<p>Salutations!</p>
<p>I am currently in 7th grade and I want to attend a prestigious university. I will be applying to Thomas Jefferson and other amazing secondary schools in Northern Virginia. I want to attend Harvard. What are somethings I can do throughout high school to make my dream a reality? (Classes, summer programs research opportunities, sports etc.) BTW I am an African American.</p>
<p>Don’t just join a few lousy clubs.</p>
<p>Take up a sport, play chess, debate, find internships, and look in the summer program forum for camp ideas. FOCUS ON ACADEMICS!</p>
<p>You’re already ahead of the game as a seventh grader. You will have a lot of opportunities presenting to you in the coming years. Make sure to jump at them.</p>
<p>See: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/816986-how-should-i-prepare-now-get-harvard-future.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/816986-how-should-i-prepare-now-get-harvard-future.html</a></p>
<p>I am saying this with no sarcasm whatsoever. Work on being a kid for a while. Really. Work hard in school in order to learn, not in order to get into Harvard.</p>
<p>The best candidates to Harvard tend to be the most academic through sophomore year (9th and 10th grades, no one cares about junior high but you should still be focused on your intellectual development), and then are heavily involved in community service and other ECs junior year while maintaining perfect grades and/or perfect/near-perfect scores. It’s not completely abrupt like that as people still do other ECs and sports freshman and soph year, but the out-of-the-box ECs (e.g., start a fundraising drive, or some program to teach inner city kids, some mashup of various examples) tend to be done junior year and the summer following it. But don’t worry about that now. </p>
<p>For now, foster your love of learning and try to go above and beyond what is required in class. In terms of summer programs, take a look at CTY. It won’t help to have it on the resume’ for Harvard per se’, but the academic preparation will. They have very intense 3-week classes that are the equivalent of honors high school and/or college classes. They are designed for smart 7th-10th graders and they are great socially too as you are with a lot of likeminded people. </p>
<p>There are more specialized programs in high school for specific interests, but you can ask around for that (i.e., math, robotics, etc.)</p>
<p>Having a goal of something like Harvard can be good if it keeps you focused on bettering yourself. But keep in the back of your mind that Harvard’s version of “better” ultimately may be different than yours (i.e., a different value system).</p>
<p>Calm down.</p>
<p>Be a person that influences others. Being 12 years old and talking about college isn’t going to endear you to many folks.</p>
<p>I think it is great that you are aiming high and you know where you want to go so early. But I think it is important that you know that Harvard is the right match for you. Apply there because you want to go there, not because of the name/prestige.</p>
<p>How can you know this so far in advance ? Is someone you know there ,or are you obsessed with " Harvard " ? Between now and HS graduation ,you will develop in many ways . I would live in the present and enjoy being a 7th grader ,not a Harvard Hopeful .</p>