If you’ve been deferred by Harvard, your frustration is palpable. Getting into Harvard is hard. With an acceptance rate of under 4%, you can be astronomically smart, caring, and inspiring, and still not get in. What you do after receiving a deferral decision, especially from Harvard, is going to make or break your college admissions experience. You can wallow in self-pity and let it negatively impact your chances of eventually getting into Harvard, or into any of your other top picks, or you can let it catalyze you into action. We suggest the latter.

Harvard is widely-accepted to be one of the best respected, and best known, universities in the world. For nearly any subject, Harvard has one of the best programs globally. Many recognize a degree from Harvard as a ticket to early professional success, empowering graduates to skip a few hurdles as they enter the workforce.

Let’s be honest, applying to Harvard is audacious. By Harvard, we are of course referring to the Harvard, the iconic Ivy League institution that needs no introduction around the globe. Go nearly anywhere and say “Harvard,” and whoever you’re talking to conjures up ideas of academic excellence and high expectations. The reputation is valid, and it’s upheld by the 7,100ish undergraduates and over 25,000 students total who call Harvard their academic home at any given time.