Harvard University Class of 2022 SCEA Results

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
21

Decision: Accepted

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown):
ACT (breakdown): 32 (33 superscored)
SAT II: 730 USH 670 Lit
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 118.82 (4.75W)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 3/570
AP (place score in parenthesis): 5: English Language, Human Geography, US History 4: Spanish Language, European History, Environmental Science, Psychology, World History 3: Biology
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load: AP Calc AB, AP Statistics, AP English Lit, AP US Gov, AP Physics C, Art I
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): University of Southern California Bovard Scholar, Alexander Hamilton Scholar Finalist, Questbridge College Prep Scholar, Questbridge National College Match Finalist, National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, 3-time Bible Bowl Experience North American Division Champion, some school awards

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): President of Young Global Leaders Club, Chairman for Asian-American Culture Club, Treasurer for HOSA, Team Captain for church Bible Bowl Experience team, Mentor and Chaplain for churchā€™s Pathfinder Club, NHS
Job/Work Experience: Trucking work with dad during 9th and 10th grade summers, intern during summer program at Asia Society Texas Center
Volunteer/Community service: 200+ hrs at local library, church, etc
Summer Activities:
McCombs Future Executive Academy: 1 of roughly 60 students out of 700+ applicants selected by the University of Texas at Austin to spend a week at UT free of charge engaging with faculty in lectures and activities concerning, business, ethics, and philosophy. Presented a full marketing strategy for local agricultural company.
Subiendo Academy for Rising Leaders: 1 of 75 students out of 530+ applicants selected by the University of Texas at Austin and Texas Exes to participate in a free, week-long program concerning policy in healthcare, education, and energy & the environment. Interacted with prominent speakers and developed a policy solution for a healthcare issue to judges at the Texas Capitol. Won 1st place in competition.
Asia Society Young Leaders Institute: Selected to participate in week-long program concerning US-China relationship in the South China Sea, cybersecurity, and energy & the environment. Engaged in lectures and debates with professors, cybersecurity experts, and diplomats. Presented policy solution to mitigate tensions in South China Sea.
Consulate General of Koreaā€™s Weekly Seminars for Young Leaders on Global Issues: Invited by the Korean Consulate to engage in weekly discussions and presentations with consulate interns, diplomats, and professionals concerning current global issues.
Essays (rating 1-10, details):
Common App: 9.5/10- One of my best works, very personal and received a lot of positive feedback
Harvard supplement: 8.5/10- Well-written, about how I developed my interest in policy, politics, and in becoming a diplomat. Drew in ties to be cultural background.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): 8/10- From English teacher, said I was in the top 15 of students sheā€™s taught in 14 years
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): 9/10- From Precal/Stats teacher, spoke to my intellect and leadership.
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): 7.5/10- Didnt read, but sheā€™s written recs for me in the past
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details):
9.5/10- From program director at Asia Society, spoke very well to my work ethic, initiative, and interest in policy and politics
10/10- From church elder, best rec I have ever seen
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details):
8/10- Was very enjoyable even though he was from a completely different field (geology). We shared a few laughs and personal moments
Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: African Studies/Political Science/Government
State (if domestic applicant): TX
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Black
Gender: M
Income Bracket: 60,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM, first gen American?

Reflections:
Strengths: Essays, GPA, transcript, summer activites, recs
Weaknesses: Test scores
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:

General Comments (if any): HARVARD CLASS OF 2022! IVE DREAMT OF THIS FOR SO LONG, GOD IS GOOD!

22

Decision: Accepted

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1490 (750 R/W 740 M)
ACT (breakdown): 30 (did not submit)
SAT II: Bio M 760 US History/Chem-700
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.892
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 3/300
AP (place score in parenthesis): Human Geo (3), Bio (4), Art History (4), WH (5), Chem (4), Seminar (3), Calc AB (3), US History (5), Lang (4), Psychology(5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Courseload: AP Gov, AP Lit, AP Research, AP Calculus BC, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics 1
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
-3rd in State for HOSA Pathophysiology Competitive Event (International Semifinalist/Qualifier)
-3rd in State Biology Merit Exam
-SC Youth Black Leader
-1st in session at State Junior Symposium of Science and Humanities (JSHS)
-2nd in State Science Fair (plus other misc. awards at the fair; first in the Botanical Sciences, first in the Biological Sciences overall, outstanding Achievement Award from the US Metric Association)
-Intel ISEF Semifinalist/Observer (due to being second at State Science Fair)
-Published in a journal by NCTE (National Council for Teacher Education Journal)
-AP+PLTW Recognition Award
-National AP Scholar

Subjective:
Extracurriculars:
Science Olympiad (Founder/Team Captain), Schoolā€™s Teenage Republicans Club (Founder/Chairman), Vice Chairman of my Stateā€™s Teenage Republicans Association, Green Student Committee (treasurer and chairman of hydroponics department), HOSA,Peer Tutor, Varsity Track, Science national honor society (treasurer), Scholars Academy Symposium (Parliamentarian)
Job/Work Experience:
NIH Summer Internship 2017 (specifically National Institute of Drug Abuse; NIDA)
Volunteer/Community service: 200+ hours through Green Student Committee.
Summer Activities: NYLF MED (2015), Plant Sciences Research (2016), NIH/NIDA Internship (2017)

Essays (rating 1-10, details):
CommonApp-10/10. This essay was really personal, only 3 people saw it. Really poured my heart into it.
Supplemental: 7/10. It was ok. A bit quirky. Was about how I made a hole in my wall and tried to fix it.

Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): 10/10/ Biology and medical interventions teacher, had him for 3 years. Really strong relationship with him. didnā€™t read it but believe it was strong.
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): 7/10. English/Magnet teacher. Known her for 4 years. Really strong relationship but we both forgot about the deadline so she turned in my letter late and kinda rushed it. No worries though.
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): 7/10. Didnā€™t really know her well. Idk tbh.
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details): (1). 10/10. My teenage republican club mentor. He loves me. Wrote about how I was brave to create my club in a predominantly african american and liberal school. really amazing.
(2). 8/10. My research mentor. donā€™t really know tbh just guessing.
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): 7/10. It was ok, but not the best.

Other:
State (if domestic applicant): South Carolina
Country (if international applicant): US
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Black (Nigerian)
Gender: M
Income: 90,000ish
Hooks: URM, Published in NCTE Journal (???), NIH Internship (??)

Reflection:
Strength: ECā€™s, being a black Republican, diversity of background (Nigerian heritage and political opinion). My essays were also strong too.
Weakness: Definitely my test scores. I ABHOR standardized testing.

Why I think I was accepted: JESUS!! Hands down it was God. If I had to guess I would say I think it was a mix of my diverse ethnic background and my pride in my heritage. As well as my different political perspective. Just being myself. Idk.

General Comments: Tbh I was expecting deferral. My objective stats are on the weaker side. Really tough mental process. You start to doubt your self-worth and intelligence, but you have to remember an acceptance doesnā€™t add anything to you nor does a rejection take anything away. You are amazing, wonderful, brilliant and no college can change that. God is good!!!

23

Decision: Deferred

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): Math 800, RW 760, essay 6/4/6
ACT (breakdown): N/A
SAT II: Math II 800, Chem 800, French (W/o speaking) 780
TOEFL: Listening 29 Reading 30 Writing 30 Speaking 29 (Total=118)
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): Like a 3.85
Weighted GPA: Probably around 4.6 (we donā€™t weigh here)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2/24
AP (place score in parenthesis): Psych (5), Chem (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): No scores yet:
HLs: English A Lit, Math, Bio, Physics
SLs: History, French A Lit and Lang
Senior Year Course Load:
See IB
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

  • Intel ISEF Finalist from Tunisia (as a middle school student)
  • Intel ISC 1st place behavioral science
  • US Chem Olympiad national finalist (GA)
  • Neuroscience olympiad in Atlanta 4th place
  • KL-YES scholar (US Dept. of State exchange program)
  • Young Sustainable Impact fellow, startup accelerator (25 selected out of 10k)
  • 2nd place in IOI junior qualifier (Tunisia)

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Co-founder of student council (VP and then rep for 2 years), president/co-founder of debate club, president/co-founder and then VP of Microsoft club, president of JCI local chapter, and others (theater, youth club, church choir)
Job/Work Experience: Started own startup (Decdis.com) summer of 2017
Volunteer/Community service: debate trainer in the International Institute of Debate
Summer Activities: Startup incubator, science clubs, Yale Young Global Scholars
Essays (rating 1-10, details): common app maybe an 8, harvard essay a solid 8
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): Probable a solid 9, he really likes me
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): Probable a solid 8, she likes me but weā€™ve had ups and downs
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): Very average (4-5), she didnā€™t know me much
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details): 2, both good 9s
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): N/A

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Engineering (ChemE)
Country (if international applicant): Tunisia
School Type: Private International (on a full ride)
Ethnicity: North African
Gender: Dude
Income Bracket: [10-20k/year]
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM, first generation, LGBT

Reflections: I did my best! And that I am proud of. One thing I messed up is that I submitted 3 subject tests rather than 2. Found out too late.
Why you think you were deferred: I donā€™t think they accepted anyone EA this year from Tunisia. Matter of fact, none of the students who go there from my country in the past 5 years got in EA
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Nowhere yet

General Comments (if any): Donā€™t regret it. Even though you probably wonā€™t get into your dream school if itā€™s extremely competitive, give it a shot! You have nothing to lose.

24

I just canā€™t believe it!!

Decision: Accepted

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1460 (Math 780, reading 680), 18 essay (6, 6, 6 haha) (ehhh, my psat was even worse)
ACT (breakdown): n/a
SAT II: 790 Math II, 740 Bio E
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.95
Weighted GPA: 4.73
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 42/300
AP (place score in parenthesis): did not send any, but: Biology (4), Calculus AB (5), Government (4), Lang (3), Chem (3), World History (3), Psychology (did not take test)
IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
Senior Year Course Load: Physics 1 AP, Calculus C AP, Chinese 4 AP, Statistics AP, Literature AP, Art 1 (haha)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP Scholar with Distinction, Outstanding Volunteer Service Award for Tutoring,
Varsity Athletic Award for Volleyball, Scholar Athlete Award, Maryland Athletic Association, Council of Black Elders Highest Achievement

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): NHS (Warden of Service), Delta Scholars (president), Black Leadership Union (Co-President), Man in the Mirror (Community Service Club), Varsity Volleyball, Club Volleyball, Tae Kwon Do,
Job/Work Experience: I tutor for a company called Aristotle Circle Tutors, and I have my own practice on the side.
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteer at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore
Summer Activities: Worked as a para-educator for a county language camp, shadowed an anesthesiologist, Attended the Nation Youth Leadership Conference for Medicine, attended the UMD DREAM Conference for women in engineering,
Essays (rating 1-10, details): Both my common app and supplements are 10s. For my common app, I wrote about life as a black student in an asian dominated school. In my supplement, I wrote about my fatherā€™s sickness and how I gained independence through that experience.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details): I waived my rights
10th grade English teacher - 10: She is also the NHS advisor, and we have a good relationship

