IF OP is asking about class of 2028, sounds like a freshman now. Of course, there’s no record to back up the interest in Harvard.
“Many ppl who started non-profits and got national awards I saw noone get in because they volunteered…”
Of course you may not have. But you’re drawing conclusions too quickly. And apparently not aware of the holistic considerations. Or the difference between a hierarchical approach (rack and stack) versus holistic.
Starting some non profit is not key. So many kids think it is. Too often, the kid thinks a NP is so great that they ignore preexisting opportunities right under their noses. Can you imagine a TT’s reaction to that?
Now you’re repeatedly asking us to suggest ECs. If you’re so all-fired interested in animal activities, what have you done, what shows this, beyond saying it?
guys i got advice from ppl who got into harvard and admission officers that starting a nonprofit and getting national awards is the key i told them about my passion they said start a nonprofit do something good in a quantifiable way and getting national recognition gets u accepted and dont forget i got it from former admission officers of harvard
There is no one key to getting into Harvard and you certainly do not have to start a non-profit or win national awards. More importantly, don’t do anything just to “get in.” Authenticity is important.
Nope.
In fact, if you’d dig deeper, you’d see this. You have the option to dig deeper or just accept what info comes to you. Which do you think matters to a Harvard level school?
Other students don’t know what got them in. And “passion” is not the heart-thumping thing so many think it is. They don’t sit around final table discussing how impressed they are because someone claims to be passionate. How a kid describes an EC and their role matters (over-estimating or more balanced? Assuming they are “leaders” after a few months, based on title and dreams? The college isn’t looking for titles and dreams, per se, the superficials.) They want to see “leader” thinking, qualities. That’s different.
Harvard has publicly stated that leader “impact” comes in many forms, sometimes small-seeming. If you think some tippy top adcom is swayed by proclamations that you think this EC is the greatest, you need to think again. It can send the wrong message about you. In the end, it doesn’t even matter whether one particularly likes some EC.
It doesn’t matter if some former H AO said it. We don’t know that person’s standing, whether it was some random kid who graduated and slid over to admissions for a couple of years. Or only stayed a year or two, not nearly enough to speak with authority about the overall admissions work, every region, every major, every sort of circumstances, etc. (Most adcoms admit they cannot speak for the overall, some formula, an admit is too dependent on many factors.) Or someone versed in older practices. But “quantifiable” is not an ultimate “it.” In fact, it leans to hierarchical thinking when one points to something like quantifiable. And this is a holistic process. Some critical thinking is needed.
You have to accept that “national recognition” is not an “it.” Most Harvard admits don’t have this. It does not distinguish candidates in some meaningful way. It’s nice. That’s really all it is, in the long list of what does matter.
I would think about unusual things… helping sea turtle preservation efforts by marking egg sites, volunteering for an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka (they have them), counting endangered species in sites that are working on preservation, learning how to assist in free spay/neutering clinics, etc. The point is to be an interesting person. What can you say you did that no one else can? Going the usual route is not likely to succeed. Also, I agree that you should work on syntax.
But what ARE you doing? Why hasn’t this been mentioned? How can you “claim” to be “passionate” or truly interested in animal anything, if you won’t cite what has been done? Or passionate about community service, if it’s a big empty here.
You aren’t listening to comments about the negative impact of your wording choices, you just blithely keep on with it. See how that impacts our impressions of you?
Adding to that is how you don’t seem to be getting what advice this thread has given. It leaves the impression that you really aren’t listening, at all.
i’m so sorry guys i did listen to you guys @lookingforward i’m sorry for my wording choices i thought it was cool i didnt do anything specifically for animal activism i’m in 8th grade currently and focusing on my final exams and in my free time researching on animal activism and reading books on it i’m planning ecs for next year so i can make an impact on animal activism and get into college i specifically didnt get the advice i wanted so i was pressuring everyone to give me ecs based on animal activism
i’m sorry for my wording choices @Lindagaf i thought it was cool i didnt do anything specifically for animal activism i’m in 8th grade currently and focusing on my final exams and in my free time researching on animal activism and reading books on it i’m planning ecs for next year so i can make an impact on animal activism and get into college i specifically didnt get the advice i wanted so i was pressuring everyone to give me ecs based on animal activism i have googled enough about animal activism and i have 10 ecs ideas and i’m brainstorming more and asking people more sorry i learned it the hard way what advice everyone was trying to give me and i angered everyone in this discussion i’m sorry once again guys
Say what? Not a single period in this run-on paragraph. Not an improvement, not showing us you aren’t toying here or in your next post. It makes me question everything in this thread.
Some sound advice: leave this “discussion,” (if it can be called that,) on the table and be a great 8th grader. Join something, offer your energies. Then come back for advice in a couple of years when it’s time to fine tune.
Meanwhile, use the time to grow, improve, have some impact, even small and, in essence, mature.
You are in 8th grade. You need to find something that inspires you…not something you think will gain admission to Harvard.
The very very vast majority of accepted students at elite schools have not started non-profits or won national awards. You need to put this notion aside.
As an 8th grader, your goal should be to be an 8th grader. Then take a challenging course load in high school and get excellent grades.
