Transfer Admissions Announcement

[Trixee15]

<p>As someone who is in the same position as your son I think you should send it. The letter not only speaks for him, but the other 1307 applicants as well.</p>

[juenatics]

<p>i think harvard university is the only university in the world arrogant and confident enough to pull such a stunt without permanent damage to its overall reputation. not even yale could do that.</p>

[coureur]

<p>isme,</p>

<p>I agree that Harvard has really done a stupid thing here and that the transfer applicants deserved much better and have every right to feel agrieved. However, your letter loses credibility and comes across as way over the top when you link their disappointment to the trauma caused by war, death, disease, starvation, etc. I know you say that you are NOT linking to those things, but it’s clearly a case of praeteritio - the rhetorical device of asserting somethng by claiming not to assert it (Politicians use it all the time: “I won’t say that my opponent is a wife-beater who cheats on his taxes…”).</p>

<p>If you really aren’t likening the transfers’ disappointment to all those dreadful things, why mention them at all? Stick to the topic at hand. I think the letter would be stronger and be taken much more seriously without that stuff.</p>

[laserfish]

<p>I just finished an article on this topic for the UMass Daily Collegian. I’m really not entirely comfortable with posting the link to my own work (makes me feel like an arrogant jerk), but I feel it’s an important issue and that these forums would appreciate it, especially because they were mentioned.</p>

<p><a href=“http://media.www.dailycollegian.com/media/storage/paper874/news/2008/03/28/News/Harvard.College.Denies.Transfer.Students.After.Housing.Shortage-3288846.shtml[/url]”>http://media.www.dailycollegian.com/media/storage/paper874/news/2008/03/28/News/Harvard.College.Denies.Transfer.Students.After.Housing.Shortage-3288846.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Thanks</p>

[Trixee15]

<p>Hey if any of the transfer applicants have a facebook …you should join this group.</p>

<p>It’s funny…not bitter…for the record.</p>

<p><a href=“Redirecting...”>Redirecting...;

[tokenadult]

<p>

@Caillebotte

Take a couple days to vent/rant then remind yourself that you don’t need Harvard whatsoever to obtain a good education.

</p>

<p>

@cosar

I don’t agree with those who have suggested that Harvard should have just admitted one or two or three transfers and not been honest about the situation. As much as it stinks, I do think it’s better to be honest.</p>

<p>. . . . </p>

<p>The article about eliminating transfers for the next two years also notes that they’re cutting back on admissions for the class of 2012 - for the same reason - despite a 5,000 application jump to a record 27,000 applications. Clearly, everyone is feeling the pain. It doesn’t make the pill any easier to swallow for transfer applicants, but transfers are not the only ones bearing the burden of the overcrowding problem.

</p>

<p>

@ftc68

Harvard should never be the only option. Will cause emotional instability.

</p>

<p>

@transferapp07

this is probably not the type of story that the press will pick up, too small of an audience

</p>

<p>

@cosar

1. February 25 was the deadline for current students to report whether they would be taking fall semester off, abroad or whatever, and for students off campus this semester to report whether they would be back for fall semester. While Harvard may have realized that they had a potential overcrowding issue, I don’t think they realized the extent of the problem until they got these reports (hence the late notice to Winthrop House seniors of their situation too, as set forth in the article linked in my prior post).</p>

<ol>
<li>If they admitted only 40 transfer students out of over 1,100 applications last year, then the odds of a transfer applicant being admitted were miniscule in any event. I understand that there’s a difference between miniscule and none, but the difference is still miniscule. </li>
</ol>

<p>. . . . </p>

<ol>
<li>I’m not defending how Harvard did this, but I do think it’s worth at least thinking through how/why it happened and whether the alternatives really would have been better. There’s a lot of lashing out in this thread that doesn’t really get anyone anywhere productive. And I think the claims of legal liability have no basis.

</li>
</ol>

<p>

@Hanna

the cries for a lawsuit are unproductive. Voice your dismay to Harvard if you want to, as I will, but going to court is not the answer to every problem.

</p>

<p>

@ecalum

While it certainly is regrettable that Harvard made this decision, people should stop complaining about it not being fair. It is a sad fact of life that there is no such thing as fair. Harvard, as a private institution is in no way obligated to accept transfer students.

