<p>Deferred doesn't mean not good enough....</p>
<p>oh sorry GuitarMan...just playing around
b/c of the intense atmosphere</p>
<p>Welcome ladies and gents to hahvadd and to all those who got deferred...stay strong and to those who didn't get in, I am deeply sorry.
To the acceptees, I only have one request, make sure to attend prefrosh weekend, it is simply awesome...we still have crazy stories among our class regarding that weekend, and the peeps who did not go regret it deeply. Have fun and hopefully, I will see you all next year.</p>
<p>I couldn't go and I regret it way too much than I should have, because I'm having a blast here right now. The mentality here seems like you have lots of fun and stuff, and academics are on the side ;-). For you accepted students, once you get here, it's not the, as Tanya says on the students video on the admissions website, "the crazy stuck-up" place (I got to meet Tanya, and she's really really nice!). Grades just don't play as much of a role as it did in high school.</p>
<p>I'm really replying to comments made on page 12 of this thread, but I haven't had a chance to catch up until today and I wanted to add my two cents. Please don't eat me for bringing the subject up again. </p>
<p>All the science/math people on this board amaze me. I don't have the inherent talent to accomplish the things you've done. Others have mentioned before that Harvard could fill a class with mathematicians/scientists. I think, especially with new admin positions like the fun czar and all the complaints they're getting about social life/wellness/happiness from students on campus, that they're making an effort to add a few more "academically inferior" kids to the class that came across as powerful personalities to be the "gel" of the campus and to create and maintain good social life (not that I'm in any way saying that the scientists on this board didn't come across as having wonderful personalities-just that some people's strength came across to adcoms purely as character and personality while others really emphasized their scientific research instead). So if you're seeing inferior "stats," well there's a lot going on outside of stats that the adcoms can evaluate that we simply can't. Everyone says "essays: decent" or "essays: brilliant" but we don't get to read them here. People say that their interview was great or good or decent, but we didn't get to sit in and listen and laugh and cry and smile with them. </p>
<p>I don't know. I feel really bad when people talk about "stats" as if it's the be all and end all. I think that Guitarman's and spydertennis's and zogoto's research is even more impressive in real life than just saying they won 1st or 2nd place for it, and that condensing it to a few words about how they placed in competition doesn't truly represent all the depth of their work (though it is impressive hearing you won X place in and of itself). </p>
<p>In any case, people get upset that those with "inferior stats" are getting in, and yet from looking at their stats and passing judgment it feels like a disservice to them, like you can package a kid up all nice and neat and pass judgment like we seem to be doing here on this board (well based on these numbers, X should have been admitted). I hope my strengths as a person haven't really been condensed to letters on a page. My interview was the best part of the application process for me, meeting face to face with another person, but I can't really share the whole experience with everyone here just like I can't really understand the magnitude of the research people mentioned in their applications.</p>
<p>I think I'm rambling now, so I'll stop. Feel free to ignore this. It's just that the whole situation feels so depressing and I'm struggling to understand the whole thing myself. I wish you all the best of luck.</p>
<p>*Decision:ACCEPTED *</p>
<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I:New 800M 750CR 800W Old 800CR 790M
[</em>] SAT IIs:800MathIIC 790Chinese 780USHistory 780MathIC 760Chemistry
[<em>] ACT: N/A
[</em>] GPA:4.53 Weighted, dunno unweighted
[<em>] Rank:1/48
[</em>] Other stats:5's on all 6 AP tests taken, Varsity Baseball and Crew, Class Treasurer, AMC 12 6th in state, AIME qualifier, 235 PSAT and National Merit Finalist Probably
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays:Common App one on bus driver, supplemental on father, both well written
[</em>] Teacher Recs:two very good ones, one from French teacher of 4 years, other from Calc teacher and Quiz Bowl Coach
[<em>] Counselor Rec:Good, from school college counselor
[</em>] Hook (if any):not really, 1st gen immigrant, sports, music (10 years piano and 6 years trumpet), community service (250+ hours), school has habit of getting people into Harvard
[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country:OH
[</em>] School Type:Very small Private
[<em>] Ethnicity:Asian/Chinese
[</em>] Gender:Male
[<em>] Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses:Strong academics, testing, as well as ECs/weaknesses dunno, maybe could've done research or partaken in advanced opportunities
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied:good academics, ECs, very good recs, good long interview (an hour and a half), and school in good standing with Harvard
[/ul]Other Factors:
