<p>his problem is he left out the "r" in "her"
"(not really, he mother was from Spain, not Latin America)"</p>
<p>maybe this irrelevant post can now close this thread</p>
<p>From an objective standpoint:</p>
<p>You chose not to highlight your independence, or to "tell your sob story," so to speak.</p>
<p>You have an 1880 SAT.</p>
<p>You have a 3.6 UW GPA.</p>
<p>You are in about the top 22% in a competitive high school.</p>
<p>800 Spanish SAT II and 5 on AP Spanish exam, but you are half Hispanic. The rest of your scores include a 680 and a 700 SAT II, and no higher than 4's on your AP exams.</p>
<p>You had a 15 minute interview (not your fault, I know).</p>
<p>The 30 hr/week job and you are an Eagle Scout.</p>
<p>No one is denying that you have gone through a lot or that you are driven, but from an objective standpoint, everything is way below Harvard's normal "standards." If you choose such a difficult education and you are at such an elite institution, why aren't your scores a bit higher? It's not a lack of time from working at your job, because SAT II's don't need to be studied for.</p>
<p>I, like everyone else in this thread, am just trying to shed some light on your not being accepted. This is not meant to be an attack, just a look at the objective part of your application. The way I see it, you would need to have something HUGE stick out to make up for some of it, and you are telling us that you chose not to highlight your "sob story."</p>
<p>Best of luck with Yale.</p>
<p>I don't think I have attacked anyone. </p>
<p>"I do not like to brag, but it was an awful mistake on Harvard's part. Not only because they REJECTED me, but also deferred all of my SSP friends who applied (like 30). These kids were international olympiad competitors, another was the highest-ranked A-level kid in Lebanon with a double legacy. Another was an African American with a 1480 (rare as hell) with a major track hook. These were amazing kids. And you know what? They took the 'ho' also from SSP who had sexual affairs with 26 people (she told me herself, and notice I said PEOPLE not GUYS), who was wealthy, and dumb as a brick. She had nothing at all going for her. All her stats and ECs and every other untangible thing was lower than mine, but you know what? She was "hispanic" (not really, he mother was from Spain, not Latin America) and rich. A full pay minority ho, what a bargain for Harvard."</p>
<p>I particularly found that part offensive. It's saturated in sexism, homophobia, bitterness, and hatred. Absolutely not the sort of attitude I would want someone in my school to have.</p>
<p>"You are what is regarded as someone with a Type B personality. I am a Type A, driven to compete and suceed. And if I fail, driven to succeed even more. You would probably just give up."</p>
<p>Please don't make such absurd assumptions about me. I am very driven to succeed, and I don't give up easily. But if, come April, Harvard decides that I am not what they are looking for in a student, I will take their decision with grace and understand that that is entirely their own prerogative and that I don't need Harvard (or Yale, or Princeton, or Stanford...) in order to succeed and achieve my life goals.</p>
<p>You probably are a type B personality. That's preferable. It means you're less likely to get stress-related disorders.</p>
<p>I'd say I definitely am a type B personality...I was more referring to his implication that I am not driven to succeed.</p>
<p>DHA- You would not like Harvard. There are posters up for various counseling services, including things like "I'm attracted to my roommate...what do I do?"</p>
<p>That's right, there are gay and bisexual people- more here than anywhere else I've lived or went to school. I bet some of them might even have sex!!! What hoes! (sarcasm people). Who are you to judge?</p>
<p>I don't think Harvard could possibly beat my high school. Here, unconventional forms of sexuality are welcomed and, dare I say, encouraged.</p>
<p>Terra, most minorities that are accepted to Harvard have test scores way below mine. And they are not low income. Also, I began a program to teach English to immigrants and naturalized 10 of them for christ's sake. Now, that is unique devotion to an EC. You didnt even highlight my good ECs, just my latter one.My Scores are not low for someone in my situation and race. </p>
<p>"I particularly found that part offensive. It's saturated in sexism, homophobia, bitterness, and hatred. Absolutely not the sort of attitude I would want someone in my school to have."</p>
<p>Once again, people go off on tangents and dont even address the issue. It is not about who she has sex with. It was about her being a ho and not even going to class. Goodness gracious, just because I emphasize what she did, you people are labeling me as a homophobe. Of course you will take it with grace, obviously since 20,000 people will be rejected along side of you. It makes sense, not in the RD round with 150 liars and cheats.</p>
<p>You went off on a tangent that didn't address the issue. Pretttttttty sure that whomever this girl has sex with is not really relevant to whether or not she deserves to go to Harvard. I was addressing your statement by saying that I found it hate=filled and homophobic. </p>
<p>And I'm pretty sure that I would take the admissions decisions of a private institution with grace whether I were rejected alongside 20,000 people or 2 people. Perhaps I value graciousness more than you do.</p>
<p>dha. i'm sorry, i really am...i hope the rest of your applications go well.
