emcollins3

Anyone wake up today full well knowing it wouldn’t change over the weekend, but yet still find yourself checking the portal and this thread for any signs of an update? ? Totally get that most schools have record number of applicants and the process is taking longer, but it is still hard to have had yesterday’s date in mind for so long and see it pass by- but hey, as we know there are far worse things in the world! For various reasons, HGSE is the only school I applied to but I feel for those of you juggling other decisions/interviews and weighing long distance moves, etc. Hang in there everyone!!!

Same! ?

Ahhhh is today the day?! Who knows. All I will say is that regardless if we hear today or not, and regardless if (when we do) we get the answer we are each hoping for or not, this does not make or break us. Each of us were drawn to apply out of a hope and desire to make this world a better place, and that doesn’t change with an email today- it only changes the path we might take to do so. For some of us, HGSE might be a part of that journey. For some of us, we might learn HGSE is not our next step but discover a completely different path we had not previously imagined for ourselves, and that is okay too. Don’t lose sight of your goals and passion, and don’t forget that any program- HGSE or otherwise- is only a small piece of the story, even though it seems so all encompassing to each of us at the moment. Be proud of the work you put into this process and taking the step to apply, and trust that you alone will define your next chapter in your story, not this decision. Go out and keep changing the world no matter what lands in your inbox today (or next week, or month end). Deep breaths and best of luck to all!!!

I work at Harvard (different school) and next week marks one year since we went remote across the schools. So yes, while the committee may have completed bulk of last year’s first round reviews in person, given the pandemic they allowed for a second round of admissions and those would have been reviewed remotely. With programs fully remote we have all adapted to leveraging Harvard’s technology to replace in person meetings (in some cases, it has actually allowed for some internal processes to be completed more quickly). I would think any delay in the decisions are more likely attributed to an increase in applicants and assessment against the new structure. Still (naively) hoping for Friday, hang in there everyone!!!

Congrats to everyone who applied! Now, we wait for March. ????

Will you can disregard my last post/question since HGSE just updated their website to indicate the GRE will NOT be required for the 2020-21 application cycle and it will be considered optional given continued issues with applicants accessing test sites/dates. If you're not on their email list, sign up as they just sent out dates/registration details for upcoming info sessions.

Jeremy, thanks for getting this string started! Many thanks as well to all who have posted thoughtful questions and resources thus far. Any insight as to how heavily they consider the quant score of your GRE? I was going to wait a year or two to apply however, for a host of reasons I will avoid boring all of you with, I have now decided to apply for Fall 2021. I take the GRE a month from tomorrow and am quite stressed about the quant section. Focusing on ensuring all other sections are as high as possible and hopeful that my Statement of Purpose will offset this. Looking forward to utilizing this thread throughout the application process and congrats to my fellow applicants on taking this step!