2009-2010 Harvard Application Thread

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Another question regarding letters of recommendation here 🙁

I've done research in two labs. One was three years ago, and one was this last semester. I had no problem obtaining a letter from my recent lab supervisor, but my supervisor from three years ago has been uncooperative as far as responding to my attempts to get in touch with him. I called Harvard about a month ago, and the lady I spoke with told me to write send a letter to Harvard explaining my situation. The purpose of the letter is just so that they have something on file. When I asked her if the absence of that one letter would hurt my chances of admission, she replied confidently with a "not at all."

Paranoid and wondering if there were others in the admissions office who shared her opinion, I called again last Friday. I spoke with a man that time, and he mentioned nothing about sending Harvard a letter. He said that it is in "my best interest" to obtain the letter from my supervisor, as if I didn't know that already. I asked if it would hurt my chances of admission, and he said rather apathetically that he didn't know.

So I called again today. Another guy answered. He was friendlier, but his answers were identical to those of the man I spoke with on Friday.

Should I go ahead and send Harvard a letter? Also, and I don't think anyone here is qualified to answer but I'll ask anyway, do you think not having that letter will hurt me?

I guess my post here is more of a chance to complain. It seems pretty presumptuous of Harvard to mandate exactly who you receive some letters from. Don't they know that some research supervisors can be impossible to work with/get in contact with? Even my research under that supervisor was largely independent. Then again, they're setting rules for their own school, and nobody said I had to apply.

Meh.
 
LINK1290 said:
Another question regarding letters of recommendation here 🙁

I've done research in two labs. One was three years ago, and one was this last semester. I had no problem obtaining a letter from my recent lab supervisor, but my supervisor from three years ago has been uncooperative as far as responding to my attempts to get in touch with him. I called Harvard about a month ago, and the lady I spoke with told me to write send a letter to Harvard explaining my situation. The purpose of the letter is just so that they have something on file. When I asked her if the absence of that one letter would hurt my chances of admission, she replied confidently with a "not at all."

Paranoid and wondering if there were others in the admissions office who shared her opinion, I called again last Friday. I spoke with a man that time, and he mentioned nothing about sending Harvard a letter. He said that it is in "my best interest" to obtain the letter from my supervisor, as if I didn't know that already. I asked if it would hurt my chances of admission, and he said rather apathetically that he didn't know.

So I called again today. Another guy answered. He was friendlier, but his answers were identical to those of the man I spoke with on Friday.

Should I go ahead and send Harvard a letter? Also, and I don't think anyone here is qualified to answer but I'll ask anyway, do you think not having that letter will hurt me?

I guess my post here is more of a chance to complain. It seems pretty presumptuous of Harvard to mandate exactly who you receive some letters from. Don't they know that some research supervisors can be impossible to work with/get in contact with? Even my research under that supervisor was largely independent. Then again, they're setting rules for their own school, and nobody said I had to apply.

Meh.
Click to expand...

I would send that letter of explanation the adcom. It won't hurt you to do that.

I don't think missing that one letter will hurt you very much. I know of people who got in without having all of their PI letters. Good luck!
 
LINK1290 said:
Another question regarding letters of recommendation here 🙁

I've done research in two labs. One was three years ago, and one was this last semester. I had no problem obtaining a letter from my recent lab supervisor, but my supervisor from three years ago has been uncooperative as far as responding to my attempts to get in touch with him. I called Harvard about a month ago, and the lady I spoke with told me to write send a letter to Harvard explaining my situation. The purpose of the letter is just so that they have something on file. When I asked her if the absence of that one letter would hurt my chances of admission, she replied confidently with a "not at all."

Paranoid and wondering if there were others in the admissions office who shared her opinion, I called again last Friday. I spoke with a man that time, and he mentioned nothing about sending Harvard a letter. He said that it is in "my best interest" to obtain the letter from my supervisor, as if I didn't know that already. I asked if it would hurt my chances of admission, and he said rather apathetically that he didn't know.

