you misconstrued, but this is silly. last thing and i'll drop this. the question isn't whether they can do an app in 120 seconds - it's whether they can consistently do "1260" apps in 120 nonstop. and the answer to that is NO, they can't.</p>

630

<p>Where are you getting the 1260 number from?</p>

631

<p>
[quote]
it's whether they can consistently do "1260" apps in 120 nonstop.

[/quote]
Switching people in and out and interspersing the breaks, they might be able to. (Think "rolling.") Remember, this is Harvard. And as others have said, other universities have reviewed people this quickly before.
[quote]
Where are you getting the 1260 number from?

[/quote]
1050 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) + 210 (Wednesday) = 1260. I'm referring only to the possible maximum number of people whose applications they could have reviewed, according to my calculations. This does seem unlikely; 1000 is probably the actual maximum. But 1000 could well be the number of waitlistees.</p>

632

<p>idk - it was in aristotle's post</p>

633

<p>OK, so we agree that it is possible. But why would they do it that way. Why not spend two or three extra days to review. They are still way ahead of their late May promise.</p>

634

<p>Maybe 120 seconds isn't an overstatement. Maybe they're looking for a specific ethnicity in a specific region... i.e., reading maybe 1 kid's essay and looking at some stats, while instantly tossing aside a hundred or so applicants before finding that one perfect individual to round out the class.</p>

<p>This may be cynical, but all I know is that if we don't get in, we shouldn't rationalize it by asking ourselves "what was I missing?" and also not, though perhaps more in line with the adcoms' reasoning, "why wasn't I born to different parents in a different state?" Just try to focus on where you got in and be glad that that school could overlook the things out of your control in order to accept you.</p>

<p>That being said, I hope I still get in (don't mess with me for saying such negative things, please, karma!). And I hope they really do look over <em>again</em> all of our stats before picking even one "special case" individual. I'd like for there to be fairness in the world. And since some have already gotten in and most others haven't even been contacted directly or through a GC (like me, who, I might add, lives in an area where the Harvard regional rep is on vacation...), it certainly doesn't seem fair so far.</p>

635

<p>White_Rabbit is absolutely right. Why rush to get the "priority" calls out in five days; why not wait and spend more time, at least until Friday?</p>

<p>Well, good luck to all of you tomorrow!</p>

636

<p>the evidence suggests the 144 is not true. it would frankly be reckless to not even review certain geographic regions before sending out the first wave (if it indeed comes in waves, which some have suggested is not true)</p>

<p>i guess it's possible though</p>

<p>worst comes to worst, even if it true, there's still probably up to 100 spots left</p>

637

<p>Why is everyone making such a big deal about contacting their regional admissions officer? I have not done anything like that. Am I supposed to or something?</p>

638

<p>i also want to know about this contacting the regional officer. i have gotten one confirmation email from him over my intent letter, but other than that, he has not responded to two emails asking for confirmation and asking a question.</p>

639

<p>^^^ you're not alone</p>

640

<p>not alone in the sense of not getting a response?</p>