<p>No I have not visited Harvard. But there’s a blogger on youtube who’s a Hispanic, first-generation student (same as I) and the way he talks about it is amazing.There’s also a lot of clubs for Hispanics, so I wouldn’t feel out of place. He also talks about how he’s got to travel the world because of some clubs he’s involved in. In the videos I’ve seen, the campus looks spectacular. I also like the fact that it’s in an urban area. I understand that if anything, I would have to visit the school first to be sure if it’s as good as I think.</p>
<p>Most students at HMS come from Harvard, so that’s another reason I like it.</p>
<p>SAY WHAT? A vlogger?</p>
<p>A typical “valid” applicant for Harvard doesn’t take hearsay at face value.</p>
<p>The reasons I asked if you had visited Harvard:</p>
<p>1) Many colleges look like Harvard. For example, in the movie “The Social Network” all the exterior shots were filmed at Johns Hopkins University.</p>
<p>2) Unless you can get an ‘A’ in every course for the next 3 years, Harvard is not a realistic choice for someone who currently has a 2.9 GPA. You should be casting a wider-net.</p>
<p>3) Many colleges are in urban areas. With your GPA, you may want to look at another college in Cambridge MA: [Lesley</a> College - Cambridge, Massachusetts - Admissions](<a href=“http://www.lesley.edu/lc/admissions.html]Lesley”>http://www.lesley.edu/lc/admissions.html).</p>
<p>4) All colleges that I know of have clubs for hispanics and latinos. You need to investigate all your other options.</p>
<p>Is the Harvard admissions process very different from the Stanford one? I asked a Stanford admissions officer if I still had a chance and she said of course! " You need to consider each year of high school as building block for next year. Now that you have finished 9th grade, what did you learn about your study habits? How can you improve? Continue to stay strong, work hard, talk to your teachers. If you improve with each year, you’ll see you’ll have plenty of options come senior year. Just keep pushing yourself to be stronger each year!"</p>
<p>5) Thousands of applicants who make it past first round, will have perfect or near perfect records for all 4 years. “Near perfect” generally means, oh, maybe one B, from 9th on, maybe two, usually in a class not related to their potential major. That’s not to say you can’t have a 3rd B, maybe in Driver’s Ed, but this is what “fiercely competitive” means. Adcoms can and will cherry-pick. </p>
<p>6) The competition’s rigor will often include a jumpstart in 9th- it’s not uncommon to see, eg, physics and pre-calc in 9th (with A’s,) so the kid can get in the highest level APs over the next years. For STEM, a start in robotics, math-sci competitions, plus sports, something else at hs, community work and then outside research. What adcoms feel is required, plus a satisfying sense you have a diversity of legit interests you pursued and will likely continue to pursue and/or that you are the sort who will try others. </p>
<p>7) Contrary to CC, it’s not the number of APs but their relevance and challenge- and your performance, in terms of grade and AP score. So, it’s about both your judgment and your execution. AP Enviro and AP stats, eg, in no way replace more strenuous courses (even if you are majoring in enviro.) Harvard actually covers this, on the website.</p>
<p>8) Character counts. The strength of your critical thinking and analyical skills. Maturity, judgment, perspective- and real likeability.</p>
<p>So, who will they cherry-pick? Look, there are many, many breaks in life- a coach who puts you on a team because you try so hard, though your skills are low; a teacher who nominated you for “most improved” because she likes you; a job you get because it’s Friday and they want this resolved asap. Ivy admissions are not about lucky breaks.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter if anyone knows a kid who doesn’t seem to fit this- or feels his or her own picture didn’t. The holistic process is organic. The adcoms thought you had enough of what they want and need. And like.</p>
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<p>That’s perfect advice, much better than what you have gotten here. She’s an admissions professional and we aren’t. And, no, Stanford’s process and standards aren’t meaningfully different from Harvard’s.</p>
<p>Keep working hard, keep challenging yourself, keep getting better. Make the absolute best of the situation you are in, and you will have lots of great options.</p>
<p>you’ll see you’ll have plenty of options come senior year.
