<p>Harvard is my top choice though I live in New Haven. I have taken classes at Yale in the field that I want to pursue and found every single opportunity I could to do research there in that field under various mentors. Even before college started, I have pretty much exhausted Yale's resources in the field. I want to go to Harvard because they offer EXACTLY what I want- no other school does. Will my heavy involvement with one of Harvard's rivals hurt me? I mean, will it not look good that I have so much experience there? How would I let them know that if, by some miracle, I got into both, I would clearly choose Harvard?</p>
<p>No, they don’t care about sports rivals. They actually look for diversity, in truth, its harder to be accepted for grad school if your apply to the same school you went for undergrad because they want diversity. I would say definantly it wont hurt.</p>
<p>Ah ok. Yeah, I just don’t want them to think that I’d choose Yale over Harvard.</p>
<p>I am in the exact same situation!</p>
<p>Most high school kids who take college classes or participate in college enrichment programs do so at their local college. The fact that a high-end school like Yale happens to be your local college should a plus, not a minus.</p>
<p>Just be sure to explain your clear motivation for applying to Harvard in your interview (and, if appropriate, in your essay).</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I don’t think Harvard would ever reject anyone because they don’t think they’ll attend (recruited athletes might be a bit of a different story).</p>
<p>This doesn’t prove that point by any means, but my interviews went like this:</p>
<p>Harvard interviewer (after I was accepted EA): “So we’ll be seeing you in the fall!”
Yale interviewer (after I told him I was accepted EA to Harvard): 45 minute rant about how Yale is better than Harvard.</p>
<p>I’m not saying that my Harvard interviewer’s approach is right - just that you’re more likely to encounter admissions arrogance than a defensive rejection.</p>