<p>Generally speaking, what do H, Y, and P each value most in their applicants? Of course one should be well-rounded and have good grades, etc, but is there one "particular" thing that would attract one school more than the other? For example, I heard Princeton is slightly more geared towards having good grades/SAT scores whereas Harvard is more likely to accept somebody with "talent in something particular", or something like that. Is this true? What other things do each school place particular emphasis on?</p>
<p>I think that's true--Harvard really does look for and theoretically accepts the most unique, "well rounded", and talented students--creating the most diverse and heterogeneous class based on the sheer # of applicants to choose from and % (yield) that accept. Just the way it is. They are not looking primarily for "academic geniuses" by any stretch.</p>
<p>Same idea with Princeton and Yale. A Princeton Alumni on this board quote, "The type of student that HYP looks for is pretty much indistinguishable." While Harvard might need a violin player or Princeton a bassonist, the student that receives acceptance will be pretty much similar in personal qualities such as drive, ambition, motivation, and talent. Without those personal qualities, you are hard-pressed to be truly qualified. So the line really is blurred between these schools. Or else, why would these colleges compete with each other for the reruitment of certain students. Remember the infamous,
Ivy</a> League rivalry entangles FBI after Princeton hacks into Yale .
One of the reason has to be the fact that these schools cater to students of similar caliber.</p>
<p>But it is SO rare to see one student being accepted to all HYP. Its mostly like they get accepted to one and reject by other two. It is so random.</p>
<p>yeh. That's true. But the caliber of the students is pretty close to being indistinguishable albeit a little special this here and there. It's not like we're talking about Harvard applicant versus community college applicant. If a student can succeed at Yale or Princeton or Stanford and any of the top tier schools, they can do the same at Harvard. What's different is the type of campus atmosphere and student body that these schools want to create.</p>
<p>Hmm, AY8888, then what would you say that these schools are looking for in their student body, aside from those well-rounded "geniuses" :) ?</p>
<p>That's part of what they want=== "personal qualities such as drive, ambition, motivation, diligence, and commitment"</p>
<p>that's probably want every company and educator wants in their applicants and students respectively.</p>
<p>so it is really a crapshoot for HYP for those without any specific hooks (olympic winner, being a genious, etc...) This is what I conclude after being on cc for yrs. Ofcourse you must be academically on the top.</p>
<p>monkeycloud, I know you're just a sophomore like me. Just chill a bit, you have a year and a half before you need to start scrutinizing the minor differences in what various colleges want. :)</p>
<p>Just read that article. Ahhh back in the day, when the acceptance rate was 14% and 18%.</p>
<p>"But it is SO rare to see one student being accepted to all HYP. Its mostly like they get accepted to one and reject by other two. It is so random."</p>
<p>That's because HPY select students to create diverse (in all meanings of the word), vibrant campuses.</p>
<p>If H adcom see that their current class contains no students from North Dakota, they may go out of their way to make sure that the next class contains ND students. Meanwhile, Yale may have a shortage of classics majors, so may be admitting students to make sure that department is fully utilized. Princeton, meanwhile, may have a shortage of students with liberal leanings, so may be admitting to add more of that viewpoint to its campus.</p>
<p>Now, if there were a classics major, liberal Democrat from North Dakota who applied to all 3 schools, that person would have an advantage at all of those schools, but that kind of coincidence isn't likely.</p>
<p>"That's part of what they want=== "personal qualities such as drive, ambition, motivation, diligence, and commitment""</p>
<p>Not "diligence." That's too drone-like behavior for HYP to desire it in their students.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, would you know if schools like Harvard might be short in classic majors in any year given that it is the best in the country? thank you</p>
<p>J mom,
Due to the large numbers of applicants who are interested in going to med school, it's usually harder to find prospective humanities majors than prospective bio or chem majors. Of course, one would need to do more than check on the app that one was considering being a humanities major. One also need to show a very strong interest and talent in humanities for it to be a tip factor. An example: An EA accepted student I knew who was ranked #1 in the country on some kind of exam related to Latin. The student also had some strong ECs in other areas unrelated to the classics, but classics was his main passion.</p>
<p>thank you for your knowldge!</p>
<p>Hmmm...insightful, I must say!</p>
<p>Actually, I have heard a rumor that Harvard, Yale and Princeton and perhaps other Ivies communicate regarding which students are accepted. So it might be quite intentional that students are not often admitted to all three. However, I cannot verify this rumor. Has anybody heard something similar?</p>
<p>HYP do NOT communicate regarding what applications are received and accepted. </p>
<p>They used to communicate with each other to offer uniform financial aid awards (financial aid depts. operate separately from admission at those schools), but antitrust laws ended that about 10 years ago.</p>
<p>Put yourself in the place of Admissions Committee members at those three schools. You have 20-30,000 apply, and the vast majority of the applicants have grades and test scores that are so close to the top end of the scale that there's no meaningful distinction between them. I think it's safe to say that in order to choose among them, you'd first look for really unique accomplishments and talents, and beyond that you'd decide what characteristics you'd like the entering class to have - diversity, balance among disciplines and interests, etc. Then you'd choose 1,500 or so to admit, realizing that the next 1,500 could have been just about as qualified, as would the next 1,500 after that. There's just no way to craft an objective rationale for why one applicant may be accepted and another denied, or why an individual might get in at one school but not at another.</p>