<p>I'm not sure if I will even apply yet, but I would appreciate any feedback. </p>
<p>-Native American male from Oklahoma at a top 300 school. I dont know how. School never sends kids to top schools...one to Duke this year but that was a miracle. </p>
<p>-2100 SAT, 32 ACT</p>
<p>-3.7cum GPA(3.5frosh year), about 3.8 from then on. Rank is iffyrobably top 4-8% if not higher</p>
<p>-AP Scores: All 4's and 5's, but no AP Calc or AP Physics. Hardest was probably AP Chem </p>
<p>-Only 2 years of a foreign language(terrible counselor advice), and math through Pre-Calc(not an option) </p>
<p>-ECs: I have three passions
1. Tennis-I am a nationally ranked tennis player at a top 10 junior club in the US. This takes up a ton of time, and I play on varsity as well-I have been the only player from our team to make it to state..ha we are terrible, but state is actually a big feat here
2.Volunteering-I have volunteered at nursing homes, the art museum, and with cystic fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is something I can relate to from a personal experience(I dont have it..) so it may be an essay topic. I have tons of hours from this.
3. I created my own small business. I buy art when I travel and online, and I have my own website and EBAY page that I sell art and make a good profit. I have made several thousand dollars since sophomore year. It's not virtually unknown either-Advertisements are in the urban magazines and the newspaper.
I am also VERY involved with the school student council, class boards, etc..Im one of the people who make things happen!</p>
<p>I know Harvard is a huge toss up but I am just wondering if anyone has any feedback. I doubt I even apply</p>
<p>yea. you should most definitely apply. but, don't take these posts as definitive help. use the viewbook, ask the Harvard counselor for your area, and talk to kids who go to Harvard. </p>
<p>you should be a recruited minority and athlete (make sure your coach sends your tapes/stats to the Harvard coach). writing a well thought out essay, getting amazing recs, using your strengths (ingenuity in your business, passion for your volunteering, and leadership for student council) all in the essay or supplementary essays are good. use the viewbook to see how your test scores match up (studying and scoring better is always a boost). remember to do an interview if any way possible.
and, above all else, be optimistic and apply (I'm going to harvard, but when I was applying I was sure I wouldn't get in)- and btw, don't just zero in on Harvard, theres also a lot of other amazing options.</p>
<p>Thank you for your answer ftc. I will take all of those things into account, and I am definitely not focused solely on Harvard. I am not even sure if I will apply..I hate having the feeling "I need to apply to Harvard, just because it's Harvard"</p>
<p>As you consider expanding your options, have you considered applying, too, to Cornell and Dartmouth, both of which also have active Native American organizations (as does Harvard), and also have a good track record for accepting Native Americans? I think that Dartmouth actually originally was founded to educate Native Americans. </p>
<p>Do take the time to check out the websites of H, C and D's Native American organizations.</p>
<p>I will look into the Native American organizations. Living in Oklahoma, there has been plenty of opportunity to work in Native American organizations and other things, and I would love to continue it at college.</p>
<p>Being an Native American as well as a nationally ranked tennis player gives you a HUGE advantage. (Are you being recruited for tennis?) You have a great shot. Apply! :)</p>
<p>in a study of all extracurricular activities, playing intercollegiate sports had the only correlation to poor grades (it's in a book by Richard Light- a professor at Harvard). so playing in college is a huge decision- that can make a profound difference in your college experience- but getting recruited for it can make up for that.
and try very hard to find a university with a counselor who honestly talks to you about your native american background.
since i was a legacy to a school i wondered how it could help, and i read that "it could raise the living, but not heal the dead." that helped clarify what type of boost i would get in admissions.
as for being native american, don't listen to posters- go right to college administrators or native american advocates to find out where and what way it can help you the most.</p>