<p>This resume is from another thread..
I am seriously wondering.. do you have to be this good to get accpeted from harvard? gosh.everytime i come here and check other people's stats I get so hopeless.. is this what the university really wants? i mean.. aren't they supposed to develop people who are in need? Why would they need super-at-everything people when those people already know everything?</p>
<h2>America's education system is soooo wrong </h2>
<p>TESTS
SAT I: 2330 (780V/ 770M/ 780W)
SAT II: 790 Biology 780 Math IC 760 US Hist
National Merit Finalist
5s on 5 AP tests thus far (Euro, US, Bio, Lit, Env Sci) and a 4 (Spanish)</p>
<p>SCHOOL
GPA: 4.57 (UW) 3.9 (W)
Rank: Top 5% (my school doesnt rank). Otherwise Id be at least top 10 out of 360.
Taking the hardest classes in entire class</p>
<p>Taking seven additional APs as a senior</p>
<p>SPORTS
Varsity Water Polo
- I may be recruited and may not be. Chances are probably 50/50 depending on
course of my injury. Please consider me as a non-recruit.</p>
<p>CLUBS
Key Club 9-12 (Treasurer, Council, and President)
Science Club 9-12 (Head Scientist, President, Board)
Junior Statesmen of America 9-12 (International Counsel and Board)
National Honor Society 10-12
California Scholarship Federation 9-12 (President, Treasurer)
Spanish Club 9-12 (President, Vice President, Secretary)</p>
<p>RESEARCH AND SCIENCE
Cancer Research Institute 9-10
Cancer Research Internship 11-12
Siemens Westinghouse Regional Semi-finalist
Participated in AACR (American Association of Cancer Research) National Meeting
Summer student at City of Hope National Research Center
Summer student at Childrens Hospital of LA
State Science Olympiad
Young Scientist Award (given to 1 junior every year)</p>
<p>OTHER
PSAT National Merit Finalist
Bob Thompson Athlete Scholar Award
All-American Scholar Award (top ten water polo player in nation in terms of scholarship)
AP Scholar with Honors
Eagle Scout (with many other BSA awards)
Piano for 12 years
Part time job tutoring dyslexic student in reading and math</p>
<p>harvard isn't "supposed to develop people in need". if anything, its purpose is to give students with a passion for learning an opportunity to further their education, although as a private institution it has no obligations. these people have worked for their grades. are you saying they don't deserve a reward?</p>
<p>There are over 3,000 colleges in the United States, as I recall, and they all (purport to) help their students develop into more knowledgeable people. The most highly selective colleges help people develop beyond the level that the most motivated learners reach by the end of high school. Nothing to apologize for about that.</p>
<p>People really need to stop asking this question over and over again. It is getting mundane and annoying.
No, you don't have to be brilliant nor perfect to get into Harvard. Each case is evaluated on an individual basis and by no means do you have to be perfect to get in. Many perfect people never get in and many imperfect people do.</p>
<p>CaliforniaCutie, do realize that not everybody is on this board 24/7. If you go back to the archives, you'll see that the same exact questions have been asked since the day CC was founded.</p>
<p>Everyone that gets admitted to Harvard has something to offer. The people that get admitted are individuals and sucessful academically. They do not have to be perfect but have to seem like real people.</p>
<p>actually, I think you just interpreted what I said in too simply. Showing the initiative that colleges are looking for, and the talent that they are looking for, is different then just sheer talent and initiative.</p>
<p>those are kenli's stats. To answer your question rinysline, you have to be brilliant if you're white or asian. If you're a URM, the requirements are lower. However in all cases, if you have something, a certain talent, that will set you ablove the rest of the applicants, you will be accepted. Harvard wants the special people to go to their school, partly cause they want ta build reputation and cause they want the people who have potential to excel in order to build up their reputation. ok, maybe not just to build up their reputation, they also want to enhance the learning enviorment, so the special people of this world will receive top-tier education. They don't want average hardworking people who have no leadership. Personally, I think we're all special. Even the slackers are.</p>
<p>URM does have to do with it, but that is something out of our control. In terms of brilliancy, no, you don't have to be brilliant to get into Harvard. You generally have to be extremely hardworking. Brilliant people, of course, do attend Harvard, but they are not in majority. Many of the people are situationally there as well.</p>
<p>And brilliance and work ethic have nothing to do with race. The OP asked if we thought one had to be brilliant to get into Harvard; the "r" word really has no place here.</p>
<p>my point is that African Americans, Hispanics, Native Amercans and such have to be LESS brilliant that Asians and whites. Their expectations are lower cause colleges want them so badly, and their under represented.</p>
<p>By saying that is it easier for people or different races you are essentially answering the original question. If race plays a part and something less than Brilliance can be demanded from an URM then no, one does not have to be brilliant to go to Harvard.</p>