Advice for the Ivy League

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hey guys! I’m hoping to apply to Harvard SCEA to enter in the fall of 2017.

ACT (36 composite)
SAT (2260 on the old one)
Subject tests Math 2 (770) Chem (780)
PSAT (1490)
GPA (4.825)
Rank (1)
AP Calc AB (5)
AP Chem (5)
AP Bio (5)
APUSH (5)
AP English Lang and Comp (5)
Senior year: AP Lit, AP US government, AP microeconomics, AP music theory, AP Calc BC, AP Stats, AP Physics, and Anatomy and Physiology

I will most likely be an AP Scholar with Distinction and a National Merit (Semi)Finalist

Dance: I have been dancing for 13 years, and I am currently a member of an audition-only professional tap company that travels around the country to perform. We meet for about three hours a week for technique and rehearsal when we don’t have a show coming up, but my drive is an hour each way so I devote more like 7-8 hours a week to it.

Robotics: I was part of an FRC robotics team for my freshman and sophomore years, earning two varsity letters during those years. I quit because of some team issues, not the time commitment, but I fear it will look like that. It was pretty insane, about 26 hours a week, but I loved it.

Employment: I have been working at a pizza place for about a year now, and I work about ten hours a week during the school year, more over the summer. I have moved up quickly, so I’ll take that as a good sign.

Church Choir/Worship Team: I have been a member of my church choir for three years, and this year I joined the worship team, where I lead over 3,000 people in singing each week. Each of these usually takes about five hours a week.

Community Service: I do lots of community service, including preparing all the toddler crafts for Sunday school at my church and teaching Sunday school almost every week. The crafts take about four hours a week, and each class is about ninety minutes. I also have recently found work at a food pantry where I translate for the Spanish-speakers that come in.

I also have been in FCA at school for three years now, and I am a student leader. I am also in NHS and Spanish NHS.

I was just wondering what you all think I could do to improve my application. Thank you all so much! Good luck to all of you, I really hope to see you get in to every school you desire!

2

Your profile looks good. Perhaps 2-3 SAT Subject tests with scores of 750+ can further enhance it. Harvard is essentially a crapshoot, unfortunately. Put a lot of effort into your essays and supplements and pick good people to write your recomendations, and have a good relationship with your guidance/college counselor.

3

@yikesyikesyikes it’s a 4.0

4

@yikesyikesyikes thanks I have been told it’s a crapshoot by many people. I have great teachers picked out for my recommendations, now I guess all I can do is wait.

5

I would also look into other schools besides Harvard. Although you are a great applicant, it is always best to not become deeply infatuated with a single school.

6

@yikesyikesyikes thanks for the advice! I am also looking at some schools closer to home, such as Purdue and Rose Hulman. Although I would love to go to Harvard, I know I need to have other options. Thanks again for all your help!

7

Your scores are great! However, scores only put you in the threshold of being a viable applicant. No college will reject the owner of a 4.6 GPA over the owner of a 4.5 GPA just because the GPA is higher…

  1. Dance is a more uncommon and unique EC and the fact that you’ve been committed to it for so long is definitely a huge plus. Maybe some awards under your belt might help out: It seems like you could win a few based on your talent; maybe you already have some.
  2. Robotics: no comment
  3. Working is always a noble activity: and depending on your socioeconomic background it could definitely help fill in the gaps on your application.
  4. I’d be wary about how you phrase things: As part of the worship team, do you specifically lead the thousands of people in praise? Or are you part of a group that leads the thousands of people in praise? Maybe more minute, but still interesting to note. This is one of the activities that is either positive or neutral. It can either show that you are a shameless, passionate leader, willing to belt out songs in front of 3,000 people encouraging them to do the same; but also, many applicants in the pool might participate in the same activity (worship groups that lead congregations in praise).
  5. Community service is always a nice touch: Be wary that it’s not just to fulfill some sort of school requirement.
  6. FCA/NHS/Spanish NHS: So most of these are activities that I’m going to bet about 60-80% of Ivy League applicants can have. They help you validate your academic prestige, but other than that, they’re not too special.