So I called again today. Another guy answered. He was friendlier, but his answers were identical to those of the man I spoke with on Friday.

Should I go ahead and send Harvard a letter? Also, and I don't think anyone here is qualified to answer but I'll ask anyway, do you think not having that letter will hurt me?

I guess my post here is more of a chance to complain. It seems pretty presumptuous of Harvard to mandate exactly who you receive some letters from. Don't they know that some research supervisors can be impossible to work with/get in contact with? Even my research under that supervisor was largely independent. Then again, they're setting rules for their own school, and nobody said I had to apply.

Meh.
Click to expand...

I have a similar situation, except I had 4 PI's and was only able to obtain (after much hard work on my part) 3 letters. I'm at the 6-letter limit, and my last PI was pretty unresponsive (worked in his lab like 2 years ago for a 3-month summer stint), so I decided to just apply with the 3 letters. I really hope it doesn't hurt me; I mean, honestly, what would a 4th PI letter do that the other 3 can't? It was my least significant research experience anyway.
 
I also have some LOR troubles...

I am a somewhat non-traditional applicant (I'm a graduate student, and only decided that Medicine was the right path for me after working in a clinical research setting)
I have not been in touch with professors from my undergrad except for the ones that I have done research with or were my references for grad school applications and awards.

Thus, I have more than enough letters from PIs (I have worked with 5 different PIs) which would actually make me go over the 6 letter limit, as I also have some letters from science professors (both undergrad and grad)

HOWEVER, I don't have any humanities letters, mostly because for my degree, I only had to take a few humanities electives and I took most of those in the first couple of years of undergrad...In addition, when I actually asked one of my humanities professors for a letter, she told me she only gives letters to people that have actually worked with her.

So I don't know what I should do. Personally, I would think that people I've actually worked with (like my PIs) would be able to write a more personal letter anyways, but I'm not sure how picky the Harvard Adcom really is..would not having the "non science" letter hurt my chances?

Any advice??? Thanks!!
 
I can't submit it...

Maybe it's because I tried to 3 minutes after getting the email.
 
yeah I was really surprised to see no essays on the secondary. I can't submit it either, lol
 
just called in the problem. "we'll have our tech ppl take a look"
 
Yikes...didn't realize HST had a longer essay. To the writing table!

(I have no shot at getting in here. Sh*ts and giggles)
 
love how this thread is being viewed by 40 people 🙂

cant submit either
 
OMG interview invite!!!!! Is this automatic!??!?

jk y'all, you guys actually called in the problem within 5 minutes of receiving the app? pre-med neuroticism ftw
 
mdtobe2014 said:
I also have some LOR troubles...

I am a somewhat non-traditional applicant (I'm a graduate student, and only decided that Medicine was the right path for me after working in a clinical research setting)
I have not been in touch with professors from my undergrad except for the ones that I have done research with or were my references for grad school applications and awards.

Thus, I have more than enough letters from PIs (I have worked with 5 different PIs) which would actually make me go over the 6 letter limit, as I also have some letters from science professors (both undergrad and grad)

HOWEVER, I don't have any humanities letters, mostly because for my degree, I only had to take a few humanities electives and I took most of those in the first couple of years of undergrad...In addition, when I actually asked one of my humanities professors for a letter, she told me she only gives letters to people that have actually worked with her.

So I don't know what I should do. Personally, I would think that people I've actually worked with (like my PIs) would be able to write a more personal letter anyways, but I'm not sure how picky the Harvard Adcom really is..would not having the "non science" letter hurt my chances?

Any advice??? Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Dude, come on. I highly doubt the Harvard Admissions Committee will say "We like you and would love to have you in our program, but we really need you to contact your high school english teacher for a non-science letter of recommendation. It's really important to us."
 
i've already written a "what are you doing this year" essay for another school, but harvards character limit is much longer. my current essay (After expanding it a little bit) is only 1600 chars. i don't really have much else to say though. i'm probably just being neurotic, but should i try and extend this out anymore?
 
any word on this glitch situation? i'm annoyed. i want to be DONE!
 
