<p>So I've heard of the Z-List, and actually know of someone from my school who got on it last year... but I'm just curious as to how it works, who they pick to be on it.</p>
<p>If you don't know what it is, I guess it's a small group of applicants that Harvard asks to attend for the following year.</p>
<p>Just wondering what it's all about.</p>
<p>Rumor has it that it is used for the children of top alumni and donors. It is basically a forced gap year. I imagine other types of students end up on it as well.</p>
<p>Harvard generally tries to keep it on the low-low and state that it doesnāt really existā¦ it was much more prevalent (i.e. you would frequently hear of āHarvard sonsā of big-time donors or powerful people) many years ago. I actually didnāt know the Z-list still was around but, as your anecdote tells me, it still is.</p>
<p>Itās always been the case that a son or daughter of a rich, famous person has a much greater chance of being admitted to Harvard as a āspecial caseā, whether or not as part of this so-called āZ-listā, no one will officially tell it seemsā¦</p>
<p>We know a student accepted off Harvardās Z-list last year. Both parents are active alumni. Heās currently taking the required gap year.</p>
<p>I read a book that talked about it. </p>
<p>Didnāt know it was actually realā¦</p>
<p>My family friend was Z-listed. His dad is a dean at Harvard. Supposedly it happens to under-qualified applicants with huge connections in an attempt to not offend the alumni/donors. I wonder how the name āZ-listā started - I doubt thatās how Harvard refers to itā¦ right?</p>
<p>Why wouldnāt they just accept them up-front?</p>
<p>Well a large number a obviously accepted up front. But I suppose some are pushed into the next year to maintain certain statistics.</p>
<p>Supposedly Harvard Z-lists underqualified students, hoping that they will choose not to matriculate since they donāt want to take the year off. Iāve heard that it is their way to not bring down their numbers/stats without offending alums/donors.</p>
<p>From 2002:</p>
<p>[The</a> Harvard Crimson :: News :: The Back Door to the Yard](<a href=āhttp://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=214982]Theā>http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=214982)</p>
<p>I was āz-listedā last year; Iām enrolling this fall. I definitely donāt fit the mold: middle class, public school grad, not a legacy. While I did well in high school, looking back, there were a couple things I could have done to be slightly more competitive application-wise, so maybe thatās why? Anyways, Iām really enjoying and gaining a lot from my year off, and donāt regret it at all.</p>
<p>Last year, after they asked me to defer, I did a bunch of searches on thisā¦there was an article (not the Crimson one) that really went in depth on this topic. I remember it saying that they call it the z-list because itās the very end of the whole admissions process for that year.</p>