Chance Me: Harvard 2024 RD (most likely deferred SCEA)

I never got an interview, so I’m an auto defer. I am already done my other college applications, but I want to gauge where I stand for RD, as a deferred applicant.

Grade: Gap Year (Has been explained thoroughly and provided a clear narrative for the reason for and the personal growth experienced)
RACE/ETHNICITY: Hispanic (Male)- (first generation American)- (not first generation college)
Other: Income: >500k
Major: Economics

GPA: 95/100 ( 17 As, 2 A-, 1 B+, There where NO A+s at my school) (went to a boarding school, so academic rigor was higher than for most other schools)
My 10th grade GPA brought the overall down, because I was suffering from a serious medical condition which required hospitalizations and many day missed from school. I clearly specified this in the application.
STANDARDIZED TESTING:
ACT: 33
SAT II: Math 2 - 800, Spanish: 790
AP Classes: 7 (Maximum I could take due to school class requirements, also had a spine surgery so missed all AP test this year)
I had the maximum course rigor allowed by the school’s prerequisites. 7-8 is the most APs anybody at the school takes
AP Lang: 5
AP Statistics: 3
APUSH: 4
APES: 4

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:
Counselor: I have no idea about this one.
Stats Teacher: 8/10 AP Lit Teacher: 8/10
Panamanian Politician that I worked with to setup business advising group (would be equivalent to a Senator): 9/10- “GLOWING”- “best ever”
Hospital Volunteering Mentor: 8/10- almost “glowing”
Essays: Personal Statement: 6.5-7/10 (I had multiple people look at it and the consensus answer is about a 7)

EXTRACURRICULARS: (not sure if they are good or average or really good. I honestly don’t know.)

  • I played for the top ranked hockey prep school in the nation. I was selected to be on my District team (4 states) 3 times and was elected for my league all start team twice. I was also the captain of the team 11th and 12th grade. (9-12, 36 weeks, 45 hours) NOT RECRUITED NOR WILL I BE
  • I currently play in a junior hockey league who competes in a high caliber league. I currently play with players ranging from the the ages of 18-21. I am one of the youngest in the league. (Gap, 42 weeks, 50 hours)
  • I manage a stock portfolio worth about $8,000. I have had positive returns for about 2 years. (10-Gap, 52 weeks, 12 hours)
  • Founded a business/ economics consulting class for entrepreneurial hopefuls in a poor area of Panama. In the extra info part I said how on family trips I noticed disparity in opportunity for people with lack of education, so I decided to use my queried knowledge to teach entrepreneurial hopefuls. I used a combination of previous class notes, power-points, youtube videos, etc. to teach about 10 students the basics of maintaining a successful small business. The senator I worked with wrote me a glowing LOR about how I am the “best” person she has ever worked with. I currently have plans to expand next summer. (10- GAP, 6 weeks (during break), 8 hours)
  • I was the lead volunteer at a understaffed hospital in Panama. I personally helped create a lecture series/ program to teach rural citizens the basics of HIV prevention and early cancer detection. Managed the implementation, promotion, and even helped teach some of the classes myself. I also lead a group of volunteers in task such as patient comfort, physician assistance, and everyday hospital operations. My mentor for this also wrote me an excellent LOR, almost “glowing” (10-Gap, 6 weeks, 35 hours)
  • After 11th grade, my Stats teacher personally recommended me to be the school Statistics advisor. We had a bio-medical program at our school the would conduct research project, and I would go in weekly to assist in the statistical analysis. (12, 36 weeks, 5 hours)
  • Since 9th grade, I have been taking online non-credit economics, business, and finance courses. At my school, dual enrollment was not an option, so I went on Coursera.com and Harvard Extension School to self teach in my interest/ intended area of study. I have taken about 15 courses throughout HS. (9-Gap, 20 weeks, 8 hours)
  • I have participated in nationwide summer hockey tournaments. At theses, the best talent from around the country would come and compete infant of college coaches. I have been selected for all-start teams of these tournament on multiple occasion. I got interest from D1 coaches, but due to the spine surgery I had, these talks never really materialized. (9-Gap, 6 weeks (other half of break), 15 hours)
  • I volunteered as my dorm Spanish Tutor. This was not an official school position or paid, but many of my friends where taking Spanish so I would assist in homework and aid in exam prep. (11-12, 36 weeks, 4 hours)
  • I volunteer as a hockey coach for toddlers who are learning to play hockey. My coach this year, host a program for learning to play hockey, and every three weeks (every class), I come in and assists in running drills and correcting technique. (Gap, 15 weeks, 2 hours)

I clearly specified in the application that most of my time was consumed by hockey which runs year round. I only had off for about 6 weeks in the summer, which I used to go to Panama.
Awards:

  • Numerous hockey related all star selections and awards. (State teams and league all star selections)
  • AP Scholar with Honor/ AP Scholar.
  • High Honors for all HS semesters

Are you an international applicant or a domestic? Cuz a lot of your achievements seem to be in Panama.

I’m in no position to judge but you application seems pretty competitive so you maybe have a chance. Some people told me that almost everyone who applies domestic gets an interview, so maybe you’ll get one soon.
When you went to Panama over the summer wa sit part of a project, a summer program or just for vacation (with maybe a little bit of work thrown in) ?

Because if it was mainly for vacation not as part of a program, don’t mention that you ONLY had 6 weeks of summer holidays.

It doesn’t add much meaning and I don’t mean to offend you but at least to me it seems a little privileged when compared to other students. In India we have 6 weeks of summer holidays in total, many students like me attended programs spanning the entire holidays. In fact I missed the last week of school and the first day of the next year to attend a research program, I didn’t have a single day of holidays in between

But overall you have a really competitive application (I think, I honestly have no real idea about what an AO may think). Good luck and hopefully you get in :slight_smile:

@KMed9102 I’m domestic. So basically with my competitive hockey schedule I only have about 6 weeks of summer free which my parents use to go to Panama to visit family. Usually I would just go and sit around and really do nothing but I decided to reach out and contact the local politician to set up the program. It wasn’t part of anything it was just my own imitative. I also did the same with the hospital volunteering job. Most of my stuff is in Panama because during the year, all I have time for is hockey so I use half the summer to do my other ECs.