Chances of Harvard and How to Improve It?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
21

<p>Its kind of a parent rule, don’t ask cause I don’t even understand it. My parents don’t like the idea of me living in a dorm and to be honest I don’t think that Brown is a place for me. Yale is a good option that I’ve thought of but if I set higher standards, in more likely to do better. I don’t think that tufts or northeastern are places I want to attend, I don’t feel right if i went there. MIT I also a good option which is also a place I’ve thought of applying to but I haven’t heard much of their athletic programs. Idk</p>

<p>For now, I’m shooting high and ill see what colleges my parents think are good. I’m too young to be making final decisions, I just want to find the right EC and course selections that will help me get in any place I want to attend. Since Harvard has been my biggest dream, I’m aiming there, even if I don’t get accepted.</p>

<p>And of course the fact that everyone doubts I could get into Harvard makes me want to get in even more</p>

22

<p>If anyone has any advice, please tell. Any ideas too.</p>

<p>And all in all, if I keep up perfect grades and I do help research at a hospital, shadow a doctor, play my 3 sports each year, and am part of the clubs I enjoy, what are my chances at Harvard?</p>

23

<p>I just NEED to know how to get into Harvard.</p>

<p>No, not really and not based on experiences through 8th grade. You do need to look around for other great schools, because there is NO formula for getting into Harvard. Yes, one needs to be a top performer- but it’s holistic. And based on the U’s needs, not how much anyone dreams of H. 35000 apps for 2000 slots. </p>

<p>Even if you are among the best of the best, H tells us they get to final decisions with 3x the number of great kids as seats available. Geo diversity may work for you or against you. Someone else could have done one extra tip. Or, frankly, one less- and come across more rounded and flexible. You could be the umpteenth with your background, achievements and goals. It goes on.</p>

<p>Your best bet is to set yourself a high bar that includes enjoying hs, experimenting with your interests. Try to make a difference around you, not just participate. Take on responsibilities that reflect leadership skills, not just sound-good titles. Focus on growing as an individual. See how 9th goes and fine tune, a year from now.</p>

<p>This is an old, quirky post we sometimes link. See if you get what she is saying: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/835055-calculate-your-chances-admission-harvard.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/835055-calculate-your-chances-admission-harvard.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

24

<p>@lookingforward
What kind of things stand out in an application? Things that make someone different and more wanted. Also, are my course selections rigorous?</p>

25

<p>Many like this book very much: Cal Newport’s “How to be a High School Superstar.”</p>

<p>Take some time to explore more about H and the other tippy tops. Pore over their web sites, see what kinds of kids they tout, what sorts of programs they support, what words they use to describe the schools’ goals. Dig into departments, activities, programs. Use this time to get that sense. Do the same via google, for other sources of info from the college, about the college, what they announce, who’s doing what (not the outside admissions data web sites.) See through the marketing glitz, down to what makes the school tick, what sorts of engagement are prized. You need this thinking and exploring period. It takes time and savvy. You have smarts and you have time. I am not being cagey. You have to get past reputation and dreams before someone can help you put some choices into perspective. At this point, you are thinking it’s “this” or “that.” It will truly be the “whole.” And some luck.</p>

26

<p>Thank you very much, I will look into it. What I am afraid of is falling into the position where I will do too much to try to get into a college junior year so I am trying to spread everything out. What my fears are are that a majority of the applicants that are accepted do these strange and different activities and it just makes me nervous. </p>

<p>Can you explain to me how SATs work and if I can take them freshman year? Do they also go on a permanent record if I do badly?</p>

27

<p>The best source for that is your GC. Some hs put scores on the transcript, some don’t. Get through the PSAT first. Dig for info, maybe starting with College Board. Just get your bearings, first.</p>

<p>Breathe. You’re pushing too hard right now, trying to understand what the “it” factors are- I’m not the only one who would say that to a 9th grader, I’m just one you’re conversing with. Most kids have a set of narrow notions at this point. </p>

<p>Your interest in art is good, the insistence you want to keep it in your schedule. That’s an example of how one can combine drive (the medical interests) and areas that simply satisfy them. There will be other interests you develop in hs, your family, culture group and community. Get involved in the community, helping meet others’ needs, not just your own goals. And, have fun in hs. Try something new. All this is going to help you know who you are, beyond the potential career. Each year, you will have a better sense what you want to present to the colleges, what you want to add, what now matters to you.</p>

28

<p>I know I push to hard and you can say its a part of my personality. Art is something my sister and I cherish dearly. Sports is something I have always found to help with my time management, as odd as that may sound. Without the two, I wouldn’t be a typical HS girl, I’d be a book nerd. </p>