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): 10: My 10th grade english teacher. She is also the NHS advisor, and we have a good relationship
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details):10: My math teacher (of two years) is fantastic
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): 10: I made sure to have a really good relationship with my counselor, also my 12th grade english teacher added some paragraphs to his letter.
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details):
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): I would say somewhere between a 9.5 and 10. We both related to each other and the convo went on for a whooping 1 hour and 30 minutes bruh. I always made sure to explain everything before she could say ā€œwhyā€, which I think benefited me

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: of course, Harvard is expensive yo
Intended Major: Got in for Bio but Iā€™m probably going to change that.
State (if domestic applicant): Maryland
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Black
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: 80,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): first gen, iā€™m black, female,

Reflections: Man,
Strengths: I had strong leadership, and my essays were amazing.
Weaknesses: I had a low class rank, scores were below average, actually they were probably not even in the 25 percentile of Harvardā€™s stats LOL, This was slightly above average at my school, which is super competitive
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think it was because of my hooks, and my activism in school and out of school.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Iā€™m waiting on UNC Chapel Hill, Rutgers, Wash St Louis, University of Miami OH, UMD College Park, and Northeastern. I WAS going to apply to yale, hopkins, penn, and stanford, but I guess its unnecessary :smiley:

General Comments (if any):
Keep pushing, I got a lot of hate on the day of my acceptance, but that didnā€™t stop me from feeling proud of myself. I think this was well deserved for me and Iā€™m happy :slight_smile:

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Decision: Deferred

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): N/A
ACT (breakdown): Reading (36) English (35) Math (34) Science (32)- w/ superscore, science (34). highest composite:(34)
SAT II: Math 2: 780, Chemistry: 790
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: N/A
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A
AP (place score in parenthesis): AP European History (5), AP English Composition (5), AP US Government (5), AP Chem
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Comp sci, AP Eng lit, AP US History, AP Art Studio, AP Calc BC, + religious classes (dual curriculum)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Honors Award in Regional Science Fair (top 10%), Gold Medal in Regional Math Fair, Multiple awards at Speech and Debate Tournaments (1st place etc), Bausch + Lomb Honorary Science Award University of Rochester, Commended National Merit Scholar, AP Scholar

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Debate and Speech (Captain and founder of my regional league made in connnection to NSDA ), Science Institute -science projects and research (President), Environmental Club (President and founder, created recycling program for my school), A two-year advocacy program, || hobbies: piano, soccer team (Captain)
Job/Work Experience: Some weeks working at an art shop and interning this past summer
Volunteer/Community service: Nursing home visitor/volunteer
Summer Activities: Summer programs at some universities summer before 10th, immersive lab program summer before 11th, extremely competitive summer program (<5% admit rate) at top biomed institution summer before 12th
Essays (rating 1-10, details): common app I would rate approx 9, harvard one an 8
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details): I sent in 6 recommendations- from teachers, counselors, and the head of my lab and my lab mentor. I did not read any of them, but my counselor told me they were good. Beyond that, I literally donā€™t know anything about them.

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?:Yes
Intended Major: Biological Sciences
State (if domestic applicant): NY
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Private religious (not like a prestigious one thoā€¦ just average school but for orthodox religion)
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: Highā€¦
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None

Reflections:
Strengths: Interesting Common App essay, strong background in science research, especially biology. Strong leadership, I actively tried solving problems within my community- for example the debate league had previously not been registered with National Speech and Debate Association but my coach and I established a new league eligible to join.Same with my recycling and compiling a grant for DNA materials for my school project (my school had none). My recommenders told me themselves that they wrote strong letters, but then again I did not read them.
Weaknesses:Even though I worked in a lab in a good biomed university, it didnā€™t allow the projects to be used for competition, which probably hurt me in the long run. I genuinely loved my research though, I committed 40 hours a week for seven weeks to studying evolution. Another thing is is that my school has no opportunities or push to compete in state or national competitions, which are basically used to validate work.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: No legacy, No URM. Nothing exotic about my application?
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:N/A

26

**Decision: Accepted[*/b]

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1530 (770 reading 760 math) Essay 17 (6/5/6)
ACT (breakdown): N/A
SAT II: 800 World History and 750 English literature
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.94
Weighted GPA: 5.45 (highest in school history)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1/600ish
AP (place score in parenthesis): World History (5), Spanish language (5), European History (5), Statistics (3), Calculus AB (4), Biology (4), Spanish Literature (5), Psychology (5), Art History (5), English Language (5), Calculus BC (3), US history (5), Environmental Science (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Comp Gov, AP Capstone, DE Economics, AP CSP, Executive Internship, AP American Gov, AP English Lit, AP Human Geo, DE World Literature, DE Great Books, DE Multivariable Calculus
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National AP Scholar, National Hispanic Recognition, National Merit Commendation, Wendyā€™s High School Heisman School Award, FBLA State Competition 2nd place, Future and Business Award in FBLA, Distinguished Delegation in MUN Conference, Mathbowl 1st place,

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): SECME (President and VP), Tarantula Collector and Member of Arachnoboards, LEAF Club (Corresponding Secretary), MUN (Co-Conference Director), Mu Alpha Theta (Recording Secretary), SGA (Executive Member), FBLA

Job/Work Experience: Cashier at Walgreens for 2 years

Volunteer/Community service: 999+ hours in rehab center, computer lab, and countless school events

