Do I have a chance of being accepted?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hey guys. I have never really considered applying to any Ivy League school let alone Harvard. My friends said that I would never make it in and I am determined to show them that they are wrong. The only problem is that I really dont know if I am qualified. This ia a little background on me:</p>

<p>Im 18 and a senior in high school. Right now I am currently like 30th out of 400 in my class due to the fact that I took honors math and science in middle school but I transferred to post secondary (college) my junior year so the highest GPA I can earn right now is a 4.0.I would say that I am an alright student. I tend to score higher than most people on tests, but I an not one of those kids that dedicates their lives to school and studies 24/7 because I do a lot outside of school which I will explain later.</p>

<p>My ACT scores are not the best. I took it in 8th grade, 10th grade, and the end of my junior year and earned a 24,26,26 respectively. I am planning on taking it one more time in September because I know I can improve a lot because I recently took a practice test and scored a 31 with the following scores:
English:33
Math:34
Reading:30
Science:30
I did not try the writing because it is hard to grade your own writing on a practice test without being biased. I usually score between an 8 and 11.</p>

<p>I know my academics alone would not get me in because there was a girl in my sister's class who got a 35 on the ACT and was top 3 in her class and was not accepted. She was also one of those people who did not do many outside activities which is there I have a little bit of an advantage.</p>

<p>I know Ivy League schools look a lot at academics, but I knwo they also want students that are over all well rounded individuals as well
.
I am apart of my high school cross country, soccer, and track team. In cross country this year, I am the best on our team and if everything goes as planned this year, I am hoping to make it to regionals or even states. I have played soccer for a long time and have been on many club teams, some of which have been nationally recognized and have won major tournaments. Other sports I do include skateboarding and snowboarding. I snowboard for a local shop and an going to pursue a sponsorship from larger companies this up coming season.</p>

<p>As for groups, I am in clubs at my school such as the foreign language club, NHS, Ohio Math League, and various other academic clubs. I have been apart of 4-H for over 10 years and am recognized as one of the best photographers in the state when it comes to 4-H (and instagram).</p>

<p>With all of this, do you think I will be able to make it into an Ivy League school or even Harvard? Or do you think I will be stuck at a local school like Ohio State University or Case Western?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>First off, most colleges require the ACT (or SAT) with writing – that’s true of Harvard, Ohio State and Case Western, so be sure to take the test with writing.</p>

<p>Secondly – to be brutally honest – a 24, 26 and 26 ACT is too low for any ivy league school. Harvard’s 25th percentile is a 31 – meaning that 75% of admitted students had a higher score. If you can score a 31, you might have a slight chance, but not a good one. I would think that Ohio State and Case Western would a better fit and your chances might be better there.</p>

<p>As you don’t yet have the scores for Harvard, I would post your stats again when you have achieved the needed scores. Best of luck to you.</p>

3

<p>In regard to your athletic ECs–you would need to win state level championships this season and have some regional (multiple states) high rankings in order to be recruited for XC or track. If you are not a recruited athlete, your sports will not help you gain admittance.</p>

<p>Soccer players are generally already recruited at this stage. Your other clubs are a nice generic variety but would not really stand out among Harvard applicants.</p>

<p>As for academics, you will want a 34 to be comfortable, as well as two SAT IIs (Subject tests) in the mid 700s. Harvard will look at your unweighted GPA, not weighted. Your recommendations from two teachers will need to indicate you are one of the top students in the entire school, with amazing character traits. </p>

<p>The top Ivies have tons of applicants with stellar ECs as well as the highest academic stats, so apply with these things in mind, and also have a good backup plan.</p>

4

<p>I have already taken the ACT with writing like I said. I usually score a 10+ because I am a very good writer. I know my scores are not the best right now. I took a practice test today and got a 33 and I am averaging a 32 right now so my scores are improving. Aso for sports, I am trying to go to states for cross country because this year is the first year I am not doing soccer and cross country at the same time because our school soccer team is awful (we dont even have enough kids to have a JV team). I dont really want to play soccer in college but if I have to to get in I guess I will. I have aready talked to the coach at the University of Akron about playing soccer and he said I have a chance of making their JV team as a freshman which it kinda good because they are 1st in the country and he said that if I dont get injured again then I could maybe play varsity by my junior year. </p>

<p>Also, would I have to take the SAT to apply or is it just recommended? </p>

<p>I dont think I put all of the right info in here to give an accurate judgement either. I think I may have forgotten some key points but I cant seem to remember them right now.</p>

5

<p>Also, Im not really planning on making it in. I just wanted to see if I even had a chance.</p>