<p>May I also ask, I was looking at the common application online and it says you present to colleges your junior year schedule, or the year you hand in applications. I find that my course load that year isn’t as strong as my senior year. I don’t know if this is something little but I would like to know what it is.</p>

<p>Another question regarding hs in general and it’s affects, is doing multiple activities: rugby, xc, bball, art, math team, science team, American Red Cross, student council, as just clubs, too much? I will definitely lead, not just participate. Another part of my personality is not being able to sit down and be unproductive. I will definitely lead and change/ help a majority of the activities, but is is too much?</p>

<p>I feel like I’m overthinking everything, I just feel like what I have planned isn’t enough…</p>

29

<p>I’m going to PM you.</p>

30

<p>"I just feel like what I have planned isn’t enough… "</p>

<p>Have you not read that much serendipity goes into this? You can work to your full potential at everything and likely will be among the 94%. Please get some perspective.</p>

31

<p>@T26E4</p>

<p>I’m sorry, I do that sometimes… The thing is, the idea of being a part if those 6%, it makes me happy. I enjoy learning purely for the sake of learning and if Harvard is what it makes of it, then that’s where I want to attend. I just want to prove that I can be a unique individual. But if going to Harvard forces me to mold into someone else, I don’t want to go there. But if the awards and activities those 6% have in common are ones I am not aware of, I want to know about them so if they look attractive, I will do it, knowing that what I am doing has two benefits; me being happy learning it and the .003% extra chance it has to getting me into the most selective college in the USA.</p>

<p>If you have a different perspective, please let me know, I am open minded. This is why I chose to look into this early, so I can see what people on CC think of certain activities and what their benefits are. Please though keep in mind that I want to know what things can boost the 6% chance. If I will not enjoy said activity, I promise I will not be a part of it. Thank you though for reading and contributing to my decisions, it actually helps, even if it isn’t what I want to hear. I appreciate it</p>

<p>@lookingforward
Okay :slight_smile: thank you so much</p>

32

<p>"The thing is, the idea of being a part if those 6%, it makes me happy. " </p>

<p>Your sights are set too low. My Ivy diploma doesn’t make me happy. If I had never applied and instead, attended any of the other five schools that accepted, I still would have been the hungry learner that I was, that was fed during my college years, and what I’ve been able to maintain since graduating. Actual admitted students to schools like Harvard that I know and have met through my many years interviewing are the sort of person that ironically, *doesn’t really need * to attend the college. Their life’s trajectory is already established and is towards great things. The fact that some school like Yale or Harvard wants to attract them is a natural after affect. The big irony you can’t see is that most kids at HYPS don’t even need to be there. The future class of 2019 at those schools? Right now they don’t even care much about it – they are too busy being fantastic.</p>

33

<p>But is it wrong to want to be there. It isn’t just a dream, it is the level I have set my standards, something I am working to. How many people say ‘oh wow you graduated from Tufts’ or others compared to ‘WOW you graduated from Harvard’? </p>

<p>I am not the class of 2019, I am a part of the class of 2017. I won’t change to be the Harvard model student, I’m still going to be the fantastic me. But I am not like anyone you have met in those interviews, i am a different person. What makes me happy doesn’t make a majority of the people at my school happy.
I have learned, through attending 8 different schools in 6 different districts that the harder the curriculum, the more I am challenged, the happier I was in the area with those teachers in those classes, the more I learned. Just because I care, doesn’t mean I’m some weird person who only reads books their whole life. I play a wide array of sports, swim competitively, go shopping with my friends, go to parties. I am being me and honestly if being me also means freaking out about colleges as a freshman and an interviewer doesn’t like that, well to be honest, I will not change. I am being me and being me is wanting to know what the best of the best do and how I can challenge my self to do better and if that means I have to think about applying and being accepted to Harvard to motivate me, which isn’t the case, then let it be. I am happy with being me and having my different goals.</p>

<p>Please elaborate on the people you have met that already have their life spinning before applying to college. It’s those type of people that I find very interesting and that it’s their actions that seem interesting and get them into Ivy League schools.</p>

34

<p>I don’t have a point by point reply to you LL7. I think some of the articles in the other thread are more eloquent and more succinct. My main point is this: the type of people here who are laser focused on one or one sort of school (especially the top ones), in my experience, usually have such limited perspective on what is really of value that they end up ironically not being very attractive to the very object of their desires. </p>

<p>I don’t think I’ve ever met a single Ivy alum who told me their early adolescent dream or early HS dream was to attend school X. A “cart before the horse” scenario.</p>

<p>They saw themselves doing great things and admissions to schools X, Y and Z were the natural outcome. </p>

<p>And that “prestige” thing you cited (while simultaneously slamming Tufts) doesn’t really matter to the people who matter. Been there done that. Outsiders think it matters a lot. Those on the inside know better.</p>

