<p>They corrected for other factors, including minority status, athletic status, legacy status, etc etc.</p>
<p>There is NOTHING to explain away the huge disparity between the EA admit rate and the RD admit rate for equally-qualified applicants.</p>
<p>"They corrected for other factors, including minority status, athletic status, legacy status, etc etc."</p>
<p>Those really weren't the attributes I was talking about. I meant the less "concrete" things--the things that make applicants unique to the adcom, ie being a rodeo or a professional juggler. Can statistics take those things into account? Unless you've surveyed all the applicants/acceptees and their qualities beyond the numbers (and the factors you mentioned above), I'm not sure it's fair to say that the disparity can be explained--nor am I confident that the disparity really needs to be explained. I really don't feel like arguing. The school is difficult to get into. Even with an EA acceptance rate that is higher than the RD acceptance rate, the school is mighty difficult to get into. You don't need statistics to tell you that. Unless there is a way of taking into account essays, recs, interviews, etc., any further analysis is subject to flaws. </p>
<p>Good luck to prospective Harvard class of '10ers and beyond. SAT scores and grades are worth quite a bit; but excellence in both will not garner an acceptance to Harvard. Unique personal qualities and accomplishments will. My advice: be vibrant, be open, be thoughtful and--most importantly--BE HONEST. (Oh, and take some risks while you're at it. I'd have listed that but, well, that's parallel structure for ya.)</p>
<p>sorry- off track- but if you want to apply for EA- is there enough testing dates to finish you 3 SAT 2s from September onwards?</p>
<p>A lot of what you say is common sense stuff sax, but believe me: if anybody plans to apply to Harvard, and its his or her first choice, they should <em>APPLY EARLY</em> ... just as you did!!</p>
<p>The statistical evidence is so overwhelming as to be beyond dispute: applying early increases an applicant's chances of admission at Harvard.</p>
<p>Of course the same holds true for EVERY school in the United States with an EA or ED program - with the possible exception of MIT, for demographic reasons.</p>
<p>To reply to wanted_exe's question: Yes you can take the SATIIs in October and November and still apply EA.</p>
<p>Regarding the discussion on whether chances of acceptance are greater if a candidate applies EA, Byerly is absolutely correct. The admissions rate is so much higher that it cannot be due to "stronger nature of the pool," as Harvard and other elite colleges write on their websites. If you have a clear favourite or dream school then you must apply early. However, if you feel that you are rushing your application or that it does not represent your best effort then don't get crowded into applying early. This will damage your chances more than waiting, improving your application and applying in the RD round. </p>
<p>student2006, I think you have an excellent chance of admission and, if Harvard is your #1 choice college, you should apply EA. Your EC's are outstanding and your social hook, a Pakistani girl, is more than enough to make up for your weak SAT I scores.</p>
<p>early it is then.</p>
<p>thanks for the encouragement, what attracts me the most to harvard is this south asian major they have which i am very interested in</p>
<p>south asian studies i mean</p>
<p>student2006</p>
<p>your story sounds very interesting, and that means a lot more in the admissions game than an SAT score. </p>
<p>SAT's don't make or break anybody, so go for it, apply to Harvard early.</p>
<p>i just saw the usa today all state qualifiers.. and 7 of them are going to harvard and all have won major national championships in science and math.. a bit flustered.. isnot there anything for humanities.. science is def not my forte</p>
<p>It is a bogus argument to say it is easier to get in early action to Harvard than regular decision. First, Harvard tells its legacies to apply early, and they have a 30%-40% admit rate. Most of the recruited athletes also apply early, and they have a 60% admit rate. Then you have the Development Office tips applying early. Add in some of the local Boston minorities that Harvard has reached out to with summer programs and surprise......early action is just as hard as regular decision. I wouldn't apply early unless you are disadvantaged. Spend the fall working on your extracurricular profile.</p>
<p>I couldn't disagree more. The EA admit rate is at least FOUR TIMES AS HIGH as the RD admit rate. This huge discrepancy simply cannot be accounted for by the "strength of the early pool", legacy admits, etc. Most athletic recruits are NOT in the early pool.</p>
<p>SEE "The Early Admissions Game", co-authored by Prof. Richard Zeckhauser of the JFK School of Politics at Harvard.</p>