<p>Listen, my freshman year has started off badly, for that I had no idea what Harvard was and college was not important. I took a remedial English class, got a B in it, and Algebra 2 honors, got a C/B and one A. I then find out about the school my sophomore year, and started to rack up on good grades. These good grades have gotten me 4 honors classes and one AP course for my junior year . I'm going into my junior year, and have not taken the SAT. I know where I stand, and I shall only nurture my efforts, but want to know if the bad class and grades can be made up for! I'm going Into my junior year, and I need to know my chances! I'm very anxious and scared. </p>
<p>Even if you had made perfect grades freshman year, and continued having a 4.0 UW GPA, your chances at Harvard would be slight, as they are for everyone. With an acceptance rate of under 7%, statistically your chances, and that of others, are very low. So don’t obsess about Harvard, just focus on your day to day assignments and ECs. When you have your SAT/ACT and SATIIs out of the way, and an end of junior year GPA, THEN you can look and see whether you are a viable candidate for the top schools. For now, have a productive summer, grow your intellectual interests, and know there are plenty of great schools which will prepare you for a successful future. </p>
<p>Have you thought of other schools that pretty much don’t care about your freshman year? If you like Harvard this much, I suggest you look at Stanford & Princeton: schools that are more forgiving in terms of freshman year. If you want Harvard, absolutely no more slacking off & at least a 2250 on your SATs. Plus three SAT II’s that relate to your indicated major. What are your ECs like, btw?</p>
<p>True story: About five years ago, we were on a tour of Yale when our guide took us to the Women’s Table, a sculpture designed by Maya Lin. The guide talked about how Ms. Lin had designed the Vietnam Memorial as a Yale student and received a B- for her grade on the project. Someone in the crowd gasped with the aside “Gee, what happens when someone gets a C?” The guide didn’t miss a beat and said “Well, then you get to become the next President of the United States like George Bush, who was a C student in high school and at Yale!" The guide then went on to say that "Yale Admissions always tries to admit one C student — the best student Admissions can find — as you never know who will become the next President!” </p>
<p>I’m not sure if Yale Admissions actually does that, or whether the guide was just joking. But, I don’t think Harvard follows the same logic, as 54% of recent admits had a 4.0 GPA in high school regardless of their ACT/SAT score.</p>
<p>There are lots of wonderful colleges out there besides HYPSM. As you make you way through your junior year, you may want to consider all your other options. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>Really? Three Sat IIs? Are you sure about that?</p>
<p>I did some reading about harvard. I absolutely want to go to Harvard by the way. My extra curriculars are amazing. Don’t worry about that. Although I would like to know has there been any one with worst grades than the average that harvard admits</p>
<p>No, it’s not impossible. Just make sure that you have a drastic increase in grades. </p>
<p>@Polyglotgal is absolutely incorrect about needing to submit 3 SAT II test scores.</p>
<p>@T26E4 Woops, my bad. I meant 2!!</p>
<p>@polyglotgal whoops, you mean zero, harvard doesn’t require subject tests anymore</p>
<p>@VigorousStrategy Well that sounds good. It definitely isn’t impossible from here on out, unless you were someone who messed up for 3 years rather than one. If you show an upward trend, then that will most definitely be appreciated by them and any college. All you can do is continue to make yourself shine with those great extracurriculars, don’t let AP mean “Advanced Procrastinator” on your app, do your best on you SATs or ACTs, and murder that essay. You should do this, as you would with any app for any school. If you push yourself and do not let procrastination get in your way, then I am sure many other schools will accept you ( you seem determined), whether they are Harvard or not. Just be aware that someone with a perfect GPA is not always guaranteed admission. So that goes to show you that certain stats do not guarantee anything, even rejection with a 3.67 is not guaranteed.A young man in my school was rejected even though he had a 5.0 GPA and “perfect” stats. I’m sure if your ECs are amazing, you’ll probably be a standout applicant! Just don’t focus on being the best applicant for Harvard. Just focus on being the best you from here on out and the accolades and acceptances will follow. I’d just recommend staying off of CC (particularly those chance threads;there is a wealth of other useful info here) until the end of junior year when you can really sit down and evaluate everything (I am quite the hypocrite). Good luck with everything!</p>
<p>thank you my good man, you have helped tons! @polyglotg</p>
<p>thank you my good man, you have helped tons! @polyglotgal</p>
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<p>This is the most telling line of your post. These are not emotions that should be driving your high school years or your eventual college search. Nor do they get you far in life. Someone put in your head that only an elite college will do for you, an idea that will distort every aspect of your life if you let it take hold. H is a fine school where certain students end up, almost never does the student who tries or plans to get into H end up there. Focusing on your interests and talents now, and trying your best in all of your classes is the best recipe for now. Best wishes!</p>
<p>“has there been any one with worst grades than the average that harvard admits”</p>
<p>Well, sure. Half of the admitted students have GPAs below the average for the group.</p>
<p>Well, not really Hanna. You’re confusing average with median. (Think of 4 students, 3 with a GPA of 100, one with a GPA of 60–the average is 90, but only one student is below the average.) You are absolutely correct, however that at least one person has to be below average in a given group, and in the case of Harvard admits, many will be. </p>
<p>What do you mean when you say you had no idea what Harvard was and then found out about the school? And why did the realization that Harvard exists, motivate you to work harder? That is not a good reason to work hard. Much better to work hard to gain skills and learn, and then end up at a school that is a good fit. Admission to Harvard is a false motivator.</p>
<p>Fixation on Harvard is common and I hope you don’t do it. Please find out about options for college beyond Harvard. Talk to your guidance counselor. Read books on colleges (I suggest Loren Pope’s “Colleges that Change Lives” and “Looking Beyond the Ivies.”)</p>
<p>We don’t know much about your financial situation. Many students are attending community college for two years to save money. Then again, there are private colleges that give better financial aid than expected. Make sure your dreams are feasible financially.</p>
<p>In the meantime, enjoy high school, pursue your interests and activities, make friends and grow and wait a year or two to think about college. Living for the future isn’t always healthy :)</p>
<p>“I did some reading about harvard. I absolutely want to go to Harvard by the way.”</p>
<p>So do all the other applicants to Harvard. They absolutely want to go there, too. Your desire isn’t special. </p>
<p>I’m given information that doesn’t seem to answer my question. I actually have the answer to getting in. Maybe not guaranteed, but very high! Also, my desire may be not special, but my will to go there is stronger than ever. Harvard did not motivate me personally, but it has given me that extra boost of confidence in terms of being the smarty pants in my class. I ask for an answer and receive feedback that doesn’t give me an idea of any of what you people have told me. Surely I want to go Harvard. Telling me to go to another school only gives me another reason to simply switch from school to school. That’s not who I am. Of course I would consider safety schools, but my goal and focus is Harvard University. I have plans and ways to get there, and if any doubt that’s fine by me. Just tell me what are my chances. That’s it.@pizzagirl @compmom</p>
<p>@VigorousStrategy Realistically, no matter how strong your desire to attend Harvard, odds are small that you will be accepted.</p>
<p>You’ve been given some great advice by some very experienced posters here - listen to them. Ignore their advice at your peril - if you make college application decisions based on false expectations, you may find yourself with a string of rejections and no good options.</p>
<p>As Gibby said, there are a lot of wonderful colleges out there. Do some research and start making a list of schools that interest you. You’ve got plenty of time.</p>