<p>Please read this post again
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16113142-post6.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16113142-post6.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

35

<p>I used tufts as an example and didn’t mean anything.</p>

<p>Anyways thank you for your input, I do see what you mean and I am only entering 9th grade. My writing is still to improve.
Harvard isn’t the only school I like to be honest. Harvard is just my favorite cause I see myself there more than any place else. I also could be doing great things at BC, MIT, & any other college in the area…</p>

<p>After reading your comments, I do realize what you have to say, and I appreciate it. I don’t think I will only focus on H. & hs will also not revolve around getting into H. I just like to know what is expected of a competitive applicant. That was the purpose of the post, to find other opportunities I will enjoy and flourish while doing. </p>

<p>Again, what do I know? I am an incoming 9h grader. I am still learning and that was the point of this account.</p>

36

<p>I will message you…</p>

<p>Can someone please tell me how to improve my course choices and what internships/competitons/EC/volunteer aftivities are offered to high school students? </p>

<p>I cant stress this enough; if it doesn’t intrest me and I am not passionate about it, I won’t be doing it! I just can’t find anything to do so I am asking. I’ve received so much hate just for asking questions. ughhh</p>

<p>Please don’t tell me to forget about this and wait till junior year. I know what I’m doing and don’t think I will be unsocial or not me or forget about everything for the sake of H.</p>

37

<p>Definitely read this article:</p>

<p><a href=“Young, Gifted, and Not Getting Into Harvard - The New York Times”>Young, Gifted, and Not Getting Into Harvard - The New York Times;

<p>It reinforces the point that you could do absolutely everything right and still not be admitted to Harvard or any other highly selective school. You need to come to terms with this point not only to prevent future disappointment but also to liberate yourself in the present moment: as “Applying Sideways” suggests, there is almost nothing that will guarantee you admission to MIT, so you might as well do what makes you tick. The way to find what makes you tick in no way involves asking about what other people do. </p>

<p>Despite the points I just made, I’ll “bite” and give you some more info. </p>

<p>There really are no specific “steps” beyond achieving academic, extracurricular, and personal excellence. All elite colleges will tell you that there’s no formula for admission. In all reality, admission offices aren’t supposed to give students directions about how to get in; instead, they serve as talent scouts with the best interest of the institution in mind. Because the pools at schools like Harvard are so good (90% of applicants are qualified to do the work and 50% are qualified to do the work at an honors level), a lot of the selection process comes down to highly subjective factors (how they ‘feel’ when reading your app) and is difficult to predict.</p>

<p>If you want to make admission very likely, you’ll have to be a recruited athlete, the child of a major donor/famous person, and/or the child of a faculty member. </p>

<p>If you want more info about whom Harvard admits, watch this:
<a href=“Harvard Admissions Dean Fitzsimmons Interview (On Harvard Time) - YouTube”>Harvard Admissions Dean Fitzsimmons Interview (On Harvard Time) - YouTube;

<p>Basically, if you don’t have any of the aforementioned ‘hooks,’ then you can maximize your changes by being ‘very unusual academically’ (as evidenced by winning academic competitions and having ‘best in career’ recommendations, not just by getting good grades/scores) or by having ‘some type of distinguishing excellence’ (national/international champion of something). If you can do neither of these (which is the case for most people), then simply strive to be what Fitz calls a ‘good all-arounder’: strong academically, extracurricularly, and personally. Most people in the pool are good all-arounders, so by becoming one you are by no means guaranteeing admission. However, you would be maximizing your chances. How do you become a good all-arounder? Do well in the classroom, do what you love outside of the classrom and do it really well, and be a genuinely nice person. Which is the advice offered in Applying Sideways.</p>

<p>By the way, you mentioned in post #31 that Harvard is the “most selective college in the USA.” Actually, the most selective undergraduate program at a major research university for the Class of 2017 was Stanford: 5.69% admit rate v. Harvard’s 5.8% admit rate.</p>

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<p>I play competitive basketball with 2 clubs and with my school. Same with rugby. How do you become a recruited athlete?</p>

<p>My father has been offered a job their many times but refused it. Instead he gives occasional talks their. I don’t know if that makes a different.</p>

<p>Can you give me examples of math, science, and studio art competitions? </p>

<p>Thank you very very much ;)</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>Why does that make you happy? Is it all about competition and beating other people?</p>

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<p>It makes me happy that I am a part of some of the most successful people. That there is something different about me and that, in a way, I have lived up to the level of my parents and family. It makes me happy to know that the admissions office thought that I had a quality that can make me successful in a difficult enviornment. It makes me happy to know that I am different and I can be a part of a diverse community.</p>