Harvard could be within reach for Sisters students

A Harvard education has long been a measure of quality, but it may seem like a mere dream even to the highest-achieving Sisters students.

"Don't let tuition be the reason that you or anyone you know doesn't apply," said Maddy Bennett, a 22-year-old Harvard senior visiting Sisters High School earlier this month. Bennett, a student-recruiter for Harvard, was speaking to the 11 students and several parents that showed up in the ASPIRE conference room to listen to her pitch.

"If your family income is under $60,000 per year there is NO parental contribution. You are still responsible for your meals and you are often expected to work. But beyond that it is a full ride," she said. "If the family income is between $60,000 and $180,000 the parental contribution is roughly 10 percent.

"The whole idea of the Harvard student recruiter program is that there are many West Coast families that have grown up never even considering Harvard," said Bennett. "As one of the original leaders in equitable public education, Harvard is looking to attract more West Coast students."

There were 35,000 applications to the Harvard undergraduate programs this school year. The admissions group will have all 35,000 applications read and scored three times. From this group they will offer acceptance to 2,500 applicants, of which typically 1,500 will start in the fall.

Who fits in well at Harvard?

"The fundamental characteristic is intellectual curiosity" said Bennett. "To survive you have to have self-confidence. You have to be a self-starter, and you have to love to learn. Every student that applies needs to be able to handle the intellectual rigor.

"A dose of humility paired with intellectual curiosity and self-confidence will carry you a long way socially, too," said Bennett. "East Coast people are intrigued by Oregon. Oregon is cool."

Unlike state schools, the private Ivy League colleges do not have to follow strict entrance guidelines, but test scores do have a strong influence. Under close questioning, Bennett admitted that she had two perfect SAT scores and another that was very high. Bennett graduated from Jesuit High School in Portland. Her deep Oregon roots were one of the reasons she was selected to recruit in Oregon. Her youth and strong charisma appeared to charm the student audience.

Why Harvard?

"Harvard offers a cultural challenge and interpersonal growth. I think that going east can do that for you," she said. "Internationally, Harvard has an edge over even the other Ivy League schools. The Harvard graduate network is great, but since it is smaller than most of the other Ivy League schools, the network 'means' more."

Of the 1,279 undergraduate classes offered at Harvard, 500 of them have less than 10 students each. Bennett reports that three of her senior seminars had only two students.

It is Harvard's hope that by demystifying its programs and the life of a student at Harvard, they will be able to attract a broader spectrum of students from which to select the best.

For more information, contact ASPIRE program coordinators at Sisters High School, 541-549-4045.