Gauge My Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hi guys, this is my first post here, so if I missed some vital forums rules, like posting an introduction elsewhere, please do let me know (I checked but didn't notice anything).</p>

<p>I am one of the thousands gearing up for that customary rite of passage for highschool seniors- the college admissions process.</p>

<p>Unfortunately (or rather, fortunately, depending on how you look at it :P) I found that Harvard "clicked" the most of all the colleges I visited and am looking at, and I'd really love to attend, from all the research, the tour/visit, etc, I've found that I really like it the best, so I suppose it is only natural for me to want to get an idea, realistically, of what my chances are.</p>

<p>Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2090(Cr=740 M=660 W=690 ---- mind, I've taken the SAT only once, and have studied since to improve my score quite substantially, am taking it again in OCT)
ACT: 29 [again, first time, and math really brought me down here, and no prior preparation]
SAT II:US History-800 Chemistry-710(low?)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):(don't know, I need to ask my college councilor once school starts) weighted=4.10 (I think on the 4.33 scale or something similar)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):top 5%
AP (place score in parenthesis):History-5 Chemistry-5 English-N/A(english AP is a two-year at my school)
IB (place score in parenthesis):N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Modern Euro History, AP Calc. AB, AP Bio, AP Latin V, AP English, (maybe) AP Econ(depends on scheduling), Photo III
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): highest national latin exam awards, regional sci-oly, school specific honors (first in freshman scholarship, english awards, etc.)</p>

<p>Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Newspaper(Pres/Chief Editor, will also be starting [hopefully] a school blog offshoot this year), JV tennis (capt.), Debate/IT(s) club[stands for independent thinkers and speakers club)(founder/pres), Sci-Oly, Fall play, Cross country(only once), Junior Procters(leadership figures/upper-school liaisons to our middleschool, integrate them into school's community), airsoft/MILsim(passion for the last 6 years, took it to another level by being the only teen I know anywhere to become both a referee and advanced weapons technician and gun builder), photography, drama club, working on writing for a local newspaper, just learning guitar, teaching myself basic programming like javascript.
Job/Work Experience:2 Summers work at a small pharma-based-IT company(my dads) doing testing, database programming,
2 years work at the state's only airsoft store(at the time anyway) as one of the chief technicians, and referees in the indoor play area
Volunteer/Community service:Habitat for humanity, building houses in FL -40 hours; tutoring/volunteering through my school some 100+ hours, president-spread the light program(a program founded by a close friend to help encourage creative writing among students at impoverished inner city trenton schools, since taking it over this will probably be expanded to include teaching math-since the kids love/ask for that), school-to-red-cross blood drive liaison/chair, helped a friend with an eagle scout project building huge "swift" roosts-20-30 hrs
Summer Activities:Lots and lots of traveling(India, Iceland, Alaska, Montana, the Canadian rockies, belgium, etc), work, airsoft/MILsim events
Essays:I plan on them being rock solid, perhaps about my life's many passions(originally it was cars[first word was car, and I could identify any car by the mere lights at night by age 2-3], then computers[built mine in sixth/seventh grade], then airsoft[learned how to fully work on and upgrade these replica weaponry systems by the end of 8th grade, including soldering, installing computerized mosFETs, tuning gearsets, short-stroking pistons, etc, etc], and history[hence the username]). I'm also a decent hand at writing, so I don't plan on this being a major issue.
Teacher Recommendation:Should be solid
Counselor Rec: Again, solid
Additional Rec: Considering having my boss/mentor/close friend, a retired USAF major, write one for a career, leadership, technical skills, etc view
Interview:I plan on doing them, and I will practice and be myself, hoping it'll go smoothly</p>

<p>Other
State (if domestic applicant): rural NJ
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: small private
Ethnicity: Indian(though a US citizen from birth)
Gender: M
Income Bracket:not sure but 100+K
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): none I can think of, other than the fact that I am (heres a bit of a shocker) the only indian (or US citizen Asian) applying from my school(not sure if this matters, but its worth finding out)</p>

<p>I realize Harvard will be a big reach, I took the time to do enough research on here and elsewhere to know that.</p>

<p>I am just wondering about where I would stand, and if I'd perhaps have a fighting chance, a real chance, at making it. 'Course I'll apply either way, I see no harm in trying, and I plan to fight the good fight :P</p>

<p>I will certainly improve my standardized test scores next time around, so I am not too worried about that, and if I were to do so, I think I'd be somewhere in the middle of the harvard applicant pool academics wise, enough to see me through the initial wave of rejections I hope, and from then on..... Thats what I really am burning to at least have some inkling of.</p>

<p>Thanks guys!</p>

2

<p>Short answer: will not happen if this is where you stand come January 1st. 2090 (or 29, depending on what you submit) + Indian ethnicity + no standout ECs renders you uncompetitive. </p>

<p>Also - are you sure you’ll be able to write “rock solid” essays? Your grammar and spelling seems a bit… spotty.</p>

<p>Good luck though! You should always apply if you truly have your heart set on Harvard - you never know what’ll happen.</p>

3

<p>Haha, yes my spelling and grammar weren’t the best in my previous post, but I didn’t exactly proofread it many times or expect it to be evaluated in that sense, after all this is a message board/online forum (perhaps I was mistaken in this… alas, the time for strategic editing is past :slight_smile: , most of the other forums I frequent are a bit more laid-back in this department). I am quite confident in my own writing abilities, and I feel I am capable of writing a solid essay, but I suppose I’ll only know once I have finished my essay and sent it off with my application.</p>

<p>I understood from the get-go that I was by no means a strong candidate, but I see no harm in applying (as long as I don’t get hung up on Harvard, or bent out of shape by a possible/probable rejection - which I won’t :slight_smile: I’ve enough sense not to).</p>

<p>I understand that my extra-curriculars aren’t as fantastic as many of those I’ve seen on the resume’s of those accepted last year and prior to that, and I think that (other than my great but not awesome academics, especially those low-end test scores) is perhaps my biggest weakness. I enjoyed high school’s lazy summers and afternoons with friends too much and have been a bit too complacent over the years, especially in what I involved myself in. Thankfully, I came to terms with this some time back, so getting rejected (if that is what happens), won’t be a major, heart-rending blow. Rather, my intent is simply to gauge my chances, see what I can do to improve my chances in the limited time I have left, and take in whatever advice I can get from this helpful community.</p>

<p>Any further comments, advice, etc. would be highly appreciated! I thank you Nikkor for you near instantaneous reply :)</p>