2020-2021 Harvard

[Rising_Sagicorn]

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Does anyone know what the student culture is like at Harvard? I'm assuming it's competitive but hoping it's collaborative!

Not a current student but based on my interview day, current M1 mentioned how the P/F system, no internal rankings and CBL makes it feel more chill and collaborative. I didnt get the sense that it was competitive but rather these individuals tend to be super passionate about something/ridiculously well accomplished and thus can lead to "intense" people. Im not sure if all meet and greets were only M1s but I think the remote learning also made the first year class more inclined to reach out and virtually hang with each other often

 

[deleted1081241]

Not a current student but based on my interview day, current M1 mentioned how the P/F system, no internal rankings and CBL makes it feel more chill and collaborative. I didnt get the sense that it was competitive but rather these individuals tend to be super passionate about something/ridiculously well accomplished and thus can lead to "intense" people. Im not sure if all meet and greets were only M1s but I think the remote learning also made the first year class more inclined to reach out and virtually hang with each other often

Great, thanks for the insight!

 

[rainbowpremed]

Does anyone know how receptive HMS is to post-interview letters of intent? I feel like I made it pretty clear in secondaries and in the interview of my intent, but I was wondering if the committee looks favorably upon LOIs or if they're discouraged.

 

[Rising_Sagicorn]

Does anyone know how receptive HMS is to post-interview letters of intent? I feel like I made it pretty clear in secondaries and in the interview of my intent, but I was wondering if the committee looks favorably upon LOIs or if they're discouraged.

I heard that they are only useful if you are WL. I dont know if they are particularly discouraged but rather doesnt actually make a difference

 

[jio798gyu]

Does Harvard Medical School permit updates via email?

 

[valence_electron1]

Does Harvard Medical School permit updates via email?

they have a place on the portal for updates and allow up to 2 updates

 

[jio798gyu]

they have a place on the portal for updates and allow up to 2 updates

They said they may or may not review the updates on the portal though- does emailing it as well give it a higher chance of being read?

 

[emergencydancing]

Are we thinkin that interviews end mid Jan like last year?

 

[Rising_Sagicorn]

my brother applied last year and was told on interview day that updates are discouraged unless substantial, anyone hear anything similar this year?

yes, I was told that it would need to be first author/national award/fellowship type level

 

[Rising_Sagicorn]

Are we thinkin that interviews end mid Jan like last year?

Yeah, I think they are ending around the same time. They adjusted for Covid with more interviews days (pretty much interview every weekday)

 

[Mr.Blackdoc.5]

pathways II! Complete 10/6/20.
This was really great news after I was rejected from BU pre-II yesterday.
Best of luck to everyone!

 

[bloopboopbloop]

II for pathways!! Can't believe it, was really not expecting this. Complete 9/5.

 

[hotcheetos2115]

II for pathways 30 min ago, still trying to process! Complete 9/8

 

[deleted1081241]

II for pathways 30 min ago, still trying to process! Complete 9/8

Congrats!!! What interview dates are available?

 

[bloopboopbloop]

Congrats!!! What interview dates are available?

They had dates open on 12/10, 12/11, and 12/14. However their invite letter explicitly says they only open a few days at a time to encourage folks to choose earliest dates possible, so I don't believe these are the only dates left.

 

[hotcheetos2115]

Congrats!!! What interview dates are available?

Same as above

 

[jio798gyu]

yes, I was told that it would need to be first author/national award/fellowship type level

If it's at this level, how can you ensure they are aware of it (since they mentioned the updates on the website may or may not be reviewed)?

 

[bpinyourarea]

If it's at this level, how can you ensure they are aware of it (since they mentioned the updates on the website may or may not be reviewed)?

You get a first author pub/national award, and Harvard still may or may not notice or care. Lol that's just how they operate

 

[avidreader16]

yes, I was told that it would need to be first author/national award/fellowship type level

I was wondering where/from who you heard this?

Thanks!

 

[Rising_Sagicorn]

I was wondering where/from who you heard this?

Thanks!

during the student meet and greets. Someone asked about updates and the students were very much like "it should be substantial and also they may or may not look at it". Updates/LOI are most beneficial/ likely to be viewed when WL. If you were post II, a substantial update may be able to give you a bump but even with them, applicants are scored relatively fast.

 

[lovepickles]

during the student meet and greets. Someone asked about updates and the students were very much like "it should be substantial and also they may or may not look at it". Updates/LOI are most beneficial/ likely to be viewed when WL. If you were post II, a substantial update may be able to give you a bump but even with them, applicants are scored relatively fast.

i heard that too!

 

[avidreader16]

during the student meet and greets. Someone asked about updates and the students were very much like "it should be substantial and also they may or may not look at it". Updates/LOI are most beneficial/ likely to be viewed when WL. If you were post II, a substantial update may be able to give you a bump but even with them, applicants are scored relatively fast.