LINK1290 said:
Another question regarding letters of recommendation here 🙁

I've done research in two labs. One was three years ago, and one was this last semester. I had no problem obtaining a letter from my recent lab supervisor, but my supervisor from three years ago has been uncooperative as far as responding to my attempts to get in touch with him. I called Harvard about a month ago, and the lady I spoke with told me to write send a letter to Harvard explaining my situation. The purpose of the letter is just so that they have something on file. When I asked her if the absence of that one letter would hurt my chances of admission, she replied confidently with a "not at all."

Paranoid and wondering if there were others in the admissions office who shared her opinion, I called again last Friday. I spoke with a man that time, and he mentioned nothing about sending Harvard a letter. He said that it is in "my best interest" to obtain the letter from my supervisor, as if I didn't know that already. I asked if it would hurt my chances of admission, and he said rather apathetically that he didn't know.

So I called again today. Another guy answered. He was friendlier, but his answers were identical to those of the man I spoke with on Friday.

Should I go ahead and send Harvard a letter? Also, and I don't think anyone here is qualified to answer but I'll ask anyway, do you think not having that letter will hurt me?

I guess my post here is more of a chance to complain. It seems pretty presumptuous of Harvard to mandate exactly who you receive some letters from. Don't they know that some research supervisors can be impossible to work with/get in contact with? Even my research under that supervisor was largely independent. Then again, they're setting rules for their own school, and nobody said I had to apply.

Meh.
Click to expand...
I'm kind of in the same boat. Frankly, I don't think this is a useful policy. I already have five letters from research supervisers, do they really want letter No 6?

My guess would be they don't really enforce this thing. I wouldn't even bother sending a letter of explanation unless you have a good reason why you can't get that recommendation - my superviser doesn't care about me/is a d*k is not a good reason.
 
My school has a premed committee, and so we submit LORs to them, which are compiled and written into a composite letter. The original letters from each writer are attached to the big letter.

So here's my question: if my PI for my research experience wrote me a letter that is included in my committee letter, I don't need to send another one, or have him write another..right?

(Neurotic. I know.)
 
Snurping said:
My school has a premed committee, and so we submit LORs to them, which are compiled and written into a composite letter. The original letters from each writer are attached to the big letter.

So here's my question: if my PI for my research experience wrote me a letter that is included in my committee letter, I don't need to send another one, or have him write another..right?

(Neurotic. I know.)
Click to expand...

right.
 
phoenixsuns said:
i've already written a "what are you doing this year" essay for another school, but harvards character limit is much longer. my current essay (After expanding it a little bit) is only 1600 chars. i don't really have much else to say though. i'm probably just being neurotic, but should i try and extend this out anymore?
Click to expand...

anybody?
 
got the error, too.
 
Last edited:
phoenixsuns said:
anybody?
Click to expand...

In my opinion, don't push it. They can tell when you're just grasping for more things to say, and given the number of essays they need to read, I'm sure they'd appreciate something concise.
 
Love Harvard's secondary. More med schools should follow suit. If I wasn't taking a year off, I'd be done already, although I've already written the how I'll be spending my year off essay, but want to revise/update it a bit before I submit. Considering Harvard is non-rolling, there's no huge urgency.
 
phoenixsuns said:
i've already written a "what are you doing this year" essay for another school, but harvards character limit is much longer. my current essay (After expanding it a little bit) is only 1600 chars. i don't really have much else to say though. i'm probably just being neurotic, but should i try and extend this out anymore?
Click to expand...

I'm in the same situation, and I'm just using the ~1600 char essay. I don't have anything meaningful to add.
 
