Chances please :)

Colleges & Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>As you can see I am new here, though I've been lurking for a pretty long time. You guys seem to be a knowledgeable group of people so I was hoping maybe you can estimate my chance for admission, to the best of your knowledge. :)</p>

<p>Stats:
• Fee Waiver: Yes</p>

<p>• SAT I : 2250
• SAT IIs: 740, 790, 800 (Lit, US History, World History)
• APs:
US History 5
English Lang 4
European History 5
World History (Self Study) 5
Human Geography (Self Study) 5
Micro/Macro economics (Self Study) 4/5
Psychology (Self Study) 5.
(Only person in my school to self study any AP's, I enjoyed the challenge)</p>

<p>• GPA: 10.32/12-w, 3.707/4-u (I think the UW on a 4.0 scale may be 4.295)</p>

<p>Explanation:
I did very bad freshmen year, this was my grades: 83,84,79,80,88,93,83 (last two being electives). However, after some revelations I realized where I was headed and what I love, etc, and basically got straight A's and 1 B in sophomore year, and straight A's in junior/senior. Despite doing bad freshmen year, I was able to fight to get an AP class and I did very well. I did have honors classes all throughout, but there is more advanced courses that most students in the top 20 took since freshmen year. However as a Junior, and as a Senior I took the hardest courses there was available in the school. </p>

<p>So I basically went from a 3.0 to 3.83, 4.0, and 4.0. </p>

<p>My GC will explain this in the rec. If it weren't for my freshmen year, I would most likely be in top 10, maybe even top 5. </p>

<p>• Rank: top 10-20 out of 220 (went from 50+ after freshmen year)</p>

<p>• Senior Workload: AP Gov, AP Physics, AP Literature, AP Spanish, Precalculus, AP Calculus.</p>

<p>Note: Self studied precalculus to be able to take Calculus. </p>

<p>• Number of Apps from Your School: About 2-3 possibly, 2 of which are ranked 1 and 2.</p>

<p>• ECs listed on app:
-Tutoring at Museum and local Boys/Girls Club several hours per week.
-Volunteered around 40 hours in 3 weeks for a senator.
-Volunteering at library several hours per week.
-Internship at local Museum.<br>
-Tutoring in school for Math once a week.
-Officer for DECA, organized several activities
-Model United Nations (2 years, started Junior year)
-Started and run a website since 8th grade, dedicated to particular strategy games, has a few thousand members, very nice tight-nit community that loves to discuss politics, history, etc. I work on it almost every day like a job.<br>
-Self Studied Arabic for 1-2 years, not yet fluent but plan on continuing in college. </p>

<p>-Did history research on the Spanish Inquisition, might submit to some places. </p>

<p>Maybe I should send it as supplementary?</p>

<p>Hobbies:
Tennis
Chess
Drawing
Reading/Writing
Playing strategy games, strictly strategy. </p>

<p>Sports:
Varsity Tennis 3 years, Captain
I spend all year round practicing, about 2-3 hours each week during the winter, and atleast 7 hours during the summer and fall, either with a group or with members of the team just because I love to play it, unfortunately I started playing tennis late so I am not good for recruitment, but I love the sport, for many reasons among them probably being the same reason one would love to play chess. </p>

<p>• Essays: Very good.
• Teacher Recs: (English, History) Excellent.
• Counselor Rec: Very good.
Location/Person:
• State or Country: North East
• School Type, Average Stats of School: Public, half of the school is minorities
• Ethnicity: Puerto Rican. If it helps, which I don't know if it will, and might not: I am the only minority in the advanced classes, and <em>possibly</em> the only of two minorities in the top 20.<br>
• Gender: Male
• Income: Below poverty line, single parent (mother doesn't work because she has depression - bipolar I believe), first generation (my mom attended a small community college for a year but dropped and my father never went to college). </p>

<p>I am very passionate about history, unfortunately our school has no clubs which are remotely related to history or politics, so my opportunities to get involved were limited in the first few years, until I started to discover some other activities I can do around the community like tutoring. I enjoy doing research for history. So intend on majoring in History, or politics.</p>

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<p>I should add National Honor Society to my list of EC's, it is an actual club and we meet every week, as well as do many activities and community service.</p>

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<p>you're a well-qualified applicant...good test scores as well as impressive ap's scores, especially since you self-studied for a lot of them. although it's hard to gauge whether you'll get in or not (since it's so subjective), i think you're level with what they are looking for.</p>

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<p>Hi sunny903, thank you for your response. :)</p>

<p>Any other insights or input? Btw, please be as honest as you can. I appreciate it.</p>

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<p>URM, socioeconomically disadvantaged, history major, captain of v team?</p>

<p>I'm totally jealous.</p>

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<p>milk the URM for all its worth.. solid</p>

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<p>you have a very very good chance.......!</p>

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<p>you have to be kidding me...i would be surprised if you DIDN'T get in!</p>

<p>and you won't have to pay tuition either. if you get in, you are pretty much set man.</p>

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<p>Interesting, general question: does your mom being bipolar (or other mental/physical illnesses) actually help?</p>

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<p>Thanks for the encouragement guys. :) Anyone else have an idea, or thoughts?</p>

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<p>woa!.. great chances!.. you really look a real person.. ( besides grades).. I think u will definitely go very far!.. xD.. u're applying to the ivy league schools, aren't u?!!...</p>

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<p>"URM, socioeconomically disadvantaged, history major, captain of v team?</p>

<p>I'm totally jealous."</p>

<p>You're totally jealous that he's socioeconomically disadvantaged?</p>

<p>Really?</p>

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<p>lol @ Admiral</p>

<p>Btw, Admiral, might you know the answer to my question above?</p>

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<p>Errr jealous of his CHANCES was what I was getting at.</p>

<p>Jeez... technicalities technicalities.</p>

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<p>^This is a chances thread-- I was basically saying that he has a great shot.</p>

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<p>what are your essays on</p>

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<p>Candlefungus- I understand what you meant, I just had to comment that college admissions brings out some strange sentiments in people. It always makes me a little uncomfortable when someone bemoans their race, or complains about growing up in a good school.</p>

<p>It reminds me of how back in 2002, the Wall Street Journal had an editorial talking about the "lucky duckies" that were too poor to pay income taxes. Kind of perplexing.</p>

<p>A-san- I believe that any indication that a student has overcome great difficulties in either their personal or academic life can help.</p>

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<p>Understandable.</p>

<p>I am overwhelmingly grateful for what I have and who I am. Okay, so maybe I don't have an "edge" in college admissions. Still, I wouldn't give up what I have now just so I have a better shot at Harvard.</p>

<p>In any case, good chances, OP.</p>

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<p>You're probably in.</p>

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<p>Hey, thanks again for the encouragement guys.</p>

<p>Though the biggest thing I am worried about is how the chances of the others applying in my school will effect mine. :-/ As said in the first post, the other two that are applying are the saludatorian and the valedictorian (caucasian and Asian, if that matters) and they have a big laundry list of EC's and activities, good scores, etc. I would think they have a good chance too. I'm curious, does that effect my chances in any way?</p>