Harvard staffs the Admissions office with students on the Federal Work Study Program who answer the phone, put together folders and file them in alphabetical order. When you call Admissions, the person that answers the phone is usually a student. And students are not generally privy to the specifics regarding how many students will be admitted off the waitlist — for that you need to speak with an Admissions Officer. And I seriously doubt an AO would give that kind of information out over the phone. So, I’m not doubting that students have called the office and have received that response, however I do doubt the validity of it, as it was probably given by a well-meaning student.
In my region, the yield rate was 81%. This is very limited. Don’t have any national numbers.
@ivybeenc How did you find the yield rate for your region?
@ivybeenc Also how big is this “region”? Does that mean say the southeast (meaningful, although yield may be higher in the Northeast) or say the state of Louisiana (much higher margin of error, much lower overall impact).
Each region is a small sample size. I have no knowledge of national numbers or other regions. So for thought of you grinding only on rumors, I submit that number. It’s what I know. Take it for what it’s worth.
@ivybeenc I know. Im just asking is this a roughly state sized estimate or a bigger/smaller one? And of course thank you for any hard data points… didn’t mean to downplay it! Also how did you find it out? Again, thanks for the info!
How can I confirm that my regional admissions officer has seen my portal updates? Should I call admissions?
^^ You can’t. Harvard does NOT publish the contact information of regional admissions directors, so you just have to assume your regional admissions officer has received the update.
FWIW: Here’s the deal with the waitlist:
For the past 6 months (November to March), admissions has been “crafting a class” that has had to take into account the institutional needs of individual academic departments, professors, athletic coaches, orchestra leaders, debate teams, the school newspaper, theater department, art department and basically all other extracurricular activities.
It’s a tough balancing act because if the orchestra doesn’t have enough oboe players they start to be vocal about it with the admissions office. Ditto with academic departments. So that creates a crisis situation for the smaller academic departments, as those professors will start to complain and look elsewhere if there are only 2 students enrolled in their classes.
So, regardless of your updates, you need to keep in mind that the waitlist does NOT function like the SCEA and RD round. It’s not just about finding great students – it’s about keeping the same balance of institutional needs. So, for example, if an accepted student who indicates they are interested in humanities AND has shown a demonstrated interest in the subject turns Harvard down, Admissions starts to look for a like-kind replacement. They can’t just automatically replace that humanities kid with a WONDERFUL student who’s interested in computer science, as that’s going to create an imbalance to the class they have spent so much time crafting.
IMHO, i’s actually MORE difficult to be admitted off the waitlist as a waitlisted student must have the same qualities and interests of someone that has turned Harvard down – and that is so random.
So, while your update may have been received and you may be a student with “the best” credentials, you may not be accepted because your academic interests and extracurricular interests do not fit into the mosaic that is being created.
I have started regretting ever accepting a spot on the waitlist. Just an extension of anxiety and lack of closure for a chance so slim it feels like the lottery.
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Sorry you feel regret, but yes it’s very much like the lottery. However, you can’t win it if you’re not in it!
@Sallaw I’m assuming you have also accepted a spot at another college. You are you going to do great whoever you go!! The best advice that was given to me is to “accept a spot on Harvard’s waitlist and then forget about Harvard.” If they call, they call. If they don’t, they don’t. You have to move on and be the best you can be no matter what college or circumstances. Hope this helps!! I wish you luck on your college journey! 
@Sallaw, I’m an alum and my D1 was waitlisted several years ago. She did not opt to be on the waitlist and I fully supported that decision for the reasons you state. She went to Georgetown and had a very successful academic and extracurricular experience there. There are usually many names on the waitlist and estimating anyone’s chances is difficult.
Hi This question is for a senior member If other Ivy league waitlists are closed would Harvard take a waitlisted student from one of those schools knowing that the other Ivy then may not be able to fill the spot? Wouldn’t Harvard take from a non Ivy to avoid that sticky situation or do all the Ivies, whether or not they closed their waitlist, know that there is still movement and it is Ok to lose a student
For starters, every other Ivy League school will have absolutely no trouble filling all its spots. For the other part of your question: Harvard makes its admissions decisions based upon what is right for Harvard. They could not care less where else you applied.
Similarly, if, as an example, you got off the Yale waitlist and informed Harvard, they would most likely respond with "We wish you the best of luck at Yale.
Thank you much one other question If students are having buyer’s remorse why does it take so long for the other school to let the students who now presumably want to go to Harvard to let them off the hook from their current enrolled school?
Have any of you guys heard whether Harvard and its peer institutions are more heavily exploiting the “Z-list” option this year for waitlisted non-legacy applicants? I’ve read that the competition this year was particularly stiff, and it makes me wonder whether schools will be resorting to this option more than usual
anyone hear back yet?
Nothing.
Maybe they’re releasing tomorrow?
No release of the yield numbers yet…