Summer Activities: Duel Enrollment for 2 summers and Carnegie Mellon APEA Program

Essays (rating 1-10, details): Personal (10, discussed how film defined my relationship with my dad and helped me transition into american culture. Used various examples like Rocky Horror and other films I love. 650 words) Harvard Supplement (8, Discussed how Dune by Frank Herbert helped me redefine myself and move away from my parents demanding expectations for the sake of my mental health. thought it was a little lengthy and heavier than my PS but overall very well written and descriptive of who i am. 800 words)

Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details):AP English teacher (10, Iā€™m extremely close with him even taking his DE class after his AP just for the fun of it. I think he was the perfect person to ask)
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details):AP Environmental teacher and club sponsor (10, extremely close as well. left the school but we still keep in touch and used to be my club sponsor for 2 years. definitely think it was amazing based off what he wrote for MITES)
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): College Counselor (8, Shes known me for the past 10 years and likes me alot but idk how good and essay her english skills write)
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details):Carnegie Professor (10, very small and personal class in which he really got to know me and discuss my plans for community service. really loved the class and Iā€™m sure he wrote a great one)
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): had one (8, he didnt have anything on me surprisingly but i had a resume on hand, seemed to like my credentials and it was a nice interview. dont think it couldve hurt but mightve helped)

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?:yes
Intended Major:biology
State (if domestic applicant):florida
Country (if international applicant):USA
School Type: charter school (Low income, Highly Diverse)
Ethnicity:Hispanic and Black
Gender:M
Income Bracket:Lower Middle Class (<50k)
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):URM

Reflections:
Strengths: 19 AP Classes and Graduating with my Associates in Arts, also the valedictorian of my school which has like 60% proficiency in math and reading and 80% of kids on free or reduced lunch.
Weaknesses:Not too many Major awards outside from testing and some select clubs
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:i think i was accepted because Iā€™m one of the best students my school has ever had. I exceeded the only ever student from my school to go to Harvard in every category and am a 1st generation immigrant. also first student to even get in REA
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted into DePaul but havent applied anywhere else

General Comments (if any):I think being the best student in your area is what really makes the difference, I dont compare with other students who have been accepted nationwide but Ive used every opportunity Iā€™ve been given. As a first generation immigrant i never had any help from my parents and had a pretty radical shift when i came here. I think i really did all i could

27

Decision: Accepted

Objective:

SAT I (breakdown): 1560 (19 essay)

ACT (breakdown): 35 composite

SAT II:
800 Chemistry
780 Math 2
750 USH
750 Bio M (didnā€™t report)

Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0

Weighted GPA: 4.77

Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1/550

AP (place score in parenthesis):
European History (4)
Art History (5)
Biology (5)
U.S. History (5)
Psychology (5)
Computer Science (4)
Microeconomics (5)
English Lang. & Comp. (5)
Chemistry (5)
Government & Politics (5)
Calculus BC (5)

Senior Year Course Load: APES, AP Lit, AP Physics, AP Stats

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition (didnā€™t report, received after submission), Society of Women Engineers Merit Award, National Merit Commended, National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, minor city/school/NHS awards

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
President and Founder of community nonprofit organization- 3 yrs, fundraised $10,000
Vice President of GirlUp United Nations- 4 yrs membership
President of Medical club- 4 yrs membership
President of NHS- 3 yrs membership
Classical ethnic dance (10+ years)
Photography (freelance)

Job/Work Experience:
Interned for bio lab at a UC school (1 year)
Interned for youth foreign policy think tank (6 months)
Intern for my Congresswomanā€™s office (current)

Volunteer/Community service:
Started my own nonprofit company- fundraised $10,000 for scholarships for underprivileged high school youth, tutoring, normal community service stuff, NHS

Summer Activities:
Traveled to South America and volunteered as part of an educational initiative, helped host entrepreneurship camp
GirlUp United Nations Leadership Summit in the Capitol- lobbied in Congress for refugee rights
Traveled to Iceland to study/research climate change with NYTimes
Harvard Pre-college Program (course relates to major)

Essays:
CA personal statement: personal familial hardships, and how they shaped my outlook on life (11/10)
Supplement: Describing nature on trip to Iceland, tying in my love for landscape photography, and the future with climate change (itā€™s quite artsy, philosophical, transcendentalist even maybe), think it balanced my CA essay well (10/10)
Extracurricular elaboration: Talked about nonprofit, what inspired me to start it, what we do, and how I grew from it
Academic elaboration: Discussed edX classes, GirlUp Natā€™l Leadership summit

Teacher Recommendation #1: Part of writing process, AP Chem teacher (12/10)
Teacher Recommendation #2: English Honors teacher, didnā€™t read (8/10)
Additional Teacher Recommendation #3: AP Bio teacher, short n sweet (8.5/10)
Counselor Rec: Told me she gave me her highest recommendation, barely know her, but she likes me (8/10)
Additional Info/Rec: 9/10 Harvard Professor at Pre-college Program (described me as best in the course, level of a college junior, even referenced my Congressional internship)

Intended Major: undecided- Environmental Science and Public Policy/Government (still up in the air)
State (if domestic applicant): CA
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Public, large
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: F
Income Bracket: Upper middle
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Personal family hardships?

Reflections:

Strengths: Asian Female in Govā€™t/Social sciences? APs. Well-rounded in science and humanities. Excellent recs. Essays. Unique, diverse extracurriculars. Leadership positions?

