The Rejects

Each year Harvard admissions officers spend thousands of hours poring over tens of thousands of applications, trying to decide who is Crimson material and who isn’t. It’s an arduous process and, inevitably, mistakes are made.

For a few of those who don’t make the cut, the experience is devastating. For many others, getting a thin envelope from Harvard eventually leads to the realization that there are plenty of paths to success besides the one through Johnston Gate.

But for some of the spurned, the rejection serves as inspiration to show Harvard how wrong it was. They go on to fame, fortune, and charitable giving ... to other universities.

Here, then, is 02138’s list of Harvard’s biggest rejects. Or at least the ones the university would love to reconsider.