Official Harvard EA Decisions - Class of 2010

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
161

<p>Posting info about another student at my school</p>

<p>[ size=+1][ color=blue][ b]Decision: Accepted [ /b][ /color][ /size]</p>

<p>[ b]Stats:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I: 1600
[ *] SAT IIs: 800 800 780
[ *] ACT
[ *] GPA: 4.0 uw
[ *] Rank: no rank
[ *] Other stats: 5's on all APs
[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Essays: I read them, pretty good
[ *] Teacher Recs: Pretty good, i heard
[ *] Counselor Rec: Pretty good
[ *] Hook (if any): Violin
[ /list][ b]Location/Person:[ /b][ list]
[ *] State or Country: CA
[ *] School Type: public
[ *] Ethnicity: asian
[ *] Gender: male
[ *] Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses: Super academics, good hook
[ *] Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: see above
[ /list][ b]Other Factors:[ /b]
[ b]General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:[ /b] he was born to go to harvard</p>

162

<p>I think there is a strong possiblity that deferred applicants may have a higher admit rate in the RD, possibly because of the new SAT and lack of any composite percentiles. The collegeboard PROMISED preliminary percentiles for the writing section (which I assume would allow for preliminary composite percentiles) in "Early November 2005" and has yet to deliver on that promise. Without any percentile guide, it's possible that Harvard might be taken aback by the low number of 2250+ applicants in its EA pool, even though the percentile for a 2250+ is going to be 99.5+ percentile (I'm using the PSAT score of 225 to estimate), as compared to a 1500 (99th percentile) on the old SAT. To be safe, it defers in case the RD pool happens to contain the uber high scores they want.</p>

<p>Also, because the new test contains 3 sections and high scores (2300+) are much rarer, Harvard <em>could</em> fill it's class with these tip-top scorers and completely shut out Ptons average by 100 or so points.</p>

<p>Just speculating here.</p>

163

<p>I think the number of people with 2250+ is lower than the normal amount of 1500+ on the old. If you consider that only around 100 people got 2400 on the first test new test and thousands got 1600s on the old test</p>

164

<p>well, not thousands, more like 800, but your point is valid.</p>

165

<p>zogoto - arizona has very few applicants to harvard each year and even fewer get in. its hard in the fact that they accept so few, around 3-4 early each year. knowing many that applied to harvard this year, it was a competitive year for all of you. u are a strong candidate and so were the others. hopefully rd will be positive. dont let this destroy you. work on ur other apps, harvard isnt the only school.</p>

166

<p>well said sarasote</p>

167

<p>Decision: ACCEPTED</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I: 760M/760CR/800W
[</em>] SAT IIs: 800 Spanish, 800 Biology E, 770 Math Level 2
[<em>] GPA: 4.0 unweighted
[</em>] Rank: N/A
[<em>] Other stats: over 60 college credit hours
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[</em>] Essays: one about my love for Japanese music artist Ayumi Hamasaki, and supplemental essay about my coming out story and living in Spain.
[<em>] Teacher Recs: Both from college professors
[</em>] Counselor Rec: Must not have been that bad...
[<em>] Interview: When I called my interviewer to tell her the good news, she told me she rated me higher than anyone she'd ever interviewed before.
[</em>] Hook (if any): URM
[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: Texas
[</em>] School Type: Public. I go to a really difficult math & science academy where students live on a college campus and take a full load of college courses.
[<em>] Ethnicity: African American
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>] Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses: Linguistics research, Art Photography portfolio, university study abroad in Spain, college credits from Univ of Valencia (Spain) and Univ of North Texas, time-consuming ECs/leadership
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: Though I really can't say, I think the fact that I was a high scoring URM + my college credits and unique interests did it for me
[/ul]Other Factors: I can't really think of any! I'm so speechless
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: I don't think I'd ever been so nervous about something in my entire life. My mother and father flipped out on the telephone! I just feel like all my years of hard work finally paid off. Good luck to everyone no matter where you end up!</p>

168

<p>sarasote, what school do you go to? I think there are 15 AZ kids a year, and yes, I'm hopefully going to be able to work on other apps now...although I have so many my essays for all will probably be horrible.</p>

169

<p>Decision: ACCEPTED</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I: 710 CR / 770 M / 760 W
[</em>] SAT IIs: 740 M:I / 700 USHIST / 670 M:II
[<em>] ACT: 29
[</em>] GPA: 6.8718 W / 4.0000 UW
[<em>] Rank: 1 out of 717
[</em>] Other stats: APs - 5 on World History, 4 on US Hist, History of Art</p>

