Harvard is gonna get me killed!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Ah, I hoped I'd get a little bit of attention from that title—with the added plus that it gave variation. I didn't want to use the word "chances" as it seemed almost every thread in this particular forum was using it.</p>

<p>Well, enough of my ranting.</p>

<p>Harvard seriously is gonna get me killed--stress overload and all. I’ve been reading over the Accepted/Referred stats posted in the Harvard EA Decisions thread—and it really doesn’t look like a pretty sight for little ‘ole me.</p>

<p><em>sigh</em> Perhaps I should introduce myself, and my stats, so that hopefully I could get some constructive criticism—and a possible answer as to whether I have the slightest of chances at Harvard University.</p>

<p>I’m a just-turned 17-yearold Korean boy who’s just starting his second semester Junior year at an American-based international high school in the Philippines, planning to major in Medicine. Hmm, and here’s my stats:</p>

<p>===========</p>

<p>** GPAs (weighted):
Freshman Year : 3.9285
Sophomore Year : 4.1428
Junior Year : 4.5000 (first semester only)</p>

<p>Average: 4.1927 (Weighted) / 3.9714 (Unweighted)
Class Rank: 1/70</p>

<p>** APs
Taken: Statistics = 4 (I’ve found a branch of mathematics that I hate)
Currently Taking: Calculus AB (which I find <em>very</em> easy), Chemistry (tough, but fun!), World History (a subject I’ve decided to hate forever, though I do excellently)
Hoping to Take: Physics (I’m currently trying to get approval to skip regular Physics), Psychology (which I find fascinating), Computer Science AB (because I love computers, sort of), and Calculus BC (because AB is just too easy), and maybe, but not likely, English (since the seniors this year seriously look like their struggling)</p>

<p>** SATs
Not a clue, yet. I’m taking them January 28…. I think I’ll manage to get at least over 700 in CR and Math</p>

<p>** EC’s and Others
JV Academic Bowl (10), Visual Projection Manager (10), Youth Ministry Group President (10), Church Sunday school teacher (11), Class President (11), JV Volleyball Sports (11), Member of International High IQ Society, Talent Night production Core Committee member, NHS, volunteer at A4J, People to People Leadership Summit participant, Accountability Group, Small Groups Bible Study, Lifeguard at school pool, German/French language courses outside of school, and few other awards/certificates</p>

<p>=========</p>

<p>While my grades are above average (though not exactly stellar), I <em>am</em> really lacking in my extracurriculars—though it may have something to do with the fact that there aren’t many available at my school of 260 or so.</p>

<p>By the end of this year, I should hopefully have an above 4.2 GPA—and I’ll be running for Executive Student Council president for the next year; which I think I have a fair chance at winning. There are a few more EC’s I might be able to fit in as well, and I’ll also be working over the summer at my school’s summer work program.</p>

<p>In any case, now that you’ve seen my stats, allow me to ask you these two, quite unrelated yet related question: What are my chances at applying to Harvard—is there anything I could do to improve it? Would I be considered an international student, since I’m a Korean citizen—even though I’ve been speaking English and learning in English since Pre-K?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>~allizarin</p>

2

<p>One out of eleven are the odds for the average brilliant applicant. But that includes all developmental admits, legacies, recruited athletes, desired URMS, sons and daughters of Senators, Congressmen, and ambassadors, holders of major patents, authors of best-selling novels, opera composers, and Olympic tiddly-winks champions. Take those out of the picture and it is closer to 1 out of 20. So if you are an average brilliant Harvard applicant, without any of the above characteristics, your odds fall somewhere between 1:11 and 1:20. The rest is just details.</p>

<p>Don't get all stressed. You're probably not getting in (most people, after all, with stats as good as yours or better aren't), and now you can figure out where you REALLY want to go to school.</p>

3

<p>You MUST nail the SATs. You MUST nail the SATs. If you cannot produce test scores above 2300, Harvard will be completely out of reach. Your SAT subject tests will also be big. You are pretty undistinguished in your ECs, and international competition is very fierce.
Prep the hell out of the tests, take them as much as you can, and be very superstitious.</p>

<p>Also, Pre-med is an overrepresented major at Harvard. Without having done much in the fields of chemistry or biology, it will be to your disadvantage to list such a major. It might be helpful to list an uncommon major in a subject that you're really interested in learning for its own sake, and have special accomplishments in. It doesn't have to be a major that you really think that you will major in, but something that you're really fascinated with. Remember, you don't really choose your major until end of your sophomore year. Just a tip, take it or leave it, and it may not work for you in light of your circumstances. If you're really interested in pre-med, then go ahead and list it already.</p>

4

<p>Won't matter a heck of a lot. Might get the odds up to 1 in 11, if that, 2300 SATs or not. The fact is that the OP didn't choose his parents well, and that's the biggest reason the odds can't be increased majorly.</p>

<p>Still could get in though - one never knows. I just wouldn't get particularly stressed about it, since it is so unlikely, and there are so many fine schools out there.</p>