**it happens.</p>
<p>forgive me for my naivity, but isn't the admissions process supposed to be need-blind. Just because being relatively poor doesn't work against doesn't mean you should expect it to work for you. I can't get over your hypocrisy. Stop trying to play the race card, the poverty card and whatever other cards you're trying to play. To borrow a line from gavorche, it is very unbecoming of you. Why do you insist on being judged favorably because other minorites are supposedly inferior. That isn't the kind of attitude Harvard wants. </p>
<p>As a side note, are you telling me that the ivywanabechick or whatsherface is an actual person. She epitomizes all that is wrong with Ivy admissions. I hope she's playign a character, for all our sakes.</p>
<p>Hi, DHA. Remember me? You assumed I was some rich New Yorker who had no right to even SPEAK about low income (gasp!). Also, as you may remember, I am in a very similar situation: I also am a low-income Hispanic person in an elite high school full of wealither people.
Why I have higher SAT scores and got into my first choice school (MIT), I am unsure. I dunno what you expressed about your background through your app, but I find that being honest about your life and true to yourself works. Don't leave anything unaccounted for. It worked for me, and it just might work for you.</p>
<p>Yea dude, sorry about that. Its great to hear that you are going where you love. Thanks for the tips!! I will defintiely use it in my other apps.</p>
<p>DHA, I feel your pain man, I know how it feels to be poor, real poor, but i think you have this weird aura about you which unfortuanetly turns people off. You are at times VERY contradictory. You dont want have programs to give "a leg-up" so to speak, but EXPECT to get in with stats that FRANKLY SPEAKING put you in the bottom 3% of Harvards stats. 75% of Harvard students score near 1600, 50% at 1500, and 25% at 1400. You scored 1250 (or around there 1880(2/3)=1250). Then 95% of the school is in the top 10%, with 35% being Validictorians. You are in the top 20%. But even discounting these things, you still have these weird perception that JUST BECAUSE YOUR POOR you OUGHT TO BE accepted. Take it from me, NO ONE IS A GURANTEED ADMIT AT HARVARD. </p>
<p>I GOT DEFERRED
I HAD BASICALLY A 1400(2100)
I HAD 4.45 Weighted, ranked 4/340
I TAKE MULTIVARIABLE CALC, ORGANIC CHEM + LAB IN THE NIGHT
I WORK 30 HOURS A WEEK AT NIH, DOING RESEARCH THAT I WILL
PUBLISH IN MAY IN VIRIOLOGY (aMERICAN, JOURNAL OF)
I TAKE 5 AP CLASSES DURING THE DAY
I LEAVE HOME AT 6 AM AND RETURN 10:30 PM
I HAD 800,790,720 ON SAT2
I HAVE TAKEN 9 AP EXAMS AND SCORED MOSTLY 5'S AND 4'S
I AM GOING TO TAKE 6 MORE THIS YEAR
I AM CAPTAIN OF 2 CLUBS, IN 4 MORE, VOLUNTEER 20 HOURS A WEEK
I LIVE IN A HUGE PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEX
IVE SEEN DRUGS, VIOLENCE, AND VICE
I MYSELF HAVE GONE THROUGH HELL AND BACK, AND ALMOST A DAILY BASIS
IVE HAD TO WORK AS MUCH AS 90 HOURS A WEEK TO HELP PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
IVE BEEN ON STREET CORNERS TRYING TO SELL T-SHIRTS AND OTHER THINGS TO PUT GODDAMN PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY ON THE TABLE</p>
<p>WITH ALL THAT I DIDNT MAKE IT. I AM NOT BITTER, AND REALLY DHA YOU SHOULDNT BE EITHER. </p>
<p>MOST MINORITIES DONT "HAVE SCORES LOWER THAN YOURS" , MOST MINORITIES AT HARVARD SCORE BETWEEN 1300-1450 AND HAVE 3.7-4.0 AND ARE RANKED TOP 10-2.5 IN THEIR CLASS. YOUR KIDING YOUR SELF TO BELIEVE YOUR BETTER THAN MOST OF THE PEOPLE WITH A 1250.</p>
