<p>I recently had my Harvard RAction interview (two weeks ago). Apparently I left some sort of impression, because my interviewer and I corresponded via email for a few days after the interview. I made it known to her that I’d applied ED to Duke, and that Duke was my top goal. I said it graciously, of course, and she really like that I made it clear to her (she loves Duke). Today I came home to find a letter from her. She wrote a letter to Duke in which she highly recommended me, citing several papers I showed her (and included in my mail to Duke). She basically gave them the report she would have given to Harvard.</p>
<p>I am trying to make my thoughts run parallel…is there ANY way this could be seen negatively? Am I right to be excited? BECAUSE I AM!</p>
<p>it can only help. fingers crossed.</p>
<p>Let’s think about the life of a Harvard interviewer. </p>
<p>More than 90% of the people they interview are likely to get rejected from Harvard and be unhappy about it whether they liked them or not. Most interviewers like more than 10% of the people they interview. </p>
<p>I know people who have stopped being interviewers for Ivy League schools because they feel that they are wasting their time and hardly anybody they recommend gets in anyway. It can be very frustrating for an interviewer who takes a lot of time and feels that they have no impact. </p>
<p>Now here’s a situation where an interviewer thinks that she has a genuine chance to potentially help someone she’s interviewed and liked get admitted to their first choice which is a school other than Harvard(remember Harvard is likely to reject you).</p>
<p>I don’t think there is any way it can be looked at negatively. It will probably make whoever reads it chuckle. It also paints you in a very positive light that you prefer Duke to Harvard and aren’t shy about telling that to Harvard. </p>
<p>If you get in, you would have made her day! Don’t forget the handwritten thank you note!</p>