Hello! I am currently applying to Harvard and I am nervous about my chances of getting in. Recently, a friend nearby got in and the application process seems all to real now. This is where I currently stand:
Weighted GPA of 4.37 and non-weighted of 3.80
My current highest score on the ACT is 29
I have taken 7 AP classes and am currently taking 5.
I am on the varsity tennis team and am a club’s secretary.
Class rank of 3, hopefully 2 next semester.
I got 2 C+ in Calculus Junior year but other than that have all A’s and B’s
Special Circumstances consist of being incredibly low income with my family of four sharing one “room.”
AP Sidenote: I have passed all my APs so far.
-2 3s
-2 5’s
-3 4s
I have no idea what my chances are and I am pretty nervous about the whole thing. Is there anything else I should mention?
I would apply to a safety school. Not to burst any bubbles, but a 3.8 and a ACT of 29 would be a long shot for any top 20 colleges, but that low income stat is very nice to have. By any chance do you live in a rural area, and I assume you are first generation.
I don’t see Harvard happening for you, unfortunately.
The Ivies, Stanford, Duke, and other top 30 schools are very selective; your chances of getting in aren’t really dependent on what you do in the classroom, but rather what sets you apart. There will be literally thousands of 4.0, 2250 SAT applicants to Stanford. Sure, high grades and test scores help you out, but unless you’re a top level athlete (ranked in maybe the state) or a legacy applicant, you’re chances aren’t much better than the next guy.
Thanks! In response to some questions above, I come from a city that’s considered urban. Our school isn’t the best but it isn’t terrible. I am first-gen. As for extra curriculars, I am a student mentor at a nearby middle school and have volunteered multiple times for my city. I have also done some scattered volunteering in other places. Sport wise, the highest of gone is Varsity player who qualified to play pre-lims with my partner.