Harvard or Stanford: Which One?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hey CC,</p>

<p>So I'm a junior from Vancouver, BC Canada (the Olympics!) and I'm really into entrepreneurship (social entrepreneurship specifically, it's the socially consciousness side of biz). </p>

<p>I ultimately want to go into business, but who knows, I also might lean towards Med. </p>

<p>So narrowing down my universities for one's that have good undergrad programs for prospective MBA and MD students, and one's that have the established Social Enterprise programs:</p>

<p>I've come to Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia (haha, esentially half the ivies), </p>

<p>but my top two picks are *Stanford and Harvard. *</p>

<p>I was wondering if you guys could chance me and maybe give me some advice based on my interests and achievements whether Stanford or Harvard would be better (that's if I can even get in!)</p>

<p>School - Extremely Competitive: rated as the second best school in all of Canada. </p>

<p>GPA - 95 % (school doesn't have 4.0 system)
Class Rank - 3 / 150 (but sadly my school has a policy of not giving ranks to unis)
SAT 1 - 800 M, 740 CR, 730 W (plan on taking it again) 2270
SAT 2 - 780 Math 2, 770 Physics (should I take any more?)
All my courses are AP's, accelerated and honors... most rigorous course load at my school (Latin included!)
3 AP's in Juinor year, and 6 in senior = 9 AP's in total</p>

<p>National Round:</p>

<p>Music-
Nationals for Concert Band
Nationals for Wind Ensemble</p>

<p>Sports-
Bronze Medal in Rowing at Nationals</p>

<p>Extracurricular-
Nationals for School-reach (Canadian name for quizbowl)
Destination Imagination qualified for Global Championships </p>

<p>Academics-
Top score in country for National Mythology Exam
4 Years Gold Medal / Summa Cum Laude for National Latin Exam </p>

<p>The theme to myself and my App: Social Entrepreneurship <a href="A%20combination%20of%20leadership%20and%20volunteering,%20in%20accord%20with%20youth%20empowerment%20and%20education">/U</a></p>

<ul>
<li><p>My biggest thing and what I'll write my essay about: I founded a non-profit youth organization that raises money in BC by providing Model UN conferences to students across BC and then using the money to help the kids in the slums of Bombay in India (the same slums as the one in slumdog millionare) </p></li>
<li><p>This thing is really big for me and really comprehensive... if you are interested or nice enough to offer me advice, I'll send you the document (or post it) that exactly covers what I'm doing.</p></li>
<li><p>Raised about $ 6000 so far for that... my non-profit essentially kills two birds with one stone: gives the opportunity of MUN to kids who would never have it before (ie rural kids) and in India I hire teachers with the raised money (the most lacking resources surprisingly enough) to teach the slum kids.</p></li>
<li><p>I spent my freshman summer volunteering and helping these slum kids: taught them financial literacy and English and that experience served as the catalyst for me to found my organization </p></li>
<li><p>Going back to the same place this summer to volunteer again and hire the teachers with the raised money</p></li>
<li><p>*Since the beginning of high school, I've amassed about 1500 hours of service, but their dedicated hours spent with my passion of youth empowerment and education * </p></li>
<li><p>First ever high school student in Vancouver to be on the board of a non-profit: on the board for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society Vancouver </p></li>
<li><p>Mentor mentally and behaviorally ill kids on a weekly basis</p></li>
<li><p>Mentor underprivileged and at risk kids making the jump to high school</p></li>
<li><p>And much much more, but I don't want to bore you (bunches of provincial titles, president of tons of clubs, editor in chief of literary publication, etc.)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Strengths: My strong theme and drive for the one are of Social Entrepreneurship - I think I encapsulate the heart of social entrepreneur and I think my achievements convey it; the non profit I started and my dedication to it since the beginning of high school
Weaknesses: International, Weak SAT and grades (relative), not many AP's; do too many things and too much leadership all over the place - seems like I'm resume driven even though I'm not.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for the chance and advice!</p>

2

<p>you go to st. george’s right? Sounds very much like my school</p>

3

<p>Don’t waste your time re-taking your SAT. Raising your score by 50 points just isn’t going to make a difference. Focus on your ECs, essays and GPA instead.</p>

4

<p>@Alexandre Re-taking the SAT really doesn’t take up that much time. I agree that he shouldn’t obsessively re-study at the expense of ECs, essays, and GPA, but there’s nothing significant he could accomplish in those in the <10 hours of doing a bit of studying and retaking the test itself.</p>

<p>@OP; The schools are not so different that you need to have a favorite before you have the chance between two offers of admission. Apply to both, loving both. There’s absolutely no harm in doing so. You can choose if you get into both. That’s largely practical, too–there are a lot more resources directed toward admitted students than prospective students, at least in terms of “we are better than that other school you are considering” rather than “you should apply to us, too, because we are also great!”</p>

5

<p>Funny thing is that there is a good chance one will take you and the other won’t making it an easy decision.</p>