</p>

<p>

@Northstarmom

the prospective transfers need to move on despite their justifiable rage. Sit-ins at Harvard, e-mailing admissions, calling admissions, lawsuits aren’t going to make any difference. Time to put their energy into getting acceptances at other colleges where they applied.

</p>

<p>

@JHS

I agree that this is pretty awful for all of you. I’ll bet anything that the Harvard Admissions Department thinks so, too. Given the timing, it had far more integrity to announce a comprehensive change of policy extending for several years and to give refunds than to say “Oh, when it came time to evaluate how many slots we had, it was only two. And there may not be more than that next year.” Which would probably have been perfectly honest, too.

</p>

<p>

@twinmom

Harvard is not going to change its mind, despite news coverage, threats of lawsuits, etc. They’ve had good and bad press in the past.</p>

<p>I do agree that it’s time to move on.

</p>

<p>

@xjayz

Just FYI – they are returning fees, according to a letter that someone posted from the Transfer Admissions Director right in this very thread.

</p>

<p>

@ethanrt

Look at your other options and don’t feel like missing out on Harvard was <em>too</em> much of a loss.

</p>

<p>

@Hanna

I don’t agree that asking everyone to stay calm and make the best of a bad situation is defending the college.

</p>

<p>

@padfoot

Putting so much emotion at stake for a school that it ridiculously hard to get into in the first place (and doubly so as a transfer) is generally a set-up for disaster.
And clearly, you’ve crossed that line if it has “completely destroyed [you] emotionally”. Don’t LET HARVARD do that to you. Please.

</p>

<p>

@OdysseyTigger

From Harvard info session this afternoon:</p>

<p>Admissions is not happy with the circumstance
(Student rep at info session was a transfer)
But there just isn’t enough room.
Partly because significantly fewer students are studying abroad during the academic year
Timing coincided with announcements of Freshman housing placements.

</p>

<p>

@Northstarmom

Given this year’s situation, it doesn’t surprise me that Harvard has decided not to accept transfers. What does surprise me is that Harvard announced its decision now. It could have waited until May or so, acted like it had made at least some efforts to review transfer applications, and then made the announcement. It didn’t also have to plan to refund all transfer applicants’ fees.</p>

<p>So, while I agree with those many people who think that Harvard could have handled the situation better – such as announcing that it didn’t plan to take transfers before the transfer app deadline – I do see some evidence that H is trying to handle a difficult situation with integrity.

</p>

<p>

@fothi

What do you expect Harvard to do if you get upset?</p>

<p>Even if they let one person in, then you won’t get your refund for your application, and you’ll still be rejected.</p>

<p>I mean, I would be upset too, but there’s not really much you can do that will benefit you at this point.

</p>

<p>

@collegeguy2007

It’s sad but this game is officially “over”
nothing can be done at this point in time.

</p>

<p>

@h-bomber

2. I recognize that the idea of appealing an ‘unfair’ decision is a fundamental American principle. Keep in mind, however, that it is by no means a right.
3. In that vein, try to learn something from this experience, even if the only lesson is learning how you react when something fundamentally unjust happens to you. I guarantee you if you wait two or three weeks, you’ll be able to view the situation much more objectively and avoid embarrassing yourself or acting in a rash fashion. Be the bigger person here - you got screwed, but there’s nothing you can do about it, no point throwing a tantrum (even though it feels good).

</p>

<p>

@gouchicago

Stop being so melodramatic; Harvard isn’t infringing on your right to life or anything.

</p>

<p>

@OdysseyTigger

This is getting absurd.</p>

<p>The anticipated acceptance rate was what, 1-2%? So for 98-99% of the transfer applicants, the only thing that has changed is the timing of when they are finding out that they will not be getting in plus the return of the application fee. There are not 1000 plus “injured souls” out there.</p>

<p>For the remaining 20 or so applicants, 2003 should have demonstrated that whatever number is predicted, there are no guarantees that any transfers will actually be admitted. Like the wait list, it is something dependent upon space.

</p>

<p>

@slacker101

I applied as a transfer student to Harvard and i agree that ppl need to chill out. Seriously…step back, take a deep breath and move on! Sheesh, it’s not like harvard will make you into this great being! If that were the case, what do you think of all the people who didn’t go to harvard or any of the ivy league schools? That is very elitist if you think Harvard is above all.

