<p>hminot, I just read the article you referred to! It wasn’t so depressing as I already knew the barrier for internationals is even thicker. Life is tough and often needs pure luck. After reading the article, I decide not to bother worrying about my chance or complain at my chance.
For an Asian international, life is unfair in American admission. Perhaps, I need to satisfy with the university that accepts me. After all, American universities are priorly meant to educate American citizens. I would just appreciate the existence of my chance for admission no matter what the result turns out to be. I did all my best for the cruel 5 years away from home and have no regret (except for my high school choice, lol. I should have studied in U.S). My accomplishment is fairly decent and I know I have great chance in other very good American universities though they may not be HYPSM. Last few months was a great chance for me to know that Ivy+ universities rejection/deferral are not the end of the world.</p>
<p>stupdorkidiot: I don’t think pages are printed. I’m almost 100% positive it’s all scanned. Thus folders can be shared among multiple readers simultaneously. </p>
<p>Physical files exist for items yet to be scanned. No drawers and drawers of files. All in servers.</p>
<p>Hello! Canadian student here 
Sent my app on December 22nd, have already done the interview (it went really well :D). I’m applying to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, UPenn and UChicago in the USA, and 5 Canadian schools: UofT, McGill, McMaster, Waterloo and Queens</p>
<p>Welcome to the fun, Ragdolls.</p>
<p>@T26 - I thought so too, but I recently read an article in the Crimson that talked about the role undergraduates play in the H admissions office, which is to file all the papers being printed. Apparently, every single application is printed and filed in massive drawers. Then again, I think the article was from spring '09, so they may well have moved on from that… digital versions would certainly make much more sense. </p>
<p>Here’s the article, if you’re curious.
[Don't</a> Touch That File | News | The Harvard Crimson](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2009/4/30/dont-touch-that-file-by-the/]Don’t”>Don't Touch That File | News | The Harvard Crimson)</p>
<p>I had my interview today. We met at a Starbucks and talked for a little over an hour. It was a lot more interview-y (more direct, rapid-fire questions) than my previous interviews (Stanford & MIT). I was definitely overdressed… He was wearing jeans (whitewashed, not even dark) and a sport jacket. Like an Adidas 1/4 zip, not a blazer. I was in a dress and sweater with tights and flats. I guess it’s better to be overdressed than under-dressed… He also <em>really</em> stressed that not many people get in (only about 12/200 from my area) and that only one person he’d interviewed had ever been accepted. He asked where else I had applied and he asked about my first choice. I am a story-teller, but I don’t think he really liked that (using the phrase “cutting to the chase…”–not awkward or anything). He basically just asked me questions relating to my application (which he had in front of him.
He said something really interesting about the process though… He said that he submits an evaluation focusing on three categories–academics, extracurriculars, and personality/fit at Harvard. Then all the interviewers in the area meet in February-ish and essentially rank the applicants and report back to Harvard. He said they didn’t have much of an influence, but I thought it was interesting…</p>
<p>@clairebear29, where is your area? What state?</p>
<p>Could someone explain to me why it would be harder for an international to get in? I’m in the UK so this is of particular interest to me.</p>
<p>@POmani
I’m Korean living in Thailand applying, so I did a bit of research.
Even though Harvard says that there are no quotas and that they don’t take into account of the family’s financial circumstances, I believe that there are “invisible” quotas.
From year to year, Harvard’s percentage of international students barely changes.
If that is the case, I guess it is harder for internationals to get in.</p>
<p>Oh great… now people are going to say that I’m a conspirator… lol</p>
<p>@lboss1223</p>
<p>You’re probably correct, to some extent.
Harvard University is first and foremost an American institution. While students apply from all over the world, the university does receive a majority of applications from American seniors.
When I went to Yale’s information session in Toronto, the admissions officer mentioned that there is a difference in acceptance rate for local and international students. However, from what I remember, the variation wasn’t important (the overall acceptance rate for Yale was 6.8% last year, and international acceptance rate was 6.6%). One thing to keep in mind is the fact that we international students are all put into one group: “internationals”. Therefore, while they say that everyone is compared to each other, we may need to stand out next to students from all over the world instead of students from our own country.</p>
<p>In any case, I won’t remain hopeful because as acceptance rates become lower and lower, I don’t feel that I can stand out enough next to all of you brilliant minds.</p>
<p>Best of luck to us all!</p>
<p>@HappyDaddy. I am in the Oregon/SW Washington region (interviewer mentioned that this is the “official” region).</p>
<p>I think Aery hit the nail on the head in his well-thought out post #236. </p>
<p>Recs/essays are key for the mid-tier or lower applicants to Harvard. Barring a recommendation from the POTUS, it’s the person who the interviewers/application readers remember hours or even days later, who are offered admission.</p>
<p>^ Slight disagreement. The Interviewers’ opinions weigh very very little. Rightly so, IMHO.</p>
<p>BuBBLES FoR SALE - heheh, I’m a ladyyy. Regardless - thanks! I’ve spent too much time reasoning myself through their processes.</p>
<p>Did my interview a few days ago at Starbucks… thought it went fairly well (older fellow, who was much more formal than some of my other interviews).</p>
<p>Anyways, I have just been contacted for a second interview with an admissions officer. Is this a good sign?</p>
<p>Second interview? some haven’t had a first interview. Good or bad sign?</p>
<p>As an international student from India… I got 2210 in SSAT n in subject sats 2380… Phy chem math n 115 in toefl, 3.9-4GPA n a fee xtra currcs like 2 yr comm srrvice n intl sci olympiad 1 st in state n 16th overall, what chance do I have in getting into Harvard. And yea im international n need scholarship… Some of ya r saying it doesnt matter but I think it does n my chances are drastically reduced. Advise please</p>
<p>^lol.
10char</p>
<p>assuming you wrote your essays in the same…dialect as you wrote that post, 0% chance.</p>
<p>yass u hve rel chance @ hahvahd</p>