Chances?!!

<p>My dream school is Harvard..and I don't just like it for the name ( tho my parents do lol) I've visited and it seems amazing..plus my aunt went and loved it.</p>

<p>I'm a junior right now at a public school in nj that's top ten in state...sends 2-3 ppl to harvard each yr. </p>

<p>taking sats in december... soph. yr i took the psats (my school makes us take it even tho it doesnt count) </p>

<p>score: 232 (78 math, 80 writing, 74 CR)
hopefully when i take it for real this yr. i can get..240? haha
apeuro: 5 (only ap my school lets us take soph yr.) </p>

<p>GPA: 4.5 weighted, 4.0 unweighted (updated)
school doesn't rank..but im prob. 1 or 2 out of ~450
taking hardest classes possible, lots of aps and honors, blah blah </p>

<p>EC's by senior yr:</p>

<p>President and founder of music club
Captain of science olympiad team
President of asian awareness club
Chief editor of literary magazine staff
Academic Challenge- maybe captain next yr.
FBLA-officer position pending
newspaper staff of chinese newspaper in nj
started fundraiser..projecting maybe $1000 to a charity
some other clubs...ill have to see about leadership</p>

<p>1st place (as in theres more than one) in chinese essay contest in which over 7 million ppl entered
went to camp in china on scholarship from chinese govt.
national level in art competition, some other pretty good art awards (but nothing amazing)
few medals in track
regionals for violin (haha i suck at it)
jsa and cty, applying to tasp and other prestigious programs
will have at least 500 volunteer hrs. by end of jr. year</p>

<p>recs: two will be awesome..havent thought about 3rd yet
essay: im pretty confident about them..then again u never know</p>

<p>chinese female (unfortunately)</p>

<p>What's my chance at Harvard?!!</p>

<p>You have no sports? Your chances would increase much more if you did sports because you're asian. Asians aren't minority anymore. It also depends what you took for your GPA, EC's are good, except for the sport.</p>

<p>don't know. Nothing makes you stand out too mucho</p>

<p>umm...it says i got medals in track
i used to play soccer too if that helps</p>

<p>Sorry, but I have to comment on this:</p>

<p>"chinese female (unfortunately)"</p>

<p>I understand the impression that your race could harm your chances, and it's probably somewhat accurate. However, do you actually regret your own identity just because you're worried about which top college you're going to get into?</p>

<p>There's nothing "unfortunate" about anyone's race or sex, and I just find what you said a little warped. </p>

<p>Similarly, when I hear stories about students who move to another school district when a college counselor tells them it'll help their chances, I can't help but think that we all need a little perspective.</p>

<p>I agree, from that comment, you don't seem accepting. I'm asian and I don't care because I know that it won't harm me at all, I will have a stronger than enough application.</p>

<p>You could have a good shot, based on your academic stats. You will be in the regular pool, so you are going to need your essays to highlight your personality and goals. Also, I would not underestimate the value of AP's and try to get 5's on as many as possible because that could help you a lot too.</p>

<p>huh i didnt think ppl would read into that...i guess im a little resentful that being asian will hurt my chances at harvard (thats pretty much a fact)..after all i really really want to get in.</p>

<p>but no, i dont resent being asian. my ecs reflect my devotion to the chinese community and i love knowing the language..i go to china every summer and love it..im not one of extremelyyy asian ppl (is that a wayto say it)...but i am proud of my race.</p>

<p>I don't understand why people talk about race so much, but Harvard clearly states that they do not discriminate based on race in admissions. Being a URM might give you a little advantage if you happen to fill a slot that the Committee wants to fill to help create a more diverse class, but honestly, it is as impossible for a 100% Pacific Islander to get into Harvard as it is for a white person. They are looking for people who will complement their class, not bodies to fulfill race statistics. Do not worry about your race or ethnic background at all. It should not and will not make a significant change in an admissions decision you will receive from Harvard.</p>

<p>okayy aside from race..what are my chances?</p>

<p>Aside from race, if you keep up what you are doing in and out of school, and you come up with a clear vision of what you actually want to do at Harvard, and run with it in your application, I'd say that you have a pretty good shot.</p>

<p>cool..anyone else</p>

<p>"don't know. Nothing makes you stand out too mucho"
-orange123
um...wow</p>

<p>"1st place (as in theres more than one) in chinese essay contest in which over 7 million ppl entered
went to camp in china on scholarship from chinese govt.
national level in art competition, some other pretty good art awards (but nothing amazing)
few medals in track
regionals for violin (haha i suck at it)
jsa and cty, applying to tasp and other prestigious programs
will have at least 500 volunteer hrs. by end of jr. year"</p>

<p>in my view thats amazing and i dont know y she would not get in!</p>

<p>Wow...im a (HS) freshman as u can probably tell....im currently attending a school called (IA) International Academy...? (if u wanna know more about it google it along w/ michigan high school.) founded in 1996, no one has a history of ever getting a 4.0 for all 4 years at this school...maybe thats y it was #1 in U.S....3 years ago. Any way this school offeres IB's (better than AP's) which im planning to take. School started 10 weeks ago and my grades a around a GPA of 3.4...In my school a 3.7 is a B or i think its a B+...anyway if i have grades around 3.4-3.7 freshman year but 4.0's all through my next 3 years would i have a chance of getting into Harvard?</p>

<p>Don't fret about sports...I know a guy who never touched a soccerball/basketball/baseball in his life and got into 3 of HYPS. If you like track, do it and enjoy it! If you don't...don't worry, not a biggie.</p>

<p>Freshman: If your school is really that rigorous, I'm sure it won't be a problem..esp. with your SAT scores (u said 2350)..for a freshman that's like...wow..
Other ppl on this board will tell u to just enjoy life and come back as a jr. but I think it's awesome that ur so motivated..to me ( dont get offended..to ME) it's the right approach and it gives u an advantage over other applicants </p>

<p>Mochamaven: I love running/track..that's y I quit soccer to do it</p>

<p>harvard2727, I think you misread what Freshman said. He didn't get a 2350 yet, he said that he was hoping to get about that. (I think that's a bit silly- I could go on a forum and say, "I'm hoping to develop cold fusion- what do you think are my chances of winning the Nobel Prize in Physics?"</p>

<p>oh..well if u aim for the stars u might land on the moon? haha idk</p>

<p>anyone else on chances?</p>

<p>You seem fine, but then again, it's Harvard. Be confident in what you've proven, and just go with the flow. Whatever happens was meant to happen, don't look back, and keep going with your life. Your college experience can and probably will be amazing even if you don't go to Harvard.</p>

<p>That said, Harvard admissions is always a crapshoot. Siemens finalists and USAMO qualifiers have been rejected. You've done what you can, and now, it's just the luck of the draw. Don't ever underestimate the importance of personality and character in the application process. Just show who you are, and I think you'll have a marvelous chance.</p>

<p>thanks for the advice
anyone else?</p>