Currently in Grade 10 (first term) - I’m in Australia. French was compulsory up until Grade 9, so it was optional in Grade 10. I chose to do French this year and in upperschool because Harvard has a 4 years language requirement. However, I’m not passionate about French, but I’m passionate at German and self-teaching my self - it’s been one year and I’m nearly fluent, can pretty much get at least a 780 on the practice SAT II German test and a 4/5 on German AP. My question is, do you think if I quit French and just do SAT II and AP German it will make up for the 4 years of a language?
BTW, it isn’t necessarily a requirement, it just states that the ideal candidate will take the most rigorous course; incl. Biology, Physics, Chemistry, 4 years of a language. Will this hurt my chance?
I dont think it will count for the 4 years but could count for the subject SAT they ask for. Remember, its not required but ideal, and they consider that every school does not have the same oppurtunities as others.
A 700 or better on an SAT II foreign language test, or a 5 on a foreign language AP exam meets your Harvard language requirement for graduation. Harvard also administers its own language placement exams, and a sufficient-high score can waive the requirement. See:
Your question is better asked when it’s not hypothetical. If and when you get a 780 or 4/5, you should ask the question again.
In the interim, as you have been told several times on your numerous posts asking the question a different way, your chances of getting into Harvard as an Australian resident are very very slim.
Actually my chances as are international applicant are high since I am the co-founder of a successful company and two apps which have been valuated at $1.1bn, $900mln and 250mln. The business has 2 million users (launched May 2014), and one of the apps has 200,000 (only launched three months ago) and the other 500,000 With that being said, I think I stand a pretty good chance, especially since I have a 4.0 GPA, many leadership roles, my startup and apps, achievements and awards. And I’m going to the prestigious Y Combinator. I think I have a great chance at either Stanford or Harvard, also because I no longer need FA. @skieurope
You went from being concerned about tuition in December 2014 to being a co-founder of a billion dollar company in March 2015. And you’re worried about a language requirement???
Yeah, it all happened rather quickly. But yeah, I am worried about that. I’m also worried about a guy who got rejected from all the ivies, he had a very impressive app which one would think would gain him instant acceptance - (top 5 app developer, founder of biotech company funded by Ycombinator, partricipate in Y combinator (Very very prestigious incubator in silicon valley), published authour, researcher at university, 2300 SAT, 800 SAT IIs (can’t remember which), 11 APs 5 in all of them, interned at Cisco and Facebook, Siems semis, intel smis, intel isef and excellent recommendations. Yet he got denied to all ivies and mediocre schools? Other people who were so much more average got in, even international students!! They didn’t even achieve half as much. Guess it’s really a crapshoot then.
@akova1, perhaps something in his nature didn’t resonate with the AOs. I personally have been unable to conjure up a vision of someone who should be applying to all of the Ivies for the right reasons, so I’m left with a confused or values-challenged applicant. It might be an over-simplification, but IMO, anyone who applies to all of the Ivies should be denied at all of the Ivies.
Agreed. I can’t imagine how one can write an exemplary essay on “Why X?” to all these schools; aside from playing in the same athletic league, there is little commonality between them.
“… anyone who applies to all of the Ivies should be denied at all of the Ivies.”
Agreed!
My question to the OP is why you feel the need to go to college? If you are co-founder of a billion dollar company at your age, what do you hope to gain? Do you plan to study computer science with the goal of someday developing an app that will be valued at a billion dollars?
Oh, wait. You’ve done that.
The only reason I could think of for a teenage millionaire to go to college is an intense desire to study something completely theoretical, like philosophy. What is your intended major? If it’s outside the field of computer science, you might have a compelling application. If it isn’t, it seems like the adcom might be left scratching their head, wondering what the point is.
It doesn’t work like that. You can own a company worth a lot but my co-founder have the other share percentage, and it doesn’t mean that 1.1billion is my salary. I want to go to a college in America so bad because the experience is so much better. In Australia, I can’t even begin to explain the vast differences of college life, we don’t even have college life here. I want the experience! And the thing I live by is “You only have one life, so you might as well aim for the moon, and if you fall, you’ll fall among the stars”. I want the experience!
1.1 billion is the valuation of the company, doesn’t mean I have that much money unless a company buys us out. And I don’t want to just give money to a university, I want to earn it.
Btw, I pay myself a standard 80k salary. So, I’m not rich, my company is just worth alot.
I want to study Economics, which is the most common degree at Harvard - unfortunately. Because I never expected to cofound a business like this. I’m not a coder, I started as the project manager, but I take care of all affairs and everything which goes on - I’m president now. Silicon Valley for my company would probably be an inevitability one day, but it’s not my industry. I’m grateful to be apart of such an incredible business but I want to found another company and solve other problems within my niche. And just because I would have the money doesn’t mean I don’t want to or needn’t to go to college. I want to live life to the fullest and I want Harvard to be apart of that. My plan is to earn enough money so I can just travel and travel and travel. You only have one life, and I want to make the most of it.
I get all that, the salary, how valuation works, etc. I also understand the wanderlust and desire for experience. My point was not meant to put you down, but rather, to point out that you already possess many of the qualities that one might hope to gain in college. In that regard, it doesn’t really matter whether you go to Harvard or not. (Besides, you might want to look at MIT and U Chicago for Econ.) You’re going to be wildly successful no matter what!
Harvard doesnt care if you are rich unless you are willing to help with their endowment. It is an academic institution that wants to see people who can contribute to their institution. Can you cut it academiclly is always the big question. Have your billion dollar compny sponsor programs through HBS. Surely it can do that.
valuation means you can sell off part of your company and use it for other things if that is important to you. Also a companys value is indicted by the price earnings ratio. What is your P/E ratio?