Harvard Summer School Program IMPORTANT QUESTION

<p>I attended Harvard SSP last summer. I got a really good grade in one of my classes, but I did not do well in the other class I took because all the High School students who took the class did badly and the class was at the Graduates level. On the Harvard Supplement, the application asks for students to send in a transcript from the SSP program. I do not want to send mine in because I did not do well in one of my classes. I am afraid that this will go against me in the college process. Is there anyway I can have the course deleted or changed on my transcript to Pass/Fail status? I need help!!!!</p>

<p>Transcript grades cannot be changed. How bad is the damage?</p>

<p>Do yourself a huge favor by not submiting that transcript. Going to HSS will not enhance your chances of being admitted to Harvard College. With regards to your transcript, it can’t be changed. Once the deadline for changing your grade status has passed, that’s it. I wish I had dropped my into. to Logic class while I had the chance because I ended up with a “D”, which destroyed my chance of getting into the college of my choice. If you want to get into Harvard College, do not mention that you ever went to Harvard Summer School Program, since you didn’t do very well in one of your classes.</p>

<p>redlinekid2
I feel like I am in the same situation you were in. I want to include the fact that I attended the Summer Program. I received a D in a class that I worked very hard in, and the class was way beyond the high school level of work. I know that I am not going to submit my transcript with a D on it. The Harvard Supplement asks that you submit your transcript if you attended the summer school, but if you do not send it the school can not access it. I don’t want admissions to assume I did badly if I don’t send it in. The only thing I don’t understand is that I paid a lot of money to attend the summer school to work to my benefit. I now know that it doesn’t help you get accepted to the college, but I feel like it is something that may keep me from getting in. I had a great time at Harvard, but I don’t think this is fair. Does anyone else have experience with this? I think I will call the SSP office next week. Another thing that bothers me is that many of my peers over the summer were warned when they did not do well on their midterms so they had the chance to withdraw from their class if they wanted. My dean never spoke to me. Does anyone know if there is a way out of this? Thanks for the posts!</p>

<p>Here is my advice: Don’t submit that transcript. Wait to see if you had gotten accepted to Harvard College. If you are admitted, once you have completed your first year, take 2 more classes at the Harvard Summer School. Once the semester is over, then submit your transcripts with your four class grades because it will be viewed by the registor at Harvard College rather than the admissions office. So, as an enrolled Harvard College Student, they can’t use that infromation against you. Since submitting your SSP transcript is optional, why would you submit it when you don’t have to? From an admissions stand point, that “D” will be counted against you, even if you had an “A” in your second class.</p>

<p>" I want to include the fact that I attended the Summer Program."</p>

<p>Harvard Summer school is mainly a way for Harvard to make money. Going there reflects the fact that you’re lucky enough to come from a family that has enough disposable income to send you to such an expensive program.</p>

<p>As is the case with most top universities, attending Harvard’s summer schools doesn’t boost one’s admission chances unless you did something there so impressive that you got, for instance, a stellar letter of recommendation from a Harvard prof who said that s/he never before had encountered such a talented student.</p>

<p>If I do not include the fact that I attended the Summer School and say the admissions staff search my name at Harvard won’t they find that I have a record there? I don’t want to lie to the school. If I get accepted to the school and they find out that I attended the SSP, won’t that be a little weird? I still feel there has to be a way out of this other than not writing the fact that I went to the program. Does anyone else know what I can do? Thanks for the suggestions.</p>

<p>When my daughter received her acceptance letter from Harvard this month, the college gave her an HUID which was identical to the HUID she had at SSP. (Her SSP course now appears under a listing of Harvard College courses taken.)</p>

<p>Given the above, I’m assuming the college and SSP share a database that is tracked by some combination of name, birthdate, high school and social security number.</p>

<p>Two issues come to mind:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>If you don’t list your SSP courses AND are admitted to Harvard, will the college assign you a new HUID, not knowing you previously had one?</p></li>
<li><p>Or, will your SSP HUID automatically appear because it is listed in a shared database of SSP/Harvard College?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I would call the admissions office and anonymously ask them the question. With 1,000 students attending SSP every summer, I’m sure the issue has already been previously addressed.</p>