Harvard 2016 Hopeful (evaluation)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
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<p>Hi Everyone,</p>

<p>I hope this thread finds you well. I am narrowing down/focusing on specific universities.
Your advices, comments, and constructive criticisms will be very appreciated.</p>

<p>Please read carefully to purvey thoughtful advices.</p>

<p>Thank you so much for your time!</p>

<p>Asian international student living in Canada</p>

<p>GPA Weighted: 4.1
Class Ranking (Top 10%) - our school does 10%, 25%...Private School (100 students per grade)</p>

<p>Grade 9 - 85% Avg.
Grade 10 - 86% Avg.
Grade 11 - 92% Avg.
Grade 12 - aiming for 95-96% Avg.</p>

<p>SAT I:
CR: 750
WR: 800, 12
MA: 780</p>

<p>SAT II:
Math IIC: 800
Chem: 770
Literature: 730</p>

<p>Advanced Placement:</p>

<p>AP Econ Micro: 5
AP Econ Macro: 5
AP Calculus AB: 5
AP Music Theory: 5 (aural: 5, non-aural: 5)
AP Psychology: 4
AP Chemistry: 4
AP English Language: 4
AP European History: 4</p>

<p>University of British Columbia Faculty of Arts (concurrent-studies student)
PSYC 102 - social, clinical, developmental psyc: A-
PHIL 120 - intro to logical and critical thinking: A-</p>

<p>Fall 2011/2012 Term course-load:
AP English Literature
AP Human Geography
AP Spanish
AP French
AP Calculus BC
Law 12</p>

<p>UBC:
PSYC 308 - social psychology
ECON 225 - introduction to globalization</p>

<p>Academic Honors:
AP Nat. Scholar - gr. 10
Various School Awards</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Piano:
Associate of Royal Conservatory of Toronto: First Class Honors with Distinctions (92)
Seattle International Piano Competition Alternate Finalist (14-18yrs)
KCHF International Music Festival: Piano Advanced (First Place)
Vancouver 2010 Olympics Piano Solo Performance (Youth Talent Showcase @ Olympic Village)
British Columbia Conservatory of Music Competition: First Place (Open Class)
Kiwanis Vancouver Music Festival: First Place (Open Class)</p>

<ul>
<li>12 years of piano playing</li>
<li>Volunteered + 500 hours @ various senior care facility centres</li>
</ul>

<p>Model UN:
Harvard WorldMUN Vancouver 2012: Academic Coordinator: Specialized Agencies and Crises
CAIMUN: Founder and Secretary General
Canadian High Schools MUN 2011: USG Committees
VMUN 2011: Director of Economic and Social Council
ConenctMUN 2011: Chief of Staff
CAHSMUN 2010 - Best Del. (IMF)
VMUN 2010 - Best Del. (ECOSOC)
CAHSMUN 2009 - Hon Mentions.
VMUN 2009 - Hon Mentions.
NHSMUN 2009 - Participation</p>

<ul>
<li>Founder and Head Del - School MUN Club</li>
</ul>

<p>Debate:
BC Provincial Independent Schools Debate Tournament: First Place (Juniors)
Westerns Canadian Public Speaking Competition: Fifth Place (Overall)
School-wide Public Speaking: First Place</p>

<p>*Debate Club Gr.10 - Gr.12 (co-captain)</p>

<p>Sports:
TKD Third Degree Black Belt Instructor (500HRs +)
School Badminton Captain, MVP 2010 (Gr.9-12)</p>

<p>Ecetra:
School Student Executive
School Art Magazine Editor-in-chief (Gr.10-12)
School Chamber Orchestra concertmeister (Gr.9-12)
Royal Conservatory of Music Clarinet Gr.8 Honors</p>

<p>Rec:
(Each Rec will have different information and flavors - all connecting to one whole of consistency)
School Headmaster - development from gr.7-12 (personal and academic) - I had a troubled academic and personal past from gr.7-9 (grades reflect that above)
Eng Teacher (Head Dep for 27 yrs): taught me eng lang, eng lit, debate coach - we are best buddies - it has strange connotations, but she almost loves everything about me (debate, music, my crazy innovation, work ethic)
Soc. Teacher (Head Dep for 25 yrs): taught me Gr.10 Socials, AP Human Geo - we are great friends. she saw me change a lot to a new person - like a caterpillar to a dragon butterfly (similar feeling to headmaster's) - will at length discuss my reverence to MUN and politics alike
Counselor: he thinks of me highly (recommended me to an Oxf. Adms Off.)</p>

<p>Essay: Common App
will be unique (I can assure you that - I am sure not many will talk about tomatoes in detail)</p>

<p>Supplemental:
Personal Development (consistent with teacher recs)</p>

<p>My Ares of interest:
IR, ECON, PSYC</p>

<p>Will pursue: musical performance</p>

<p>Please Chance me for:</p>

<p>Harvard (please give detailed advices especially for this one)
Princeton
Yale
Stanford
Columbia
UPenn Wharton
Cornell Arts
Brown
Oxford
London school of economics</p>

<p>I highly value your thoughts. I will chance you back for sure. Thank you so much, and have a fantastic day!</p>

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<p>I apologize for posting here. Curiosity gets hold of me and mouse gets trapped under my piano-calloused hand, and I click the submit button. :)</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

3

<p>Hello Koharvard, </p>

<p>I am also an Asian student in BC, and I believe that you’re accomplished enough to be a strong candidate for those schools. However, the Harvard admissions process has often been likened to that of a “lottery” among overachievers - therefore, you should distinguish yourself through an outstanding essay/interviews. Teacher recs are also important.</p>

<p>Seeing that you have so many APs and studied at UBC, could I ask you two questions? First, my school doesn’t have APs. Is it possible to self-study for them? Also, what are your thoughts on the UBC program? Is it hard to get in/do? I intend to try it next year.</p>

<p>Good luck : )</p>

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<p>PS there are lots of books on acing your college essay</p>

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<p>Self-study: I self studied 3 of them, and it’s definitely time consuming. Try Barron’s, Kaplan, and princeton review. Best one to self-study is psychology (although I failed because I studied exactly for one week). AP Music theory - I self-studied, and it’s a killer. You need to be a musical genius or ver very capable and experienced to get a 5. (Please do not see this as arrogance, 12 years of music got me through this exam and it was damn difficult)</p>

<p>UBC - I had 8 AP’s when I went for the concurrent studies. For me, it wasn’t a problem, especially with a generous rec. from my fatherly headmaster.</p>

<p>You need to write a statement of intent for UBC, and make sure to sound ambitious and that you harbor tremendous academic potential/curiosity.</p>

<p>Hope this helps. Best of luck to your endeavors - good to see a fellow BCer here.</p>

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<p>Haha thx, best of luck to you too!</p>