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:Big relief, and can't wait to see all those who get in! Good luck to all that have been deferred or rejected, for wherever you go to school, you'll get as much out as you are willing to put in!</p>
<p>Zogoto--I would imagine I was certainly deferred (and quite possibly as a "polite reject") before Siemens Nationals, if that's what you're suggesting. And when they heard about Siemens, their interest spiked. Which would explain why within days after Siemens, they were calling my school about me and asking me over for a second interview. The exact same happened to a friend from Siemens (who ended up getting accepted :)). I would imagine that after that they, for whatever reasons, were reluctant to accept me, but I don't think I did anything horrible in my interview and so I would speculate that I'm still on the borderline. And them wanting to wait for Intel could very well play a part in that.</p>
<p>Mycornerofparadise--Don't be depressed, you're in! ;) Wouldn't it be great if your interview were with the admissions committee and you went over your entire application and all sorts of thing and just spent a couple of hours talking about all aspects of yourself so they really got to know you, as a whole? Whether you did groundbreaking scientific research, or you're the life of a party and can make living fun for a whole campus, it's so hard to condense what makes you you into a small application with two 500-word essays and a brief interview. But, it's the only way 4000 applications can be processed realistically, so what are you gonna do? :)</p>
<p>And cyan, congrats!! You seem to have a lot going for you so I'd be pretty upset if you were deferred :p</p>
<p>I find it funny how people are attempting to justify their deferral. Maybe this happened or maybe that....</p>
<p>Thinking, "How come they deferred him/me? He/I have done x, y, z. Attended this program..."</p>
<p>Stop feeling sorry for yourselves. See what you can do to get in RD.
You were deferred, move on.</p>
<p>And what exactly is wrong with just speculating on the reasons for one's deferral? I'm not saying I should have gotten in or expressing indignation over the deferral (and I don't believe I ever have) so what's wrong?</p>
<p>Lol, that would be absolutely great if we could, Guitarman. In fact, I like the idea of participation so much that my new tentative career is admissions officer!!! </p>
<p>Anyway, there's no good thread to post this in, so I'll just jump into my next point; I just have to say that GuitarMan and Zogoto and APFreak have the best attitudes ever, and if there's anything besides the actual letter I'll remember for the whole ea decision experience, it will be the grace with which these people accepted their deferral and laid the groundwork for their very probable acceptance in the RD round. And if the admissions office accepts letters from random internet people, let me know and I'll send internet testimony of your optimism to the adcoms!! I'm totally rooting for you!</p>
<p>hahaha well, my plan is to come to Harvard (or Princeton or Caltech, etc...a top-tier astro research school) with a professorship so maybe you and I will end up on the AdCom together, where we could spice things up and implement the "GuitarMan-Cornerofparadise Admissions Scheme". :p</p>
<p>And on behalf of zogoto and apfreak, we totally appreciate that so thanks :D</p>
<p>And hey, if anyone does want to send letters rooting for us, please feel free. We condone letters, petitions, and bribes in our favor. :p jk</p>
<p>Still haven't gotten my email, lol.</p>
<p>There's nothing wrong with speculation. But please don't be surprised that you can get deferred....</p>
<p>NBA--That's terrible!! lol...damn. You should get the letter Monday, I'd imagine, so let us know how it goes then ;)</p>
<p>By the way, if you look around this board you'll find something that will probably tip you off right away as to whether you were accepted or deferred (or rejected). So if you want to wait for the letter, I recommend being careful what threads you open!</p>
<p>
[quote]
By the way, if you look around this board you'll find something that will probably tip you off right away as to whether you were accepted or deferred (or rejected). So if you want to wait for the letter, I recommend being careful what threads you open!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From what I've seen, I really have no idea what it takes to get in. Siemens finalists with great ECs are deferred? Okay...</p>
<p>What do I have going for me? Hmm... A really high SAT, 2350, a couple of 800s in SAT IIs, a football player throughout high school, various academic awards. But nothing like a math champion of the world or anything. Honestly, I'm expecting a deferral, which is OK because my top choice is Amherst, not Harvard. I liked the non-binding EA system, which was why I applied to Harvard. I wasn't that ready to commit to Amherst (I've never actually been to any of the schools I'm applying to).</p>
<p>hehehe well, I appreciate that, I do, but I was actually referring to....well, something else. When you get your decision (Monday, probably), I'll tell you what I mean. I don't want to be the one to break the news to you, get the letter! It's traditional ;) hehe. Besides, there's a chance I'm wrong. But, um, yeah, I ramble. lol</p>