Weaknesses: Not enough competitive extracurriculars, no national awards, no spike in any one area

Why you think you were accepted:

I honestly am still in shock, I convinced myself that it would be impossible to get in (esp EA) because I have no hooks, national awards, etc. I think the Ad Com saw a unique individual, with a unique personal story and unique ECs, with rare and outstanding personal qualities corroborated by LORs? Thereā€™s no way of knowing, itā€™s all conjecture. And there are so many applicants who are just as or even more qualified than I am who get deferred or rejected, so an element of luck plays a part. They want to have a diverse student body, so make sure you have an application that no else in the world can emulate.

General Comments (if any): This is going to be very cluttered with info; I apologize in advance:

First of all, I want to thank this community on CC, which has inspired/guided me since sophomore year. However, it is important not to be discouraged by the caliber of students on this forum (one of the reasons I never thought I would be admitted into Harvard), NEVER GIVE UP! Also, you donā€™t have to have a conventional hook, national awards, or huge spike in single area to get into Harvard!! They are looking for potential.

Tips:

  • Make sure your academic record is as good as you can possibly make it, but if you love learning, that should come naturally to you. I believe that academics does not differentiate you from other stellar applicants. After all, anyone can get perfect scores with enough work. Rather, it is your personal experiences/qualities which set you apart. They simply want to make sure you can handle/excel at Harvardā€™s coursework.
  • Explore multiple different extracurriculars, START EARLY, take full advantage of all experiences, and hone in on the ones you are best at/most passionate about. I always thought I was going to be a Bio major until junior year. I then realized this latent passion in social sciences/politics/activism that I had all along. I wish that I had found my passion earlier, and focused in on that area, but my diverse experiences in the sciences added to the uniqueness and well-informedness of my application. Donā€™t worry about not being sure about what you want to do in life: Harvard is there for you to explore that.
  • Stellar recs. Choose teachers who love you and recognize who you truly are/your potential. Be an active participant in their classes and tell them about your life. Choose teachers who take a genuine interest in you and are approachable. Itā€™s even better if they are part of your extracurriculars.
  • The point of essays is to show your individuality and character. Again, no one should be able to say what you said. Dig deep and personal, and reflect thoroughly on your life and passions. Take risks, donā€™t be afraid to be vulnerable. Start early, and have others edit your syntax, grammar, stylistic choices. Make sure your essays complement your app.
  • Be a skeptic LOL. Never assume youā€™re going to get in anywhere, work hard, and let results come to you. Always look for ways to improve.

Congrats to the Harvard Class of 2022!! If you didnā€™t get in, it DOES NOT mean you arenā€™t good enough. Be proud of your achievements, you have your whole life ahead of you!!

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Congrats to the Harvard Students of 2022. In this, only accepted and deferred were posted. Does it mean that Harvard SCEA pool has no rejected ones?

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No. 964 were accepted, 4,882 deferred, 611 rejected, and 173 were incomplete (so, essentially rejected.)
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/12/964-gain-early-admission-to-harvard-college-class-of-2022/

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Decision: Accepted

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1540 (770 English & Reading, 770 Math)ā€“did not send
ACT (breakdown): 35C (36 English, 35 Reading, 35 Math, 34 Science)
SAT II: 750 Lit, 780 US History
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.9+
Weighted GPA: 4.62 out of 4.67
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 10%
AP (place score in parenthesis): English Lang: 5, Latin: 5, US History: 5 (only oneā€™s my school offers up to senior year
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: Latin V H, Biology II AP, English V AP (lit), Calculus BC AP, AP Gov., Physics H
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Big Cultural Exchange/Cross-Community Peacekeeping thing Award, Biggest Individ. Award state Model UN, other major Model UN awards, Best Attorney (State Mock Trial), Runner-up in district and state mock trial competitions, National Merit and Hispanic

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Cross-Community Peacekeeping Exchange (highest individual award), Mock Trial (attorney), Model UN (founder & president, major awards), work with social research institution with immigration issues (translator, ESL teacher), Quiz Bowl (captain every once in a while), Crimestoppers Teen Ambassador, Classics Society (Executive Aide),
Job/Work Experience: Law firm clerk (summer, pretty much full-time), busser (10-15 hrs a week)
Volunteer/Community service: Alzheimerā€™s Unit Volunteer, Cultural Exchange program had a big service component
Summer Activities: Law firm clerkship, work, foreign exchange (the peacekeeping program i mentioned)
Essays (rating 1-10, details): Common App 9: I wrote about my heritage and my family background with an anecdote from Model UN; Supplement 9: I wrote about my Northern Irish Cultural Exchange Program intertwined with my experience reading Invisible Man; Extracurricular Essay 8: I thought it was cute, wrote about mock trial, I just gave it an 8 b/c I felt restricted by the word limit
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): Probably an 8: My Latin and Greek teacher for years, he loves me, heā€™s also brilliant (Ph. D: went to Cornell, Berkeley, UT Austin, Tulane); so he probably wrote well
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): Probably 7-8: My Bio AP teacher who I also had freshman year for Bio I H. Her rep is that she writes a strong rec. Sheā€™s a sharp woman, and I know she wouldnā€™t have written it if she couldnā€™t write a good one.
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): 9: SHE LOVES ME. Sheā€™s awesome. She read me a sentence, and she told me what she tried to cover. I think it had to be a good one.
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details):
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): She was really nice. Iā€™m comfortable in interviews. I really love to converse with people. I think I really shined. Sheā€™s a doctor, and we bonded over public health.

