<p>In full disclosure, I’m much more versed in MD/PhD admissions than undergrad but I don’t think the process itself is all that different. This admissions game is so tight these days that committees are usually splitting hairs among applicants. 2, 3, 4, 5 however many readers you have, even the smallest dings can come back to haunt you.</p>
<p>Every accepted student should feel proud that they got in, but recognize that they’re no better than many rejected applicants and that they weren’t far at all from being on the other side.</p>
<p>To address Harvard, they write:
So if the regional admissions person does a poor presentation, it will color the rest of the committee’s views of the applicant. Definitely not any less fickle than Brown.</p>