Student's chance at Harvard

renaissancedad
Thu, 01 Oct 2015 19:09:29 +0000

It’s wonderful that you are such a strong advocate for this student, and you should be extremely effusive in your letter. Letters that go above and beyond vs. those that are merely politely supportive can go a long way in terms of making an impression on an adcom.

Some things about Harvard admissions that might help you make a case:

In our admissions process, we give careful, individual attention to each applicant. We seek to identify students who will be the best educators of one another and their professors—individuals who will inspire those around them during their College years and beyond.

As we read and discuss your application, many questions will be on our minds. Some things we consider:

Growth and potential

Have you reached your maximum academic and personal potential?

Have you been stretching yourself?

Have you been working to capacity in your academic pursuits, your full-time or part-time employment, or other areas?

Do you have reserve power to do more?

How have you used your time?

Do you have initiative? Are you a self-starter? What motivates you?

Do you have a direction yet? What is it? If not, are you exploring many things?

Where will you be in one, five, or 25 years? Will you contribute something to those around you?

What sort of human being are you now? What sort of human being will you be in the future?

Interests and activities

Do you care deeply about anything—intellectual? Extracurricular? Personal?

What have you learned from your interests? What have you done with your interests? How have you achieved results? With what success or failure? What have you learned as a result?

In terms of extracurricular, athletic, community, or family commitments, have you taken full advantage of opportunities?

What is the quality of your activities? Do you appear to have a genuine commitment or leadership role?

If you have not had much time in high school for extracurricular pursuits due to familial, work, or other obligations, what do you hope to explore at Harvard with your additional free time?

Character and personality

What choices have you made for yourself? Why?

Are you a late bloomer?

How open are you to new ideas and people?

What about your maturity, character, leadership, self-confidence, warmth of personality, sense of humor, energy, concern for others, and grace under pressure?

Contribution to the Harvard community

Will you be able to stand up to the pressures and freedoms of College life?

Will you contribute something to Harvard and to your classmates? Will you benefit from your Harvard experience?

Would other students want to room with you, share a meal, be in a seminar together, be teammates, or collaborate in a closely knit extracurricular group?

Our admissions process strives to be deliberate, meticulous, and fair. It is also labor intensive. But it permits extraordinary flexibility and the possibility of changing decisions virtually until the day the Admissions Committee mails them. This is especially important since we are always receiving new information about applicants.

https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-process/what-we-look

Given what you have said about this applicant, I would write a letter (not just for Harvard, but to all schools) that emphasizes the degree to which he stands out given his background and environment, and his potential for further growth in an environment which gives him greater opportunities and resources. Be passionate.

But I also think you should broaden your view. This person sounds like he is clearly deserving of a spot at a selective college where he could maximize his potential. I still don’t understand why Harvard is that place. I would suggest that he look more broadly, and think about what kind of environment would best suit him. Would he do better at a smaller LAC? What kind of social and academic environment would best allow him to maximize his potential?

Would this help? He wants to apply to Harvard because he’s hoping to attend the medical school when he finishes his 4 years.

No. Going to Harvard undergrad does not provide any edge on getting into Harvard Medical School. [I went to Harvard Medical School, for what it’s worth.] Plenty of Harvard undergrads do go on to the medical school there, but to do so they have to come out on top of the premed process, which is grueling. I still think that this student might be better off going to somewhere less pressured where he has a bit more room to blossom. If he does well, then Harvard Medical School is always a possibility down the road.