<p>Now before we begin, Harvard is one of my big big reach schools, so I know my chances are slim but i just wanted to hear opinions as to if I should even bother applying.</p>
<p>Race: Black
Rank:16/526
GPA:3.86 UW 5.49 W
SAT: 2070 (790 CR 650 M 630 W)
SAT 2: no taken yet</p>
<p>Work Experience
6/1/07-7/25/07 Target (Missouri City, TX)
6/7/08-7/25/08
Employee Food Ave.
Provide high-quality food service
Mitigate customer relations problems </p>
<p>Activities</p>
<p>9th Elkins High School Track and Field Team
Ran 10 x 10 hurdles and 300 meter hurdles
2nd-10th Elkins High School Football Team
Linebacker, Kickoff, and Receiving Team
Directed the Defensive formation
(Quit because I broke my wrist and had to get surgery)
9th-11th Elkins Band
Concert Band(9th) Symphonic Band(10th-11th)
6th-12th Trumpet Player
Participated in UIL concert and sight reading contests
10th-11th Member 12th Captain Elkins Forensics Team</p>
<p>11th-12th Mu Alpha Theta
Member</p>
<p>11th-12th Science Honor Society
Member </p>
<p>11th Member 12th English Honor Society
Treasurer</p>
<p>Awards </p>
<p>9th District Runner-Up Football
2nd Place in district
10th District Champions Football
1st Place in district </p>
<p>Debate Awards</p>
<p>5th Place Team out of 197 Schools (State)
1st place UT Longhorn largest tournament in Texas (State)
Two time State Qualifier in Lincoln Douglass Debate (State)
1st Place Aldine Debate Tournament (Region)
3rd Place UIL District Extempt Speaking (Region)
6th Place NFL District Extempt Speaking (Region)
National Forensic League Special Distinction Honor (National)
State Quaterfinalist Extempt Speaking (State) </p>
<p>Science Fair Awards</p>
<p>Top Chemistry Student 2 years (School)
4th Place Science and Engineering Fair of Houston (City)
4th Place American Physics Society-Texas Chapter (City)</p>
<p>Self Taught Quantum Mechanics research:
9th Quantitative Analysis of Electron Transition in Helium (150 hours)
10th Evolution of Time Independent Wavefunctions in an Electrostatic Field (240 hours)
11th Evaluation of Photon Tunneling Probability by Spatial Variation(200 hours)</p>
<p>Wow. I think I've hit you in some extemp rounds before. I think that a more definitive response can be ginven after your SAT2's. I think that it would be to your advantage to take the SAT again. But I wouldn't fret that much about it. Your physics research bodes well. I think that with some inspiring and insightful essays you have a shot.</p>
<p>Just a question - was your Self-Taught Quantum Mechanics research evaluated, supervised, or published by anyone? If you have been published, kudos to you, especially since that gives you a much better shot at H. If you have been supervised, I'd advise you to get a rec from that person, if you're still on good terms (i.e. you didn't break the most expensive piece of equipment in his/her lab :)). Also, I don't think you should mention school awards (does anyone else agree?), since the admission officers can't really evaluate them anyways. Otherwise, with a stellar essay, recs, and interview, you should have a decent chance.</p>
<p>No it wasn't publish and i did the work at home, order the equipment and performed the experimentation. i was hoping that the awards, validated the fact that the work was legit, and i am sending in an abstract. But as for rec, my science teacher who has gone with me to twice to the science fair, was my teacher ninth and senior year, is going to write a rec for me and i think it will be pretty good.</p>
<p>In that case, I probably wouldn't include the hours for each research project, since it makes it seem as if you recorded exactly how much time you spent on them, which isn't exactly feasible for real research. Sending in an abstract should be enough to validate it. Also, I would give the reseach papers to your science teacher to read and ask him/her to comment on them in the rec.</p>
<p>It's impossible to predict anyone's chances, but you've got a decent shot. You are certainly well-qualified, but don't forget to take those SAT2s! It would have been easier to take them in May or June when the material was fresh.</p>
<p>Strong chances, (and I know this is old and nobody will read this) but do take in mind that your writing and math scores are below the 25th percentile for current Harvard students. Retake the SAT.</p>
<p>I think you're chances are okay (if I were you, I would definitely retake the SATs/try to raise my GPA-this is the "Big H", after all :p. Make sure to do well on your SAT subject tests, too). Good luck!</p>