Will Applying to harvard instead of stanford increase my chances of admission if I'm applying for cs

Applying to College
1

I’m applying for computer science and I’m trying to decide which school to apply for with Early Action.

I have some decent computer science extracurriculars. I know I have better than average EC’s (especially related to computer science) and my essay is coming out well and talks about my passion for computer science and leadership experience.

I feel like Stanford will get thousands of applications exactly like mine (Especially considering I am an Asian Male), so I thought that I would stand out at Harvard more since Harvard is more on the business and finance side.

Is it correct to assume that I would have a better chance at Harvard since they get fewer CS-centered applications.

2

No, that is not a correct assumption.

3

I think that your assumption makes a lot sense. We visited Harvard last year. Appears that they have been promoting their Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). If you have a chance in Stanford, you’ll definitely have chance in Harvard, but not the other way round.

4

Both schools are longshots for any unhooked applicant. Apply early to the school you most want to attend.

5

People serious about CS wouldn’t want to apply for Harvard CS if they are skilled enough to get into better programs.

6

There are so many high school seniors who want to get into CS. It seems like half (or more) of applicants are applying for CS. So if 75% of the applicants to Stanford want CS and “only” 40% of the applicants to Harvard want CS, that’s still a huge number of Harvard applicants who want CS. It’s still way out of proportion to the number of CS students that Harvard wants to admit.

Use your SCEA for the school you most want to attend.

7

The question suggests OP needs to rethink what he understands about both colleges. And about holistic reviews and what each school looks for. And what makes “better than average ECs.” (You only know your own hs and what other friends or contacts do, not how much the larger pool of applicants to tippy tops may have done.) Plus H is known for far more than business and finance.