</p>

<p>

@collegeguy2007

ok guys time to call it quits.</p>

<p>they are pretty firm about their decision, and there isn’t going to be any sort of reconsideration.</p>

<p>it sucks, but this thread is gonna have to die down one day or another.

</p>

<p>

@h-bomber

Angry yes, but exhorting each other to “keep fighting” because “this injustice like all injustices must be worked tirelessly to defeat” seems a little excessive and sort of like they’re just prolonging their pain.

</p>

<p>

@Hanna

I am confident they aren’t going to change their minds.

</p>

<p>

@subjunctively

Firstly, no one should have been banking entirely on a transfer acceptance. I empathize with the fact that you have “fallen in love with Harvard,” spending money to visit and so forth, only to be told “no.” But that’s college admissions in a nutshell; these feelings aren’t only happening to you, but to the thousands of students who apply to their dream school anywhere- transfer or otherwise- and are rejected. Only focusing on Harvard as a transfer would be the same as applying to Harvard as a freshman without any safeties (and actually worse, because the transfer acceptance rate is historically much lower).

</p>

<p>

@OdysseyTigger

“Harvard has promised to refund transfers’ application fees.”</p>

<p>As has been posted again and again and again

</p>

<p>

@1of42

There is no law that says that Harvard must take transfer applications. There is no moral code about it either. Their timing was very dumb, and I don’t think that I would’ve made the same decision, but it sure as hell isn’t illegal or immoral.

</p>

<p>

@WindCloudUltra

You’re an intelligent 19-21 year-old whose LIFE PLAN was HARVARD? Really? Can you get anymore unrealistic than that? It’s like saying your life plan was winning the lottery and because you didn’t win it, you don’t know what to do with your life. (OK…I’m exaggerating here, but you get the gist.) I’m a transfer student myself, and when I applied I was hopeful and had they pulled something like this, trust me, I’d be just as confused and indignant. But I NEVER felt like the school was my “life plan.”

</p>

<p>These quotations come from a broad cross-section of current transfer applicants to various colleges, Harvard alumni, current Harvard students, parents of Harvard students, and lawyers. There seems to be unanimity on the point that Harvard could have handled the matter much better, by thinking ahead more about housing capacity and making what ended up being an announcement of NO availability of transfer admissions for fall 2008 much earlier, so that hundreds of applicants could have aimed their applications in another direction. But Harvard is refunding the application fees, and has now made clear what availability–none–there is for transfer applications for fall of 2009. The deed that happened this year was an imperfect deed in an imperfect world, but not the end of the world for anyone, not even for the disappointed transfer applicants. </p>

<p>All the best to all of you who are seeking higher education in one or another college here in the United States or elsewhere.</p>

[redlinekid2]

<p>Maybe we’ll see a hugh increase of transfer students applying to the Harvard Extension School. The only drawback is they will have to take their classes at night.</p>

[kidfromohio]

<p>i hope people realize sooner or later tha harvard is overrated as a university. almost all of the students there feel entitled to something because of the university they attended. if i wanted to go to a school where fun died or rich kids who “drink coca cola” thrive, i would have picked harvard as well. i feel bad for all those kids who are throwing away their parents money, thinking that they are getting a better education than all of us “plebians” that go to public schools.</p>

<p>honestly, the disintegration of harvard’s reputation might be one of the better things tht has happened to the U.S. college system. Stop the kids from being so elitist and selective and make them realize that Harvard doesn’t have the ultimate right to use selected books that Oklahoma State isn’t allowed to use. I am probably preaching to the wrong choir by speaking in this forum, but if I get one student to realize that Harvard is far from the end all, be all than I have achieved something with this post.</p>

[xjayz]

<p>

i would have picked harvard as well. i feel bad for all those kids who are throwing away their parents money, thinking that they are getting a better education than all of us “plebians” that go to public schools.

</p>

<p>Granted that Harvard is obviously more expensive than public schools, but Harvard is far from those days when debt was the norm – in fact, the median indebtedness of Harvard students (for those who have taken out loans) is $6,500 – a far cry from the $20,000 average nationwide. With the new financial aid program in place, the vast majority of America (and the world!) can go to Harvard at a significantly reduced cost, ranging from $0 to $18,000.</p>