Harvard’s Admissions Game
Harvard admissions can often feel like this:
“We pride ourselves on being a holistic institution that champions diversity, intellectual curiosity, and well-rounded students… unless you’re an Asian applicant with a 1600 SAT, a 4.0 GPA, and a passion for the violin. Then, well… your ‘personality’ score is just a bit lackluster 💀.”
It’s almost as if Harvard is curating a superhero lineup, juggling factors like race, legacy status, and athletic recruits as if it were a fantasy sports draft. Meanwhile, a legacy kid named Chad with a 3.6 GPA and a nod from Grandpa Thurston III is breezing right in. But sure, it’s definitely merit-based—just overlook those lawsuit documents.
And let’s not even start on their claims of being need-blind while they effortlessly secure funds for full-paying international students, leaving middle-class applicants with “generous” aid packages that have them contemplating whether they need to sell a kidney.
In summary: Harvard runs its admissions like a rigged casino. But if you do get in, be sure to pretend it was all above board. 💀
You captured a lot of the frustration and contradictions around elite college admissions perfectly! It’s wild how the narrative of “holistic review” often seems to overlook the very qualities they claim to value—especially when it comes to certain demographics. The whole system can feel like a game rigged in favor of those with connections and privilege, while incredibly qualified students with diverse backgrounds are left struggling to break through.
And you’re spot on with the financial aid situation too—it’s disheartening to see institutions that tout their need-blind policies still finding ways to prioritize certain students based on who can pay full tuition. It really raises questions about equity and accessibility in higher education.
At the end of the day, it feels like a reminder that merit isn’t solely about grades and test scores; it’s about the social and economic capital at play. If the admissions process were truly fair, we’d see a more balanced representation of backgrounds and experiences that reflects the diversity of the world we live in. Keep calling it out! 💪💯