<p>I'm a freshman and I am just starting off. Please tell me what should I do or improve in order to get in</p>
<p>This quarter I got a 3.3 GPA (needs to be higher i know)</p>
<p>I'm in Theater Crew, Work Study, Campus Ministry, and Literature Club.</p>
<p>yeah i know it's pathetic</p>
<p>Well you still have 3 years ahead of you. here's what you need to do to pull yourself up during that time:
-raise your GPA to the closest it can get to a 4.0
-start studying for your PSATs and SATs ASAP...pull yourself to a 2300+
-Stay involved!!
-take the most competitive academic load available in your school...including honors classes, APs, etc.</p>
<p>I feel really sad when I read a post from a Freshman who is already worrying about college, especially one who is already kind of fixed on Harvard. Is this your own preoccupation, or are you getting pressure from school or parents?</p>
<p>At your age, you should be relaxed about your future, and understand that the high school years are a precious time to explore your interests and who you are.</p>
<p>Take courses and pursue activities because they interest you, not for how they look to Harvard or anyone else. The irony is, that many top colleges look for exactly that: genuine people with genuine interests.</p>
<p>Harvard is just a school, a bunch of buildins and people involved in learning and teaching. Don't let the myth of Harvard rule your high school years. There are many great schools out there. If you really MUST think about college already, then buy "Beyond the Ivies" and "Colleges that Change Lives" by Pope, or "Cool Colleges," just as an antidote. </p>
<p>I recently read an article about depression at Harvard, and how it hits people who have wanted to go to Harvard for a long time, and who lived their high school lives with that goal in mind. Once at Harvard, this group is the most likely to get depressed. They reached their goal, which was getting in, not actually being there, and feel a sort of "now what" despair.</p>
<p>That's because it was a false goal, and they lived falsely in high school. The goal should be to enjoy your high school experience, learn things you want to learn, develop friendships, explore your interests, and grow as a person. If you do that, you will end up at the right college- and it might not even be Harvard that you want to go to, in 3 years!</p>
<p>I hope that I have not offended you, because this is just an effort to help. Good luck!</p>
<p>No, you have not offended me. I understand what you are saying.</p>
<p>Find your main interest and pursue it with dedication and consistency throughout your high school years. Top schools want students who will contribute to their community. Think about that in chosing activities. Do not employ the shotgun approach. Of course you need to get good grades in tough courses. Is theater you major area of interest? Get involved in that in many ways. Use theater as your community service (put on a play for foster children) also. Grow into leadership positions in theater at your high school. If you are behind the scene work toward becoming the director. Do what you love and it will not be a burden to build your resume. While I agree you should not focus on one college, it is good for you to be thinking of college in planning your high school obectives. All the best!</p>