Chance Me -- Upcoming Junior

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I know. It's too early, but as an upcoming junior and after reading some of the posts, I am slightly discouraged. However, I've been passionate about Harvard ever since I was a little kid, and completely honest, Harvard is the only school I truly want to attend. However, could you please offer suggestion as to how I can improve my chances? Thank you!</p>

<p>Grades:
We had a really weird scale. Core classes (only 4) are weighted on 7 scale. Everything else is 6 max. I currently have the highest GPA (straights A's--overall average of all courses historically=approx 98), but so does 20 other people in my class. I am pretty confident that out of a class of 500+, I'm probably ranked 1, if not, at least top 1%. I attend a public school that is very, very competitive, and our school's ranked in top 150 by US News. </p>

<p>Extracurriculars: </p>

<p>Debate:
Extemp/IE Captain (10)
LD Captain (11, probably 12 as well)
Probably President or VP 12</p>

<p>Academy of Finance/BPA:
BPA: 10, 11, 12
Academy of Finance: 11, 12
Probably an officer position
I'm taking about 4 semester courses for AOF (accounting, int. business, financial management etc.) </p>

<p>School Freshmen Mentoring Program (11, 12) </p>

<p>Mu Alpha Theta (11, 12) </p>

<p>Piano (since 4 years old, but I no longer do competitions, etc.) </p>

<p>Awards:
Our school allows each teacher to give approximately three awards (such as Biology, Math, English etc.), and I've received about 4 every year. I'm not sure if colleges care about this, and I don't even know if I should include this on my resume.
AMC 10 School Winner (9)
AMC 10, Score 117 (10) but no AIME or School Winner </p>

<p>Volunteering
Local Hospital
School Sponsored Volunteering (leadership position sophomore year) </p>

<p>Summer Activities:
Virtually none </p>

<p>Jobs:
None</p>

<p>SATs:
I haven't taken them yet.
Predicted:
SAT 1: approx. 2400
SAT 2:USH, Math II, Physics -- 800</p>

<p>I'm really worried that colleges will defer me because I'm not involved in any sports. However, it's too late to join, and I'm not an athletic person. </p>

<p>Could you please give me an approximate percentage chance at being admitted? i.e. 10%? 30%? </p>

<p>Also, what can I do to improve my chances? What are some target areas am I lacking in and could improve in? Thank you so much.</p>

2

<p>your approximating a 2400 on the sat and 800’s on 3 sat 2’s… you might want to rethink applying to harvard because your obviously too smart for it</p>

3

<p>pnthrs11, I understand you may disagree with my estimation of my SAT scores, but realistically, based on SAT practice tests, etc., I think my estimations are viable. Could you give an honest opinion, and I apologize if I came off as cocky. It certainly wasn’t my intention.</p>

4

<p>You have an 8% chance, just like everybody else.</p>

<p>Please don’t convince yourself that there is only Harvard. </p>

<p>I did and I was heartbroken when I didn’t get in.</p>

<p>I’m at Davidson College in North Carolina, instead, and I truly love it. I am literally glad I did not go to Harvard.<br>
One will never hear the expression “gentleman’s B” at Davidson.
One will never see a TA at Davidson.
One will never do his own laundry at Davidson.
One will never be buried in snow at Davidson.
And most importantly:
One will never NOT be having fun at Davidson.</p>

<p>The more I think about it…I see my rejection as a blessing in disguise. Davidson is consistently recognized as the hardest, or one of the hardest, schools in the world. But no one is ever stressed out. People are there to LEARN, not to get a name-brand degree. People at Davidson are not constantly competing with each other. We compete with ourselves. People live life to the fullest…studying hard, sleeping hard, and partying hard. And friends are made for life. And I’m going to repeat: they do your laundry for you!!! They wash your clothes, then iron them, then fold them, then wrap them neatly in brown paper and stamp the package with a Davidson seal.</p>

<p>It doesn’t get any better!</p>

<p>I haven’t written all this to advertise for Davidson (well, okay, maybe it’s a little plug). I’m really trying to say that Harvard isn’t everything! If I could go back in time, the only thing I would have done differently would have been to apply Early Decision!</p>

<p>Just please, please, please look at other schools, too, and open your mind to other possibilities. Try your best and definitely apply to Harvard…but if it doesn’t work out, get excited about your second choice, because it’s way better, anyway!</p>

5

<p>Be yourself and do what you are interested in. Don’t add things to your life just to appeal to Harvard.</p>

<p>I second the post about finding alternatives, regardless of whether or not you will get in to Harvard. Generally speaking, people who get so fixed on Harvard do not know a whole lot about other colleges. Buy some books like “Beyond the Ivies,” “Cool Colleges,” (might be “Kool”, can’t remember), “College that Change Lives” and so on.</p>

<p>I would honestly say that one problem with Harvard is that many students there are there because it is Harvard, for the prestige and name, and this really does affect the culture there.</p>

6

<p>I second (or third) the things that other people have said. Don’t have your sights set just on Harvard. When you notice under my name that I’m going there next year, you can accuse me of having an easy time saying that. But honestly I only applied to colleges that I would be perfectly happy attending (except perhaps a safety or two) and I wouldn’t have been crushed if I didn’t get in.</p>

<p>With that said, your chances are as good as any. I mean, you are obviously qualified but you don’t exactly have anything that will lead us to say “oh wow, you’re obviously getting in.” (I don’t think anyone does, really). </p>

<p>Make sure you spend a lot of time on your essays and start thinking about which teachers you would like to write recommendations for you. Pick ones that don’t have to rely on a laundry list of ECs but those that know you in and outside of the classroom and can talk about your character as much or more than your tangible achievements.</p>

7

<p>Thank you for the helpful advice. I understand I don’t have anything that “shines,” and I understand it’s arrogant and foolish for me to wish so. However, is there any area that I am particularly lacking in and could improve in? Thank you once again.</p>