I was scrolling through the admitted students posts and I couldn’t find a recurring pattern in accepted students. I know that Havard scours leaders but what does it take to get in? I see people with 2300+ getting rejected and people with 2000’s getting accepted. People with perfect Extra curricular activities getting rejected and people with non- stellar extra curricular activities getting accepted. I used to pride myself on my EC’s and my average (10 Leadership roles including charity 1000+ hours of volunteering for my rabbi, a food kitchen, and a hospital; my average is in the mid-high 90’s) but I see 4.0’s and people with 20000+ hours of volunteering and 100 leadership roles getting rejected. This brings me to my question… What does it take? I can safely say that I utilized all that I had available but when is it enough? I know that Harvard has a holistic approach to admitting applicants but there is genuinely no trend amongst admitted students. I used to think high SAT score was the key but that definitely isn’t the case (more high scorers were amongst the rejected applicants). Realistically, is there any way to be admitted into Harvard?
“Realistically, is there any way to be admitted into Harvard?”
Certainly. Roughly two thousand students were just admitted last month.
@notjoe , Yes… I know that… But how??
They applied… and were accepted.
gotta have something special that makes you stand out. many seemingly perfect individuals apply to Harvard… what is special about that?
Be perfectly imperfect with impressive stats.
Be an excellent student with good character traits and be good enough at a sport that the coach wants you on the team.
I have seen that students who are doing things specifically to get into an elite seldom succeed. I think self promotion and pride can bleed into and subtly tarnish recs and statements. I have noticed a pattern among Seniors who take top school awards and who are readily admitted to elites. They are never grade grubbers or those who would push to get to the front of any line. They are class leaders and the ones who make things go better for others. Paradoxically, one ingredient to getting into an elite is to not try to get into an elite. That person is free to develop their self, work with others, and actually become a leader. Best wishes.
Exactly, because the recurring pattern comes down to an applicant’s “character.” That’s an old fashioned word; it means the way you develop your inner qualities: intellectual passion, maturity, social conscience, concern for community, tolerance, inclusiveness and love of learning. Admissions Officers learn about those qualities from a student’s essay, teacher recommendations and interview report – all of which are not posted on those threads.
College’s rely on their high school colleagues to give them an honest assessment of each student – and student’s would be surprised to learn that their teachers do indeed do that. That’s especially true when a teacher is writing multiple recommendations to a college. They can’t all say “Johnny is a gifted and talented student, the best kid I’ve had in 30 years of teaching.” Recommendations are more nuanced than that. As an example, here’s a quote from one teacher recommendation that might garner the attention of an Admissions Officer – and something you wouldn’t find from going thorough those decisions threads from a student who has a 2000 SAT or a 2400 SAT.
I believe the question that you’re trying to ask is: “What is the formula for getting into Harvard?” or, put another way, “How do I guarantee my spot? What can I do to make sure that I’m one of the ones chosen?”
Is that the question?
I can give him the answer to that question for less than the price of 4 years of his wireless plan. Just buy my ebook. It is absolutely not the same as the ask the dean tip book.
If you haven’t noticed a trend, then that’s actually very informative. That means that there isn’t any magic factor or key quality that will get you into Harvard. Just be yourself and Harvard will decide if you’re right for them (or if they’re right for you!). Seriously. They’ll know if you’re being genuine or just trying to impress them. 
@notjoe, no I know that there is no “magic” formula for getting into an ivy league… Let alone Harvard, but what I do know is that there has to be something that makes an admissions officer open say “this kid would be perfect for Harvard”… I want to know what that is?
@gibby Do teacher recs really hold that much weight? I mean I know that they are important but can they really determine a students place in a top school?
