<p>When an applicant gets through the "first portal" does that mean SAT scores/ grades are somewhat negligent, and what the committee discusses are the "intangibles"? </p>
<p>So in other words, is the "first portal" a checkpoint to make sure the applicant can survive academically?</p>
<p>I believe so. Most have said that unless you have really crappy scores (sub 600 for the ivies - unless strange circumstances), horrible GPA, clearly easy class/course schedule/load, no ECs... So the answer to your question is yes and no. While that first checkpoint does make sure if you can survive academically, they do throw out the ones that have not worked to their potential in high school.</p>
<p>I have a friend who was rejected (not deferred, mind you) from Stanford who had great test scores (~2250), great GPA 3.9+, but lacked ECs. Clearly, he could do the work, but he didn't show any kind of passion, or any real interest in anything. So if your app doesn't demonstrate that right off the bat (or any of the criteria mentioned above), it's likely that you'll end up in the reject pile unless you've got something else going for you.</p>
<p>fhimas88888888's description is on par. In the first portal, the people everyone would have considered "sub-par" are eliminated based on history, etc. Admissions officers know who will survive in the full committee meeting or not. Remember, each of the 35 officers is rooting for his/her kids in full committee, and he/she obviously can't advocate for all the applicants in his/her region. There's no time! </p>
<p>Therefore, there are these checkpoints in order to make sure that only the strongest candidates make it to the full committee meeting in the admissions officers' eyes.</p>
<p>I am not sure I understand the concept of the regional admission officer all routing for their own applicants at the admissions committee. Dont't they have to vote on the applicants not in their region? Are you saying that they are not really interested in voting for the applicants in other regions because they are intersted only in their own applicants? Also, there are regional officers from large regions like New York that could have about 1,000 applicants regular decsision versus someone else who has a smaller region. Do they go in order with decisions discussed by region, so that applicants from on region are discussed at a time. It is difficult to picture the process.</p>
<p>Of course regional officers want kids from outside their region to succeed - the system works. You're not gonna get screwed... </p>
<p>Do not worry about this, seriously. They HAVE thought about it... officers representing more populous regions most times have fewer states, or only one. They're not just like, "California, Florida, Texas, New York, Massachussetts - Officer A, Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska - Officer B"</p>
<p>You really don't need to worry about this. And even if you do - what's that gonna change?</p>
<p>have they started reviewing applications yet?</p>
<p>I hope not. My SAT score is incorrect, and I'm still waiting for that score verification..</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure that they have - the complete ones, anyway.</p>
<p>Yes - Yahoo - don't worry about it. They usually wait on scores.</p>
<p>So you mean they would put my app "on hold" until they receive my correct scores?</p>
<p>Well yeah... most schools don't start looking at apps hardcore until February.</p>
<p>so how long after they tell your that your application is COMPLETE do they begin to actually look at them? what about different parts that arrive later like the interview, supplemtary materials (art/music)?
i mean, i found out recently that although my application is complete, they are still missing art supp that i sent in. i am going to resend another copy after calling back and checking in the middle of next week (they said that was fine). but then again, i really want my art supp. to be included in the review process... thats why i am asking the question</p>
<p>anyone? xjayz?</p>
<p>The regional admissions officers begin reviewing apps probably asap. i know people that got emails as early as 2 weeks ago about their regular app, and I was emailed about my early app about 1-2 weeks after i submitted it on october 31st.</p>
<p>logicus is probably correct. After all, with 23,000 applicants, admissions officers need all the time they can get to give each applicant his/her full consideration.</p>
<p>This idea of a regional officer is new to me. Can anyone explain the process or point me to a link that does?</p>
<p>spiffystars: That question has been answered in this thread.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if this question has been answered before, if it has, please tell me! :)</p>
<p>Does Harvard recalculate your grades, regardless of what system you have in school (such as in my case, our system is not on a 4.0 scale)? And if they do, how exactly is it done? Is every A = 4.0, or does is an A- different from an A+?</p>
<p>An A- is certainly different than an A+ when they recalculate GPA. (I don't know the exact values, though.)</p>
<p>Hmm, ok, thanks Admiral!</p>
<p>Also, another question which has been asked by spiffystars, but there was no definite answer. How is your application handled if you put you are half URM (such as Puerto Rican or Mexican) and yet half Caucasian. I believe it was mentioned earlier in the thread that if you are URM your application goes with a different tag and into a different stack. Does the same thing happen if you are URM, yet also half Caucasian (or Asian, etc)? How exactly is your application handled? </p>
<p>Before when this question was asked it was simply a matter of honoring your family, etc. But I am interested in specifically how the adcom will view it. Is there such thing as one part of you "offsetting" the other part? Or do they still count you as a full URM even if you have some other racial blood? (On another note, technically, many Hispanics are not fully natives/african but have White-Spanish ancestry.)</p>
<p>^A-san, I believe I'm the one who asked earlier how my application would be viewed because I'm half Hispanic (Dominican Republic) and half Asian. No one really answered my question. I guess it was a dumb question? Or really rare. I've never really seen anyone on CC in my situation besides one person (stupak), and he was accepted to Yale I believe.</p>