Am I Wasting my Time on Harvard?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

I decided that I would just go for it - I applied to Harvard. I have relatively low stats, and I know that there is a very very small chance that I will be accepted. There are many aspects that simply fall short for Harvard’s standards, but I am just hoping that there will be a chance for me. Do you think I have any chance, or will I definitely be denied?

SAT I (breakdown): Did not take
ACT (breakdown): Composite: 33 Math: 31 Science: 34 English: 34 Reading: 33
SAT II: Didn’t take. This is something I’m really worried about, but I come from a rural, poor school. My school has never sent someone to an Ivy, so I am hoping they may understand this.
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0 (4.32 weighted)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Valedictorian (1/204)
AP/Honors Courses: AP Bio, Stats, Calc, Chem, Lit, Lang, Physics, GOPO, USH (all 9 that are offered), Honors Physics, Bio, Chem (all 3 that are offered)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):No national level awards.

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parentheses):
Domino’s Pizza (30hrs/week to save for college, opening and closing manager in charge of training new hires, preparing deposit, dealing with customer relations through social media)
Theater (35hrs/week for 12 weeks a year, stage manager and head of sound)
Drama Club (4 years)
Varsity Tennis (4 years, worked from the bottom to the top player)
ACP Club (2 years, working with students with disabilities)
AP Chemistry Tutor (3 students, decent time commitment)

Essays: Optional Essay: Good essay. To my future roommate, about how I believe that most people don’t understand their true potential. Spoke about my leadership at work, letting people knowing their worth and potential, and how I hope to do this on a greater scale someday. (9/10).
Common App Essay: Wrote about finding my brother’s suicide note, finding him help before he killed himself. Said how this changed my perspective on mental illness and helping others. Decent (8.5/10).
Teacher Recommendation: Physics teacher/tennis coach. Said I have amazing character that shines through in everything I do, extra-curricular or in the classroom, am a brilliant/motivated student, etc. (10/10)
Counselor Rec: Knows me well, spoke to my motivation and academic strength. Stressed how I took complete advantage of every opportunity I had at my school. (9/10)
Additional Rec: Great. From the owner of my franchise of Domino’s. Spoked highly of my ability to learn quickly, be versatile and adapt, and talked a lot about my character. Discussed my positive energy and attitude towards others, and how I praise my coworkers. Played well with my optional essay about encouraging others through acknowledging their potential and value.

Supplementary Material: None
Other
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
State (if domestic applicant): Ohio
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Income Bracket(mention if FA candidate): 95,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):

2

Short answer, yes. But no more than everyone else who wastes their time trying for Harvard.

3

If you already applied, it doesn’t really matter. Just wait, apply to more schools if you haven’t already, and see what happens.

4

Your stats look great! I think you have a chance. Just a few things to keep in mind: Harvard turns away more valedictorians than it takes in. Also, there’s a chance you’ll be deferred because you’re a white male (Harvard needs more minorities). If I may ask, what other schools have you applied to?

5

I mean of course you have a chance. Everyone applying has a chance. It is a low one, because Harvard RD will probably have around a 2-3% acceptance rate.

Did you take any AP tests? If so, what were your scores?

6

You sound like a great kid - Harvard would be lucky to have you, and you’ll do great wherever you end up.

Seriously.

(However, you lose 5 points for Gryffindor for double-posting this.)

7

You are competitive applicant. Go for it.

8

Your school apparently has APs and you have taken quite a few. What are the scores like? Even tho you didn’t take the SAT 2’s, I’d be looking for information about how you do academically when the evaluation is conducted by people outside your school. The fact that you have done so well while working in a substantial way is impressive. I would think it odd that you did not take the SAT 2’s even tho your school does not send students to Ivy League schools.

9

You are in the ballpark. Nothing (except for the application cost) to lose!

10

Agreed. You are a competitive applicant, you would not be wasting your time to apply. Best Wishes! For you to have accomplished what you have academically while working the amount of hours you have is remarkable! Congratulations!

11

OP I think you’ve got a chance. You’ve got a great resume and story.

12

I am a junior in high school and you seem to be someone I dreamed I wish I could’ve been academically! You are very unique and I know, despite me being an “unknowledgeable” junior in high school, that I could assume that since your school offers very little AP Classes that you were seditious enough to take all of them (this should be a plus). Your valedictorian, your A.C.T. Scores seems competitive, not perfect, but Competitive and I don’t know what your AP Scores are. The fact the you worked at Domino’s shows that you are unique. I just want to say, you would probably reflect back on your life and hate yourself for not applying there! I know for a fact Harvard or not, you will go to bright places after looking at your post (assuming also that you did well on AP’s) ,but do yourself a favor and apply and if you don’t get in you’ll be another school’s treasure! Best wishes!

13

RE: “SAT II: Didn’t take. This is something I’m really worried about, but I come from a rural, poor school.”

Why didn’t you take them? SAT IIs are asked for by Harvard, and all you have to do is sign up for them. Coming from a “rural, poor school” has no bearing on you ability to sign up for a test. Rather, those types of schools tend not to offer the plethora of APs that your school does, so I would hardly characterize it as “poor.” You have a good app for Harvard and a good story, but it will be a head-scratcher why you didn’t sign up for the SAT IIs when you could have (and probably should have!).

14

^I disagree. This is EXACTLY the kind of stress and over testing that Havard and other unis want to diminish. Thus, their making SAT2s optional – @makennacompton , you must have missed the announcement of the recent change?

While it’s easy to decry the applicant “Why didn’t you take them?” on an internet advice forum and attribute some flaw, Harvard clearly feels the opposite.

15

I think your chances aren’t especially bright, but they are better than the average applicant, so it wasn’t a waste to apply :slight_smile: . You will succeed wherever you end up!

16

@T26E4 I’m surprised to hear that Harvard made SAT2’s optional! Since when, and where did they announce this?

17

From H’s admissions page:
https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-process/application-requirements

“While we normally require two SAT Subject Tests, you may apply without them if the cost of taking the tests represents a financial hardship or if you prefer to have your application considered without them. Standardized testing is only one component of our admissions process and your application will be evaluated on the basis of all of the other information that you submit.”

I believe this was instituted either late last year or before EA in 2015

18

@T26E4 Thanks for the source. However, it sure sounds like it’d be somewhat of a disadvantage if you don’t supply them with SAT2 scores…

19

You’re not. You (and every other applicant) is at a disadvantage the minute you hit the submit button. At some point, one has to accept what a particular college says at face value; they have nothing to gain by lying to you, and the reality is you only have 2 options: believe them or don’t.

20

Harvard and other selective schools are trying to encourage students from lower socioeconomic brackets and/or high schools that don’t normally send graduates to selective schools. They also explicitly have said they are trying to honor jobs like yours compared to wealthier students who do service in Costa Rica or spend the summer at an arts program in Florence etc.

I have a lot of admiration for fast food workers who manage to do it with a smile :slight_smile: So does Harvard.

Get the book “The Gatekeepers” about admissions at Wesleyan and you will see the lengths to which some colleges go to prospect for applicants from areas that don’t usually send anyone to that college.

I think you have a good chance, yes. But nevertheless, don’t get too fixed on Harvard or any one school because it really is almost like a lottery. Good luck!