Chances for HYPS?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p><em>note: most of this stuff is predicted, but the main thing I need to know is if my ECs are/will be good enough.</em>
Profile: Canadian Caucasian female
GPA: 4.0 (UW)
Course load: Solid, at least 6 APs
SAT: Don't know yet, but lets <em>hypothetically</em> assume I get 2200 +
ECs:
-Safe injection site: Volunteering to help administer drugs in a safe way to addicts (essay topic!)
-Bassoon playing: Four groups (2 orchestras, one regional marching band, and one jazz combo), will potentially get to play at Carnegie Hall in an ensemble--this will be my arts supplement and a potential essay topic
-Women's rape centre: Administration volunteering
-Blood clinic: Basic volunteering
-Field hockey: Regionally acclaimed team, goalie
-Lab work: Most notably a cystic fibrosis lab and a potential trip to Capetown to work in a hospital
-Hospital job: This one's a definite maybe
-Internship: program at a local university
-Poetry: Won several national contests
-Debate: Provincial awards
-Science fair: Regional awards
The rest aren't really worth mentioning. I have won several school-wide awards but they're not likely to be impressive when kids are winning Intel, etc. </p>

<p>Thanks for helping out! Let me know how I can improve on my ECs and if I have a chance at some Ivies. Also does anyone know if being Canadian will hurt my chance too much?</p>

<p>Sorry for the repost, for this thread I want to know specifically if I could get into HYPS not Ivies in general. I would really appreciate if you could tell me what my reaches and matches are.</p>

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<p>All chance threads are conjecture, but without an SAT/ACT score, 2 SAT II Subject Tests, scores on your 6 AP tests, it’s pointless to ask at this point.</p>

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<p>To more specifically answer your question: “Are my EC’s good enough?”</p>

<p>The only person who can say for sure is an Admissions Director who will be looking at your EC’s and trying to see if you “fit” into the mosaic of a class they are building. So long as you are passionate about what you do, there is no such thing as a “bad EC” or an EC that is “not good enough.” See: [Guidance</a> Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Part 3 - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/harvarddean-part3/]Guidance”>Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 3 - The New York Times)</p>

<p>"The term “extracurricular activities” covers an enormous amount of ground. We are interested in whatever a student does: in addition to school extracurricular activities and athletics, students can tell us of significant community, employment, or family commitments. There are many who spend a great deal of time helping to run their household, preparing meals and caring for siblings or making money with a part-time job to help the household meet expenses.
Unfortunately many schools have had to curtail or eliminate extracurricular activities and athletics, or they charge fees for participation. In addition, many students cannot afford expensive musical instruments or athletic equipment — or have families without the resources to pay for lessons, summer programs and the transportation networks necessary to support such activities.</p>

<p>Admissions Committees keep these factors in mind as they review applications, and are concerned most of all to know how well students used the resources available to them. Extracurricular activities need not be exotic — most are not — and substance is far more important. A student who has made the most of opportunities day-to-day during secondary school is much more likely to do so during college and beyond. This applies to academic life as well as extracurricular activities."</p>

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<p>Thank you! I understand a bit better now :)</p>