<p>Ok guys, I came to this country four years ago. My parents don't know English (I am teaching them) blah blah, Spanish is my first language. Blah, blah diversity. Right. Like I am ACTUALLY a first generation Latino (Peruvian citizenship), not one of those watered down John Fernandez' out there.</p>
<p>I have above a 4.0 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, reputedly one of the best public high schools in the nation. I have taken lots of AP classes, I am very involved in my community (especially the Latino community). Good test scores and all that good stuff, 4 years of crew, 3 years of cross country blah blah. I also speak French and teach myself Italian.</p>
<p>(I'm being purposely generic about my stats).
MY QUESTION IS. </p>
<p>IS IT TRUE. Is Harvard going to love me because I am a recently-immigrated Latino and have more than decent stats? </p>
<p>PS- I would appreciate if people post actual anecdotes of Latinos admitted into Harvard. I really don't want to get into the affirmative action debate...</p>
<p>No, it is not true that Harvard will love you because you're Latino and have decent stats. To make this more clear: Don't assume that because you're Latino and have decent stats that Harvard or any other top university will be a shoo-in for you.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Race/ethnicity only is a tip factor. Check the CC archives and you'll find many URMs with excellent stats who didn't get into top colleges. This includes some Latinos who didn't get into Harvard.</p></li>
<li><p>When it comes to Latinos, the ones in most demand are Mexican-American and Puerto Rican because they are the majority of Latinos in this country and are very underrepresented at top colleges and colleges in general because their high school graduation rates and board scores are some of the lowest of any group of students.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Harvard is a reach for everyone including URMs. Make sure you have match and safeties that you'd happily attend and can afford.</p>
<p>From how you've described your ECs, they will not stand out in Harvard's admission pool. Check the "chances" forum to see what kinds of ECs are considered outstanding for the most competitive colleges. Now, if you happy to be a state or national sports champion, but happened not to mention it here, that would put your ECs in a different category than what they now appear to be in.</p>
<p>no they won't automatically take you b/c you're a Latino, but a 4.0 at Thomas Jefferson really is awesome. I think you have amazing chances. Does your school rank and, if so, where do you fall?</p>
<p>nah, they don't rank students. Raking at a place where average math/verbal scores are in the 750's would be unfair</p>
<p>haha yeah i guess so...you have any idea how many they took from Jefferson into Harvard last year...that would give you a good idea of your chances.</p>
<p>Unfair? I don't think that's fair to say. Hard, ya, not unfair though.</p>
<p>Yea, I pretty much didn't tell you anything about my EC's. Half my school goes to UVA. That's everyone's safety pretty much.</p>
<p>Every year about 6-8 people go to Harvard from Jefferson. Aaand this year there were an amazing 20ish people who are going to Princeton. What I have read is that 25% of TJ students get admitted to Ivy leagues or Ivy league level (MIT, Stanford).</p>
<p>It's a UVA feeder....I could've told you that</p>
<p>what do you mean watered down John Fernandez? Fernandez is my last name and i'm by no means no water down of nothing.
i've been able to help my parents translate their mail for as long as i can remember, and they are immigrants.
watch your mouth.... and no being hispanic doesn't mean you're in. at all.</p>
<p>orbitgum, i don't think the op meant to say people with the last name fernandez are all "watered down". i think he was just trying to highlight the fact that he is really from a latino country and doesn't just have the name. i can understand that because where i'm from there are a lot of guys names bob garcia, joe martinez, frank lopez, and they look as white as can be and couldn't really be considered hispanic (or a urm).</p>
<p>yeah, I completely understand what he's saying and you are reinforcing.
However, out of all the hispanic last names out there he had to say Fernandez lol</p>
<p>Semp,
"Hispanic" is an ethnicity, not a race. There are Hispanices who come from all racial groups including Caucasians.</p>
<p>I honestly don't understand what that means...</p>
<p>I'm a "non-watered-down" hispanic girl...I don't think that's what got me into Harvard, however. What sort of "anecdotes" do you want?</p>
<p>are you reffering to me?</p>
<p>No, sorry..I was posing that question to the op. :)</p>
<p>Hispanic...rower for 4 years...did your parents go to college?</p>
<p>If no...you have some good hooks for Harvard or other Ivy League school. </p>
<p>Even if your parents did go to college, if your stats are competitive with other kids from your school who have gotten into Ivy League...hispanic and rower will get you an extra look by the ad com staff.</p>
<p>Hey, I am a rower too. Our team was national champion this year...hahah but not me. Maybe that will make me look better? I would definitely be really good at a normal school, but at my highschool I dont really have a chance to be stand out at all.</p>
<p>AND WHAT I MEANT BY WATERED DOWN IS:
I came to this country when i was 13, so I can vividly remember people begging for money in the streets. Growing up in an Hispanic country is VERY different from growing up in the richest country in the world. And no one can say that being 1st generation is the same thing as being a third generation Hispanic. I bet third generation Latinos cant even recognize French from Spanish. That's what I meant by the watered down "John Fernandez"; the emphasis was on the "John", not the Fernandez.</p>
<p>And when people say Hispanic is an ethnicity (not a race) they mean that there are black/white/asian/arabic/pokemon/indian hispanics somwhere out there. It's basically how you are brought up, your traditions, food, language, and NOT the color of your skin.</p>