Harvard c/o 2016 Applicants (2012-2013) Forum

[zidane13]

anyone out there still nervously waiting for JS2??

Yep. Felt all cool and confident until I saw some people from my week of interviews get JS2s. Back to manic self loathing and muttering curse words at snowstorms.

[spyke123]

I am hoping for some good news for all of us this coming monday/tuesday.. I am a bit nervous though.. especially after seeing people with JS1 getting dinged this cycle... did this ever happen before??

You mean before this cycle or before in general? Can't speak to the former but people with JS1s always get dinged, it's just that most of them don't, previously people cited it at around 70% admit after JS1.

well I meant straight reject. I thought JS1-->WL/Hold--> reject was the more likely scenario. and wasn't the acceptance rate for JS1ers previously in the 80-90? before they decided to expand the interview pool this year?

[Teflon_Don]

I feel the same. My interview went alright I guess, it was really short. I interviewed 1/30. It seems some people who interviewed then are already hearing back :/

[sinfiery]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

[bernaldiaz]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

Damn man I was pulling for you.

[Lavitz]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

Damn. Sorry to hear that, sinf. But I hope you're happy with your options by the end of the cycle.

[TrustInMusic]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

Damn.

Hope you at least enjoyed the Grand Canyon

[carboncopyx]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

Sinf, you're still a rockstar. <3

[Mr. Elshal]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

This is a shame. You're a fun member of the thread. I guess you'll probably get money at a few other awesome schools though

[helix23]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

That shit cray. Still better than hold/WL and a lulzy August ding. Best of luck, bruh

[5buildingsin1]

anyone out there still nervously waiting for JS2??

Yep. Felt all cool and confident until I saw some people from my week of interviews get JS2s. Back to manic self loathing and muttering curse words at snowstorms.

+1!

[d330]

I am hoping for some good news for all of us this coming monday/tuesday.. I am a bit nervous though.. especially after seeing people with JS1 getting dinged this cycle... did this ever happen before??

You mean before this cycle or before in general? Can't speak to the former but people with JS1s always get dinged, it's just that most of them don't, previously people cited it at around 70% admit after JS1.

well I meant straight reject. I thought JS1-->WL/Hold--> reject was the more likely scenario. and wasn't the acceptance rate for JS1ers previously in the 80-90? before they decided to expand the interview pool this year?

I get you now. I was wondering about the WL/hold piece too. Not sure about the 80-90, I read somewhere it was about 70 or so in the past and might drop this year. One of the things I find interesting is that few folks talk about softs, even abstractly, here and it's easy to get the impression that it is all numbers. Maybe those softs have something to so with the JS1 to ding or WL or hold -

[facile princeps]

Sorry to hear that, sinf.

[d330]

I think you're misunderstanding the talk/nontalk about softs. Everyone here believes that softs matter, the consensus is that unless your softs are EXTRAORDINARY they are not going to overcome mediocre numbers. In this game you need numbers to get you in the door. Once there, then your softs matter. Also, JS1 is still more about your personality and how you handle yourself during the interview, like many jobs interviews, there are more than enough qualified applicants, the interviewer at that point is looking for three things:

1. Your explanation of your weak spots
2. What is your temperment
3. Are you a good fit

I'd have to imagine that these are the things JS and KB are looking for as well at that stage in the process.

[/quote][/quote]

I'm not misunderstanding at all. I think I'm referring to folks who get a JS1 and assuming that they already have competitive numbers and a compelling application. Most of the people who have applied to Harvard having crazy numbers - at least here. I get that this conversation is post application, so a discussion of softs, in a real way is moot; but when someone with great numbers gets rejected or when someone with good numbers doesn't get it, I would rather hear a discussion of how certain softs didn't play well. This isn't even about the interview, unless we are saying that softs are your weak spot.

When I did my interview I knew exactly what they were looking for, and imagine others felt the same way. For instance the cat who mentioned his interview consisting of a few questions about his business background. However, there are likely folks whose interview went fine but (maybe) whatever softs they had weren't great and therefore didn't distinguish them from the other 1000 people with a 170+ and 3.7+. And so the interview was a way to redeem that flaw or not. Regardless, all of this is speculation - I just find it curious when someone with a 173 and a 3.9 says they were an auto ding.

[d330]

Oh anytime when someone close to the medians says they are an autoding they are just trying to lower their own expectations.

I think we agree for the most part, but also, people are wary of talking about softs because they make you identifiable and there's paranoia around here.

No doubt. Especially about not wanting to stay anonymous. I didn't mentioned mine. And you're right about folks lowering their own expectations, especially post ding.

[Ling520]

I'm not misunderstanding at all. I think I'm referring to folks who get a JS1 and assuming that they already have competitive numbers and a compelling application. Most of the people who have applied to Harvard having crazy numbers - at least here. I get that this conversation is post application, so a discussion of softs, in a real way is moot; but when someone with great numbers gets rejected or when someone with good numbers doesn't get it, I would rather hear a discussion of how certain softs didn't play well. This isn't even about the interview, unless we are saying that softs are your weak spot.

