HARVARD SHURP Summer Research

[Transformers]

Well, I got my rejection letter today...I mean i can be a dick and say that im shocked i didnt get it in even with my 3.98, excellent reccs, top 20 university, and over 4 semesters of continued research, a URM, and solid essays. But, at the same time, I really invested a lot of effort because there were areas of research and professors that I really wanted to get involved with.

I realize that a.) its Harvard and b.) I did put MD/PHD so the program may have been geared for PhDs only. But, can anyone perhaps provide more information about the candidates who get accepted into this program and how selections are made. If anyone did get into this program this year or in the past, can you talk more about the selection process and perhaps provide your own credentials.

Thanks!

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[Lokhtar]

My sister did it. She has a 3.9, she has a first author publish (honors thesis), and one second author. She is set on the PhD route, pure research. You also seem competitive, but they get a lot of people with excellent stats, so they look at every little thing.

 

[redlight]

maybe they didn't like your lors.. maybe they could sense your [apparent] sense of entitlement.. or maybe your essays sucked? a lot of people love to say 'i had great lors/essays,' but those things are totally subjective and who knows how the admissions committee viewed them?
also, not as if their summer program is filled w/ 4.0gpa academic medicine track drones.. [as in] i doubt there is a specific type of student they were looking for. everyone is looking for diversity these days lol. it's tough to hear, i know, but harvard just didnt want you.. or maybe this is all some sort of mix up? keep an eye on your email then.

 

[AlanG]

Transformers, i'm really sorry to hear about your rejection cuz i certainly know how that goes (as I was recently rejected from a similar caliber site). in any case, i do not think that your stats are what kept you out of this program. based on my own personal research, there are a lot of factors that play a role into who is chosen for such summer programs. for instance, you mentioned that you go to a top 20 university. this can both help and hurt you as many of the research sites are also trying to provide research opportunities to individuals who may not be as fortunate to attend a top school with high caliber research. anyway, i also applied to the harvard shurp program. i didn't hear anything today, though, so i'm not too sure what that means. i found some info about the competitiveness of the harvard shurp program here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=6000768. also, if you applied to any other leadership alliance sites, you should check out the Leadership Alliance SR-EIP thread, as it includes people who are applying to programs, such as the harvard shurp and provides a good opportunity for networking. keep your head up though!

 

[NeuroChaos]

A general word on SURP'S (everything from Harvard to your State schools):
They are a crap shot. Its like closing your eyes and firing the bullet hoping it hits the target (pretty much like med school). Hundreds with steller stats will get rejected while others with mediocore stats will get in.

 

[scarletgirl777]

Well, I got my rejection letter today...I mean i can be a dick and say that im shocked i didnt get it in even with my 3.98, excellent reccs, top 20 university, and over 4 semesters of continued research, a URM, and solid essays. But, at the same time, I really invested a lot of effort because there were areas of research and professors that I really wanted to get involved with.

I realize that a.) its Harvard and b.) I did put MD/PHD so the program may have been geared for PhDs only. But, can anyone perhaps provide more information about the candidates who get accepted into this program and how selections are made. If anyone did get into this program this year or in the past, can you talk more about the selection process and perhaps provide your own credentials.

Thanks!

Doesn't Harvard have a summer research program just for minorities? Name escapes me now...there are a ton of Harvard summer research programs. Anyway, it may seem terrible right now but I doubt it matters very much--the most important thing is what you learned from your research, not where you did it.

 

[scarletgirl777]

Transformers, i'm really sorry to hear about your rejection cuz i certainly know how that goes (as I was recently rejected from a similar caliber site). in any case, i do not think that your stats are what kept you out of this program. based on my own personal research, there are a lot of factors that play a role into who is chosen for such summer programs. for instance, you mentioned that you go to a top 20 university. this can both help and hurt you as many of the research sites are also trying to provide research opportunities to individuals who may not be as fortunate to attend a top school with high caliber research. anyway, i also applied to the harvard shurp program. i didn't hear anything today, though, so i'm not too sure what that means. i found some info about the competitiveness of the harvard shurp program here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=6000768. also, if you applied to any other leadership alliance sites, you should check out the Leadership Alliance SR-EIP thread, as it includes people who are applying to programs, such as the harvard shurp and provides a good opportunity for networking. keep your head up though!

A really important point.