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Government
State (if domestic applicant): LA
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Private Catholic; All boys
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: 250,000+
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM (hispanic), compelling story, my uncle went to Harvard but I donā€™t think the admissions office knew that

Reflections: I understand why people say this is the most stressful process ever. Iā€™m still in disbelief about my acceptance. I keep checking to make sure the status update is still there.
Strengths: Essays, Ecā€™s, Interview, Recā€™s, My story
Weaknesses: My grades were like A-
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I have no clue. I think I have a pretty compelling story though. I know there probably arenā€™t too many other applicants like me.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Restrictive Early Action, so nowhere else yet

General Comments (if any): Still in disbelief. Good luck to all. So happy Iā€™m done though.

31

A week later, still in disbelief ā€¦

Decision: Accepted

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1550
ACT (breakdown): 33 (didnā€™t send)
SAT II: 750 - Math 2, 770 - US History, 760 - Lit
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.333
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1 out of 519
AP (place score in parenthesis): 5 - Calc AB, 5 - Calc BC, 5 - US History, 4 - Bio
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Gov, AP Lit, Honors Chem, French 4, Women and Gender Studies (Dual Enrollment), Microecon (Dual Enrollment)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Semifinalist, lots of policy debate awards (i.e. Quarterfinalist and 2nd speaker at Gonzaga tournament)

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Policy debate (Captain ā€“ huge commitment), Girl Up club (Founder/President), theater (but only fresh-soph year), playing guitar recreatioanlly, California Scholarship Federation
Job/Work Experience: N/A
Volunteer/Community service: Girl Up stuff, helping out with middle school debate leagues
Summer Activities: policy debate camp (7 weeks before junior and senior year)
Essays (rating 1-10, details): 10 ā€“ Common app ā€“ it was about Disneyland, which was a bit of a risk but definitely unique/quirky and not something theyā€™d see often; I took a whimsical, lighthearted approach, using my love for Disneyland as a lens to explain my philosophy on life i.e. how I endeavor to find the magic present in everything
9 or 10 ā€“ Supplement ā€“ this was going to be my Common App essay; I used the experience of watching Wonder Woman as a way to explain what itā€™s like to be a woman in debate, which is a primarily male-dominated community, and how the movie inspired me to approach those challenges in a different way

Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): 10 ā€“ my Lit teacher from fresh, soph, and senior year; didnā€™t read it but he loves me and Iā€™ve consistently been the top student in his class
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): 9 ā€“ my Math teacher for two years; didnā€™t read, same as above except Iā€™m not sure the extent to which this one knew my personality external to class
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): I have no clue ā€“ I honestly didnā€™t know my counselor well at all, given how large my school is and the fact that the counselors arenā€™t the most informed
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details): 10 ā€“ my lab leader from debate camp this past year; she is a huge supporter of successful girls in debate, and I worked with her for two research assignments
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): 10 ā€“ my interviewer was incredible and we got along SO well; the conversation was so natural, she shared my political perspective and interest in social justice, and asked me super engaging questions

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Government
State (if domestic applicant): California
Country (if international applicant): N/A
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Vietnamese
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: idkā€¦$70,000??
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): not sureā€¦first generation American, maybe?

Reflections: AHHHH!!! I still cannot believe that I got into HARVARD. When I applied, I told myself that Iā€™d tried my best and that there was nothing I could do about it ā€“ accepted or rejected, it would be okay and there were still lots of other colleges out there that would love to have me. I was convinced that I wasnā€™t getting inā€¦but here I am!!! I feel a bit under-qualified reading everyone elseā€™s accomplishments, but am so excited to learn with and from you all for the next four years!!!
Strengths: Essays!! I think they really showcased two integral yet different parts of my personality, and humanized me to the adcoms. They also used pretty unique vehicles to do so (Disneyland and WonderWoman.) Also my grades, test scores (kinda??), and debate (I know the Harvard coach sent a letter to the adcoms on my behalf, so that probably helped a bit)
Weaknesses: no major awards, unsure if I demonstrated a ā€œspikeā€ in the traditional sense, nothing super out of the ordinary in terms of accomplishments or extracurriculars ā€“ I thought it seemed pretty standard on paper
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: See strengths
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: No where yet!

General Comments (if any): good luck everyone!!!

32

Decision: Accepted

Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1510 (770 Math, 740 Reading) 18 Essay(6/6/6)
ACT (breakdown): 35 (35E, 35M, 35R, 33S) 11 Essay(12,10,10,10)
SAT II: 750 Math II, 710 Chemistry
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0/4.0
Weighted GPA: 5.65/6.0 (Equals 96.5 in APs which are weighted)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 6/731
AP (place score in parenthesis): Calc AB (5), Spanish Language and Culture (5), World History (5), Chemistry (4), English Language and Composition (4), Physics I (3)
IB (place score in parenthesis): Not offered at my school
Senior Year Course Load: Orchestra, AP English Literature, AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP Macroeconomics, AP Government and Politics, AP Spanish Literature, Student Council
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Semifinalist, National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Student Council(President), Leo Club Community Service(President), El Amistad Futuro(Co-founder and Vice President), HOSA(Parliamentarian), SCALES - Principalā€™s Advisory Board(Founding Board Member), District Advisory Board, Orchestra - Violin, Deca, NHS, National Spanish Honor Society
Job/Work Experience: Summer Camp Counselor summer before 12th(40 hours/week), Rockwall Operator(4 hrs/week), eBay Buy and Sell Business.
Volunteer/Community service: 300+ hours with Student Council, Leo Club, and El Amistad Futuro
Summer Activities: Summer Camp Counselor(2017), Travel, College class on US History, Conflicts Resolution Symposium Camp(2015)
Essays (rating 1-10, details):
CommonApp: 9/10, about my job as a Summer Camp Counselor and its impact on me.
Supplemental: 8.5/10, about my buy and sell business on eBay and the lessons I learned.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): AP English Language Teacher, she likes me and I was a funny asset to her class, probably an 8/10
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): Chemistry Teacher: He had me two years and saw me grow from a quiet, shy person to an outspoken person. 8.5/10
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): 9/10, She knew me from middle school.
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details): Teacher 1: Knows me very closely from Student Council, 10/10
Person 2: Has known me since I was three years old, family friend, 10/10
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): 8.5/10, we got along well, and I enjoyed answering her questions and hearing her tell me about her experience at Harvard. Lasted about an hour and a half and flowed well.