<p>The SATs and SAT IIs are amazing, totally Harvard quality. And I think they will definitely stand out at Amherst. The ECs are not descriptive but from what I've seen they're good. If you're essays and recs. and all are good, you should make a pretty good applicant :)</p>
<p>HAHA Everything but the puppy. Youd had me until GPA and rank</p>
<p>Northstarmom--
You are brillliant, I love ya, but I have to respectfully disagree with your quote(about 13 pages back) regarding the type of teacher rec that may result in rejection. You said:</p>
<p>"He is unfailingly courteous and comes from a God-fearing background."</p>
<p>Wiith all due respect to those who view intellectual people of faith (IPFs) as God fearing and courteous morons, please review the following info about John Harvard, an educated man whose fervent faith led him to fund and found the institution we are now discussing:</p>
<p>160738, chief founder of Harvard College, b. Southwark, England, M.A. Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 1635. He immigrated in 1637 to Charlestown, Mass., where he was assistant to the pastor and teaching elder of the First Church. He bequeathed £780 (half his estate) and his library of 320 volumes toward the founding of a new college at Cambridge, Mass., which was named in his honor.</p>
<p>Dartmouth was also founded by a man of god fearing faith who had a desire to teach native Americans.</p>
<p>Yale also had faith based roots:
It may come as surprise that when Yale University was founded on this day, October 16, 1701, it was by Congregationalist ministers unhappy with the growing liberalism at Harvard.</p>
<p>My question is this:
Would these and other great American institutions of higher learning have been founded without the existence of a sweet little Jewish teacher who used the socratic method named Jesus? So far, His track record (founding great universities around the globe) is pretty amazing ...... and without equal.</p>
<p>First, note the contradiction here. You first equate Harvard's roots in religion, and then discuss how Yale was founded as a reaction to "Godless" Harvard. But, either way, the circumstances of a college's founding 300+ years ago does not dictate its present state! I do believe most Ivies (and universities in general) have the reputation for being bastions of secular liberalism and agnosticism, even atheism. But eh, now we're getting into stereotypes.</p>
<p>I visited Yale for an hour or so today, as I was in New Haven. I haven't been in a couple of years and I was a bit struck--it's a beautiful campus! That being said, I didn't get the feel I got from Harvard, but it was a very nice place nonetheless ;) heh, figured I'd mention that while we're talking about Yale...</p>
<p>" I have to respectfully disagree with your quote(about 13 pages back) regarding the type of teacher rec that may result in rejection. You said:</p>
<p>"He is unfailingly courteous and comes from a God-fearing background."</p>
<p>Wiith all due respect to those who view intellectual people of faith (IPFs) as God fearing and courteous morons, please review the following info about John Harvard, an educated man whose fervent faith led him to fund and found the institution we are now discussing...."</p>
<p>I wasn't dissing Christians. I was saying that a teacher recommendation that describes the person in terms of their courteousness and the fact that their family is "God fearing" isn't going to open doors at Harvard. The above kind of recommendation probably would be very helpful for jobs in some conservative communities, for convincing a conservative parent that their kid's prospective fiance is appropriate, and for gaining admissions in some colleges connected with religious institutions.</p>
<p>If a recommendation states that a person comes from an amazingly upright, supportive family, that is not going to help them get into Harvard because Harvard is evaluating the applicant on their own character, not their family's character.</p>
<p>A recommendation that emphasizes that a student is unfailingly courteous is likely to result in an adcoms assuming the student is a brown noser with nothing else going for themselves. Harvard is not a finishing school. Adcoms are far more interested in a student's intelligence, interests and leadership ability than their manners.</p>
<p>What Harvard is looking for are students who: are intellectually curious, passionate about academics and at least one EC, are broad minded enough to be able to learn from being in an environment with diverse peers of all kinds, and are leaders. If a person has overcome major challenges including things like major family dysfunction, that is a plus.</p>
<p>If a person is passionate about their religious faith, had demonstrated leadership and intellectual curiosity related to it, that also can be a plus at Harvard, which is interested in attracting students representing all kinds of diversity including spiritual diversity. There are, after all, Harvard graduates who are ministers, and who even came to Harvard planning to be ministers.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, I regularly participate in religious and spiritual services and don't view people of religious faith as morons. There was nothing about my post that suggested that.</p>