My answer became quite popular on Quora. As a result, I thought I would share it with our readers here on our site helping many of you potential Harvard applicants.
Top 10 Strategies for Applying to Harvard + 4 Bonus Tips
For our Quora visitors, scroll quickly to the #11th tip in blue below for the extra tips:
1) Become the valedictorian of Stanford’s Online High School and tell Harvard’s admissions team that you’ve had a change of heart. You’ve realized you should have went to Harvard’s Online High School. And since there is no such thing, Harvard Undergrad would be a fine substitute.
2) Get your parents to donate $400 million and 1 dollars to Harvard edging out A Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager Made Harvard’s Biggest Donation Ever. I’m thinking the admissions committee “might” give you a stronger look at your application. Ridiculous? Quite possibly. However, the typical 5% chance most people are faced won’t be the same for this future donor most likely.
Further support for this point comes from an edit:
Peter Malkin graduated from Harvard Law School in 1958. He became a very wealthy real estate businessman, and huge donor. In 1985, the university’s indoor athletic facility was renamed the Malkin Athletic Center in his honor. All three of Malkin’s children went to Harvard. By 2009, five of his six college-age grandchildren had followed suit. (One brave boy dared to go to Stanford instead.)