<p>I am a native of Boston, and attend a Jesuit school that tends to do well at Harvard. I am applying EA, adn am wondering what my chances are with these stats.</p>
<p>Class Rank: Top 5%
SAT Scores: 800 writing, 760 Math, 730 CR
Sat II: 730 chem, 720 Physics, 610 MathI...eeek
Awards: NMSQT Commended, Collegiate Book Award from Northeastern, National Latin Exam Summa Cum Laude, Various school specific awards.
Extracurriculars: I have many activities like all the other applicants for a school like this; however, my one unique activity is that I am a Master Scuba Diver. This is the highest non-professional rank one can achieve, and the only reason I am not pro is that I am too young.
Recs: I have great recs, one from a recent Harvard grad. Also, two or three alumni are sending letters for me.
Courseload: Hardest allowed by school.</p>
<p>Also, a few things I forgot to mention. I have been working a full time job, 40+ hours per week, since I was a freshman. In my sophomore and junior years I was working two jobs. At my full time job, I landed a management position, and actually have a few people working directly under me. Also, I recently learned that the dean of admissons is from my hometown.</p>
<p>then maybe visit the dean of admissions and leave him a nice plate of brownies on his front porch?
why not take advantage of the cards you were dealt, us folks out here in california who are applying to harvard dont have such options... :)</p>
<p>So you begin with odds of 1 out of 11 (9% accepted). Then you just have to ask what characteristics you possess that others don't - and that you know they want - that increase your odds; or alternatively, those you don't possess that will decrease them. Among those characteristics are: recruited athlete, desired URM, developmental admit, legacy, son or daughter of senator, congressman, or ambassador, major national or international award or feat (novel published, Olympics, etc.), and a certain percentage of international students. And you know in advance that approximately 50% of students won't require financial aid. </p>
<p>If you pivot around the 1/11, which is what Harvard publishes, you won't be too far off.</p>
<p>Your background may well intrigue the admissions people. You should have a good shot. Are you planning to interview? Package your application well, and make sure that the essays, recs, interview, etc, all focus their attention on you as a unique person, not just another kid with grades.</p>
<p>Forget SCUBA as a hook. I'm an instructor. All Master Diver means is you had the money for 5 specialty classes. Your couselor should be able to give you a good assessment of your chances. How many of the top 10% in your school will apply to HYP? Most of them?</p>
<p>Do you go to BCH? Or SJP? Anyways, you have a good chance, I think the scuba diving thing will help. People will tell you "oh, that's not a hook" but it's something that will stand out, and the importance of a hook is extremely over exaggerated and not as common as people would like to think on this website. A kid in my school got into Harvard SCEA with a 2260 SAT, the closest thing he had to a hook was that he was multilingual, and a very unspectacular set of ECs.</p>
<p>Re-read mini's post. It's right on the nose. Academically, you're about an average H applicant and have about average chances - 9%. And by the way, you're hook is not Scuba, you're hook is that you 've been working 40 hours a week since you were in 9th grade and you are now in a management position. Now that's something that almost no H applicants can say. Play that up, and it will probably boost your chances substantially: Top 5%, 2290 SATs, good ECs, school awards, and all this while working 40 hours a week. Now that's impressive.</p>