<p>[/ul]
Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Essays: Very distinctive voice; Creative (I wrote a somewhat satirical one about my name; and one about my growth from taking my school's first History of Art class.)
[</em>] Teacher Recs: Strong, focused specific attributes and events
[<em>] Counselor Rec: Very carefully crafted; Took her three months; Close relationship
[</em>] Hook (if any): History of Art; Vietnamese Heritage; Diversity/Politics
[/ul]</p>

<p>Location/Person:[ul]
[<em>] State or Country: Cypress, Texas
[</em>] School Type: Public / Suburban
[<em>] Ethnicity: Vietnamese
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>] Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses: Artistry, Writing Style, Unique ECs
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: Unique, Creative, Different
[/ul]
Other Factors: First Generation College Student; Valedictorian.
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:
I hope everyone doesn't lose hope. </p>

<p>I didn't realize there was an e-mail option for Harvard until I checked my GMAIL this afternoon.</p>

<p>I think my scores prove that you don't need the best SAT scores to be admitted. You just need that certain sparkle about you. You have to appeal to Harvard; Harvard has to deserve you, rather than you having to deserve Harvard.</p>

<p>And remember: It's not the end of the world. I know I'm still the same person. Good-luck and congratulations everyone! May your day remain happy and sun-filled regardless.</p>

<p>AIM: falling fateless (IM to me to talk.)</p>

170

<p> *Decision: Accepted *</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I: 2340: Old: 750V/790M, New: 690V/780M/800W
[</em>] SAT IIs: 800 Math II, 770 US History, 740 Physics
[<em>] ACT: 35
[</em>] GPA: 4.6
[<em>] AP: 5 calculus AB, 5 us history, 5 physics B, (4-5 more to go)
[</em>] Rank: 1/121
[<em>] Other stats: Class President, National Merit Semifinalist, HFAI candidate, AP scholar, math team captain, scholars bowl captain, math awards, perfect score national latin exam, Governor's school, NHS, MAO, some poetry awards...other nerd awards.
[</em>] Jobs: Ice cream store manager (20-25 hrs/week), Math Tutor-3-5 hrs/week
[/ul] </p>

<p>Subjective: [ul]
[<em>] Essays: Pretty light, lots of personality. One was about how I went from hating poetry to being in creative writing, other was about a church service in Guatemala
[</em>] Teacher Recs:Really really really good.
[<em>] Counselor Rec: Really really really good.
[</em>] Hook (if any): um...I scoop ice cream for overweight children.
[/ul]</p>

<p>Location/Person: [ul]
[<em>] State or Country: AL
[</em>] School Type: Private (christian)
[<em>] Ethnicity: White
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>] Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses: GREAT GREAT GREAT interview, interviewers were fun to talk to. I also was HFAI, which probably helped a bit. I'm also half-first generation: mom went to college. Really personal recs, because I am practically friends with my teachers.<br>
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: That's like asking, "When you rolled those dice, why did you get a 5?" I don't really know.
[/ul]</p>

<p>General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:</p>

<ol>
<li>Congratulations to accepted kids!</li>
<li>Well, I had a lot of good friends who were deferred, which is sad. They'll still go good places.</li>
<li>Also, I would like to respond to DHA's anger that Harvard hates poor kids. Clearly, this is not the case. </li>
<li>I like Harvard.</li>
</ol>

<p>Also, I would like to tell you how excited I was. I had just finished tutoring my friend's sister and she was like "check your email." I checked it, and saw that a Harvard email was in my inbox. I opened it, and all I read was "I am delighted." Then I got up, started screaming, and ran around my friend's house. Then I ran outside his house and ran up and down his driveway screaming. Then I came back inside, sat down, and called my teachers. Good times.</p>

