<p>Sikorsky, why are you scratching your head over simple logic? State, national or international academic or extracurricular honors/awards dont go to students with empty resumes. To be in the game, you have to win something. Significant school or regional honors/awards create the impression of a winner, particularly in the field in which the student is most talented and accomplished. Thus students with zero accomplishments dont usually get into the Governors School of North Carolina, MIT RSI or MIT MITES and TASP, no matter how high their grades or test scores are. So, Sikorsky, significant school awards help you to win regional honors, significant regional honors help you to win state honors, significant state honors help you to win national honors, and significant national honors help you to win international honors (which generally lead to a quick acceptance to Harvard.) Why is this simple idea a head scratcher for you?</p>
<p>notjoe, you might not like it and you may consider it inappropriate, but students get into Harvard, MIT, or Stanford even though they have classified their HPB award as a Regional Award/Honor on their Common App. Sorry, but you dont make the rules.</p>
<p>“notjoe, you might not like it and you may consider it inappropriate,…”</p>
<p>I really couldn’t care less. I’ve merely noted that whatever YOU might call it, it’s a school award that in your parts seems to be celebrated on a regional basis. That’s nice.</p>
<p>"…but students get into Harvard, MIT, or Stanford even though they have classified their HPB award as a ‘Regional Award/Honor’ on their Common App."</p>
<p>Post hoc, ergo propter hoc.</p>
<p>It may be that admissions folks overlook this little piece of puffery when they see an otherwise good applicant.</p>
<p>OK, now I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s quite the inevitable progression that it sounds like in your description.</p>
<p>And, to return to our original point of disagreement, I think it does nothing at all to change my position that a Harvard College Book Award is a nice prize to win at school, but that’s all it is. And it’s not a regional award.</p>
@dascholar: Any student that feels the need to “craft” a winning app…or pay someone to help him/her “craft” a winning app really doesn’t belong at Harvard.</p>
<p>Seriously, how difficult is it to fill out the application?</p>
<p>A student in my year was awarded an award by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, with a 60k scholarship. It is clear that the Harvard Prize Book Award doesn’t guarantee admission to Harvard College, but when the school offers a scholarship, can the same conclusion be drawn? I mean, I find it hard to believe that RPI would “offer” a scholarship as a marketing ploy, only to not accept the student when he applies.</p>
<p>LOL. Yeah, a $60K scholarship is probably a little more indicative of interest than a $25 book prize (the cost of sponsoring a Harvard Book Award).</p>
<p>So now we are making assumptions, huh? All the advice I share with students is absolutely free, and it has been this way for over 15 years. I even offer free advice on CC to students I don’t know. And yes, students all over the country get advice on filling out their college applications, many without the aid of personal assistance; that is, there are a number of books and online sources on the subject. (I even wrote a 29 page elite college admissions guide that I give out free to students in my area.) Very few students try to traverse elite college admissions without some type of guidance. It’s just that my students don’t pay! </p>
<p>Anyhow, why did u guys go apoplectic over my argument that the HPB award is a “Regional Award” in the first place? I don’t understand your angst. Why do you feel you have to win this argument with me? After all, none of you are admissions officers or college admissions counselors, right? </p>
<p>braniac, forgive me for triggering this meaningless debate on your thread. List and explain the details of your HPB award as an academic honor (regional if it applies) on your Common App, resume, and on any application you fill-out for an award, honor or scholarship. And congratulations on receiving this award since it is more significant than some of the school awards you have or will receive. However, regarding the one thing we all agree on, understand that the HPB will not by itself get you into Harvard. Best wishes!</p>
<p>@dascholar: I made no assumptions. I stand by my previous statement. As you know, the college prep industry has grown to ludicrous proportions in recent years. It is clear that this creates an unfair advantage for applicants coming from affluent families who can afford to pay for college coaching (vs. lower-to-middle class applicants).</p>
<p>The college app should represent the work of the student. Enlisting the help of someone else (paid or unpaid) to “craft” the app implies significant manipulation of the student’s information. A strong applicant to Harvard, or any other school for that matter, simply does not need that sort of help.</p>
<p>“Crafting” is for D&D gamers and grade-school kids who make those nifty necklaces out of macaroni. :)</p>
<p>The OP should certainly mention the award being discussed in this thread as an “award” or “honor” in his college app. It really doesn’t matter under which category it is listed, so long as the OP has a reasonable justification for putting it there.</p>
<p>Bartleby007, you are really taking this discussion personal. What’s wrong? Who hurt you? Sorry that my use of the word “craft” has taken you to dark places. Thank God that I do not do the things you imagine I do. May God bless you and give you peace.</p>
<p>I received the HPB at my school a couple weeks ago, and have a couple questions/thoughts to share.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I am surprised I was chosen for the award, I am far from the top of the class (although I have a large upward trend). I do a fair amount of leadership and super involved with my EC’s but I am not at all the top student.</p></li>
<li><p>I have no idea why my school gets allocated these awards. No one from my school has ever gotten into Harvard, not a single student out of the 5-10 that apply every year.</p></li>
<li><p>Will adcoms feel that this award mean that I am close to the top of my class because my school does not rank?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Either way I am really glad to receive it and sent a letter thanking the administration and local alumni association for the award.</p>
Depends on the admissions committee.
A Harvard admissions officer familiar with how the prize is awarded would not read too much “meaning” into the honor.
An admissions officer from another university who is unfamiliar with the prize might be impressed.</p>
<p>List the prize in the “awards/honors” section of your college application. Let the admissions committees worry about how to interpret it.</p>
<p>In our city students are nominated by the school (a “top” junior). The nominated students were then required to write an essay addressing a specific topic and submit a utube video addressing a separate specific topic. Winners were announced - the number of winners were significantly fewer then the number nominated; the books were given at a ceremony attended by Harvard alum and current students. The ceremony was very marketing oriented.</p>
<p>I have no clue what the weight of the award is on an application, except that it’s better to have received it then not to have received it. In light of the process to get the award(the recipient actually had to submit something and clear some unspecified hurdle), I would conclude its more than a school award but less than making it to the intel ISEf finals - a lot less.</p>
<p>I got the Harvard Book Award too, and I’m going to list it on my Application.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the level of recognition for this award would be? I’m not quite sure whether I should check School, State/Regional, National, or International.</p>
<p>^^ Posts# 12, 13, 14 and 15 give you the answer. List the award as “school” and if it’s something special in your area, go ahead and also list it as “regional” (in addition to school). Colleges understand what the award is no matter how you list it.</p>
</p>