<p>I came to the U. S. one and a half years ago - at the beginning of the sophomore year - from a non-English-speaking country. Predictably, when I arrived, (I could not speak or write English AT ALL) was given such classes as Algebra I and English Development (for non-speakers). Yet I did some good progress, and the very next year I signed up for AP History, and took the AP Spanish test (in which I got a 5) without taking the course. I'm currently having an A in the AP US Hist. class, and in Algebra 2 Trig. I expect to take five AP classes next year, and have volunteered for community service. I'm a pretty good writer - i mention that regarding the future college application essay. Does anyone think I might have the slightest chance of getting accepted into Harvard, Stanford, or the MIT? Should I even try?</p>
<p>I forgot to say that i played tennis for one whole season. But I haven't been socially involved.</p>
<p>No idea. You haven't provided enough information. What country are you from? What grade are you in (guessing you're a junior, but...)? What's your GPA? If you've taken the PSATs or the SATs, what are your scores? What do you want to major in in college?</p>
<p>Sure you have a chance of getting in. Virtually everyone who applies to Harvard has a chance of getting in. Harvard admissions says that about 85% of their applicants could be successful at Harvard if there were space to admit them.</p>
<p>Will you get in? Who knows? Just be aware that even though you apprently have a remarkable gift for learning English and adjusting to a new culture, you still would be competing with others who also had to learn English and after doing so accomplished things such as 1500+ board scores and national offices in student organizations unrelated to their ethnic group.</p>
<p>The competition to get into Harvard even for non native English speaking immigrants still is very fierce.</p>
<p>As usual the first question has to be whether you're Asian or from another part of the world. If Asian, you are one of tens of thousands in a similar position and the competition will be with many who learned english in no time and then got 2400 on the SAT. If you're from El Salvador or a small African country where you had no exposure to English, your chances are far better.</p>