Harvard Myth!

Colleges & Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Sorry about the title </p>

<p>GPA UW: 3.89
GPA W: 6.0</p>

<p>Rank: Top 5% of 360 Students</p>

<p>ACT: 32 Comp. (E36, M27, R31, S33)
29 Comp. (E30, M27, R36, S24)
SAT II: Bio M-650
USH- 710
Spanish- 800
World - 11/7
SAT- 10/10</p>

<p>AP Scholar w Honors, Taken 15 APs, (Including This 6 Year) 9 Exams, Passed 7.
(Physics B, Calc AB, USH, World, Euro, English, English Lit, Spa, Spa Lit, Bio, Gov, Econ, Comp. Gov, ETC)</p>

<p>ECs:
- Hispanic Health Risk Community Service Project: 2008-2009, Over 132 Hours of Service. Founded a project to help the Hispanic members of our community learn about the different health risks that they may face.
-Church Community Service Group: 2006-2009, Over 219 Hours of Service. Helped the elderly and the poor with food and religious needs.
-Local Vocational SchoolLibrary Volunteer: 2006-2009, Over 324 Hours of Service performed during four consecutive summers. Helped students in the library and others with problems in computers, etc.
-Medical Assistant with two different doctors at their respective private offices. 2006-2009, Over 388 combined Hours of Service. Performed several vocationally oriented tasks to get an idea of what the medical career might be like. Learned firsthand from the doctors, what the different challenges and aspects of medicine are.
-Elementary School Assistant: 2008. Participated as an Elementary school assistant during the summer, helping out 1st grade teachers and the students. Over 60 Hours.
-Business Management: 2008-2009. Served with a local Private Laundry distribution company during two years. Learned about the different sales, and methods incorporated in the ownership of a business. Over 85 hours.
- Euro Challenge Participant 08', and SECME Participant 06', Both first school competitions in each area.</p>

<p>I am an URM (Hispanic) FL, and I am a first Gen College applicant.</p>

<p>Awards- AP Scholar Honors
Principals Annual HR
Top English Student 08'
Top Spanish Student 08'
Top Bio Student 08'
ETC</p>

<p>Thank you for everything, any one who responds. Ill gladly respond back.</p>

<p>Applying to Yale, Harvard, Princeton, UPenn, Columbia, U of Chicago, Brown, Johns Hopkins.</p>

2

<p>Why don’t you take in addition to your 15 APs the full international Baccalaureate diploma, plus the AS and A2 levels? Perhaps 28 IGCSEs and the German Abitur as well? No to offend you, but to me you look like someone who has zero dedication to your subjects and are just taking every possible subject to get into a top college. All your effort is impressive but I doubt you have any passion. And you failed 2 APs? Why? </p>

<p>Perhaps I am wrong, but that’s just my first impression. I am not doubting your academic capability but it simply looks like you value quantity and prestige over quality and devotion.</p>

3

<p>Well, felix, students are constantly told by both school counselors and admissions officers that their academic rigor is closely examined, and thus encouraged to take the toughest courses. </p>

<p>I mean, that’s what I’ve always been told. Just because you’re planning on becoming a doctor doesn’t men that you should take all CP/normal courses except for AP Bio and AP Chemistry.</p>

4

<p>^ Yes, but if the OP is failing AP exams that’s a sign that those subjects were not pursued with enough rigor or depth.</p>

5

<p>I take whatever challenging courses are offered but I do it on my own will. Plus I’m passionate about my ECs, but that doesn’t mean I’ll get into a top college. Sometimes, people just under so much pressure, that they give in to anything that will increase their chances.</p>

6

<p>Sorry about the title.</p>

7

<p>You need a better UW GPA, ACT, and real academic awards. You probably have bad AP scores too. I’m guessing mostly 3s and 4s?</p>

8

<p>I love how everyone on CC considers a 3 or a 4 a bad AP score. In reality, a four is equivalent to a B+/A- in college. is that bad? only on here it is…</p>

9

<p>@xAAAx: He failed 2 of 9 AP tests. Getting a 2 on the AP test is as if the student took the test without having any previous review/practice. We are safe to assume that the majority of the remaining 7 tests are 3s and a couple 4s. So you’re saying 3s on AP tests are good?
Taking a closer look, his best SAT II score is only Spanish, which might be looked down upon because he’s Hispanic and most likely fluent in it.
Adding this with everything already mentioned, he won’t make it.</p>

10

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<p>That really isn’t true. I taught at a state school and the level required to get you a 4 would probably be only C+/B-, if that. I won’t say it is “bad,” but a 4 isn’t anything approaching mastery of the subject matter. </p>

<p>The unfortunate thing about elite admissions is that it sometimes rewards a cart-before-the-horse philosophy. I’ve seen people with worse stats get into top 5 places because of a surplus of community service. However, if you are going to be a doctor and you are not getting 5’s on the APs (especially the main subjects,) maybe you should be spending time helping yourself by studying these subjects on your own rather than “helping your community.” I mean, aren’t you in a better position to help your community as a professional, when it truly matters, if you make a commitment to master core school subjects now? Sorry for the rant and I don’t blame the OP here; it really is the college’s fault for encouraging this.</p>

11

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<p>I don’t know. I think this one is kind of borderline. 32 and a 3.89 is pretty high for someone of Hispanic descent.</p>

12

<p>borderline is right.</p>

13

<p>ugh, the title bugs me. please stop doing that.</p>

<p>you’re an URM but at these top schools, there are plenty of people who are URM with a 3.9 and 34+ score.</p>

14

<p>Not really. There’s someone around these boards that had a 2200 and like a 3.8 BUT he was an African American, and thus got into Harvard, Yale, Princeton, AND Stanford.</p>

15

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<p>Any time someone says “and thus got into…”, it’s a red flag of oversimplification.</p>

16

<p>The fact that you were somewhat dishonest in your posting means you are exactly the type of student Harvard loves to send to Wall Street. You’ll do well there…</p>

17

<p>There are more and more qualified Hispanic applicants from CA, TX, NY, FL etc. The OP’s stats might get him if he was an African-American, his chances are less as an Hispanic. Still decent, however.</p>