5

<p>Oh please...not again. Harvard does NOT accept about 85-90% of the students who apply. Many have very stellar stats, ECs, recommendations and the like. If Harvard is your dream school, then absolutely apply there. BUT don't stress over it because the reality is that many very qualified applicants do not get accepted there annually. And as Mini said...find some other schools you'll love also. Applying to Harvard is like buying a lottery ticket.</p>

6

<p>Welcome to College Confidential, allizarin. Think of getting into Harvard (and the small number of similarly selective schools) as a lottery. When you buy a lottery ticket, you don't really expect to win, and you aren't terribly disappointed when your number isn't selected. </p>

<p>Your excellent achievements to date can buy you a Harvard lottery ticket... if you make it, great. But focus on other schools to find one you really like and have a high probability of getting into. If Harvard is stressing you out, you are investing WAY too much emotion into the school.</p>

<p>I'm not implying that selective school admission is random. Far from it. But for a superb student who lacks some kind of powerful hook, the odds are relatively low and the unpredictability high. Good luck!</p>

7

<p>You seem fine so far. There's no reason not to apply. Good SAT scores will help. If they aren't perfect though, don't worry. Keep working on the ECs. Get 5's on your APs this year. Do lots of ECs over the summer when you have time and get some work experience.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

8

<p>"Oh please...not again. Harvard does NOT accept about 85-90% of the students who apply."</p>

<p>Actually, it's 91-92%, and take out the special hooks and it is closer for most applicants to 95%. Just not worth worrying about. (According to their own students, it only ranks 27th out of 31 private colleges and universities belonging to the Consortium of Financing of Higher Education in educational quality and quality of campus life. <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/03/29/student_life_at_harvard_lags_peer_schools_poll_finds?mode=PF%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/03/29/student_life_at_harvard_lags_peer_schools_poll_finds?mode=PF&lt;/a> You could do much better.)</p>

9

<p>SAT score update: 2010 (M: 700, CR: 680, W: 630)</p>

<p>Ooh, that was a pain. <em>sigh</em>. My excuse? I didn't have time to study. I will definitely be taking the SATs again this summer, and I feel very confident that I will improve.</p>

<p>In any case, I also have one more EC to add on: I'm currently shadowing a doctor at a hospital, which is really an amazing experience. I may, in fact, write my essay about it. And the doctor is willing to write up a letter of recommendation! I've been working with him twice a week, indefinitely--meaning for many, many months to come!</p>

<p>Anywho~, I've got a pretty specific question to ask: is International competition actually harder than regular (and even that is extremely hard!)?</p>

<p>Oh, and another: what are my chances for Johns Hopkins University? </p>

<p>As I'm interested in pre-Med and its related, JHU would be a very excellent place to attend, I think--if I don't make it to Harvard. What are my chances for JHU?</p>

<p>Thanks so much in advance!</p>

<p>~zarin</p>

10

<p>Yeah, they may reject 92% of the people, but not all 92% have very high stats, so his "odds" are significantly higher than 8%. Sure, it's still a reach, but it's not quite as unlikely as some people here seem to suggest....</p>

11

<p>Yeah odds are much better than 92%. I interview for an Ivy and at least a third of the applicants are barely competitive. </p>

<p>But you need to raise the SAT to have a shot. Also, there is no such thing as a pre-med major, and many of my friends at top 5 med schools now majored in something random like Philosophy. </p>

<p>Also, JHU isnt "good for pre-med", it will get looked at about the level of any Ivy. But truthfully its much harder, simply because of the number of kids going there wanting to go to med school and the culture that creates. Going to a less intensive place like Brown will look just as good or better to the med schools and you won;t have to deal with a culture like JHU. My friend from high school who went to Brown just got into Stanford med.</p>

12

<p>If you want to get into Med school, make sure to go to a good undergrad school but also one in which you can score a high GPA. Essay & good recs are especially important for Harvard. </p>

<p>And I'm a 2011 H-hopeful, too. =)</p>

13

<p><a href="According%20to%20their%20own%20students,%20it%20only%20ranks%2027th%20out%20of%2031%20private%20colleges%20and%20universities%20belonging%20to%20the%20Consortium%20of%20Financing%20of%20Higher%20Education%20in%20educational%20quality%20and%20quality%20of%20campus%20life.%20%5Burl%5Dhttp://www.boston.com/news/educatio...fin%5B/url%5D%20ds?mode=PF%20You%20could%20do%20much%20better."&gt;quote&lt;/a>

[/quote]
</p>

<p>This looks like a very interesting study. Does anyone happen to have a link to the study itself or at least an article saying how the other schools did? I tried googling and could only find the Consortium's web site, which only gives a brief blurb about who they are. Everything else there is members only access. The only things I found were a few news articles with this study or a different one. Well, I gave up after 10 pages of links.</p>

<p>To know how the students themselves view these colleges would be very interesting.</p>

14

<p>JHU is a much better goal. Competition is heightened for internationals, especially Asians. The top schools get so many Asian applicants with perfect scores and there are only so many slots for Asians whether or not they admit it. If you need any money, it's near impossible. Then you need to look at some 2nd tier schools. If no need for money, there are lots of schools you can get into that have good med school placement, look in the archieves here.</p>