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Neurobiology
State (if domestic applicant): TX
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Large Public
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Gender: M
Income Bracket: 100,000 - 150,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):
URM
Reflections:
Strengths: My strengths were my grades, ACT score, and extracurriculars which impacted the community. My essays were unique in that no one else could have written them and were about topics that Harvard has probably not encountered very often, if it all. The Summer Camp Essay did have a twist to it making it unique. And the eBay buy and sell business is unique as well, but is based off of a hobby and not done for solely money(though that is part of the reason).
Weaknesses: SAT II scores, well-rounded but not a superstar in any one area.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: They liked who I am.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted: UT-Austin

General Comments (if any): First of all, I learned that even well-rounded people can make it into Harvard. I think my main mantra was that I liked impacting the community and helping others, using my interests as a result.
-Write your essay on what means the most to you, that is also unique
-Be humble. Expect to get rejected. No one deserves anything or Harvard, things just happen.
-Try hard, and donā€™t give up senior year.
-Make your essays memorable. The AO should be able to pin you as the ā€œ[insert essay topic here] kid.ā€ If you donā€™t choose to write about a quirk and write about a more common topic instead, then make sure you truly care about what youā€™re writing about to set it apart from the rest.
-I read an article from a Harvard interviewer. It said the people who she viewed as the best knew what they wanted to do. So if you can go in with specific things you want to do in life, then that will pay off.
-Donā€™t try to impress the interviewer and try to only portray your best side. They want to see who you really are, including your weaknesses, and prefer someone who goes in not trying to impress the interviewer, but is showing who they are and adopting a ā€œtake it or leave itā€ mindset, versus a ā€œI will be who you want as long as I get inā€ mindset.
-Anything can happen with this process, and I never expected to get in.
-Go hard, and give it your all. Youā€™re almost to the end, finish strong. Harvard doesnā€™t want someone who gives up right at the end. Donā€™t be that guy who was about to win the race and gave up. If you can go 10 percent further than where everyone else gives up, or where their work ethic caps out, then youā€™re already in the top and will do the best.

Congrats to all who made it in! If you didnā€™t make it in, it hurts right now and let the pain happen, donā€™t try to suppress it. But then let it go away because look. In March, there are a ton of other universities, and if you" have to go" to your state school, you will love it there. I have a friend who chose Baylor over UChicago and UCLA and she is so glad of that decision. Make the most of what you get. Everyone gets different advantages, but you have to use what youā€™ve got. Remember to not feel like you deserve anything and donā€™t get set on a ā€œdream schoolā€ which only sets you up for disappointment.

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PLEASE REPLACE THE [* BELOW WITH JUST [ BEFORE POSTING

Decision: Deferred

Objective:

SAT I (breakdown): 1440 (750 E, 690 M)
ACT (breakdown): 33 (36E, 36R, 31S, 28M) (Clearly math isnā€™t my strength)
SAT II: 770 Lit, 740 US History, 480 Spanish (oops)

Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.68
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2/134

AP (place score in parenthesis): APUSH 5, Lang and Comp 5, Bio 3, World History 3, Environmental 3
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A

Senior Year Course Load: AP Stats, AP Chem, Dual Enrollment/Middle College Spanish, Dual Enrollment/Middle College Modern Classics (English), AP Psychology, AP US Gov and Politics

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP Scholar with Distinction

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Debate Club (Founder and President), School Newspaper (Editor), Varsity Softball, NHS

Job/Work Experience: N/A, just internships

Volunteer/Community service: Internship with the Mayor of my town, once a week for about a year now. Another internship at a non-profit in my town, once a week for about 6 months.

Summer Activities: Jersey Girls State Delegate (elected Freeholder, woo), JSA Institute on NJ Government and Politics, Alexā€™s Lemonade Leadership Foundation

Essays (rating 1-10, details):
Common App essay, 10. It was about my love for studying history and the ways in which it can be more valuable than math (a lot of puns about limits and equations having solutions). Also helps explain my test scores.
My supplemental, 9/10. I barely remember now, but I described my work at Town Hall and what it means to me to be able to contribute to my town and a future in government.

Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): 9/10. My AP Gov and APUSH teacher. He really likes me, I was always at the top of his class. I think my natural passion for the subject always shone through.
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): 10/10, my AP Comp teacher. She taught me in 7th, 10th, and 11th grade, so she really got to see me grow as a person and as a writer. When I took AP Comp it was her first year ever teaching it, and I was the only one to get a 5.
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details): 10/10. My counselor and I are very close, she knows all of my deepest anxieties about Harvard and has been very involved in the process. Defintely a benefit of going to a smaller school.
Additional Rec (if any) (rating 1-10, details): 10/10, a letter from the Mayor who really likes me. I got to read it, he said a lot of nice things about how dedicated and smart I am, and how I give him hope for our generation (lol).
Interview (if any) (rating 1-10, details): 9. It went really well, it was very relaxed. I was able to talk about why I love Harvard, how my school isnā€™t challenging enough, and a bunch of history and current event things.