6

<p>Hey happyboy, I hope that if you do end up at Case, OSU, or any school, you’ll be happy. I don’t have direct experience with either of those two but, as the parent of a “techie” kid, I have crawled all over Case’s web site. That school looks great from afar.</p>

7

<p>Glad to hear you are aiming to go to your state xc meet–but be aware that the athletes being recruited as Ivy runners will have multiple state and regional championships–i.e., they will have come in first in the entire state. </p>

<p>You need to do your research on Harvard requirements–yes they require two SAT II Subject Tests, and you will want mid 700 scores on each to demonstrate your ability to succeed academically at a top Ivy. If you read their admissions site, you can find the testing dates they require for regular or Single Choice Early Action application dates.</p>

<p>I don’t recommend you play soccer just to try to get in. Harvard recruits their soccer players when the soccer players are juniors in high school, so they most likely have a full roster already. If your team is “awful” as you describe, it is unlikely you wil have the national level recognition to attract college coaches. Best to concentrate on XC, where you can push for individual excellence.</p>

8

<p>See: [Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Requirements](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/application_process/requirements.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/application_process/requirements.html)</p>

<p>“We require the SAT Reasoning Test or ACT Test with Writing, as well as two SAT Subject Tests. Students should not submit two Subject Tests in mathematics to meet this requirement. Candidates whose first language is not English should ordinarily not use a Subject Test in their first language to meet the two Subject Tests requirement.”</p>

9

<p>The only problem I have is where I live: Ohio. The thing that sucks about this is we are ranked like #3 in the country for the fastest times as a state. The fastest guy in our state is a 15:05. In some states, you could win with a 16:40, which is what my goal is. But I have come to the conclusion that I think Harvard is going to be too hard for me to get in. I might try another school like Cornell because my friend goes there and he only got a 28 on the ACT. But he is also a really good football player.</p>

10

<p>You might try looking at the times of the current Harvard (or Cornell) XC runners- they will give you an idea if you are competitive. See gocrimson.com and scroll to the XC, then the roster, where you can see the PRs, or meet results.</p>

<p>Yes, a really good football player can have a lower ACT.</p>

11

<p>fauve gave you some good advice in post #3, but I don’t think you understand. </p>

<p>To be a recruited athlete, you have to be cleared by the NCAA Division I Certification Clearinghouse and coaches must see you perform either at a game/meet or a ‘showcase’ during your junior year of high school. That time has passed. See: <a href=“http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/information/psa/index[/url]”>http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/information/psa/index&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Recruited athletes apply in the early round to colleges and coaches give lists of students they are interested in to the admissions office. At this point in your senior year of high school, as you have not had contact with a coach, there is almost no chance of being a recruited athlete at any ivy league school. (sorry.)</p>

<p>You could still play on an ivy team as a ‘walk-on’, but you first need to be admitted to a school based on academics.</p>

12

<p>I have had coaches come to my soccer college showcases and cross country regionals and stuff. The only ivy college coach that I talked to was yale. Buts it was kinda iffy I feel</p>

13

<p>“Iffy” doesn’t sound like they would be pushing for you. That may also be because you currently do not have a competitive ACT score for Yale, som it would be a waste of their time. (again, sorry.)</p>

14

<p>Also I dont know if this will help but I am in my second year of post secondary. If you dont know what that is, I am going to the University of Akron and Im earning high school classes while talking college classes. Its kinda like AP classes but with actual college professor but with a 4.0 GPA instead of 5.0 GPA. So if I go to a college, I would be the age of a freshman but I would technically be a Junior because I take 14 credit hours each semester but in addition to credit I bought due to skipping them and placing into them as well as honors programs and classes. So I would maybe enrolling as a junior. I dont know if that will make it easier to get in or not.</p>

15

<p>I don’t know anything about a second year of post secondary that results in college credit. Based upon what you just wrote though, I’m not sure that you would be allowed to apply as a freshman applicant at Harvard, or if you do, you would lose all your college credits: [Harvard</a> College Admissions § Applying: Transfer Program](<a href=“http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/transfer/eligibility.html]Harvard”>http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/apply/transfer/eligibility.html)</p>

<p>“Once a student has completed one year of full-time study at a single college or university, he or she ordinarily may apply to Harvard College only as a transfer student.”</p>

<p>“Students who will have completed less than one full-time continuous year of study at one college by the anticipated date of matriculation at Harvard should apply as freshman candidates. (All such applicants, if admitted, will matriculate as regular freshmen without any transfer credit.)”</p>

<p>Applying to Harvard as a transfer student is even more difficult than a freshman application: [Harvard</a> College Admits 12 Fall Transfers | News | The Harvard Crimson](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/9/1/students-transfer-harvard-new/]Harvard”>Harvard College Admits 12 Fall Transfers | News | The Harvard Crimson)</p>