@BrownParent please do so…
@radmadeline I knew that… But there is an element in the persons application that makes the admissions officer stop and say… This is what/who we want on our campus
@sherpa My school doesn’t offer sports…
@snarlatron I like your advice but at the same time I believe that there is some weight to add to your counter argument. I’m sure we can both agree that high school students are not taking the most advanced course load to make the world a better place. When colleges see a student challenges himself and go out of his comfort zone to attain that college… Thats a leader. (P.S this is just my input… feel free to correct me)
This sentence:
" no I know that there is no ‘magic’ formula for getting into an ivy league… "
contradicts this sentence:
“…but what I do know is that there has to be something that makes an admissions officer open say ‘this kid would be perfect for Harvard’”
If someone could tell you what that “it” is, it wouldn’t be worth anything to you.
That’s just the thing though. Take note of what @gibby said:
the recurring pattern comes down to an applicant’s “character.”
If nothing else, it has to come down to who the applicant is as a person. And even then there are so many awesome people who deserved to get in but didn’t. So there isn’t anything you could or should do to try and change your character to look good for Harvard. Tbh I think a large degree of it is luck.
@verizonwireless: Every year, hundreds of student comb through the forums of HYP and other colleges looking for what you are seeking. And none have found it. None. The reason, as @notjoe said, is because there’s isn’t one formula. What makes an Admissions Officer say “this kid is perfect” is the content and tone of a student’s essay, their teacher recommendations and interview report. That, IMHO, is the magic formula.
@gibby, I agree but would add that the GC recommendation/report can also make a difference. I know that in DS’s case, the GC made the effort to talk to a good number of his teachers (in addition to the rec writers) and was very enthused about him as a candidate. I have no idea what determined the decision in his case, but I don’t doubt that the GC’s sense of what drove him was described by her and helped him.
Luck
I’m not buying your excuse. Your HS isn’t preventing you from being an athlete. You can still be a fast runner even if your school doesn’t have a track team. Many college swimmers attended high schools that didn’t have swimming pools. My son was recruited by Harvard even though his HS didn’t offer his sport.
But the larger point isn’t that you need to be an athlete. Yes, being a recruited athlete is a ticket into Harvard, but not everyone has the necessary athletic talent. Let’s assume you don’t. What should you do?
What you shouldn’t do is let your school’s lack of offerings dictate your ECs. “My school doesn’t offer _________” is the wrong way to look at it.
Your school doesn’t offer a program to volunteer to play music a senior center? No problem; do it on your own or, better yet, enlist a few friends and start a “visiting musicians” ensemble and reach out to several senior centers.
Your school doesn’t offer _____________? No problem. Figure out a way to do it on your own. Harvard will respect you more for showing the creativity and initiative.
How would you be a recruited athlete if your school doesn’t offer sports @sherpa?.. And isn’t it harder to be recruited as an athlete than regularly admitted?
@Belizeme Sadly… Your comment is the same conclusion that I came to
@notjoe No it does not… A magic formula would imply that I’m asking you for a “checklist” for what Harvard is looking for… I know that that doesn’t exist… My second statement which you quote “…but what I do know is that there has to be something that makes an admissions officer open say ‘this kid would be perfect for Harvard’”" Says that I understand that it’s a fairly holistic approach to getting in… But I know that there has to be some sort of element to an application that makes the person appeal more desirable for a Harvard admissions officer… Making them more compelled to admit them. According to @gibby, If I understand correctly, that element is character which is conveyed in the Recs and interview report
@radmadeline but you offered Harvard a sense of geographic diversity … I’m assuming they get very few applicants from your area, let alone one that lives on a farm. However, in my case, despite me being a White Jewish Male (the biggest anti hook in the book) I come from the most represented area (except Massachusetts). Every year HUNDREDS of NYC kids get into Harvard… I can’t really say that I’m hooked (aside from being raised by a single parent)
@gibby I understand that and I agree with you wholeheartedly but at what point do the grades and the Sat become a cutoff (If i remember correctly it’s a 2200 and a 4.0 (for Harvard)). Secondly, If that’s the case then what is the content and tone in which I should strive for? The reason I ask you is because I have virtually ZERO guidance in regards to college admissions and I don’t know what to aim for.
@IxnayBob DS? And if I’m understanding correctly… The guidance councilor mentioned to your child’s teacher what to mention in their recommendation letters? If so, can you please share with me what she specifically told the teachers to elaborate on?