Chance for my dream school(international applicant)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hi, I am a 19 year-old hispanic student who graduated high school a couple of years ago, and since I can't afford college in my country I thought that applying to a school in the USA was a good idea.</p>

<p>I've taken the SAT's already and these are my scores:
SAT Reasoning Test: 2230
CR: 760
M: 740
W:730</p>

<p>Bio: 770
Chemistry:780
Spanish:800</p>

<p>This is the rest of my info:
- Rank 1/40
- Founder of the science club
- President of the school
- National Youth Science Camp peruvian delegate 2009
- Captain of the soccer team
- Regional Youth Councelor Avanzada Catolica (Catholic group).
- Medical assistant for 30 months.
- First generation high school graduate and college student(hopefully).
- A lot of community service including 5 trips to poorest areas of my country bringing food, clothes and medical care (each trip 2-5 weeks long)
-18/20 GPA.
-Half orphan(is that the term??)
AP's and Honor Classes not available.
Work experience:
- Construction worker for 2 years
- Peer tutor since I was 12(this was actually a job because i got paid to do it, i think some people in the US do it for free, not the case)
- Basic science and math private tutor for 2 years
- Family annual income: < $6000</p>

<p>I am planning to major in Biochemistry and i will apply for financial aid, I would really appreciate if someone could chance me for Harvard, is my dream school but should I even apply? Am I being unrealistic? Any honest opinion will be welcome. Thanks in advance :).</p>

2

<p>“Am I being unrealistic?”</p>

<p>Maybe, because:
(1) Harvard is a dream school for every student who applies.
(2) So much of the applications process depends on subjective factors, such as your teacher recommendations, and how they stack-up to all other international students who you will be competing against.
(3) As you have been out of school for several years now, your high school teachers are going to have to write you recommendation letters. How they will remember you as a student from two years ago? Their letters will need to look like those on MIT’s website: [Writing</a> Recommendations | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs]Writing”>How to write good letters of recommendation | MIT Admissions).
(4) You are going to have to write killer essays about what you have learned in the two years you’ve been out of school.</p>

<p>All of those factors, while not insurmountable, make chancing you impossible. You just need to apply and hope for the best. Best of luck to you.</p>