Some tips:

  1. It seems like you’re lacking in EC’s: This may not be the case, but from the way the post has been presented. The “smaller” EC"s or the ones that are more common aren’t really going to be a huge boost for you on account of how standard they are (since I don’t have these EC’s at my school I’m not sure what you do for them. e.g. tutor, have meetings, etc.). So it seems that only dance/work/community service fill up your time outside of school? Community service is less common but somewhat standard among high schoolers since many high schoolers have it as a requirement. So it’s down to dance and work: seems pretty sparse. This would be fine if you were a nationally ranked dancer with many awards under your belt.
  2. To counteract the above, focus on your essay: I think writing an essay about your dance career would be awesome and unique. It would help you look like you’re an explorer of your own passions: And you don’t have exterior motives (e.g. doing it exclusively to go to an Ivy).
  3. Awards: awards anywhere you can find them. It can be a service award for being an MVP volunteer or national dance awards. Applicant pools for any Ivy will be filled with individuals with dozens of awards (regional, state, and national). It’s not like they’re a requirement: But they would help anybody’s scenario.
8

@dkcub17

I disagree that she is lacking in ECs. Her dance stuff seems to be a big deal - not to mention her impressive community service (the Spanish-translation at the food pantry is especially cool!).

9

@dkcub17 @yikesyikesyikes thank you for the feedback. I was going to play soccer and be on the cross country team in high school, but when I had my first asthma attack in a while at dance a couple years ago, the doctors at the hospital told me it would be best not to. I am pretty limited as far as sports go because of this, but I have tried to be involved in other ways. I know that our dance company is nationally recognized, and I do have a few first place titles, but not much beyond that.
As for the worship team, there are about 6 people on stage each week, and I haven’t done it alone yet although I plan to do so.
I have tried to focus more on deep commitment than on a breadth of commitment. I found some useful advice in this article if anyone is interested: http://blog.prepscholar.com/how-to-get-into-harvard-and-the-ivy-league-by-a-harvard-alum
I also have lots of responsibility as the oldest of four siblings such as driving them to their activities and cooking meals as well, but I don’t think schools want to hear that.

10

You are certainly a good candidate, but don’t put all your eggs in one place.

Where else are you applying? Will you be able to pay without heavy debt?

11

@paul2752 I am also applying to Purdue, Rose Hulman, Vanderbilt, Indiana University, Yale, and maybe more. And yes, I am fortunate that my parents have saved enough to pay for my undergraduate degree wherever I choose to go.

12

Then you are all set. Just start writing essays when the promprts are available

13

@yikesyikesyikes Let me revise: my commentary is not so much on the lack of EC’s. but the lack of unique EC’s. Many high schoolers do some form of community service. Although it is definitely appealing that she has participated in dance for so long, something like community service might not allow her to stand out. Also in a pool of 40,000 kids, there will definitely be maybe a few impressive dancers or a kids who’ve utilized resources to participate in community service.

@ashley0729 Funny! I read that same article a few months ago. Definitely very helpful. So if dance is your spike make sure you gear yourselves towards that: And it might force you to write your essay about dance as well to sort of emphasize how good/unique you are as a dancer.
Some recommendations: The article recommends going above and beyond (I think; it’s been a while): So if dance is your “spike” as the article illustrates, why not go further? Maybe a dance club at your school or maybe your own community service project where you could teach underprivileged kids dance, etc. That would really emphasize the spike and mesh your passion for dancing with your passion for community service.

14

@dkcub17 thanks so much! I will definitely be very busy this fall with all the suggestions I have received. I was planning to write my essay about my struggle with asthma and how I am in the process of overcoming it with dance. I’ll see how it goes! Thanks again!

15

You are going to have to pull the sword out of the stone on dance and really pound this in your recs and essays. All the rest of your ECs will be unfortunately duplicated, in one form or the other, by the other 31,000 applicants. Your academic stats will get you looked at, but then you have to convince them with something more. 22,000 other applicants have your scores . . .

16

@makennacompton I have a few more difficult personal stories that I didn’t want to put them up to start with, and I feel like these may help too. Any advice about how to utilize these?

17

Lookin good b ut also what is your intended major

18

@fossilfriend I thought I wanted to go into biochemistry, but now I’m not sure. I had a life-changing English composition class this year, so now I’m thinking about majoring in English. I’ve done some writing contests too so that may help me

19

Sounds awesome. If English, definitely include those contests. I would just mention (and this is the reason that I asked) to keep in mind that Biochem/Engineering types are typically the most competitive at the Ivies. And I guess realistically the classics are highly competitive at Brown/Yale/etc. Tbh who am i kidding any subject is highly competitive lol. Regardless, good luck.

20

“also have lots of responsibility as the oldest of four siblings such as driving them to their activities and cooking meals as well, but I don’t think schools want to hear that.”

AU contraire. This is precisely what they want to hear - that you have achieved in school and ECs while having significant family responsibilities.