Every year, around 50 students from outside Harker receive acceptance letters into Harker’s frosh class, according to the Harker admission team. Beyond just strong grades and test scores, what does Harker look for in applicants? 

Upper School Admission Director Jennifer Hargreaves oversees an application process that includes student essays, teacher recommendations, transcripts, interviews with upper school faculty members, an in-person activity session and more. Only after reviewing all these components does the admissions committee consider testing scores. 

“We read every single application to really get a holistic evaluation of a candidate, and we look at the test scores at the end because we don’t want to be artificially biased by a quantitative number,” Hargreaves said. “We accept a range of scores and we don’t want to just make one test score define the kid.”

The admissions team gathers perspectives from multiple sources: the applicant’s parents, two of their current teachers, a counselor or principal and reviews from Harker upper school faculty. 

History teacher Chuck Witschorik, who works with applicants during activity sessions and conducts interviews, enjoys getting to know prospective students and introducing them to Harker. 

“I get to help serve the school and support our mission by guiding the next generation of Harker students,” Dr. Witschorik said. “They get to know Harker and learn about what we do here and why we love our school. We are looking for the students to embody Harker values from their own experiences at their current schools or things that they do in their personal time.”

Harker often looks for students with specific interests or extracurriculars. While many strong STEM students apply each year, the admissions team actively seeks students with diverse interests. They review current rosters for programs like performing arts and sports teams, identifying spots left open by graduating seniors. 

“We’re always looking for things we don’t have a lot of,” Hargreaves said. “We’re also looking to make sure that we fill out all of our programs. I’ve heard that we’re losing a lot of really great singers next year from Downbeat, so those who sing will get a little closer look. Kids who play sports bring so many other great characteristics — teamwork, resilience, thinking about others and working together towards a goal not just for yourself.”

For sophomore Bhadra Pramod, who moved from Washington state after eighth grade, the application process looked different. Despite the initial uncertainty, Bhadra found the community welcoming, echoing Hargreaves’ comment on the supportive environment within Harker. 

“I came in unprepared, not knowing what was going on,” Bhadra said. “I had to learn time management, and after I came here, I was able to learn that quickly. Most of my friends are also new students, so it was nice getting to navigate the school with them.”

Harker continues to seek students from a variety of backgrounds. According to Hargreaves, Harker admissions continues striving to better represent the demographics of Santa Clara county within the school. For example, while Latinx families comprise about 30% of Santa Clara County’s population, they remain underrepresented at Harker. Meanwhile, about 72% of Harker’s student body is Asian, according to Niche.com. 

“I do hope we match better to Santa Clara County,” Hargreaves said. “I think we need to reach out earlier, so if we can have them come in kindergarten and third grade and be a part of the system, then they also get the support, so that diversity happens earlier. Sometimes I think students may leave because they don’t see enough people around them that look like them.” 

In recent years, Harker has partnered with Breakthrough Silicon Valley, which provides educational resources to first-generation college-aspiring students from the Franklin McKinley and San Jose Unified school districts. Furthermore, Harker has hosted over 80 middle school students from the program on campus for the past two summers. For the admission department, this could mean that more students who do not fit Harker’s current demographics may learn about the school and choose to apply.

The admissions team recently added a Spanish-speaking admissions associate to help families navigate the application process. Despite Harker’s commitment to diversity in its admission, Hargreaves acknowledged Harker’s persistent reputation as a majority-Asian, rigorous and competitive school, which is a demographic profile that Harker shares with many local schools like Lynbrook High School and Saratoga High School. 

“Some families hear stereotypes about Harker and that scares some people away, unfortunately,” Hargreaves said. “One parent told me that when he told families they were coming to Harker, they were judged by people who did not have kids at Harker. But since then, he’s found it so supportive and such a wonderful environment for his children.”

According to Hargreaves, Harker seeks to admit a diverse pool of students who will contribute to and thrive within the school community. 

“The core thing that everyone tends to share is a love of learning — really curious and wanting to be engaged in the classroom,” Hargreaves said. “We look for them to be involved in their community outside of just going to class in middle school. We look for kindness and being accepting and open. Those are the key characteristics I think that make a good fit here.”