Ultimately the Admissions Committee seeks to identify students who will be the best educators of one another and their professors – individuals who will inspire those around them during their college years and beyond. We are always happy to hear from Harvard alumni/ae who say that one of the best aspects of their college experience was the education they received from fellow classmates. Equally rewarding to observe are the life-long friendships that develop among classmates, faculty, and all the members of the Harvard Community.
As admissions officers read applications and discuss them in the admissions selection meetings, many questions are on their minds:

　　●Has the candidate reached her maximum growth?

• ●Has the candidate been stretching himself?

• ●Has the candidate been working to capacity? In his academic pursuits? In her full-time or part-time employment? In other areas?

• ●Does the candidate have reserve power to do more?

• ●How has the candidate used her time?

• ●Does the candidate have initiative? Is he a self-starter? What motivates her?

• ●Does the candidate care deeply about anything—intellectual? personal?

• ●What has the candidate learned from his interests? What has she done with her interests? How has he achieved results? With what success or failure? What has she learned as a result?

• ●Will the candidate be able to stand up to the pressures and freedoms of Harvard?

• ●What choices has the candidate made for himself? Why?

• ●Is the candidate a late bloomer?

• ●What is the quality of the candidate’s activities?

• ●Does the candidate have a direction yet? What is it? If not, is she exploring many things? Or is he just letting everything happen to him? Where will the candidate be in one year? Five years? Twenty-five years? Will she contribute something, somewhere, somehow?

• ●What sort of human being is the candidate now? What sort of human being will she be in the future?

• ●Will the candidate contribute something to Harvard and to his classmates? Will she benefit from her Harvard experience?

• ●Would you or other students want to room with this applicant, share a meal, be in a seminar together, be teammates, or collaborate in a closely knit extracurricular group?

• ●In terms of extracurricular, athletic, community, or family commitments, has the applicant taken full advantage of opportunities?

• ●Does the person appear to have a genuine commitment and leadership role or does the participation appear to be perfunctory?

• ●If a candidate has not had much time in high school for extracurricular pursuits due to familial, work, or other obligations, ●what does she hope to explore at Harvard with her additional free time?

• ●How open is the student to new ideas and people?

• ●What about the applicant’s apparent maturity, character, leadership, self-confidence, warmth of personality, sense of humor, energy, concern for others and grace under pressure?

最终而言，录取委员会所要竭尽全力寻觅的，是这样一些学生，他们能够相互之间，甚至是对于他们的教授们，成为最出色的教育者。作为个人，他们能够激励和启迪他们周边的人，无论是在大学期间，还是在毕业之后。我们总是很高兴地听到哈佛校友们说，他们大学经历中最有益的一个方面，就是来自于他们从同学们身上获得的教育。同样令人获益匪浅的，是同学、教职员及整个哈佛社群所有成员之间形成的终身友情。
录取官员在阅读申请材料并在录取评审会议上讨论这些申请材料时，他们心中考虑的是以下许多问题：