When they ask how many hours you devoted to an "employment", do they mean paid occupation or regular volunteer activities as well?
 
chipaev said:
When they ask how many hours you devoted to an "employment", do they mean paid occupation or regular volunteer activities as well?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's paid work
 
You can pay them now.

EDIT: I think I'm complete, too. It doesn't seem like they will send another email unless it's an interview invite or a rejection.
 
so for HST, we need to have taken differential equations (calc III won't count? also, we need 2 semesters of college based physics (will AP physics knock some of that down or pchem I/II ?)
 
LINK1290 said:
Another question regarding letters of recommendation here 🙁

I've done research in two labs. One was three years ago, and one was this last semester. I had no problem obtaining a letter from my recent lab supervisor, but my supervisor from three years ago has been uncooperative as far as responding to my attempts to get in touch with him. I called Harvard about a month ago, and the lady I spoke with told me to write send a letter to Harvard explaining my situation. The purpose of the letter is just so that they have something on file. When I asked her if the absence of that one letter would hurt my chances of admission, she replied confidently with a "not at all."

Paranoid and wondering if there were others in the admissions office who shared her opinion, I called again last Friday. I spoke with a man that time, and he mentioned nothing about sending Harvard a letter. He said that it is in "my best interest" to obtain the letter from my supervisor, as if I didn't know that already. I asked if it would hurt my chances of admission, and he said rather apathetically that he didn't know.

So I called again today. Another guy answered. He was friendlier, but his answers were identical to those of the man I spoke with on Friday.

Should I go ahead and send Harvard a letter? Also, and I don't think anyone here is qualified to answer but I'll ask anyway, do you think not having that letter will hurt me?

I guess my post here is more of a chance to complain. It seems pretty presumptuous of Harvard to mandate exactly who you receive some letters from. Don't they know that some research supervisors can be impossible to work with/get in contact with? Even my research under that supervisor was largely independent. Then again, they're setting rules for their own school, and nobody said I had to apply.

Meh.
Click to expand...

May be too late for this, but I would have never listed on my AMCAS the older research experience where you could not get a letter - that was a red flag to you, and it is a red flag to schools. It is going to hurt you at any school that wants to hear from that PI - is Harvard the only school asking for that? Is this for HST, or NP?

If you can't get a letter, then you can't get a letter. I would follow the initial advice you got from the HMS person and send a letter explaining the circumstances so that something is in the file offering an explanation, or an excuse, for not getting all the LORs they require.
 
LINK1290 said:
Another question regarding letters of recommendation here 🙁

I've done research in two labs. One was three years ago, and one was this last semester. I had no problem obtaining a letter from my recent lab supervisor, but my supervisor from three years ago has been uncooperative as far as responding to my attempts to get in touch with him. I called Harvard about a month ago, and the lady I spoke with told me to write send a letter to Harvard explaining my situation. The purpose of the letter is just so that they have something on file. When I asked her if the absence of that one letter would hurt my chances of admission, she replied confidently with a "not at all."

Paranoid and wondering if there were others in the admissions office who shared her opinion, I called again last Friday. I spoke with a man that time, and he mentioned nothing about sending Harvard a letter. He said that it is in "my best interest" to obtain the letter from my supervisor, as if I didn't know that already. I asked if it would hurt my chances of admission, and he said rather apathetically that he didn't know.

So I called again today. Another guy answered. He was friendlier, but his answers were identical to those of the man I spoke with on Friday.

Should I go ahead and send Harvard a letter? Also, and I don't think anyone here is qualified to answer but I'll ask anyway, do you think not having that letter will hurt me?

I guess my post here is more of a chance to complain. It seems pretty presumptuous of Harvard to mandate exactly who you receive some letters from. Don't they know that some research supervisors can be impossible to work with/get in contact with? Even my research under that supervisor was largely independent. Then again, they're setting rules for their own school, and nobody said I had to apply.

Meh.
Click to expand...