171

<p>*Decision: Accepted *</p>

<p>Stats:[ul]
[<em>] ACT: 33 (35 English, 32 Math, 33 Reading, 32 Science)
[</em>] SAT IIs: U.S. History: 800 Math Level 2: 740 Physics: 720
[<em>] GPA: 4.0/4.0 UW 5.58/5.0 W
[</em>] Rank: 2/442
[<em>] Other stats: AP U.S. History: 5 AP English Comp.: 3 - National Hispanic Scholar
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[</em>] Essays: Reflected me, my goals, and my motivation in life
[<em>] Teacher Recs: Good
[</em>] Counselor Rec: Very good considering she has 442 kids to take care of...
[<em>] Hook (if any): URM and First-Generation status
[/ul]Location/Person:[ul]
[</em>] State or Country: Texas
[<em>] School Type: Public
[</em>] Ethnicity: Mexican-American
[<em>] Gender: Male
[</em>] Perceived Strengths/Weaknesses: Well-rounded
[li] Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: Leadership position, athletic teams/awards, URM/First-Generation status[/li][/ul]
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc: I can't believe I got in. I look forward to meeting everyone!</p>

172

<p>Hi all. I'm from Arizona, also. I was admitted, and feel extraordinarily lucky, like a bolt of lightning just picked me out of a field, but in a hard-earned, at-the-end-of-the-day way, too. With Harvard's notoriously arbitrary/subjective selection style, these stories could have all just as easily turned out the other way. And it's true.
A few more unexpected things happened this year on the local scene. Two from my school were admitted early (what the---?!), the other being someone I honestly can't speak for, since I don't know him well. Apparently he has decent grades/scores, but comes from five (5!!)generations of Harvard education. Maybe plays basketball? Unexpected, but at the same time, soooo typically Harvard. </p>

<p>L'chaim!</p>

173

<p>Congratulations, Matt. Gonna play football?</p>

174

<p>Apparently the acceptances for EA were down substantially this year, which I am told by a few sources accounts for many deferrals, most likely my own included (although my suspicion is they want to see my first semester grades). I guess Byerly took a very conservative EA admissions stance this year as a result of the drop in applications. Look for a bumper crop of EA-deferred admissions in April! We'll see what the exact numbers come out to tomorrow.</p>

175

<p>deferred...
don't feel like posting stats. meh.</p>

176

<p>Honestly, I'm not shocked at the number of people who were deferred.</p>

<p>NSM's logic was right in saying that many of these amazing people can be admitted in RD.</p>

<p>Also, Harvard is selecting applicants based on their preference. No one can forget that. They choose applicants based on the characteristics they want in the freshman class....not just straight 1500+, 4.0, valedictorian, national award people.</p>

177

<p>I have, unfortunately, been deferred.
Stats:
SAT I: 800 M/ 800 V, (new SATs were in the 1400-equivalency range)
SAT IIs: 800 Biology/790 U.S. History/740 Chemistry/730 Math II
GPA: 101.878 W
Rank: 1 out of 239
Other stats: APs - 5 on Calculus AB, Chemistry, U.S. History, Biology, European History; 4 on English Language
Essays: Quite Decent
Teacher Recs: I thought they were good...supplemental recommendation from my cousin, (a Harvard alumnus and past Harvard TA)
Counselor Rec: Close relationship
Hook (if any): MANY, MANY focused activities, especially in music; class president, student government, over 300 hours of community service/year; started program to tutor children in the hospital; play piano and clarinet; band president; traveled to Europe twice through academic/musical endeavours;South Towns Youth Orchestra; State-Wide Band Achievements; Harvard Book Award, etc.</p>

<p>Location/Person:
State or Country: Elma, NY, (near Buffal)
School Type: Public / Rural-Suburban
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Gender: Male
Why you are unique: Model, (traveling to Virginia Beach for a modeling agency convention in January)
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/denied: New SAT score; no international competitions
General Comments/Congratulations/Venting/Commiserations,etc:
I am crushed...</p>

178

<p><a href="http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=510630%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=510630&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

179

<p>Congratulations to all of you! Even those of you who were deferred or denied are incredible individuals and will certainly do well. A special note to MusikAznGirl, many congratulations to you! You have clearly overcome quite difficult circumstances to excel. Best of luck to you!</p>

<p>I just read the article in the Crimson and I think the most interesting statistic is the following:</p>

<p>"Of the early pool, 2,828 applicants were deferred, 149 were rejected, 79 had incomplete applications, and 12 withdrew."</p>

<p>The "take home message" here is the inordinately LARGE number of deferrals vs. small number of rejections. The majority of these applicants will be rejected. So, those of you who have deferrals, get to work on ALL your applications, including revising and improving your Harvard App.</p>

180

<p>Hmmm, it appears as though Byerly's original estimate for EA applicants (3700) was closer to the mark than the Crimson's earlier estimate.</p>