I am curious on what the community thinks about my chances of getting into Harvard for Early Decision. However, keep in mind that I had gotten a C+ (second semester) freshman year for a very hard Humanities class. Nonetheless, I’m focused science.
-1 of 11 students in the country to pass AP in middle school
-study abroad in China for a year (junior year)
-low income African American
-AP Scholar/ AP scholar with Distinction
-work in 3 graduate labs
-started STEM non-profit organization
-published in newspaper for work in work in lab sophomore year
-take 3 sophomore college courses
-fluent in Chinese
-34 on ACT.
-more less significant awards…
So, tell me what you guys think my chances are. I am a bit nervous due to that grade freshman year, although I have improved significantly throughout the rest of high school. Thanks
I definitely am in the top 5% in my class. Like I said, it was a very difficult course in general for everyone. Our school does not do ranking anymore, unfortunately.
You still are defying to give an straight answer by saying your “goal” is about a 3.8!
If this attitude goes into your essays you will have no chance what so ever!
A C+ is never good, but otherwise you’re a very strong candidate. A 3.8 is a good GPA, and your ACT + other ECs and URM status will be a boon. I’d say really nail your essays and you have a real shot. If not Harvard ED, I wouldn’t be surprised if you get into one of the elites. And as a former exchange student, definitely write your essay on your year in China. You’ll stand apart from the crowd in the best possible way! It’s really impressive any time an American does a year abroad in high school.
Then you will never reach that goal of 4.0 (UW GPA) if you start with 3.8! It is a very simple mathematical fact! If you do not know that then do not expect to get into Harvard!
(If you come back and argue that you meant W GPA, then it is even worse)
I’m sorry for the discrepancy. I understand that a 4.0 is mathematically unachievable with my 3.8. I was simply stating a goal so that I may improve regardless. Sorry for the confusion.
tleplaearthur, you have an amazing record. When students take very advanced courses very early, it can place some strain on typical classes that are outside the student’s main interest area. It also usually results in more compromises in the nonspecialty area-because your schedule is being oriented around the advanced classes and you are “off schedule”. I wouldn’t worry that much about the C+.
If you don’t get into Harvard, it won’t be because of a C+ in a humanities class. It also won’t be because you have a 3.8 and not a 4.0. Because you took advanced courses at a very young age, the most competitive schools understand that doing that means everything is different for you, in terms of interpreting your GPA. All things being equal, a student who earned a 3.8 by taking advanced STEM classes at an earlier age then nearly anyone else is far more attractive to very competitive school like Harvard than a valedictorian with straight A+'s in courses taken at the usual time. It’s not just that the student could handle the more advanced classes earlier (suggesting very high aptitude) but that the student is willing to take academic risks-can step out of line, etc. People who do amazing things take risks. In contrast, a future doing amazing things is less likely for the valedictorian who didn’t advance early but who took the same classes everyone else did with course selection influenced by the need to take classes that would provide the greatest weighting to ensure the crown (#!). Thus I think tleplaearthur that you are a very strong candidate for the most competitive schools, Harvard included.
@tleplaearthur, you are a very interesting applicant. A low-income URM who has studied abroad for a year in China, is fluent in Chinese, and has done as much accelerated coursework and advanced research as you apparently have is a rarity. That should make you potentially stand out. A C+ is never good, but freshman year is the best year to have one, and I agree with @lostaccount that if it is an isolated incident and is in the context of having taken risks and pushed yourself, that it can be overlooked.
A few points/questions:
Your ACT of 34 is about 50th percentile for Harvard, which is fine for a URM. Do you have SAT II scores? What are your AP scores? The latter don't officially count, but the more standardized tests you have with strong scores, the less that C+ will matter.
What do you want to study, and in what area(s) is your research? STEM is a very broad descriptor. What is your overall goal. You need to craft a personal "narrative" about who you are as a person.
Why Harvard, other than the name? Of course it's got tremendous resources, but it's hardly the best fit for everyone who is qualified to attend. What in particular makes you think it is the right place for you? Where else are you applying?
GPA is taken into context of rank/distribution, rigor, etc. GPA is not always the most influential factor in and of itself. Harvard could fill a class with all the perfect stats applicants. One bad grade freshman year will not be the reason if you get rejected. Lots of perfect stats students get rejected. I think you are a very intriguing applicant for Harvard or any top school. Definitely apply ED to Harvard! Couldn’t disagree with @uclaparent9 more.
@twicearound@renaissancedad thank you guys for your support. Your advice has been really refreshing. I have taken both ap and sat II tests. I have passed 6 ap tests at the end of junior year and score about a 740 in biology and a 730 in physics. I know that these are not incredible but I hope that they will be sufficient.
I chose Harvard because of their amazing math and physics fields, the two fields that I have distinguished myself in throughout highschool. (Through research, and college classes.) To be completely candid, had Harvard been a simple unknown school with that physics and math program that it has, it would still be my top choice.
If you’re mainly focused on math and physics, I would think that Princeton would give Harvard a run for its money. But in general, I think Harvard works best for people with clearly a defined focus that fits well into their pre-existing programs. I personally don’t think it’s the best place for interdisciplinary studies or for people who need room to explore, though obviously some make it work. Given that you seem quite focused and that you have clearly identified strengths that fit your focus, it makes sense, though I’d keep an open mind about Princeton, Harvey Mudd, UChicago and MIT as well.
Sorry, I asked about if you were able to distinguishe yourself in physics and math without reading your post carefully first. My bad. Good luck! I agree with @renaissancedad that there other great places to study these fields that you should consider.