<p>I like to look at this thread so that I can get discouraged.</p>
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<p>You’re talking as if asking teachers for recommendations and “doing” standardized tests are great accomplishments.</p>
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<p>Not in our hands, is it?</p>
<p>No, I’m just saying that teachers had to write letters for us and that we should appreciate it. In my opinion, I think that taking standardized tests is a great accomplishment (it may be because I’m international and didn’t need to apply to U.S. schools, but chose to because I want to follow my dreams). It’s just extra work for internationals, so I think it is a accomplishment, yes.</p>
<p>“Not in our hands, is it?”</p>
<p>Actually, our entire application is in our hands, from how hard we work to how great our essays are, etc. The only part that is not in our hands is how admissions will view it, but that is so obvious already that I thought you knew what I had meant… guess not.</p>
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<p>I’m an international too, and I suppose you’re right.</p>
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<p>Yeah I misunderstood your initial statement.</p>
<p>From Bloomberg News: “The percentage of students applying to 7 or more colleges almost doubled to 23 percent in 2009 from 12 percent a decade earlier, according the Cooperative Institutional Research Programs Freshman Survey.”</p>
<p>My reading is that these numbers result from:</p>
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<li><p>It’s way, way easier to apply to multiple colleges, especially those on the common app.</p></li>
<li><p>Because applications are up, kids need to apply to more places to make sure they gain admission to some college they think they can live with (a vicious cycle).</p></li>
<li><p>AND…the total number of kids in the pool is also way up. Partly because the job market is non-existent and all the other reasons you might imagine.</p></li>
<li><p>AND…the number of applicants has become a beauty contest for the top colleges. They do nothing but encourage more applications. </p></li>
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<p>It’s a race to the bottom. Oh, well. Their loss. Kenyon…here we come.</p>
<p>^^ I would agree that Isengard probably counts as international. You are probably a seriously URM as well.</p>
<p>I completely agree with all 4 points you make chnews, especially point 4. This is Harvard going to places saying: HEY we don’t just want people with 2400’s we want rounded people, interesting people URMs etc etc etc… They DO want these people, just not that many of them.</p>
<p>College advertising is getting unrealistic. They make people believe that they have a chance - and they do - they just don’t tell them what that chance is.</p>
<p>Good points again ^.</p>
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<p>Lol it would. 
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<p>If I actually was from Isengard, then I’d be a very serious URM, not to mention a shoo-in at Harvard. </p>
<p>Not bad, Idiosyncra3y - some sarcastic jokes in these times are always welcome.</p>
<p>Thank you…</p>
<p>Does anybody think it has anything to do with the Social Network?</p>
<p>^ I seriously doubt that. Harvard Is featured in a wide array of films, books, publications, programs, etc…I don’t think one movie’s influence would result in many more applications!</p>
<p>Interesting idea… I think though that the brand is already so well marketed that another film will not have a drastic effect. Just another advert for Harvard. So while it would have been a contributing factor, not the only reason by any means</p>
<p>Definitely a tipping factor… It was for me!</p>
<p>^As it was for me.</p>
<p>Too bad Harvard is actually the antisocial network.</p>
<p>[Yale</a> Mocks Facebook’s CEO](<a href=“http://gawker.com/5684858/yale-mocks-facebooks-ceo]Yale”>Yale Mocks Facebook's CEO)</p>
<p>Hello.
I am a current mother of a daughter who attends a large public school (around 600 students per class). Her rank is not very outstanding for top-tier schools, as she is ranked 54~55 and is very barely in the top 10%.</p>
<p>Recently I stumbled across this Academic Index calculator: Academic Index3 - College Confidential</p>
<p>In the last part, it asks you to choose an option: Exact Ranking, Decile, Quarter, or GPA only. I calculated this for my daughter and she came out around a 210/240 and 4/9. However, if I switch to GPA only, her index shot way up and came out as a 8/9.</p>
<p>I am wondering if class ranking will negatively impact her chances at HYPMS. She has solid ECs and a 2340 on the SAT. I know that many schools these days do not rank their students. Therefore, will a college pre-screen its applicants using the Academic Index and basically toss her out because her AI is only a 4, as compared to some students who have a 8 or 9 simply because their school does not rank? Admissions officers are aware of these discrepancies, are they not? I feel that class rank always hurts you unless you’re in the top 5%, and even then it is not as advantageous as schools who do not rank.</p>
<p>^ Most of the time (not always), Harvard only takes the valedictorian of each school. If your high school is very competitive, they might take the salutatorian as well. I have not heard of many unhooked applicants who get in ranked outside of the top 10. I guess the reasoning for that is… why should we take you when 53~54 other applicants at your school can perform better academically?That being said, who knows - there are always special cases. You should not worry about the AI because each case is considered on an individual basis.</p>
<p>^thats not true at all. I wholeheartedly disagree</p>
<p>Everyone RELAX…</p>
<p>The same amount of people are still being accepted, and the competition has NOT increased.</p>
<p>There is no chance in hell that the number of WELL-QUALIFIED applicants has shot up by 5000 applicants in one year. This is people playing the lottery, hoping that they will luck out, and unfortunately that’s not how the admissions process works. So what if the rejection pile will be 5000 applications longer? If you were meant to go to Harvard, you will go to Harvard. End of discussion.</p>
<p>@ boomshakalaka and iceui2: First, thanks for the assurance about the AI, iceui2. However, I think the valedictorian thing is a bit extreme. Also, that is my argument about class rank exactly: many students at my D’s school take 1-2 APs and a lot of ‘slack classes’, thus maintaining perfect GPAs and a high class rank. My D on the other hand takes a rigorous curriculum.</p>
<p>But my other question: does she still have a chance, considering her essays are great and ECs ‘passionate’? (She is into music)</p>
<p>I never even watched The Social Network. I applied solely based on what I knew about the school, its programs, clubs, research opportunities, campus, etc. 
Did anyone watch the Golden Globes last night? I didn’t, but most of my friends did and they said The Social Network won SO many awards while Inception didn’t get a single one. This is depressing.</p>