It is an interesting claim. I think Harvard would still reject him, he doesn't seem to fit in with what a "Harvard Man" is.
The mistake is thinking that Harvard wants all the successful people in the world to go there, as far as I can tell they don't. Every private University recruits from their "tribe" whether it is 'quirky' at Reed or 'cosmopolitan' at Harvard, while not discriminating on race, religion, Etc they do pick people who create a community "like them".
The weird conflict comes in when someone like Jack, who by many accounts would have not "fit in" with the community at Harvard (he would have been fine at MIT I suspect) but Jack gets focused on "Harvard is the 'best' so I really want to go there." which isn't focused on the question of whether it is the best for him.
I really encourage folks to find a college that fits them rather than picking a college by some score it has. If you are lucky the college will reject you if you don't fit and that will save you from a bad experience there, if you are unlucky you'll get in and hate the experience.
The mistake is thinking that Harvard wants all the successful people in the world to go there, as far as I can tell they don't. Every private University recruits from their "tribe" whether it is 'quirky' at Reed or 'cosmopolitan' at Harvard, while not discriminating on race, religion, Etc they do pick people who create a community "like them".
The weird conflict comes in when someone like Jack, who by many accounts would have not "fit in" with the community at Harvard (he would have been fine at MIT I suspect) but Jack gets focused on "Harvard is the 'best' so I really want to go there." which isn't focused on the question of whether it is the best for him.
I really encourage folks to find a college that fits them rather than picking a college by some score it has. If you are lucky the college will reject you if you don't fit and that will save you from a bad experience there, if you are unlucky you'll get in and hate the experience.