When I did my interview I knew exactly what they were looking for, and imagine others felt the same way. For instance the cat who mentioned his interview consisting of a few questions about his business background. However, there are likely folks whose interview went fine but (maybe) whatever softs they had weren't great and therefore didn't distinguish them from the other 1000 people with a 170+ and 3.7+. And so the interview was a way to redeem that flaw or not. Regardless, all of this is speculation - I just find it curious when someone with a 173 and a 3.9 says they were an auto ding.

Good point about softs. It's likely that not all JS1s are equal. For an applicant with great softs (or URMs) the interview may be more of a formality or to clarify a weak point in the application. Here the interviewer is looking for a reason to reject the applicant. But for an applicant with a short resume and weak or no softs, the JS1 is their chance to sell themselves and add something to the application. Here the interviewer is looking for a reason to accept the applicant. An applicant in this second category might do just fine in the interview but still get dinged because the interviewer was looking for them to add something substantive to their application.

[Mr. Elshal]

I'm not misunderstanding at all. I think I'm referring to folks who get a JS1 and assuming that they already have competitive numbers and a compelling application. Most of the people who have applied to Harvard having crazy numbers - at least here. I get that this conversation is post application, so a discussion of softs, in a real way is moot; but when someone with great numbers gets rejected or when someone with good numbers doesn't get it, I would rather hear a discussion of how certain softs didn't play well. This isn't even about the interview, unless we are saying that softs are your weak spot.

When I did my interview I knew exactly what they were looking for, and imagine others felt the same way. For instance the cat who mentioned his interview consisting of a few questions about his business background. However, there are likely folks whose interview went fine but (maybe) whatever softs they had weren't great and therefore didn't distinguish them from the other 1000 people with a 170+ and 3.7+. And so the interview was a way to redeem that flaw or not. Regardless, all of this is speculation - I just find it curious when someone with a 173 and a 3.9 says they were an auto ding.

Good point about softs. It's likely that not all JS1s are equal. For an applicant with great softs (or URMs) the interview may be more of a formality or to clarify a weak point in the application. Here the interviewer is looking for a reason to reject the applicant. But for an applicant with a short resume and weak or no softs, the JS1 is their chance to sell themselves and add something to the application. Here the interviewer is looking for a reason to accept the applicant. An applicant in this second category might do just fine in the interview but still get dinged because the interviewer was looking for them to add something substantive to their application.

I like the way you worded that. I think that's the clearest, most concise explanation of the interviews ITT so far

[kingsfield69]

I'm not misunderstanding at all. I think I'm referring to folks who get a JS1 and assuming that they already have competitive numbers and a compelling application. Most of the people who have applied to Harvard having crazy numbers - at least here. I get that this conversation is post application, so a discussion of softs, in a real way is moot; but when someone with great numbers gets rejected or when someone with good numbers doesn't get it, I would rather hear a discussion of how certain softs didn't play well. This isn't even about the interview, unless we are saying that softs are your weak spot.

When I did my interview I knew exactly what they were looking for, and imagine others felt the same way. For instance the cat who mentioned his interview consisting of a few questions about his business background. However, there are likely folks whose interview went fine but (maybe) whatever softs they had weren't great and therefore didn't distinguish them from the other 1000 people with a 170+ and 3.7+. And so the interview was a way to redeem that flaw or not. Regardless, all of this is speculation - I just find it curious when someone with a 173 and a 3.9 says they were an auto ding.

Good point about softs. It's likely that not all JS1s are equal. For an applicant with great softs (or URMs) the interview may be more of a formality or to clarify a weak point in the application. Here the interviewer is looking for a reason to reject the applicant. But for an applicant with a short resume and weak or no softs, the JS1 is their chance to sell themselves and add something to the application. Here the interviewer is looking for a reason to accept the applicant. An applicant in this second category might do just fine in the interview but still get dinged because the interviewer was looking for them to add something substantive to their application.

I like the way you worded that. I think that's the clearest, most concise explanation of the interviews ITT so far

+1. Mark the tape ... this is very well put.

[kingsfield69]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

This is disappointing. I was hoping to see you in Cambridge. No doubt H's loss is someone else's gain, though.

[chadbrochill]

Just got back from 2 night's at the bottom of the grand canyon to find out, dinged Thursday. No surprise here.

Bad interview plus the only "soft" I had in 4 and a half years was member of a volunteer organization for a year.

Goodluck everyone else.

I'm sorry sinf
Hope to see you soon tho

[az21833]

much love for my bro in arms sinf, you will end up somewehre much more fun anyways

[spyke123]

now that the storm has come and gone by... what would Harvard do tomorrow?? JS1? JS2? or more ding/holds??

[twinkletoes16]

now that the storm has come and gone by... what would Harvard do tomorrow?? JS1? JS2? or more ding/holds??

Probably nothing and then Tuesday js1s I'm guessing.

[digifly]

I take it no one in the hold pile has heard anything back yet, right? Is there a date when this is likely to start happening? I heard around early March.

Also, now that I'm held it would be a good time to send in a LOCI, correct?

[shntn]

I take it no one in the hold pile has heard anything back yet, right? Is there a date when this is likely to start happening? I heard around early March.

Also, now that I'm held it would be a good time to send in a LOCI, correct?

Meh, I'm not gonna. They specifically said to only update them if there were any substantive changes in your app, right?