Hello, I am in high school and am 17 years old; I am in 12th grade actually, and I will be graduating in June 2023. I have applied for RD at Harvard and would like to grasp my chances. I also applied to 19+ universities that meet 100% need or could cover 100% of my expenses, since I am below the US poverty line; if you could suggest other universities, anywhere in the world, that can do those things, please do. I can hardly pay for a Colombian university, so I am pretty desperate.
Intended Major: Anthropology or Linguistics.
Demographics: 17 years old, Male, LGBTQ+, Colombian (Latinx), Buddhist, (I know it’s strange.)
Stats: US and Colombian high school degree (school has double certification), 4/4 unweighted GPA, 4.27 weighted GPA, did not submit SAT, 150 Duolingo, AP World History, AP Seminar, AP Research, Honors Math 9th grade, Honors Algebra II, Honors Chemistry, (my school doesn’t offer much else, and I can’t pay for even 1 AP some years, but I mentioned this in the additional info.)
Extracurriculars (these are all confirmed by my letters of recommendation since I am international):
Lecturer for an international institution (AMP) - Gave three years of seminars (9,10,11) to an audience of experts (Phds) on Lacanian psychoanalysis. There was a collaboration with the JEP (an ONU-certified organ of my government that does transitional justice) and a particularly famous philosopher which I noted.
Writer and Researcher (again, for the AMP) - I wrote for two research groups and published a peer-reviewed original essay for the second one. (I defended it in a congress, and an owner of a publishing journal (general secretary of the AMP), publicly commented on it. My mentor wrote me a letter of recommendation since I have been working with them for four years straight.
Therapist for a psychiatric clinic - I treated a lot of patients, as a therapist under professional supervision, from a local psychiatric clinic for free. My work there was certified. This was one summer.
Member and lecturer for an official student gathering at the Technological University of Bolivar - I organized reading material for weekly meetings and gave classes on Lacanian psychoanalysis. This was for students and graduates in psychology. It was in the 9th and 10th grades.
I have an active blog where my work group’s activities are documented. In the app, I included the name.
Over the span of three years, I wrote and recorded three podcasts on anthropology, clinical psychology, and psychoanalysis for educational purposes: it was advanced material. I worked with PhDs to make them, and they talk about their research there.
At the Bolivar University of Fine Arts, I took non-certified advanced courses in classical guitar and helped a teacher give beginner courses.
Also, I founded my school’s first philosophy club with another Ph.D. We would attend congresses to present original written works; I taught classes.
I too founded my school’s first chess club. There, I taught beginners and organized tournaments.
Finally, I played for and co-founded my school’s first official band. We’d represent our school in sporting events and participate in ceremonies year-round (for four years).
(Bonus: my counselor mentioned I have written a novel (60,000 words ish) that I am trying to publish. Because of that, I am a decent author, so my essays were very good. Though it is only my value judgment.)
LOR: Counselor 10/10, Teacher 1 10/10, Teacher 2 8/10, Mentor 10/10
My awards are negligible: Directors honor roll x3, Honor roll, Best student in English, Social Studies, and Spanish class. These are awards my school gives out yearly.
In total, I applied to Duke, Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Northwestern, Washington and Lee, Upenn, Amherst, Swarthmore, Williams, Pomona, Colby, Bowdoin, Vassar, Vanderbilt, Princeton, Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth, Indiana University Wells Scholars Program (note that I need 100% need in all of these.)