**Decision: Accepted – And never have I cried so hard in my life.
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2350 — (800 CR, 770 M, 780 W)
ACT (breakdown): 33 (didn’t send)
SAT II: 790 US History, 750 Math II
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
AP (place score in parenthesis): 5 in AP World, 5 in AP US History, 5 in AP Statistics, 4 in AP Lang
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Biology, AP Calculus BC, AP Literature and Composition, AP Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Comparative Government, French 5, Peer Leadership
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Commended Scholar, NYS Scholar Award, Character award from the NYS Attorney General’s Office
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Model UN (Secretary-General), Mathletes (Officer), Young Women’s Forum (President), National French Honor Society (Treasurer), Forensics Speech and Debate [State quarterfinalist in speech; Octofinalist for debate, Forensics National League inductee with distinction), Mock Trial (Team made top 8), Science Olympiads (Consultant), Bollywood Culture Club (Public Relations), National Honor Society inductee
Job/Work Experience: N/A
Volunteer/Community service: Muscular Dystrophy Association ( Fundraising team leader – over 100 hours per year), Church Student Leader (worked weekly to sponsor children in the Dominican Republic, World Vision International, and Silver Linings Ministry), Literacy For Life NY (Head of women’s literacy chapter of a student-run non-profit organization), volunteered as a TA at children’s summer camp, Cure Dystonia Now (Staff member at 2 annual fundraisers), Relay For Life (fundraised as part of 4 years of leadership classes), Peer tutoring (grades 11-12)
Summer Activities: Traveled to China with family, worked as intern at a regional women’s organization, volunteered as a TA at a summer camp, attended summer camp for children with muscular dystrophy
Essays: Common app – This essay had a lot of personal meaning for me, and was easy to write. I wrote about how from grades 2 to 6, I had an aide in the classroom to help me with obstacles posed by my physical disability (a form of muscular dystrophy) and how she inspired me to always work towards my potential. I emphasized the importance of helping others and the concept of paying it forward.
Teacher Recommendation: I had three recs, and had very good relationships with all three teachers; didn’t get to read them but they must have been all great :’)
Counselor Rec: I’m super close with my guidance counselor, so I know the rec was very personal and well-written. When I told her about my decision, we cried together in her office and hugged for like 10 minutes.
Additional Rec: Had a recommendation from a camp counselor I had for two years from my summer camp. She wrote about my leadership and how I mentored younger girls with the same disability. The other was from my peer leadership teacher of 2 years, writing about how I was interviewed then selected to be in an exclusive peer leadership class and my work there. (So grateful to the both of them!)
Common App Essay: See above 
Harvard Supplement Essays: For the extracurricular activity one, I wrote about being a head member on a student-run nonprofit that aids with improving literacy in developing countries. I specfically wrote about a fundraiser we did to promote girls’ education and managed to ship 400 books to a school in one shipment. For the optional one, I wrote about how going to summer camp with kids with the same disease as me really empowered me, and made me grateful for everything I have and can do.
Interview: My interviewer could have been my long-lost sister 
She and I connected so well, and bonded over our Boston origins and so many other things. We talked for well over an hour, and I think she was essential to my acceptance.
Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Economics
State (if domestic applicant): NY
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Large, suburban public
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: >180K per year
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Was born in a different country and lived there for 5 years, had a somewhat unique essay because of life experiences living with a physical disability that affects under 1% of Americans – if that counts?
Reflection:
Strengths: SAT scores/GPA, strength of curriculum, leadership class, extracurricular leadership, worked hard on essays, close relationships with rec-writers
What you tried to focus on in your application - any hooks you tried to make for yourself: My love of learning, urge to help others, and leadership abilities.
Weaknesses: No huge national awards or Intel/research-related competitions
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected: Honestly, it was God. The reason I was accepted RD with an acceptance rate of 2.8% was because God is great and He evidently loves me so much. Yes, I worked hard throughout high school and on my app but I don’t think that’s the main reason I got in. It was divine intervention and I will always tell everyone that.
Where else were you accepted/deferred/rejected:
Accepted to Duke University, Rice University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Rochester, and Stonybrook Honors College
Waitlisted at Hopkins, WashU, Yale, and Cornell
Rejected by Princeton University
Notes:
Growing up in Boston, Harvard has been my dream school since I was five years old. I didn’t apply early decision because I thought I had no chance of getting in. I applied RD mostly to fulfill the dream of 5-year-old me, and never expected anything like that ended up happening. Reading the decision, I cried and screamed so much and I realized just how lucky I am. Kids at school are already asking how to get into Harvard, but I give all the glory to God because honestly, I still don’t know what the secret is.
I’ve already committed, and signed up for VISTAS. I’m so excited to be meeting up with all my childhood best friends again and friends from my school who are already at Harvard. Even more so, I’m so excited/honored to meet the brilliant and kind people I’ll be spending the next four years with. I want to make the most of the time I’ve been given at Harvard to do something great for the school and for the community.
For all you kids seeing this in late 2015, 2016, or years after, never lose belief in yourself and the power of God. You will end up where you belong, and you will be so happy.
Oh gosh, this was so long (Sorry!). But I just want to say that I’m living the dream and ever so grateful for it. HARVARD CRIMSONS, LET’S GO!!!
