<p>“Yes, that is what I meant by “first generation.” I thought the class of 2010 was the last SCEA, but you would know more if your child was accepted. Regardless, that makes me feel a bit better about my chances, so thank you
Was there anything else that REALLY set them apart? Well-known national awards?” (I still can’t use the quote function here)</p>
<p>I don’t know the other 2 kids well, so I’m not sure what made them stand out (it’s a public school, there were 300 in the graduating class, and I actually didn’t pay attention to this stuff until after my son got in). My son is a singing physicist. I think his singing accomplishments (MENC all-eastern, National Choral Award, etc.) might have been the thing that made him different from everyone else with 4.15 unweighted GPAs and great test scores. Or his interview? Or letters of recommendation? Really, really, it’s a crapshoot. My daughter was waitlisted (and ultimately denied admission) last year, but we don’t know why when other kids got in who weren’t that different.</p>
<p>The system at Harvard for your interests would be: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>As an undergraduate you could major (called “concentrate” at H) in neuroscience and earn a certificate (like a minor) in Spanish.</p></li>
<li><p>After earning the B.S. (or B. A.) you would apply to Harvard Medical School. This is a very tough and competitive process, even with some recommendations from Harvard professors. You will need to apply to many other medical schools as well. All classes will be medical related, no opportunities to take Spanish.</p></li>
<li><p>Applying regular decision will not give you any boost. Tennessee is not particularly underrepresented in applications. Perhaps North Dakota, Alaska or Wyoming would give you a slight tip, but not TN.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>@fauve, thank you SO much for that information. When I looked at the undergraduate program, I thought I saw neuroscience as an option…but then people told me that’s only available in graduate school. I’m so glad someone clarified that! The path you explained above is EXACTLY the one I hope to follow, so thank you!</p>
<p>Also, I didn’t think TN was under-represented either, but I have seen many posts(and heard from several people) that say Harvard will be paying special attention to TN this year. I hope it’s true :)</p>
<p>Just a small point about Princeton. If you like Princeton, you should apply. Sports and Arts are not neccesary for admission to Princeton and I personally knew several admitted kids who never played any sports or showed artistic talents. The admission office at all all top schools try to put together a really diverse freshman class each year. They do not want every new student to be either a jock or an artist.</p>
<p>MIT would give you the advantage of being able to apply to a safety or match at the same time (Georgetown? It’s the only other EA school that jumps to mind.), because it is not restrictive.</p>
<p>Yale and Harvard are not that different. I do not think that students who have academics at the expense of extracurriculars (or whatever else) will be more likely to be admitted at one or the other. I particularly believe this because they both have their choice of students with roughly equivalent academics. Once you’re over that academic threshold, I believe the admissions officers say it is “softer” factors that account for the decisions (hence also people saying that admissions is a “crapshoot.”)</p>
<p>And Yale is not “the academic one” of HYPM. (And you think Harvard and Princeton and MIT are not?!? Unless you meant only in terms of admissions, in which case disregard this paragraph and see the previous one.) Nor is it “the artsy one” or “the gay one.” Harvard and Yale are pretty similar in those two regards: MIT is obviously less artsy, and I just don’t know much about Princeton. Going back to academics, it may be true that at the margins, Yale sends a slightly higher percentage of kids to get Ph.D.s than Harvard, but you will be able to find whatever group of students you’re looking for at Yale at Harvard, and vice versa.</p>
<p>@collegeinfo94, I think you need to do a bit more research before you decide where to apply early. Is it possible for you to visit any of the schools? Tennessee is a bus ride away (my friend’s daughter just went to Bonnaroo and back by bus from Boston). If not, call their admissions offices and ask to meet with a local rep.</p>
<p>Also, I think your understanding of how college and then graduate school work is a little cloudy. Other people have said this but to be bluntly clear:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Just because you go somewhere for your undergrad work doesn’t mean that that school will accept you for graduate/professional school. There are LOTS of students who go to Harvard for their undergraduate degree and who then apply there for grad school, law school, med school, etc. and don’t get in!</p></li>
<li><p>You can’t minor in Spanish in grad school if you are in medical school…or any grad/professional school. In grad school, ALL your coursework is devoted to the degree you are trying to attain.</p></li>
