Harvard University has a unique approach to handling applications from well-connected individuals who may not meet the typical academic standards, according to Brian Taylor, managing partner of Ivy Coach, a Manhattan-based college admissions firm.
The prestigious institution places these applicants on a special list, known as the 'Z-List,' which allows them to enroll after a gap year, effectively making them 'data ghosts.' This means their potentially lower academic statistics are not included in the incoming freshman class data, thereby preserving Harvard's impressive academic averages and institutional rankings.
"If Harvard doesn't want the student hurting their US News and World Report ranking with their GPA and test scores, they admit them through the Z list," Taylor told The Post. He further explained that this often implies that the student may not qualify for admission based on their academic merits alone.
Approximately 60 students are placed on the Z-List each year, according to Ivy Coach's website. These students receive a letter stating that their admission will be considered in one year. "They're not reapplying," Taylor clarified. "They're admitted, and they're guaranteed a spot in a year."
Taylor's firm sees a client admitted on the Z-List approximately every other year. However, he estimates that they represent a single-digit percentage of the students he works with who gain admission to Harvard. "It's for people who are important," he said, adding that some of his clients admitted on the Z-List have close connections to major world leaders or significant donors.
The arrival of a Z-List letter is "never a surprise," according to Taylor. He often informs students at the beginning of the admissions process that the Z-List may be their only chance of gaining admission to Harvard. He also noted that students taking a gap year between high school and college often indicate they may have been admitted via the Z-List.
While Harvard is the only institution with a designated 'Z-List,' Taylor pointed out that other elite schools employ similar strategies to admit students with less-than-ideal academic statistics. One common method is to take advantage of the transfer process, which is not included in the US News and World Report's ranking calculations.
Taylor cited Cornell University as an example of a school that uses a "guaranteed transfer" system. Applicants with lower test scores or GPAs are advised to complete their freshman year at another institution and then reapply to Cornell. If these students maintain a certain GPA, typically a B-average, they are guaranteed admission to Cornell as second-year transfer students.
"I don't think it's right that Cornell does that. It's not fair to their peer institutions," Taylor commented. He explained that these students often do not fully invest in their first year of college because they are focused on achieving the grades necessary to transfer to Cornell.
However, Taylor noted that not all students benefiting from these admissions loopholes are privileged. Some institutions use these strategies to admit deserving students, particularly veterans. He highlighted Princeton University and Columbia University as examples of schools known for accepting veterans as transfer students.
"I applaud them for using the transfer process to admit more veterans," Taylor said. "They may have a 3.0 GPA, but these young men and women are mature, they've served their country. They've often earned good grades at community colleges. This gives men and women in uniform a shot at these elite schools."
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