Chance a hyperventilating senior? RD applicant.

<p>Please bear with me on the length of this post; I greatly appreciate anyone who will take the time to help me out and give me some advice. I have dreamed of attending Harvard ever since I was in the 3rd grade. I know my SATs are on the low side of the applicant pool, but are my ECs or other parts of application strong enough to get in?</p>

<p>Demographics:
Female Caucasian from PA</p>

<p>Have lived in several places including Hawaii, PA, FL, OR, and England.</p>

<p>Moved schools 3 times (experience in public, private, and cyber education both in the US and internationally) </p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>SAT: 2080 (730 CR, 640 M, 710 W) (taken once)
SAT Subjects: 780 US HIST, 600 Lit
GPA: 3.9 (unweighted, my school doesn't do weighted)</p>

<p>I also take college courses at my community college as an early admissioin HS student. I'll have 24 credits by my senior year in HS. My school did not offer AP which is why I was accepted into this program, but they just recently added AP Calc BC and Spanish which I am now taking and have an A in.</p>

<p>My college GPA is a 4.0</p>

<p>My mid-year grades will be a GPA of 4.0 here is my first semester schedule and grades</p>

<p>College Politics - A
College art elective - A
AP Calc BC Part 1 - A
AP Spanish Part 1 - A
Physics - A</p>

<p>ECS:</p>

<p>Journalism/Media:</p>

<p>Wrote for my local community newspaper, the Gettysburg Times - Youngest Columnist ever, also did monthly blogging</p>

<p>Intern for another paper called Evening Sun Newspaper that has a circulation of 20,000 and is an award winning newspaper in the community, as a newsreporter and video editor, also their youngest reporter (first person to do videography for their website ever and the first 5 videos on their site were all mine) -- got my editor to write me a really great rec!</p>

<p>Began my own nationally recognized business at age 16 (still running, its a multimedia, family history dvd business, has turned profit, and been recognized by local media) As a part of this business, I have interviewed many WWII vets, some Holocaust survivors, and other very interesting individuals. I have donated some of these to the local historical society to preserve our town's history. I also won the Girls Going Places National Award in recognition of this accomplishment. The profit from my business allowed me to become the youngest ongoing financial contributor to NOYS the National Organization for Youth Safety (something I am passionate about) -- a local business owner for a senior care center that helped spread around my brochure wrote me a shining recommendation as well.</p>

<p>Presented to many businesses in support of my own business, including the Veterans Affairs department in Washington DC, United Way, and College Business Seminar. I was recently asked to present to the Young at Heart group at a local church.</p>

<p>Washington Journalism and Media Conference (includes meeting with local congressional rep, maintaining a blog, and learning about the field of journalism)</p>

<p>I began my own blog that had 2,000 hits within first few posts. Was such a success that my newspaper editor decided to add it as an addition to our websites blog, and I now make money off of my posts.</p>

<p>Political:</p>

<p>Founded community chapter for teen politics and am personally active in local politics</p>

<p>Other:</p>

<p>President of the National Honor Society (we are a very active group with many service projects and activities). As President, I organized a book drive that collected well over 1,500 books, and have given speeches for new inductees at the induction ceremonies.
Volunteer service:</p>

<p>Volunteer:</p>

<p>Penn - Pal to prison inmate program
Volunteer service at United Way and YWCA
Began community/school supply drive titled Students Helping Students, collected and distributed 100 full supply kits to associated charities</p>

<p>Other:
Did Speech and Debate and Varsity Cheerleading at my old school (but couldn't continue with it when I had to move schools :( ..). I was nominated and attended as a delegate of my school's cheer team to the London New Year's parade. </p>

<p>Awards/Other Achievements:</p>

<p>Student of the Month at high school
Student Presenter/Guest Speaker at community college
Principal's award at HS
Dean's List at College
First in 2 of my college classes
Student of the Month by Evening Sun
Phi Theta Kappa Nominee</p>

<p>Essays: All really great (I hope), and my common app essay is very unique (according to my GC, teachers, parents, editor, and a friend who read it). </p>

<p>Interview: Went well (I think). My interviewer said she saw me as a unique applicant because of my schooling experience and living all over the place. She also wanted to read some of my Evening Sun articles and said I had really beautiful writing. She had lived in England too and was interested in hearing about my experience working as a baker at age 12 in a suburban London hotel restaurant and bistro. -- Hopefully all good signs!</p>

<p>I plan on studying political science/government, and participate heavily in journalism and political related activities in college. I would love to either go directly into politics or report on them.</p>

<p>I also may be getting a congressional internship with my US Rep (which is normally only for college students but I have met him a lot of times and he told me to apply anyway since I do have some college credits) but won't find out until Jan. If I do, my guidance counselor is going to put that in her notes with my mid-year report. Would that help my app at all?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>As sad as it may be, I think your SAT scores, especially your Math and Literature, may hold you back from being admitted despite your perseverance in every other section of your application. That being said, I’m probably not the best person to trust as far as applicant opinions go…</p>

<p>Thanks. I kind of already knew that but for some reason I am still clinging on to hope. I was hoping maybe because they have a holistic approach that the other parts of my app may make up for my score. Oh well. Hopefully April will come sooner rather than later.</p>

<p>Honestly, if you review the common data set, you’ll see that holistic does not mean they forgive low scores. At least half the class has a 790 or more in each SAT section. When you consider half the class is hooked, there are few to no unhooked kids getting in with your scores.</p>

<p>Woah, hold up, what? As far as I interpret the common data set, 25% have 790-800 in each section, not 50%. Your CR/W SAT sections are pretty good, and if you’re capable of getting an A in BC Calc you’re capable of getting that math section up at least to a 700. Once your test scores are past 2100, I think they say marginal gains don’t make that much of a difference. (As far as I’ve seen, it’s more like 2200+ doesn’t make much of a difference, but 2100 is still respectable.) I don’t think Harvard’s ever looked at an excellent candidate and gone “oh, well, if her SAT score had been 50 points higher we would accept her, but as it is, reject.” It would help if your SAT were higher, but that won’t be the one factor that kills you.</p>

<p>Thanks so much! The thing is, it’s the geometry in the SAT that I’m not that great at. I have no problem at all with all the algebra and concept questions (I mean calc is basically all algebra with little geometry - at least so far). I took geometry in 9th grade because I tested out of algebra, and I forgot a lot of it so I was really sad when my SAT turned out to be basically 3/4 geometry questions. I’m really considering retaking because I can’t part with the idea of getting into Harvard, but I just don’t know if I’d have enough time to really study the geometry since I have my business/job/getting good grades to keep up with (getting the A in calc is NOT easy lol). Ahhh this is basically just a rant but I appreciate your response.</p>