Hello everyone I am in my sophomore year of highschool and Harvard is my dream school. Freshman year wasn’t that great in my opinion. I was taking AP Human Geography and AP Biology. I scored a 5 on the human exam and a 2 on the Biology (definitely not the class for me). I finished freshman year with a 3.6 weighted gpa and a 4.0 weighted. In terms of extracurriculars, I lettered freshman year for varsity golf and we won districts. I also am doing preap art and I am thinking of doing AP art next year, maybe even applying for some art schools just for curiousness. Sophomore year I am taking all preap classes with varsity golf and AP World History. I definitely see that I have an interest in History at this point in my life. It is just so interesting and eye opening to me. I aim to make straight a’s this year and so on. If I continue this path will I be on the right track? (I will also be doing NHS after sophomore year) Golf is a huge part of my life, I have been doing it since I can remember. I had a major knee injury in in 6th grade and wasn’t able to play again till 9th. P.S. (this could be a huge part of my chances or it could not matter at all which is why im asking. My father happens to be a multimillionaire. He basically made himself but he is in no way willing to donate any sort of money to a university.)
This from Harvard’s Golf Recruitment page: http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/mgolf/faq
Bottom line: A 3.6 GPA is not going to cut it for a golf recruit. And, if Harvard expects a 3.8 unweighted GPA from a recruited athlete, Admissions fully expects non-athletes to have that score or better. My guess is the rest of the ivy league schools are looking for the same thing. You need to start cracking the books and get 'A’s" in every course between now and the end of your senior year. Best of luck to you!
It’s impossible to give a reasonable chance to someone without test scores and several years of high school grades.
GPA is on the low end for Ivies. If you don’t end up a recruited athlete, you would want a 3.9+. Your dad’s wealth, if he is not a large donor, will likely have little to no impact (besides a high EFC). The main exception would be if he had celebrity status (think Malia Obama) in which case schools may give a boost for wanting that famous name at their school.
To be recruited for golf you would need to be more than just good. Maybe someone can chime in on Harvard in particular for athlete level, but at many top tier schools it’s not uncommon for recruited athletes in sports to be competitive at a state or national level (not merely district).
With that said, you’re a sophomore so don’t stress too much - enjoy high school and work hard. Fixating on schools with such small acceptance rates will cause a lot of unnecessary stress. You’re a competitive applicant for hundreds of schools.
Thank you so much, your reply gave me a better peace of mind. I’m pretty sure I will not be playing a sport at a college. I just don’t know which extracurriculars I can do because golf practice is held after school everyday except friday. Should I be spending this much time on a sport that I know I probably won’t continue with after highschool? And if I do continue golfing the rest of highschool, what are some more extracurriculars you suggest? Thanks!
Well don’t give it up, kid. Keep playing if you enjoy it. Chances of getting into an ivy are really low so do what you enjoy and don’t base decisions on what will get you into an ivy. Maybe you’ll play for another school. Or, maybe you’ll just have a great time while it lasts.
Why is Harvard your dream school? As I wrote on another thread, often this is a sign that a young person doesn’t know much about other schools (or is chasing prestige).
Please make sure to learn about other schools that might fit you, looking at size, location, academics, and “vibe” as well as cost (financial and/or merit aid). I always suggest the Colleges that Change Lives website (and book by Loren Pope, who also wrote “Looking Beyond the Ivy League.”) Once you learn about other schools, perhaps Harvard won’t loom so large in your thinking.
Please continue golf in high school if you enjoy it. In general, use these high school years to explore who you are and what you are interested in, without thinking about college admissions, at least not yet. It is much healthier to be yourself and find a school that fits you, rather than trying to fit yourself to the school. Enjoy high school and do what comes naturally and you will end up at the right place!
Good luck!
^^^ I agree; having H as a dream school shows lazy thinking, to me. If you spend HS trying to get into one school you’re going to distort the whole process, and your HS years as well. Get into your golf game enjoy your family and friends.