<p>I'm a freshman in high school, and it's always been one of my biggest dreams to go to Harvard. However, I'm worried if I really have something that will set me apart from other applicants. The book written by a former Harvard admissions officer entitled "What it really takes to get into the Ivy League and other selective colleges," states that approximately 1 percent of people accepted by Harvard are admitted solely on academic merit, not because of extracurriculars. </p>
<p>My question is what kind of stats would this require? Also, when a Harvard admissions officer looks at your grades, how is it changed into a GPA (like 100 or any A in an honors/AP class equals 5?</p>
<p>Basically, here is what I hope my stats are going to be when I graduate (this is being optimistic):</p>
<p>14-16 APs with 5s on each
National Merit Finalist
AP State Scholar
Siemens AP Scholar
Numerous Math Club Awards
800s on all SAT IIs
2400 SAT
RSI
2000+ hours of community service and founder of charity</p>
<p>If I achieve these goals, would I be good enough for Harvard? Thanks for your honest opinions.</p>
<p>Look, kiddo. Assuming you're serious, you're probably not going to get fives on fifteen APs and 800s on six+ SAT tests. Stop thinking about college admissions. Go study and do well in school and pursue your interests and passions. As long as you keep on working, everything will fall into place. Life isn't about going to Harvard or any other school.</p>
<p>But--yes--if you do have those stats you are good enough for almost any college in the world.</p>
<p>Yeah, corranged said it all. If you get those stats, you should be accepted anywhere you apply. But those aren't happening in a million years, and even if they are--even if half of them are--there's no way you're going to predict that from your freshman year. Just explore high school, find your passion and pursue it, and you should be fine.</p>
<p>cooljoe, think of it this way. Honestly, you will be made fun of if you ever even come close to those things. Everyone will see you as a study robot/psycho, and that is social suicide to take 14-16 AP's and TRY to get a 5 on ONE OF THEM. You obviously are too young to understand that passion and love is the most important thing to take from high school. Sure, you might impress the admissions committee that will take about 7 minutes reading your entire application, but I say, screw those ****ers and do what you love. Everything else just falls in place and works out. I mean come on, you honestly sound ridiculuous with that crap you want to achieve.</p>
<p>kiddoe, it is harder than you think. i suggest you join some EC's just in case. Personally, I think you would get more out of EC's than from some insane SAT prep.</p>
<p>ultimate's point is right. DO WHAT YOU LOVE. even if you don't know what you love, try everything. I had no idea what I loved in my freshman year. It takes time to explore. Just join anything that appeals to you.</p>
<p>Definitely. Don't set goals like that-go with the flow. Do what you enjoy and have fun. Don't make yourself crazy for 4 years to construct a formulaic resume that will be looked at for 15 minutes. Hell, I always had a balance between academics and everything else, and it relieves stress and keeps me balanced emotionally. I do well in school, but it doesn't dominate my life.</p>
<p>kid, relax. and don't set your standards so high because you'll only disappoint yourself when you overshoot. shooting for perfection is always a bad way to go. just keep your grades up, do some activities that you love, and have fun. and just so you don't get your soul eaten alive, don't come back to CC until you're a junior, or even better, a senior. have a nice life. :)</p>
<p>Wow. You see, I'm a high school freshman as well with similar aspirations, but I've come to realize that with Harvard's 9% admission rate (which I bet will probably shrivel down to 5% by the time we're seniors), there are no guarantees. Sure, you'd be a prodigy if you met all those expectations, but personally, I think that's impossible when it comes to balancing your "should-be-grand"-academics. I had almost the same thoughts this year, but due to personal issues/ limitations set by my school/ getting all my work done without getting manically stressed out, I opted to be more realistic, and the things that these older people here are right in giving you some worthwhile advice. And just think: you wouldn't have a life. You simply wouldn't have the time to socialize and learn from friendships and such. If you want to be highly stressed, wait for college (regardless of what the college happens to be). Allow yourself to flourish as the young blossom that you currently are.</p>
<p>Mystic Merlin - I love how you said "go with the flow." That is so true. Just go with the flow. (Btw, did you think of your screen name after watching King Arthur, cause Merlin was a wizard or someone of that nature, wasn't he?)
Just go with the flow.</p>
<p>like I said "I was being optimistic." I know I probably won't get most of those things. </p>
<p>the only reason I thought of this is because my parents are both doctors and working all the time, so I have time to do all sorts of academic stuff. i'm trying to get an internship at one of their hospitals so at least they'll be able to take me there. Otherwise, i'd have to be a pure academic freak with no life. </p>
<p>P.s. why do you want to spit in my face Ultimate Frisbee? lol</p>
<p>That is absolutely no excuse, cooljoe. I have tons of friends whose parents are doctors, so are mine. Needlessly to say, few of my activities have to do with medicine. But I went to find my own activities, my own passion. At this point, I found that despite my interest in medicine, I really don't want to become a doctor or go to med school.</p>