<li><p>I know that you are shooting for certain SAT scores, but what have you actually gotten on them so far? I’m shooting to look like Katherine Heigl, but I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m not sure if you are just ■■■■■■■■ or if you are real (12 clubs? really? how exactly does one do that?).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Lol. This thread made me smile. You need to do a LOT more research if you don’t even have your facts straight about Harvard. When I was a freshman I wanted to go to Harvard because I was a good student and everyone talked about Harvard being full of smart kids. Well just so ya know, so are a hundred other schools! Keep your options open and don’t go for the brand name! Brown is in the process of putting together a new cognitive science/Neuroscience department with new faculty and a multi-million dollar research complex. Look around a little more And I’m pretty sure if you minor in something you don’t get a bachelor’s degree in it…but not positive. I think you would have to double major? You have a good shot at all the top schools. Just do some more research. </p>
<p>“I’m shooting to look like Katherine Heigl”…hahahaha</p>
<p>exultationsy, I meant Yale is the more academic inclined one in terms of admission but, of course, I know they all are. I was going off of what the schools look for as explained by the websites. </p>
<p>EnoughAlready, on my practice test today, I score ~2160…I haven’t really even begun studying yet. I only missed 3 critical READING questions overall, but missed MANY vocab. I also missed very few on the math section and close to none on the writing. So, since vocab seems to be my only problem, I think I can improve to 2300…I hope :D</p>
<p>EnoughAlready, why do so many people seem amazed at my 12 EC’? hahah…not too much sleep time but it’s worth it :)</p>
<p>^
Well, how often do these things meet? How intense are they? I mean, my son played soccer, and sang in jazz choir and madrigal choir. There wouldn’t have been one extra second for him to do anything else, and that’s just three things.</p>
<p>Anyway, good luck to you, but really, talk to some people at the different schools so you know whose got the best of what.</p>
<p>My clubs only meet once a month, but I’m involved in other ways…(competitions, officer postitions, and volunteering) They do take up a lot of my time (all my weekdays, pretty much), but I still have time to “live” on the weekends. I promise I’m not obsessed with school…not too much I just really love to be involved w/ the clubs I’ve mentioned</p>
<p>When I first posted this, I hadn’t really looked into harvard yet. But now I feel like I have a better grasp of their programs, and I really do like what they have to offer! </p>
<p>Any tips to help my chances of getting in? If I write my supplement about how much I’ve enjoyed my research project and want to continue research at Harvard b/c of its fantastic resources, will that be too cliche?? Of course, I will word it differently. ^ sounds laaaame.
Also, I plan on writing my common app on moving to America and about the journey of learning english/ assimilating into the culture& tie that into how I became involved w/ Persian Culture Association & want to continue that involvement in college. Is that a good topic?? (too bad I have to fit all that into 500 words )</p>
<p>What? The Common App has a cap of 500 now? My personal statement was ~800. (I also had a 497-word one from the UChicago supplement that I sent to the non-Common-App schools that did have pure caps of 500 words.)</p>
<p>Could you switch your topics? So that you have 500 words on you love research and are excited about continuing in college for the Common App, and, oh, 700 on Persian culture as a supplement? (If you feel a need to be college-specific in the research essay, you can make different versions of the Common App for different colleges, although it’s not easy. I would personally be slightly inclined to keeping it to how you’re excited to keep researching in college generically, not Harvard or Yale.)</p>
<p>Good idea! I never actually thought of that I always thought the common app was locked once you sent it to one school, but I really want to discuss research departments and opporrtunities that are unique to the colleges I’m applying to. How exactly can you edit your essay for each college??
The downside of that, though, is that it would be a pretty cliche common app, right? I’m pretty sure many, MANY people use that as a topic. Any ideas of how to start it to make it interesting? </p>
<p>And also, many schools that I’m seriously considering (Vanderbilt) don’t ask for the supplement, so I wouldn’t be unique in any way. I think my involvement with Persian Culture Association is pretty much the only interesting thing I have.</p>
<p>You can still submit optional, supplemental essays to every college, I believe. Is there a single college that doesn’t have a “and is there anything else you want to tell us?” question? If Vandy doesn’t, I don’t know what you should do, but if it does, you could put your Persian culture essay there.</p>
<p><a href=“Facebook”>Facebook;
That’s from last year. I don’t know if it’s current. If that doesn’t end up working, you should be able to Google your way to an answer. (Although would anyone know a “current” way? I don’t think the “new” common app has been released yet, has it?)</p>
<p>@exultationsy
On the common app website, there’s a link that lets users “preview” the next version of the CA. The preview has all these highlights and an ugly watermark, but it should show every change…
Yeah, and in the preview, the personal statement is limited to 500 words.</p>
<p>@JoonBug
I accepted that answer, and was trying to work on the “do they still have feature where they let users create different versions of the Common App?” question. That wasn’t clear from just my post, vs. the page to which I linked, but I believe you.</p>
I just really love to be involved w/ the clubs I’ve mentioned</p>
)</p>