That’s “admissions-speak.” </p>
<p>Harvard and Stanford, all the other Ivies, Chi, MIT, all the top LACs, etc, each have a self-image and drive to perpetuate that. They know their particular unique dept or program strengths. They each also have unique considerations based on their actual environment. I won’t answer the question for you, but I will say that if you read the darned web sites, you will see this. </p>
<p>Of course, it’s impressive to dramatically turn around from 9th to 10th and maintain highest achievements, at and outside high school. It speaks volumes. But, sorry, sorry, actually posting you are inspired by a vlogger or want H because they admit so many into HMS, is a head shaker. You can also, btw, check out that HMS stat, for real.</p>
<p>When did I say I was inspired by a vlogger? What I meant was that him & I have similar backrgrounds and I thought it was interesting that he fit in well at such an outstanding educational insititution. Obviously I’m going to take what he has to say into consideration, but I’m not going to dedicate my life to try & get accepted at Harvard simply because he said he likes it.</p>
<p>Secondly, Harvard Medical School is one of the best medical schools in the world. If going to Harvard increases my chances of getting accepted there, of course that sounds good to me.</p>
<p>“blogger on youtube.”
Find us the stats that HC is a genuine advantage in apps to HMS. The closest I got was that maybe 12 moved over. Out of a 2011 freshman med class of 165, 88 different UG insitutions.</p>
<p>There is a certain ridiculousness in a 2.9 kid telling us his interest- even suggestig any iota of his interest- in HC is based on chances for HMS. What seals it is that you don’t see it. You say you’ll cast a wider net, then throw in, fgs, Stanford. As the man said, you “have miles to go before you sleep.”</p>
<p>This isn’t about interacting on a forum. It doesn’t matter how great HMS is… What matters is what ends up coming across in that CA.
I’m done.</p>
<p>On the Harvard website it says Harvard is almost always the best-represented undergraduate institution at Harvard’s graduate schools. But that is not the reason why I like Harvard! I like Harvard because the people are inspiring, and I know I will grow as a person by attending it, considering the programs offered and the amazingly wise & intelligent professors who teach there. </p>
<p>It sounds good to hear that Harvard is almost always the best-represented undergraduate institution at Harvard’s graduate schools, but that isn’t why I want to go to Harvard College. Since you obviously are incorrect about my interests, I’m glad you are “done”. </p>
<p>Just because I have a 2.9 GPA doesn’t mean I am incapable of working hard and contributing to the college, the society and maybe the world. I understand that I did wrong by not putting effort and all of that is going to change.</p>
<p>You can find all those things in other institutions, and best represented does not mean that it is the only one. Again, what you do matters more than where you go. A top GPA, great GRE/LSAT/MCAT/etc. scores, outstanding letters of recommendation, study abroad, internships and such are all factors that make an applicant at an “average” institution more competitive than a Harvard student that does not match those credentials and hopes to be admitted just because he/she attended Harvard for undergrad.*</p>
<p>Please don’t be discouraged by other posters who insist that your GPA is a death sentence. Obviously, you’re not off to a good start. You really do need to work very hard to catch up and be able to compete, GPA wise, with other applicants if you end up applying to very selective institutions. HOWEVER, GPA is clearly not the sole criteria for admission. After all, one can achieve a 4.5+ GPA by taking easy classes and electives. It’s much more impressive to have a lower GPA with a schedule full of more rigorious classes. I MUST stress though, don’t take AP’s and such just to make your application look better. I’m guessing you love Biology, so AP Bio and maybe AP Chem would be AP’s that you would enjoy a lot and probably do very well in. And to repeat what many others have correctly stated, other factors besides GPA and course load will come into play.</p>
<p>Honestly, while it’s very good to have college in your mind at this stage, it’s too early to start obsessing. Try to enjoy these next few years. High school should be a period of growth and exploration, and towards the end of this period you will evaluate how you want to continue this growth and, based on that, decide where to apply. There are many, MANY universities and colleges that offer a great education and opportunities outside of the classroom. You might (statically, prob won’t) not get into Harvard or a very prestigious uni, but if you work hard and stay true to yourself in high school then some great colleges will open their doors to you when your application shows that you would thrive there. I wish you the best of luck in your studies and all other endeavors.</p>
<p>The fact that you’re defending so passionately about your lack of GPA is one predictor of why Harvard may not be an option for you. Honestly, do you care so much about what people say to you on the INTERNET? I think a true Harvard-worthy person has better things to do then argue about his/her own shortcomings online.</p>
<p>“I like Harvard because the people are inspiring, and I know I will grow as a person by attending it, considering the programs offered and the amazingly wise & intelligent professors who teach there.”</p>
