<p>"The highest academic rating of one is reserved for students who rank first or second their high school class, score over 700 on at least five SAT tests, score 4 or 5 on at least three AP tests or 6 or 7 on three IB tests, and show academic initiative outside the classroom.... Roughly 10 percent of applicants to Harvard are given academic ratings of one.... Academic ones are virtual locks for admission."
--Dov Fox, "The Truth About Harvard" (pg. 19)</p>
<p>“Academic initiative outside the classroom [is] demonstrated by participation in summer programs, special projects, research papers, or independent studies.” (Pg.18)</p>
<p>AboutTime: there’s Fox’s full explanation of a “one.” So, in answer to your question, I’d say that scoring over 700 on 5 of the 6 required SAT scores (math, writing, and CR from the SAT 1 and then your 3 subject tests) is a must (so no, he doesn’t mean 5 subject tests). I don’t know how accurate his definition of a “one” really is, since it seems that there are many applicants with these stats and I doubt they’re all “virtual locks for admission.”</p>