<ol>
<li><p>Realizing Harvard states that two SAT II's are required, I would like to know of the applicants accepted how many supply more than two SAT II scores?</p></li>
<li><p>Harvard states that four years of a language is ideal. I am opting to substitute language in my senior year for a year-long independent research program in political science. Will this have a significant negative impact on my chances for acceptance?</p></li>
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<p>In general, I’m sure they wouldn’t track that data. Specifically, this upcoming admissions cycle is the first to require only two, so there’s not much that can be said anyway. All in all, the reason they require two is because that’s all that they deem necessary, and it is surely not to an applicant’s detriment if they fail to submit more than two.</p>
<ol>
<li>I sent four, if that helps you any. (Lowest was a 760, in Math II.)</li>
<li>Probably not a problem. It makes you more interesting, imo.</li>
</ol>
<p>For the first question, I applied when they required three and I submitted exactly three: US History, World History, and Math II (770/800/800)</p>
<p>I can’t really comment on the second question</p>
<ol>
<li><p>For the last admissions cycle, I submitted two average scores and one not-so-good one. 720 biology, 750 U.S. history and a rather embarrassing 640 in math II.</p></li>
<li><p>My last foreign language class was during my sophomore year. I chose not to have room for it junior year and didn’t even bother senior year.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Somehow I was still offered admission. :)</p>
<p>720 and 750 are not “average.”</p>
<p>Several of these posts included scores, stellar ones at that. However, these were not necessary to answer the question.</p>
<p>Don’t let it bother you.</p>
<p>Two SAT II’s are fine.</p>
<p>The research project sounds great.</p>
<p>A large number of freshman take languages at Harvard, and the classes are not unpleasant, so you can just do that if you end up there.</p>
<p>^Agree. Harvard expects you to go above and beyond in certain admissions criteria, but I really don’t think SAT IIs are one of them. And I think having the motivation to do a year-long independent study project in high school is a far more valuable asset on a Harvard application than an extra year of foreign language. I studied and promptly forgot French in high school, so I fulfilled Harvard’s foreign language requirement with two semesters of intro Spanish.</p>
<p>“Harvard expects you to go above and beyond in certain admissions criteria, but I really don’t think SAT IIs are one of them.”</p>
<p>[Guidance</a> Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Part 2 - The Choice Blog - NYTimes.com](<a href=“Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 2 - The New York Times”>Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 2 - The New York Times)</p>
<p>Actually, according to Dean Fitzsimmons: </p>
<p>“We have found that the best predictors at Harvard are Advanced Placement tests and International Baccalaureate Exams, closely followed by the College Board subject tests. High school grades are next in predictive power, followed by the SAT and ACT. The writing tests of the SAT and ACT have predictive power similar to the subject tests.”</p>
<p>^ That’s good news for me :). OP I plan on submitting anywhere from 5-7.</p>
<p>Up until last year three SAT II’s were required, and I only submitted three. As for the foreign language requirement, I ducked out of Spanish senior year! Honestly, I think your independent research program sounds much more impressive (and certainly much more interesting than our high school Spanish classes …) so no worries :)</p>
<p>@gibby: Fair point. I meant that Harvard doesn’t expect you to go above and beyond in terms of the number of tests taken, which was the factor that the OP was asking about, whereas I suspect Fitzsimmons was talking about the scores on those tests. High scores on two SAT IIs are a better predictor of high grades than average scores on eight SAT IIs.</p>
<p>As to question number 2: it really, really depends on what your interests are. If you are applying to major in poli sci, or if you are doing ECs that relate in some way to poli sci, you are better off doing the poli sci independent study. In general, it’s a good idea to follow your own interests where they lead you. It sounds like you are, so I think you are probably making the right choice.</p>