<p>How is this different from any one of a number of institutions? You seem all blinded by the Harvard name. What, specifically, about Harvard would make the people more inspiring than any number of top schools? What, specifically, about Harvard professors makes them any more amazingly wise and intelligent than professors at other top schools? You seem to have been blinded by Harvard’s (understandable) reputation, but you’re not offering any substance as why Harvard uniquely offers those things at some kind of level not also offered by lots of other places. PMCM18 wrote a great post; you should pay attention to it.</p>
<p>Perhaps people that are telling the OP that they have no chance for Harvard are attempting to get them to focus on the present & be more realistic. Perhaps they are aware that this student will never achieve the grades needed for colleges such as Harvard & follows a pattern of obsessing over very unrealistic goals. Without knowing more, it is difficult to say, but I’ve encountered a number of students over the years who have such an unrealistic view of themselves that it constantly hinders their growth. My D really loved Princeton (has an aunt that lives there) when she was young. We were talking about a girl she knows that is being very unrealistic about colleges, my D said “yeah, I realized in 8th grade that I was never getting into Princeton”. She has done very well at Cornell.</p>
<p>A lot more kids than one realizes will answer the Why Us? question with something like: the people are inspiring, and I know I will grow as a person by attending it, considering the programs offered and the amazingly wise & intelligent professors who teach there. </p>
<p>And, the general reaction, where I am, is: who cares? It’s not about how you think the people will be inspiring or the profs are smart. Don’t ask us to admit you so you can bask in our glow. Show us your glow, how you are one of the 8% we want to join our team. For a holistic that admits a small percentage and draws a huge pool of all-around highly attractive candidates, that starts with rigor and stats and then goes on to so much more.</p>
<p>Should OP give up- of course not. Striving is a life lesson. Only good to be gained. But, I suggested he/she come back here in a year for a re-check.</p>
<p>Thanks for the constructive criticism. I was reading on here that a Caucasian male with a 3.6 GPA, 31 ACT & 1900 SAT got Deferred from Harvard? Most people would’ve expected him to get rejected right away, I thought that was strange.</p>
<p>To be honest, if you don’t work hard starting now your chances are pretty much 0. I’m from a very competitive public high school in a competitive area in general. Nearly 20 people applied to Harvard from my high school. One got in. She got all As, was val of her grade, and concertmaster. Two other people from my area/city that I know of got in. One was a nationally ranked tennis player. Another, a nationally ranked ice skater. All three were hardworking Asian girls that worked hard since they were young at their talent and their academics to make it.</p>
<p>Do you have a talent that sets you apart, something you’ve been doing for a while and love? Are you a sports star? Did you find the cures for AIDS? (Ha, ha, I’m funny.) If not, you’d better get all As for the rest of your high school career or kiss your most remote chances goodbye. (Unless you’re an URM. Are you a URM?)</p>
<p>I’m an incoming sophomore myself, and I’ve been raised with the if-you-don’t-get-into-HYP-you’re-going-to-be-disowned stigma. My high school is full of kids like me. We’re all going to apply to Harvard: all As, violinists, 500000000 volunteer hours. Chances are, we’ll be lucky if one of us gets in.</p>
<p>If you don’t have anything going for you other than that GPA, you need to fix that. Get involved, volunteer. But seriously. Raise that GPA and you may have a fighting chance – Ivy League admissions is pretty much a lottery.</p>
<p>Back to your original question, if you’re looking for colleges well known for their academics but aren’t as “hard” to get into as Harvard, I’d look into Vanderbilt, Cornell, Notre Dame, maybe NYU? Those names are pretty well known. However, they’re still very selective (except maybe for NYU, which has a 30% acceptance rate or something), so you won’t be guaranteed a spot.</p>
<p>Keep everything in perspective. Do the best you can since you screwed up freshman year. Take challenging classes, get As. Know that this late in the game there will be more qualified applicants everywhere. Harvard may be a pretty big reach, but there are plenty of other colleges with awesome academics and great opportunities. Good luck!</p>
<p>I am interested in Health and Biology, so my extracurriculars will demonstrate that. Also, I’m Hispanic, my mother did not get a degree and we’re basically a low-income family. At my high school, the vast majority of students attend community college, some a CAL STATE college, and a few get into UC schools. The last time someone went to Harvard was many years ago, and I believe she was the leader of a bunch of things and she took alot of AP classes.</p>
<p>Thank you for your advice, it was very helpful! I know I am capable of getting straight A’s, it’s just last year was very emotionally draining due to two deaths in the family, and I didn’t really learn well in my classes. I’m taking alot of AP & Honors this year, and I know I’ll due better because people tend to be less disruptive, lol</p>
<p>many schools are probably a better fit for you and even many kids who actually go to harvard! after the name it has not much more to offer then any other school. and if you go and major in basket weaving then you are wasting your time and $$ @ harvard.</p>