<p>I thought that he said he was white...</p>
<p>He only applied to Brown, Princeton and Harvard? Besides the unicycle, was there something else that really really shined?</p>
<p>He had a interview. He was white. N yes he was unique. He gets everyone to like him. He wrote a killer essay.</p>
<p>okay the killer essay is probably what did it. essays can carry huge weight when they are excellent, much more so than interviews, which are often unreliable determining factors due to the random match between alumni interviewer and interviewee.</p>
<p>OP's story fits a pattern of Harvard looking for smart, creative, self-confident people with initiative and drive. </p>
<p>And no it doesn't work in your favor if the only place you've ever shown your drive is in getting straight-A's and 2400 SATs.</p>
<p>Every Saturday he went to the school parking lot to teach people how to Unicycle, and he did it for fun, and he wrote a killer humorous essay about it? Sounds like a winner to me. Some day he may drop out of Harvard and start his own company.</p>
<p>He has no idea what he wants to do. He doesn't wanna be rich. Just have fun n help others</p>
<p>I enjoyed this thread quite a bit. What some students and their parents need to understand is that scores can be coached and that grades are relative to the courses that a school offers and that a student elects. </p>
<p>I sincerely believe that colleges want to see well-begun and accomplished students who will make genuine contributions and who think outside of the box. Your brother sounds like an original. I wish him and others like him all the best. </p>
<p>Your brother's killer essay was only the icing on the cake - it was not THE factor. There is never one thing. I guarantee that your brother's teachers' recommendations as well as his guidance counselor's recommendation AND his interview all confirmed that he is the stand-out he is.</p>
<p>I worked in higher education at an Ivy League for 11 years, was a college guidance counselor for 2 years and have been an elementary school principal for four years so I know a little bit about this process. The Ivy at which I was an administrator could have filled its freshman class with valedictorians and they did not. It really is not about numbers.</p>
<p>^^ Thanks for sharing your insights, lucky30. Somehow, people don't really get that it really is not about the numbers (at the very top echelon schools).</p>
<p>Thank you for sharing this story!</p>
<p>dont be fooled guys, a large part of it is about the numbers, for the majority of applicants that is. But other things CAN get you in.</p>
<p>I have no experience applying to Harvard, but I'll say that the people getting in from my school generally had relatively high numbers, but weren't utter perfect scoring maniacs.</p>
<p>Afitscher's point is well taken, though. In fact, I would even go as far as saying perfect scorers don't have a better chance than good scorers, just because it seems like other things make the "final cut" happen. Not agreeing or disagreeing with this practice, just an observation.</p>
<p>I am rather happy my brother got into Harvard because i laugh every time I think of the 2350 SAT with 750+ SAT II's and a nice 3.95 gpa who didnt get in and my brother (bless his heart) got in over him. It goes to show you shouldn't count the eggs before they hatch, dont build urself up too much.</p>
<p>what did your brother get?</p>
<p>What do you mean?</p>
<p>how do u describe a killer essay?</p>
<p>yes that really did give rise to hope within me</p>
<p>dreams can come true :D</p>
<p>My D has killer everything but test scores! this story gives me hope! but at the same time i'm septical when you look at CC 's accepted Harvard kids... they all have outstanding sat ,act and gpa!!! some are accepted with low scores but they are urm!</p>
<p>^ this kid is white and average income. Also awesome, quirky, and likeable from the sound of it. </p>
<p>I’m glad he’s in Harvard. :)</p>