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Government
State (if domestic applicant): New Jersey
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Small-ish public
Ethnicity: white
Gender: female
Income Bracket: >80,000
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): I really tried to let my love for history and government shine through. All of my extracurriculars, test scores, internships, and summer programs show that I am really passionate about those two things. I havenā€™t started a non-profit and Iā€™m not a world-class athlete, but I do think that my application showed who I am.

Reflections: Happy not to be rejected, but still disappointed to have to wait.
Strengths: High scores in all the subjects that matter most to me (english, history), essays, letters of rec. Founding a club and making opportunities for myself is good, too.
Weaknesses: Test scores, although I really donā€™t think they matter that much. My ACT score was good enough to get me in the pile, and thatā€™s all that matters. Hopefully they donā€™t look too far into that 480 on spanish (accidental free score sends, anyone?)
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted EA at UVa. Also applied to GW, AU, and Georgetown.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think my application was strong enough not to be rejected outright, but it will difficult in the larger pool. Itā€™s just hard to be confident when people with national honors and perfect scores regularly get rejected from Harvard.

General Comments (if any):
Since being deferred, Iā€™ve sent in an additional letter communicating my intent to enroll if offered admission and updates. I elaborated more on my internships and progress that I have made on my research paper for an academically talented program Iā€™m in (20+ pages, independent research, about political science)
I also sent in an additional letter of rec from the executive director of the nonprofit I work at. This letter literally brought me to tears; by far the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me. If I get in, I am convinced it will be because of this letter.

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Decision: Deferred

This is so late but oh whales

Objective:

SAT I (Comp, Essay, CR, M, CW): 1570, 21 essay, 800 M, 770 R
ACT (Comp, Essay, Eng, Math, Read, Sci): N/A
SAT II (Type, Score): Math II - 800, Chemistry - 790, US His-800
Weighted GPA (out of ??): 4.5 out of 5
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.95
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):

AP (place score in parenthesis): Human Geo (5), Calc BC (5), Chemistry (5), World History (5), Psychology (5), Seminar (4), English Lang (5), Chinese (5), Physics 1(5), US History (5)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Econ, English Lit, Advanced Comp (creative writing elective), Orchestra, Stats, Calc BC, AP Compsci
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Finalist, AIME Qualifier, Lots of Piano and Voice Comps (see below)

Subjective:

Note: I lived in Texas from 9th to 10th grade and in Illinois from 11th-12th.

9th-10th grade ECs (Texas)
Piano: Placed at many state-wide competitions and won an International Competition + $1500, performed on Austin Public Radio
Voice: All-State Menā€™s Choir member (9th grade), All-State Mixed Choir Member (1st Chair, 10th grade), got 2nd Place at a state voice competition
Choir Section Leader
Varsity Swim Team member
Founder of Math Club
VP of Free Thinkers Club
Taught piano from home

11th-12th grade ECs (Illinois)
Piano: Placed at many national competitions and represented USA at one of the biggest international competitions in the worldā€¦prepped 1.5 hrs of music for it r i p
performed on WFMT Classical 98.7 twice
Voice: Finalist in the Schmidt National Voice Competition, Illinois All-State Choir Member x2 (1st Chair), won a state competition in Illinois
Math: Placed at ICTM State Math Competition, AIME Qualifier, State top 2 finisher in Purple Comet Competition
MUN Participant
Taught piano for free
Picked up bodybuilding as a hobby

Volunteer/Community service:
Over 200 hours in church teaching kids, leading worship, etc.
Taught kindergarteners science at local elementary schoolā€™s science club

Essays:
Supplement Essay: Talked about my journey with bodybuilding (8/10).
Common App Essay: talked about how I changed my attitude towards music after one of my piano competitions(9/10).

Teacher Recommendations:
11th grade English teacher: I ate lunch in her room every day last year and during that time we really connected on many different levels. She knows me very well as a person and not just a student (10/10)
11th grade Physics 1 teacher: He is also one of my favorite teachers. Always called me a cool nickname in class and ummmm yeah hes a pretty chill dood (9.5/10)

Counselor Rec:
Probably generic but she knows about my moving struggles but idk if she put them in my letter r i p (7/10)

Applied for Financial Aid?: Yeeeeeeeeeeeee
Intended Major: Econ + Piano!
State (if domestic applicant): IL
School Type: public
Ethnicity: Chinese (R I PPPPPPPPPPPP)
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: ~100k
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Nope

Reflections: Well it has been a long time since I found out that I have been deferred, butā€¦ I had a lot of strengths in my application ( piano, voice), but I didnā€™t have any hooks. It made me rethink the application process: I changed up my essays a little bit for the regular around-- one glaring flaw in my common app essay that I sent to Harvard was that it didnā€™t contain any reflection. Whoever is reading this and applying to college, please me your essays STRAIGHTFORWARD! I wrote is almost as if it were a creative piece. My AP Literature teacher said it was one of the most well-written pieces he has ever read, but the admissions process is not a creative writing competition. Admissions officers donā€™t cares about what happened; admissions officers care about how you grew from your experience and what you learned.

Good Luck to everyone in the regular round and beyond! Godspeed!

1 Like
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^^^^ edit to the first post: oooooops

Senior Year Course Load: AP Econ (both), AP English Lit, Choir, AP Physics C (both courses), Linear Algbera Independent Study