I'm curious: does anyone know the context of the grades in the application? I saw actual grades listed in three places (pages 3, 17 and 26). He seems to have received scores ranging from 50-85. Are these out of 100? If so, it appears he wasn't a great student. He was ranked 65th out of 110 students (page 17).

I'm not questioning his intelligence, he was clearly brilliant. However, I find it interesting that he was an underachiever in high school (something I'm sure the HN community can empathize with).

The letter from his father (page 13) says:

"Jack has a very brilliant mind for the things in which he is interested, but is careless and lacks application in those in which he is not interested. This is, of course, a bad fault. However, he is quite ambitious to try and do the work in three years. I know how the authorities feel about this and I have my own opinion, but it is a gesture that pleases me very much because it seems to be the beginning of an awakening ambition"

I feel like this statement would've been equally accurate on my own college applications.

Heh. Get born into the right family and off to Harvard you go.

Just wondering: Is there any decent Pdf host besides scribd? Every time I visit the site I regret it once again. The list of additional domains to whitelist in no-script just to view the content is endless. Just a simple Pdf link would be much more pleasant.

The recommendation letter takes pains to talk about JFKs health and vigor, but this is now known to be a front. He had health problems from an early age, and took lots of medications. Reference: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/july-dec02/jfk_11-18.h...

They should put up Obama's application to Harvard...or Occidental and Columbia for that matter.

I liked the answer to "Why do you want to go to Harvard?" Shortened:

"Several reasons: Harvard is cool. Harvard is really cool. My dad went to Harvard. And then I could name-drop Harvard too."

Seems like the most important page in the application is the letter from ole Joe Kennedy.

Its easy to be critical of JFK's admission to Harvard as a result of priviledge. I think it natural and correct.

Lots of people go to Harvard, ordinary (my niece) and priviledged. Those with money and power, use it to get good things for their progeny.

Else why gain money and power? Its not just scorekeeping. If I can't work hard to get better things for my children, then its all a game.

In a free market things are for sale, and good things cost more. Harvard is a private institution. They use legacy, money, ability about equally as admission standards. And it has served them well.

The "Dear Sir" and "Mr." built into the form letter on page 7 caught my eye. That's not something you see anymore.

However poor his grades, Harvard still had an interest in admitting him as a legacy, and it paid off.

P. 23 'please accept my thanks for your help ?'

In which quarter of the class is he? 3rd

What number out of 110 students is he? 85th

What honors has he won in literary or scholastic pursuits? None

So JFK was basically just George W. Bush. Interesting.