<p>For my next application im going to do an essay about something else besides poverty and stuff, and instead write a letter to the adcoms explaining how everything has affected my life and HOW I STILL MAINTAIN A POSITIVE OPTIMISTIC outlook on life. DHA look into your heart and write a similarly heartfelt letter to the adcoms, and perhaps you will make it to Yale. Oh yeah man remeber im not your enemy man, im just trying to help you realize that you need to lighten up and look forward to life and peace and not dwell on the past. Move forward, man, if harvard doesnt want you look for new haven or princeton or philadelphia or providence. just move on and maintain a positive vibe, and please stop characterizing groups and infusing politics into everything.</p>
<p>DHA I don't want to come off as overly critical. However, I can't help but point out some of the errors in your reasoning/logic.</p>
<p>The following quote really bothered me... Where did you get this?
[quote]
Terra, most minorities that are accepted to Harvard have test scores way below mine. And they are not low income... Now, that is unique devotion to an EC. You didnt even highlight my good ECs, just my latter one.My Scores are not low for someone in my situation and race.
[/quote]
Not to bash your score, but I think you're a bit misguided on this issue. Most minorities that get accepted have MUCH higher than a 1250/1880.</p>
<p>I am a minority, and I do not come from an affluent family (annual income under $25,000). My little brother, who is in 7th grade, recently got a 2190 on the SATs. He had literally no preparation. No practice. No books. DEFINITELY no prep classes. The SATs CAN be prepped for, but that doesn't mean people who didn't prep can't do well on them. </p>
<p>Being from a low income family doesn't mean anything, it's just another obstacle you have to overcome. I hate it when people mope over how they got shafted over this or that (being ORM, low income, discriminated against, etc.).</p>
<p>A low income Asian friend of mine got deferred with a 2250 and a 3.9. Another low income friend (had to work 30+ hours a week), last year's val at my school had a 2190, got deferred and then rejected. Neither of them made a big deal about it! They understood that its NOT all about getting into Harvard.</p>
<p>Contrary to your belief, being from an elite school does not help your situation in this case. Your SAT scores should be ALOT higher because of your school - A very high percentage of high scorers simply learn from their classes, with no SAT prep.</p>
<p>My point? Being from a low income family isn't everything. You still have to achieve a certain degree score/grade-wise, because you are being compared to other very capable low-income students. No offense, but it seems like you didn't pass the mark.</p>
<p>Your little brother's crazy, man. I know I don't need to tell you this, but make sure that kid develops his talents to the fullest. 2190 10 points less than my score (composite). A 7th grader got one less question right than me on the SATs. :(</p>
<p>I remember getting a 960 on my SAT when I took it in 7th grade, and I thought I was talented. geez.</p>
<p>And plus, you said he's a minority, right? Make sure he maximizes his potential and then gets out there and dispels some stereotypes!!</p>
<p>LOL. I got a 1210 on mine in 8th. Only a 60 point increase in high school Junior Year. Then again, I was sick that day (I'm always sick or on meds on test day). I'd take it again, but I think that I've proven my capability to do the work. The only ones I would retake would be my SAT IIs, because I have 2 scores in the 500s.</p>
<p>I'll say thanks on his behalf lol. He's a pretty bright kid and maybe he isn't the norm, but my point was there are alot of poor/minorities that stand out from the bunch. So I think it was a bit presumptuous of DHA to say that he "deserved to get accepted." Maybe I sounded a bit too harsh(?)
[quote]
And plus, you said he's a minority, right? Make sure he maximizes his potential and then gets out there and dispels some stereotypes!!
[/quote]
Minority, but he's Asian heh. I'll admit I kind of left that part out intentionally just to see the responses. Perhaps it was my unconscious mind :P.</p>