You should thank Harvard for choosing the better school for you! I was also a disappointed Harvard reject but based on everything that I have heard from Harvard friends, Harvard did me a favor. Go Bulldogs!
4 Likes
I’m a transfer, and I had a lot of success going this route rather than taking a gap year! While some schools are much more selective because they don’t have transfer programs (Harvard had 12 spots for over 2,000 transfer applicants this cycle), some have designated seats for transfers. I was admitted to Columbia, UChicago, Dartmouth, Northwestern, and Cornell this cycle, for example.
If you’re set on HYPSM, a gap year would probably be more strategic, but transferring is not unwise for other top schools.
2 Likes
You should think about the benefits and trade offs. What major are you trying to get into?
Any school in the top 25 will have the same education if that’s what you’re worried about.
Harvard may have better connections for things such as finance, but other majors such as engineering, schools like the University of Texas pull ahead.
Ask yourself are you just trying to get the name of Harvard or do you actually benefit as much as you think you would.
Because even after you graduate being a graduate from an ivy only helps you for like 1-3 years in terms of income.
I graduated from Wharton and got into PWC. I have buddies there that make the same if not more and they graduated from McCombs at the University of Texas.
Not every person has a degree from Harvard, and every company is not seeking a person from Harvard. Even coming from Upenn I had my fair share of rejections from jobs. Like for example Tesla, a bad company, but they actively seek people from the University of Texas. Same with Meta and google now.
Does having a degree from Harvard help? Does it as much as you think it would? No. Going to an ivy doesn’t guarantee you jobs. And the academic environment there isn’t easy either.
2 Likes
Those are great points!
And not to mention, a lot more people are opting for their in state school because:
-
Its cheaper. I know if you fall below a certain threshold harvard gives free tuition, but I wouldn’t count on due to their current funding cuts. University of Texas does the same with free tuition now.
-
You can access the same education and opportunities as those going to Ivies. If I’m being honest to myself Upenn wasn’t all that I made it up to be. I thought everything was going to be a lot more easy, but it was nothing like that. Knowing this I would’ve thought more deeply about my other school (McCombs at UT) just because it is closer to family and it is in a booming city.
-
Some people plan staying in their state, which can be better in terms of getting jobs as people in that surrounding areas know family who went to that school.
1 Like
I saw a funny meme today and thought I’d share it here.
Job Interviewer: “ it says on your resume that you went to Harvard University “
Me: “Yes, for my cousin’s graduation”
So has anyone heard of anyone getting accepted? I do wonder how many were finally put out of misery vs given a yes.
Nope. And harvard probably wont say.
Did they even send emails or expect people to keep checking their portal?
I didn’t get an email. I also haven’t gotten an email from Cornell. I happened to check my portal yesterday and saw I got a transfer option.
1 Like
You ended up in a better one!
Thank you so much!
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Top-tier schools like Yale, Stanford, and other well-endowed peers will often match, and sometimes beat, Princeton’s already generous aid if you present a stronger offer. I did just that and pushed my net cost well below Princeton’s original figure. Colleges rarely publicize this flexibility, so it pays to ask. But be aware that Harvard and MIT are reputed to be tougher negotiators, so results can vary.
1 Like
To even get on the waitlist is incredible once you take into account how the system is basically rigged against poor students and students of color.
2 Likes
To be honest, this statement is a bit inaccurate. Students from lower-income households and those who are first-generation are given a significant boost in admissions to Harvard and other Ivy League schools, who will lose donors if they don’t meet certain unofficial quotas. As such, the admission requirements are dropped for them at a greater magnitude than what would “equalize the odds.” In contrast, middle-class to upper-middle-class students (two groups that make up the majority of applicants to these top schools) face an uphill battle, as colleges tend to view them as possessing many more resources than they actually do and holding them to an exorbitantly high standard. Of course, children of extremely wealthy families that have high donor potential get a huge benefit when applying to top schools. So really, it is the students in the middle who suffer the most, getting neither tail-end benefit.
6 Likes
I don’t think it is inaccurate. Many FGLI students do not have resources to visit campuses, hire tutors, and help write essays. They barely get a boost in the admissions game and a lot of them face intense hardships. Such as raising their siblings while their single mother goes to work, only having an hour to do homework. Those are the students I have worked with.
For example with questbridge only 66 students out of the thousands that applied got into yale. While 728 who primarily make up legacy, athletes, the very wealthy did early action.
If you’re middle class you’ll face an uphill battle the same as poor students, and you’ll get the same boost in admissions as poor students. Most likely you wont have resources to receive things like college help and tutoring as many of upperclass does. Your context is reviewed.
If it is up between rich vs poor in admissions the rich student is chosen. If it is the middle class student vs the rich the rich is always chosen.
This is because yes rich students typically have big donors in the family. And the actual application software you use to manage your application at harvard, yale, etc track donors that donate on your behalf and if you have alumni in your family.
Oh yeah and that software uses “AI” to give the most realistic applicant to admit. Another reason why a lot of self reported people who got off the waitlist were full pay. The “AI” tells how involved one student is and one of the ways is if donations have been made.
1 Like
Thank you so much, everyone, for simply being here and supporting each other throughout this whole waitlist process. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, and I hope that each of you ends up in a place that is even better for your journey. For anyone who still dreams of Harvard, remember that there is always graduate school, and for those who are both lucky and hard working, there is also the possibility of transferring if it feels right. On another note, could any of the accepted students share where move-in and orientation will be held exactly?
What software is this? Using AI for applicant selection is ridiculous
Slate.
Everything from login to scheduling tours of colleges it tracks it. Your whole application dashboard uses the software.
3 Likes