Even with a freshman year like this, could I still get into Harvard?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>C- in Honors Geometry (Honors Classes are raised one grade in terms of GPA)
C in Honors Chemistry (Honors Classes are raised one grade in terms of GPA)
A- in World History
B- in English I
B- in Spanish I
A- in Multimedia Design
A+ in Concert Band (only counts as half a course)
50+ Hours of Community Service (earning me Honors Community Service)</p>

<p>I didn't play any sports this year, but I performed in the Spring Drama Production and wrote and acted for a school drama festival (which had to be written, practiced, and performed within 24 hours). This year, I also had one successful and two unsuccessful campaigns for student government. I was elected Ninth Grade Class Alternate Representative. My two unsuccessful campaigns were for Ninth Grade Vice President and School Treasurer.</p>

<p>This summer, I am going to volunteer at the hospital where my mom works, volunteer at the local library's children's section, be involved in the school play-readings, get Algebra II tutoring before I take the course, and I'm still in the process of convincing my parents to let me start taking glider plane lessons and get a student glider pilot's certificate!</p>

<p>Even with a freshman year like this, could I still get into Harvard University?</p>

<p>Also, here is what I plan on doing in my sophomore year:</p>

<p>My classes for next year are Algebra II, (Honors or Regular) Biology, AP World History, English II, (Honors or Regular) Spanish II, Introduction to Computer Science, and Concert Band.</p>

<p>Next year, I plan on getting Honors Community service again, joining some clubs that are of interest to me, running for the school Cross Country team, joining the Model UN team, joining the Model Congress team, joining the Euro Challenge team, wrestling for the school Wrestling team, working in the technical crew for the fall play, running for school government, perform in the spring play, and write and [act or stage manage] for the school drama festival. I may possibly join the Naval Sea Cadet Corps out of interest in the U.S. Navy. Next summer, I plan on going on a mission trip to Nicaragua, volunteering as a teen leader at my mom's hospital, hopefully attending one of the National Student Leadership Conferences, hopefully getting a Private Glider Pilot's license, possibly take a course at a community college, and hopefully attend the U.S. Naval Academy STEM Summer Program (The things for next summer are all subject to change).</p>

<p>Also, if I am lucky enough to get into Harvard, I would want to do Naval Reserve Officer's Training Corps and be commissioned as a Naval Aviator after graduation.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

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<p>Ah I’m so sorry, but no :(</p>

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<p>Uhm, sorry, but I highly doubt so, even if you do do better in your next 3 years. There are some pretty bright people out there who get turned down by Harvard</p>

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<p>So really you have a D in Geometry and Chemistry. This will really lower your cumalitive grade. Its great that you have high hopes for a school like Harvard, but this is definitley going to lower your chances. Focus on some other schools that are more in your reach. Your Freshman grades also shows you need to work on your TIME MANAGEMENT. You have ALOT of extra-curricular activities planned for next year. You should settle on 3-4 and dedicate yourself to them. Work Hard… Sorry :(</p>

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<p>No. The grades I posted were correct. I’m just saying that in terms of GPA, they would be raised.</p>

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<p>Still its going to definitely lower your chances</p>

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<p>My best advise to you is to aim for straight A’s for your sophomore year and beyond to increase you uw gpa (and remember to take all honors, AP, and IB etc…). Also, another place that you need to watch out for (as someone has already commented) is the number of EC you have planned for next year. </p>

<p>Super selective colleges like Harvard value depth. So pick a few activities that will demonstrate where you interest lies, and try and achieve beyond just the norm (like, winning a delegate award at a state Model UN conference. Start thinking about prepping for standardized tests.</p>

<p>If you follow you heart, and focus on your passions, achieving at a very high level, you might be surprised. You definitely have time to improve. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>The best of luck!</p>

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<p>Also, I’m applying for an internship for my Congressman during the fall.</p>

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<p>While colleges do look at your class rank which is based on your weighted GPA, they also look closely at your unweighted GPA. They will read your transcript and recalculate it with all unweighted grades–so they will see that the C really was a D.</p>

<p>Be sure to really prep well for the PSAT, SAT I and IIs, and AP tests.</p>

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<p>I think he meant that his Cs would be counted as Bs or some higher grade in his GPA.
Anyway, just focus on school for these next three years and you will probably turn out okay.</p>

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<p>I don’t think that I’ve ever said, on these forums, that it will be impossible for somebody to get in. However, from the way you’ve presented it, I think your chances are very, very slim. Usually when people have these questions, they feel that the Bs and Cs don’t reflect their abilities and that they are sure they will get much better grades next school year. You don’t say anything of the sort. If you tried even a little bit, there were no extenuating circumstances, and you got near-Cs in 4 out of your 5 academic courses, I do not think that it would be possible for you to succeed at Harvard. I think your admissions decision will probably reflect that. I say nothing categorically, and maybe you’ll come back in three years having passed all of your other classes with 105%s, in which case I’d reconsider my prediction. But I don’t think it’s likely.</p>

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<p>You never know, maybe they’ll somehow see the light in your app and consider. But at the moment, I’d say that your chances are pretty slim. It’s not impossible, but it’s nonetheless not that likely. </p>

<p>If even with that, you should try. Because you never know, maybe if you don’t get into Harvard you CAN get into some other Ivy Leagues. </p>

<p>Just find a passion and stick with it, I guess. I’ve heard that numerous times and it seems to work brilliantly.</p>

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<p>Since this OP posted this query on about 15 college fora, I’ll do a quick math problem for everyone. OP has a rough UW GPA of 3.0 during 1st year. In his five remaining semesters if he gets straight As, his UW GPA during application season will be approx 3.7. (Of course this is prefaced by the fact that the OP has an amazing turnaround and gets straight As – best of luck to him, BTW)</p>

<p>How many UW 3.7GPA, non-hooked kids got into Harvard in the last 20 years? I dunno. A dozen?</p>

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<p>T26E4 – a 3.7 GPA will not devastate a candidate’s chances. It just makes things… harder. I’m sure there are more than 12 students that had a 3.7 GPA in High School at Harvard. That being said, it would surprisde me if the OP got straight A’s through the next 3 years (given what he showed us)</p>

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<p>“a 3.7 GPA will not devastate a candidate’s chances. It just makes things… harder.”</p>

<p>Certainly an opinion issue Axel. But for the unhooked applicant in a pool of less than 7% accept rate, how much does any detriment to one’s file matter? If the school were admitting 40% – one might say it’s not devastating. In the context of Harvard’s 7% admit rate? It’s a death blow, IMHO.</p>

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@davidcross: Welcome to College Confidential. As a new member, we appreciate your desire to answer questions on this and other forums, however please notice the DATE OF THE LAST POST. This thread is 5 years old and the OP has already graduated from college! Please do NOT keep reviving threads that are more than a year old!