<p>I'm curious to know if anyone will be applying in for class of 2010 EA or RD as a URM applicant.</p>
<p>I'm also really unclear as to... exactly how much this would help me get accepted. I know people say all the time "oh it's so easy for black students to get into top schools," but... i'm extremely skeptical of that... especially for a school like Harvard. My cousin didn't get into Princeton and she had top scores and a few ECs just like everyone else.</p>
<p>In my unexpert observation, it is somewhat easier b/c URMs are rare and valuble to colleges. To apply to a place like Harvard, you should probably still be accomplished, but the difference is that its probably less of a crapshoot. For a URM with a 1600, youre in, wheras a white with a 1600 is a dime a dozen to the Harvard admissions committee. Also, what kind of URM was your cousin? Different groups are favored to varying degrees...</p>
<p>my cousin and i are both african americans. She is from Oakland, CA, and I am from the Houston area. She had a 1510 on her SATs, and... I'm expecting around a 2200 on mine tomorrow.</p>
<p>well, your prospects seem pretty good, although always be skeptical of "chances" advice given by people on these boards; none of us really know for sure, although i think all would agree that URM-ness gives one a clear advantage, though not a guarantee...</p>
<p>I'm a URM (Hispanic) but I am working just as hard as my peers to receive the "desirable" scores for Harvard. I realize it isn't all about numbers, but I would like to be presented as the best possible candidate both academically, and in other fields. As Northstarmom has said time and time again, with Harvard, it is always a very big reach. Harvard has such a large amount of qualified applicants that URM status will not be a saving grace if one truly is not qualified. However, from what Ive gathered on these boards, it can be a tip factor if it does come down to a choice between two equally qualified candidates.</p>
<p>Im a URM (Hispanic) male too. The problem is that after the new HFAI came out, it has boosted URM applicants. And it seems this year Harvard accepted that surplus (class of 09 has 9% hispanics as compared to 08 with 6%) I have also noticed this trend in other top-tier schools. Therefore, my educated guess is that they are taking around 80% of URM applicants (especially hispanics). Also they are looking for low-income individuals. My family is below the poverty level ( $24k a year), I am a URM, and I have good stats (excellent ECs). My guess is that this year in the EA round HYPMS is gonna compete for URMs. Most of the hispanic kids in my school got letters from Harvard telling them to "consider" it for college applicated. I smell something is going on. Even though they are not going to admit it, us poor URMs have a very, very good chance to become accepted. However, Harvard is never a match for anyone, so wish me the best of luck.</p>
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Byerly, you are really strange sometimes. I know what you're saying, but somehow, I just can't imagine a middle-aged man talking to kids like that!</p>
<p>I too am a hispanic male and got a 30 page packet with an application. I have very good stats, but I didn't think they were "Harvard" good. Think I should apply or is this just a gimmick to lower their acceptence rate?</p>
<p>Harvard doesn't need to play that kind of game. They do worry that too many of the students they would really like to consider, such as yourself, hesitate to apply for the reason you articulate. Have confidence in yourself!</p>
<p>well I was a URM with good stats and I was rejected so i hope that none of you think you can bank on that. Harvard is way too hard now for just being a URM to help you too much. They recruited me as much as they seem to recruit you so dont think too much of it.
Good luck next year!! Harvard is amazing.</p>
<p>While being a URM can help one get accepted, even for URMs, it is very difficult getting accepted to a place like Ivy.</p>
<p>Among URMs whom I personally know who were rejected or waitlisted were: a legacy with state level achievements in two fields; a student who was first or second in their h.s. class and had SATs in the 1500s; a student who had scores in the mid 1200s, was valedictorian and had some unusual ECs and was accepted to Stanford; a student with SATs in the 1400s, excellent community service ECs and national standing in an academic EC.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, I also know a URM who got in: with an SAT in the 1200s and a national level achievement in two unusual EsC, another URM with SATs in the upper 1200s and very strong leadership and class rank in a tough, well known public school, and I know a URM who got in with National Merit Commended, excellent grades, and probably good, but not spectacular ECs.</p>
<p>I agree with Byerly that Harvard doesn't send info to prospective applicants to try to simply inflate its numbers. Harvard casts a wide net in order to be able to select the most well rounded, diverse class possible -- in all meanings of the word "diversity." Virtually all students who apply to Harvard "qualify" for admission in that if accepted, they'd graduate. About ten times more students apply for admission than there are spaces. Therefore, Harvard has the luxury of picking and choosing among an outstanding group of students.</p>
<p>Certainly, if you are interested in Harvard, you should apply, and you should give it your best shot. At the same time, you should love, really, really love, your safety school. Then, whatever happens with admissions, you'll be happy.</p>
<p>What exactly qualifies as an "under-represented minority"? The term is so wonderfully subjective (to me atleast) as to what a minority is. Has it morphed from the literal definition of "not in the majority" to "black/hispanic"? </p>
<p>I dunno Shahein, but like they want minorities that exhibit something. For example, rich, legacy minorities lose their "minority status" because they have the same resources available to white students. So if you are a rich hispanic or black kid you better get very very similar scores to the white kids. Its easier for them to reject a 1450 black kid with lawyer parents and like national standing than a 1300 hispanic kid with a single mom and very strong leadership roles in the community. Remember that they dont want you coming off too "white" since they want people to express their culture and crap like that.</p>
<p>For diversity enhancement, would a (not poor, not rich either) Persian kid raised in Alabama aid the diversity of a campus as much as a poor black person from New York? Which is the more rare occurence? How many persian people are there in this country compared to the "traditional minorities"? Now, it seems the term minority is strictly applied to those that are black or hispanic. If anything, those are the majority of the minorities...</p>
<p>well yea it does help of course, but I dont think they will give you extra consideration than a black or hispanic person. I was doing the math yesturday and like I roughly figured out how much time the final admissions comittee spends on an app. Its around 250 apps that they have to go through a day, therefore, on average an application gets around 2-4 mins of consideration. Moreover, play the race card. Write and essay about your culture and stuff. Lol I dunno why Im helping you, your my competition. Anyways, just really push the whole persian thing in there.</p>