How I Got Into Harvard

The three crucial factors that led me to Harvard

In 2018, I was among the 38 students who enrolled in the Harvard Master’s in Data Science program, which had selected approximately 60 candidates.

Harvard Class of 2020

About 1,500 applicants applied for the program, so the acceptance rate was about 4% (60 ÷ 1,500).

I was genuinely surprised when I received the acceptance letter since I knew how competitive the application process is and I thought I wouldn’t get selected.

During the orientation, I introduced myself to Pavlos, the program director and the lead professor.

He said, “Oh, you’re the guy from Notre Dame with a Math major and high GPA?”

He remembered me and my application. In fact, he remembered every single admitted student and his/her application.

During our conversation, I could understand why I got selected for the program.

1. The unique story

There are many ways to get into Harvard if you have your own compelling story.

My story was this:

Having a solid background in Math, I got interested in Data Science while working as an analytics consultant at Deloitte, where I engaged in statistical analysis and modeling to meet our clients' needs. This ignited my desire to delve deeper into this field.

To the admissions committee, I presented as an ideal candidate, possessing a blend of academic and professional experience in fields related to data science — a profile they highly value in their program.

2. Academic performance

Solid academic performance is necessary to increase your chances of getting into prestigious schools.

I graduated with a 3.9/4.0 GPA as a Math major with a senior thesis, so my academic performance made me stand out a little bit. The average GPA of admitted students for the data science program at Harvard was a little over 3.8/4.0.

3. Recommendation letters

I am profoundly thankful to those who provided me with exceptional recommendation letters: two professors from my alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, and a manager from Deloitte, where I worked before attending Harvard.

I strongly believe that my recommendation letters played a pivotal role in distinguishing me from other candidates, as they were written by individuals who know me intimately.

I’ve spent countless hours with them asking questions about my research, soliciting career advice, and even playing tennis before asking for recommendation letters!

Me with my mentor Carl

Securing admission into prestigious schools requires several factors: a unique story, diligent effort, outstanding academic performance, and support from those around you.

I hope you're putting in the effort every day, shaping your own story, and reaching out for help from the people around you to make it into your dream school.

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