Has anyone been through the Harvard interview process?

[Disneycrazymom]

My DN has an interview today with a Harvard grad. She has been invited to the woman's home for a short visit. We are in the sub of St Louis so it seems logical that they would begin the process here rather than have every applicant go all the way to the school. My sister and I wondered what would happen next. Harvard Law is her "dream" school. She has the grades and the test score but most likely not the "money". Just wondered if anyone had been - there done that? If so tell me about the process. And how in the world did you pay for it? Ok, sorry, that is too personal but boy is it expensive!

 

[Mouseteacher]

My DNiece is a sophomore at Harvard. She had an interview before her acceptance, also. We live within commuting distance to Harvard so her interview was on campus. She and her parents are not in the category of being able to afford Harvard. However, she did qualify for assistance/scholarship which helped reduce the amount she and he parents are "paying out of pocket".

Please tell your DN to keep the dream alive...she can do it!

 

[arminnie]

This is an "outreach" program where universities use local alums to talk to students and provide them with information. I've done it for Stanford.

I honestly don't believe it carries that much weight in the admission process. I never felt my summary of a visit was going to make or break an applicant's admission. But it is very positive that they think enough of her to make this effort. I was never sent to talk to a student who was not a true viable candidate for admission.

As for the money - Harvard is like Stanford in that they admit on a need blind basis and commit to provide the funds if the student is admitted. What that means is that requests for financial aid are totally stripped from the application during the review process.

The people making the admission decision do not know the financial requirements - this is to keep them from even subconsciously approving someone who would pay full tuition over someone with financial need.

Harvard also provides full scholarship (no loans) to parents who make below a certain amount. I have a friend whose son is a junior at Harvard right now. He has a full scholarship with no loans although his parents are not poor by any means - just not extremely wealthy.

 

[arminnie]

Just read your post again - is she applying to undergraduate or to Harvard Law?

Both do the need blind admissions, but I don't know if there is any guarantee about no loans for the grad programs. A new lawyer from Harvard can start well over $100,000 at a major firm so there is more expectation that loans can be repaid.

Also - going to Harvard undergrad is no guarantee of being admitted to Harvard Law. It could possibly be a slight negative - most grad programs do not want to fill too many slots with students from their own undergrad school.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thanks everyone! She is a senior in high school. My sister knows they make no commitment about aid before acceptance. It scares her to death! She is a teacher and knows there is no way she can pay upfront or even probably get a loan for that much! We'll see how the interview goes today. She has been offered a full ride at a state school but really wants Harvard. Can blame the kid for thinking big but she may have to be realistic in the end! I am glad to know the interview means they are serious, because she certainly is very serious!

 

[arminnie]

She is a teacher and knows there is no way she can pay upfront or even probably get a loan for that much!

If she is admitted to Harvard she WILL be offered a financial aid package that will enable her to go. Not all schools guarantee this but Harvard and Stanford do for sure.

Given that her mother is a teacher there is a high probability that it would be straight financial aid with little or no loans.

I believe the number this year is that no parental contribution is required if the parental income is below $60,000. The best loans are generally offered through the school - with no interest or repayment until after graduation.

Please keep us updated on her progress!

 

[asta]

Just to give another side to the story. Last year at this time my daughter was invited to an interview for Princeton. One of the two interviewers actually traveled from another state to interview her. We were so excited for her and it was great experience but in the end she did not get offered admission. I will pray for the best for your DN but keep her grounded through the process. I think it is great that these fantastic schools take the time to talk with prospective students but college admissions are so competitive these days that nothing is certain.

 

[rigs32]

Just a few thoughts about law admissions. As another poster mentioned, it;s often tougher to get into a grad program at the school where you went for undergrad. At a lot of places it looks "lazy", though that may not be the case for Harvard.

Law admissions are ALL about the numbers. A 3.0 GPA from Harvard will make admission to a top law school MUCH harder than a 4.0 from a state school. I would not discount the free ride she's been offered, especially if she can get a good education there and be able to maintain a top GPA.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

To tell the truth my sis and I would rather have her at a state school closer to home. We both can be a bit protective and 2 hours away sounds much better to me than 1/2 way across the country. But we have been good and not said anything like that to her. I like you're thinking about having the 4.0 at the state school. It is hard to want the best for them and to let them go. My other niece actually moved closer to us to go to college - now that I liked! All along we have encouraged her to try but she'll be ok if she doesn't get in, disappointed but ok. Now the real test will be if her mom, myself and grandma can get along with her so far away! We all live in the same block now, so Harvard would be a pretty big change! I am proud of her though!

 

[arminnie]

I'm a big believer in shooting for the stars - but having a nice fallback position.

When I decided to get my MBA I only applied to Stanford and Harvard, but if I hadn't been accepted at both I planned to go to the Univ. of Texas which would have been so much cheaper and closer to home and still a very decent if not great school.

 

[Saphire]

My DS also applied to Harvard. He met with his interviewer at our local library, which is about 12 miles away from the school. The interview went well, but he did not receive admission to Harvard. This school is the heaviest endowed school of all, so they should have plenty of money to give out. It is in the same price range as many of the private New England colleges. Good for her for reaching for her dream school! If the school wants her, they will offer her money to attend there, the more need, the more they give. A Harvard education is like none other, it does carry with it an exclusive honor, one which would follow her all her life. Best wishes!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I wanted to pop back on and tell you thank-you and she is home. She enjoyed the interview and said it went well. Now I guess we just wait and see what happens. The interviewer is a lawyer and DN enjoyed hearing about her work. They talked about an hour and 1/2 so must have had plenty to say to each other. I am proud of what DN has accomplished and know she will be successful wherever she ends up!

 

[js]

Good luck to your DN. I have a question for those of you with some experience in colleage applications.

My dd is only 13 and she is in 7th grade. She is an excellent student with her total averages never lower than 98. Since 5-6th grade, we have had HS on our mind since she wants to go to the top HS in our area which requires a test, actually a top private school requires one test and a top HS requires another test.

I've started with a private tutor prepping her in Math and English for the upcoming tests the end of this year (in November). She plays sports, takes guitar lessons, serves once a month at a soup kitchen, enjoyes culture (we live approx. 45-60 minutes from NYC) and knitting in her spare time when she it not studying. She wants to be a plastic surgeon and sometimes talks about becoming the Surgeon General but she does know she wants to become a doctor...always did (although she has informed me I will have to pay cost for my Botox ). Anyway, back to my main question:

When you are a junior in HS, do they have, I am sorry I don't know the correct word, not tutors, that I know you will need to take the college exams, but I want to say "coaches"? Someone who prepares you for the interview questions and help you fill out scholarship applications? They do this for the HS, but I would think for such important interviews they would have these "coaches". Is this correct? Are they very helpful? Have you or anyone you know used them? Thank you very much for all your information.

Again, congratulations to your DN and that full scholarship! How proud you all must be of her!