I think you are better off sending a letter than nothing at all. Best case scenario is they are sympathetic. Worst case is that your letter goes into the trash, but then it's the same as if you never sent anything at all minus a stamp.
 
creativekat said:
Should we assume complete-ness or call or what?
Click to expand...

Doesn't seem like anyone gets a "complete" email, at least not right after submitting. Maybe we'll get one once the office reviews our entire file, including LORs. I'm sure Harvard is getting hundreds of applications right now since its so ridiculously easy to fill out.
 
How many of you are applying to HST as well? It seems like a really good program. Do you think that our chances would improve if we applied to both programs?
 
Um.. I finalized my secondary, but i accidentally closed the window before i gave credit card info. Now I can't log in anymore--i just get "You have marked your application as finalized and it cannot be edited."

So I can't even access the credit card page.

Help...?
 
I don't think we are the people who can fix that. Haha. Call the Harvard admissions office tomorrow. They will be glad to take your money.
 
I was scanning through the application, trying to see how much there was to answer, copy the prompts into microsoft word etc, and I got to the end and made sure not to click finalize application. I don't think I ever even clicked a "submit" button, I just kept clicking next. But a few minutes later, I got an email confirming that they had received my application, and reminding me to finalize and pay it. Did I just submit a completely empty application? I emailed the admissions office, but after 5 pm and haven't heard back yet. Anyone have any opinion on what I did, or what I should do, while I wait for their response?
 
stevezissou said:
I was scanning through the application, trying to see how much there was to answer, copy the prompts into microsoft word etc, and I got to the end and made sure not to click finalize application. I don't think I ever even clicked a "submit" button, I just kept clicking next. But a few minutes later, I got an email confirming that they had received my application, and reminding me to finalize and pay it. Did I just submit a completely empty application? I emailed the admissions office, but after 5 pm and haven't heard back yet. Anyone have any opinion on what I did, or what I should do, while I wait for their response?
Click to expand...

Did you try to login again? What does it say?
 
stevezissou said:
I was scanning through the application, trying to see how much there was to answer, copy the prompts into microsoft word etc, and I got to the end and made sure not to click finalize application. I don't think I ever even clicked a "submit" button, I just kept clicking next. But a few minutes later, I got an email confirming that they had received my application, and reminding me to finalize and pay it. Did I just submit a completely empty application? I emailed the admissions office, but after 5 pm and haven't heard back yet. Anyone have any opinion on what I did, or what I should do, while I wait for their response?
Click to expand...

I went thru the application and closed the browser without "finalizing," and got an email. Then I went thru it again to "finalize" it and pay the fee, and got a second duplicate email. I'm sure we're not the only ones who do this, so as long as you send in a complete application, I don't think it'll be an issue.

But just to be safe, you could call/email, and then post their response on here.
 
Equality said:
Um.. I finalized my secondary, but i accidentally closed the window before i gave credit card info. Now I can't log in anymore--i just get "You have marked your application as finalized and it cannot be edited."

So I can't even access the credit card page.

Help...?
Click to expand...

I fixed the problem, but in case other people run into the same problem: change the URL from ...page1.asp or ...page.0.asp to page6.asp to get to the "finalize" page, and then the next page of the credit card page.
 
ksmi117 said:
Did you try to login again? What does it say?
Click to expand...
Afraid to try again without a response from their office... they say you can only apply twice, and they count incomplete applications as an attempt, so I am paranoid that this counted as one...probably not the case, but either way, waiting for their response, and I'll post what it is for anyone else in this situation
 
stevezissou said:
Afraid to try again without a response from their office... they say you can only apply twice, and they count incomplete applications as an attempt, so I am paranoid that this counted as one...probably not the case, but either way, waiting for their response, and I'll post what it is for anyone else in this situation
Click to expand...

Yes you are a little paranoid because when it mentions applying twice, it means 2 cycles.
 
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