I see, thanks so much!

 

[lacrossegirl420]

any recent II's here?

 

[deleted1081241]

any recent II's here?

I'm wondering the same! Is it safe to assume if we don't hear back by end of December, it's a silent R? I think interviews conclude in January and I know they send all final decisions in March....

 

[Rising_Sagicorn]

I'm wondering the same! Is it safe to assume if we don't hear back by end of December, it's a silent R? I think interviews conclude in January and I know they send all final decisions in March....

They seem to be sending II with interview dates a week ahead. End of Dec is probably a good estimate but I wouldn't be surprised if they kept with IIs until mid-Jan

 

[wpneuro]

any recent II's here?

Not me (still holding out increasingly wavering hope 😂🙏) but one was just reported on the MD-PhD II thread! Didn't say Pathways or HST though

 

[k1808h]

I sent my thank you notes directly to my interviewers but did not receive a reply - should I have sent them to the admissions coordinator instead (and if so would they put it in my file)? It's been a few weeks so not sure if its too late for that.

 

[theconfusedapplicant]

I sent my thank you notes directly to my interviewers but did not receive a reply - should I have sent them to the admissions coordinator instead (and if so would they put it in my file)? It's been a few weeks so not sure if its too late for that.

I haven't gotten an interview here but just telling you about my experiences with other schools. Most of my interviewers that I've sent thank you notes to haven't responded, and I've been accepted to schools where I still haven't received a response. So you're fine! Don't worry about a response 🙂

 

[deleted1070467]

Does anyone know the last day in January they normally interview/around when they send the last IIs?

 

[lacrossegirl420]

@ctfldyjbmttsklasnq : i believe it's mid-Jan...seems like there were no II's reported on this thread this week :/ hopefully they didn't finish ...

 

[Rising_Sagicorn]

This question has probably already been answered, but do they eventually send you a formal rejection letter on the secondary portal if you're not getting the interview? Or do you just never get a response?

I think they send pre-II Rs sometime in Jan, seems like after they officially conclude their interview season

 

[lacrossegirl420]

did they stop sending II's?

 

[emergencydancing]

any recent II's here?

did they stop sending II's?

No need to post multiple times for a question that most people don't seem to know the answer to.

 

[Dandelion92]

I received an II today! Complete early August.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

@Dandelion92 : congrats! would you mind sharing what dates they're scheduling for now / which program(s)?

 

[Dandelion92]

@Dandelion92 : congrats! would you mind sharing what dates they're scheduling for now / which program(s)?

This was a Pathways interview towards the end of December. There were no dates available in January that I could select, but they had the option of emailing the admissions coordinator so I am assuming there are still a few more interview dates (and therefore a few IIs) left.

I don’t have amazing stats (no crazy mcat or GPA), so was completely floored by this invite. We’re getting to be later in the cycle but not all hope is lost!

 

[premedguy12]

Pathways II this morning!! Saw one date this month and one early January!

 

[Baloo123]

Pathways II this morning!! Saw one date this month and one early January!

Congrats! Do you mind sharing when you were complete?

 

[immunoguy23]

Anyone know if MD/PhD invites are still going out? Was complete back in August and still haven't gotten the R or the II

 

[fianchetto_]

Anyone know if MD/PhD invites are still going out? Was complete back in August and still haven't gotten the R or the II

+1

 

[premedguy12]

@Baloo123 complete late July!

 

[love2chis]

Anyone know if MD/PhD invites are still going out? Was complete back in August and still haven't gotten the R or the II

I know someone received II for MSTP + HST + pathway yesterday. The interview dates are in January.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

@love2chis : if you knew/ wouldn't mind sharing, do you know which dates in jan? thanks!

 

[love2chis]

@love2chis : if you knew/ wouldn't mind sharing, do you know which dates in jan? thanks!

I don't know which dates. I heard it from a friend....

 

[lacrossegirl420]

any current students by any chance know when they'll be done sending II's? seems there was a wave in mid-dec last yr that hasn't happened (or not as many posted). thanks!

 

[Unconditionalloves]

any current students by any chance know when they'll be done sending II's? seems there was a wave in mid-dec last yr that hasn't happened (or not as many posted). thanks!

December 31 is the historical dead stop for the top 20s, and given their app numbers, this might not change due to Covid.

 

[fianchetto_]

have these schools not sent out II's in January latest?

 

[lacrossegirl420]

@Unconditionalloves : do you have a source for that? thanks!

 

[justagirl213]

I think it’s mid January they stop sending out IIs.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

@justagirl213 : the impression i got was that in most situations it stops around mid-dec (i'm guessing the mid-jan thing is for last minute cancellations etc.) based on past threads. idk though, pretty much have given up on getting an II here :/