<p>I wasn't seeing you guys are sick. But a university admissions culture which is so pressurised that 14 year olds are being told to focus their EC's on a particular area, and building up their passion for career goals is sick. I'm hating the system, not the players. </p>
<p>Harvard's whole liberal arts ethos is about general excellence, about being able to change your mind and adapt as you develop as a person. Don't you think telling someone to, say, focus his EC's on law as a 14 year old goes completely against that principle?</p>
<p>Corporatefinance, yes I have much better advice. As a 14 year old you should do what you enjoy. That way you'll develop into the person you want to be and have fun doing it, rather than be unhappy ticking boxes for a university that may not even be right for you half a decade in advance. Forget about Harvard. Have as much fun as you can - take interesting and challenging courses, do interesting and challenging EC's, be creative about what you do. That way you'll have a great time, develop as a person AND impress universities. </p>
<p>What you guys seem to forget, and I know it's difficult to remember, is that Harvard is the customer, not the applicants. Harvard needs talented people, whereas talented people will be successful wherever they go. You don't have to make yourself into a person Harvard will like. Harvard shapes itself into an institution that will allow talented people like you to flourish. And I'm sure if you asked any of the adcoms you so revere he'd back me up on this, unless he happened to be a counsellor who wanted money off you.</p>
<p>Heheh, actually the applicants are the customers, and Harvard has the scarcity power. There are lots of talented people in the world, but only one Harvard.</p>
<p>Of course in reality it's a two way process. However, collectively Harvard needs the talented people much more than any individual needs it. If Harvard systematically screws up picking talented people it will be in serious trouble. If any one person screws up applying to Harvard it's likely to have very little impact in the long term. This is because while there's "only one Harvard", there are dozens of other brilliant universities out there.</p>
<p>UKRUS, not to discredit you but that advice is extremely random and he probably already heard a bunch of those "just do whatever you like" lines after he mentioned his Harvard plans. Besides, the one I told him about finding interesting but coherent activities/studies is more tangible AND gives him the opportunity to truly enjoy studies/ECs that he find not only fun but also meaningful and rewarding.</p>
<p>But how is he meant to know what to be coherent about? The guy's 14, you're already telling him what to be into? People change! Do what you're interested, do a wide range, and IF you find something you're really, really into then and only then specialise. If not, that's no problem. It's ridiculous to expect every 18 year old to have already found their one true passion. Many people don't have a one true passion!</p>
<p>Alright, I step back. UKRUS advice seems more accurate given that this kid is 14 and that my advice is too narrowminded. The movie How High is quite fun though.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice and help. I in no way wanted to start an argument at all, so I'll take both of your suggestions and mix them together I guess. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Yeah, Iv been 7 times lol. For UK Universitites the competition is really tough for the top (Oxford,Imperial, Cambridge) but less so for Leeds, Manchester etc But I really want to go to a US university my dream is Stanford</p>
<p>Cardinaldreams, I just saw your post on Harvards SSP thread, I'm thinking of going next summer too. The problem is, my family will not get any fin aid, and I need to work for it all this summer, and I think I'm going to try and convince my grandparents to help out a little. It sounds like an amazing program. Let me know if you're going or not.</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm totally addicted to CC. finale and californiakid are probably sick of me by now, because I continually pester them with questions on how to get into top colleges ;). </p>
<p>My 8th grade schedule is:
1. Latin II
2. English Literature
3. US Government/History
I'm currently taking Multivariable Calculus and AP Chemistry up at my highschool.
6. PE</p>
<p>9th grade:
1. Functions, Forms, and Vector Spaces
2. Honors Organic Chemistry and Polymer Science
3. Art Through the Ages
4. Composition and Analysis of American Literature
5. Honors Latin III
6. Health and Physical Education I</p>
<p>The max we can take is 7 periods, and we're allowed to take AP classes as long as we're qualified. I don't want to overload myself because I'm taking some pretty tough courses.</p>