Hi/ Namaste,
I am an Indian student aspiring to join the prestigious Harvard university. I am currently in ninth grade and would be going into 10th in a few months .
I have mostly got A’s but also a few B’s .My report card shows improvement and my overall grade is A+. I fall into the top 16%of my class.
I have been playing table tennis since the last three years and have won district level competition .
I have been playing guitar since the last few year but haven’t participated in any competition.
I am in my school’s dramatic team and our team had won a second prize this year.
I am pretty popular among my fellow classmate and also among my teachers.
I have pretty decent voice and good writing skills .
My question is that whether I am going on the right track and what else can I do in my upcoming sophomore year to improve my chances? where do you think I stand right now compared to my peer?
Also my cgpa (indian grading system on a scal of 10 ) is 9.2 .
Thanks in advance…
Quit any ECs that you hate and focus on 2 or 3 and win awards and have leadership in them. Get your class rank up to at least top 5% and study for the SATs. Get a 2300+ at least but 2350+ is better.
No, you are not on the right track to get into Harvard. As an international student, you will not get in with “A’s but also a few B’s”. Plus your ECs are weak. Being “popular” will not get you in.
9th Grade, what criteria do we have to chance you? your GPA? Ask me that is very average or should I say poor. The sheer number of people that apply with perfect 10’s from CBSE is staggering. You consider being popular an EC? Prep for your grade 10 and SAT’s then come to chance me in grade 11 with some real EC’s and scores.
Do something that you really like and win awards for pursuing them. Do research or go for competitions. Get leadership positions. Also show a personal interest in Harvard rather than going for the name. And make sure you check out financial matters. I know a lot of stories where people got in but couldn’t go due to finance,
You are a Freshmen for the heaven’s sake. There is no way to tell you whether you can get in Harvard because you don’t have enough credential. No Freshmen does.
Remember you are an international student. The applicant pool has been becoming larger but the seats remain same, so it will be super difficult. You have to have on top of EVERYTHING.
If you don’t have money, your choices will be even fewer. Only 6 schools in USA are need blind AND meets full need(guaranteed) for foreigners. However…the competition is VERY VERYVERY stiff. For example, MIT int. student acceptance is <2%. You need at least 38k to go to school in US.(A reliable source I know told me that if you can pay 35k+, then your chances are as good as full pay international students)
Why do you want to go to Harvard? For prestige? Then no, it’s not a good fit for you. Find what you love and try to find schools that matches your interest. Seriously, no one cares enough to bow to you just because you went to the Harvard in the US. It’s your life, NOT the others. You can get decent education in any colleges unless it’s nobody-knows-colleges that are stuck in the middle of nowhere.
For FA purpose? Then make sure you get at least 1400 Math+CR SAT(or ACT 32+)and 3.5 GPA by the time you apply to the colleges. There ARE schools(public and private) that offers good amount of merit scholarships for internationals as well. Most of them are not specific for international but for all freshmen applicants in general.
For example, University of Alabama(main one and Huntsville campus) offers full tuition for 1400 Math+CR SAT(or ACT 32+)and 3.5 GPA.
Do what you want. Don’t do anything that will “look good or prestigious”. Yes I know the reason behind it but you really should what you want to do. Sounds cliche? Too bad, that’s the only thing I can say about your EC. Also, get in competition that interest you.