<p>Hi everyone, this is a re-post of a thread I started on the Harvard forum. That said, several of these questions are more general than the school, especially relating to transfer/gap year admissions, and I would greatly appreciate any input you may extend. (NOTE: I'm sorry for the long, at times rambling post. It may also make things clearer as to my situation and my reasons for wanting to transfer if I were to reveal the school I'm enrolling at, as I would be happy to via PM).</p>
<p>I'm a high school senior that has been rejected from Harvard but has been blessed to receive a spot at a few other ivies and top schools . I have no doubt that I will enjoy my time at these schools, and I don't want my preoccupation with this other school to detract from my experiences wherever I enroll. However, I feel that I have reasons for still feeling that a Harvard undergraduate experience provides things that the others cannot that go beyond "prestige", including a focus on my academic and extra-curricular interests, student personality and "fit". The point of this thread, however, is that I would appreciate any thoughts on two options that I have from here.</p>
<p>Re-applying EA: I was accepted early at a school of comparable selectivity to Harvard, and several ivies RD, and therefore would have thought that I'd have a fair chance at Harvard this year. I was, however, rejected. For potentially competitive applicants, is there any hope for success in re-applying the next year? That Harvard has reinstated EA, therefore lessening the period of uncertainty, makes this option more appealing. It also opens up to two sub-options: Firstly, that I take a gap year to re-apply. Secondly (an option I prefer but wonder as to whether it would violate the rules of the college where I enroll), that I enroll as a college Freshman and apply EA in October for results in December. One question is whether Harvard requests for information on whether I'm currently enrolled as a college Freshman, or whether I could just apply as any other gap year student, and whether my current college would accept this. If accepted, I would leave my current college and have what would otherwise be a gap year. If rejected, I would continue in my current college, and have no regrets for having lost nothing in trying. In either case, my application has strengthened since applying RD to Harvard in December, with awards in March, hopefully positive exam results in May, and several ways to make use of my summer from June to September.</p>
<p>If I missed the mark for this year's RD as a competitive applicant accepted at comparably selective schools, I'd like to try my luck again, and even see if a somewhat improved application could garner acceptance. I wonder, however, whether Harvard almost never accepts those who re-apply over a "gap year" because they've been rejected already in the past -- or whether a different applicant pool (a different class to "shape") and a somewhat improved application could yield a different result (and what the history of such applicants has been).</p>
<p>Transfer application: There's much more information on CC about transferring than applying over a gap year or EA as a college Freshman. I'd appreciate thoughts on two things specifically: Firstly, are most successful transfer applicants people who didn't apply to Harvard from high school, and are thus getting their first read? Is Harvard reluctant to accept as transfers students who were already rejected for Freshman admission, lest transferring become a "back door", even if the applicant has shown considerable growth and proven successful at their current school? Are the transfer admissions officers even the same ones as for high school admissions?</p>
<p>Secondly, how are one's chances affected by transferring from a school already comparable to Harvard? Transfers are often justified as students pursue a superior quality education. If applying from another ivy/top school, however, transfers may be motivated not by "inferior" resources/faculty/academic environments, but matters of student personality, atmosphere and fit. Would that be a case that Harvard transfer admission would not be keen on accepting? Rather, are transfer admissions made on the basis of a student's merit, or reasons to transfer? If a student is excelling academically and extra-curricularly at one of Harvard's peer schools, would he be at a disadvantage from one applying from a lower tier school, or would it only confirm his being qualified to excel at Harvard as well?</p>
<p>This is all not to say that I do not feel extremely blessed with the results that this application cycle has given me. I will be happy with the school where I am enrolling this year, but feel that my specific interests, and especially my personality would make me a better fit, and be even happier at Harvard. At the very least, especially with nothing to lose, I want to give another shot at my dream college. I hope my motivations don't come off as misguided or immature. I'd just really, really appreciate any thoughts you guys can extend!</p>