Grade: Gap Year (I dedicate around 50 hours each week to hockey during this gap year)
RACE/ETHNICITY: Hispanic (Male)- (first generation American)- (not first generation college)
Major: Economics
GPA: 3.87 UW, 4.15 W (went to a boarding school, so much tougher then public school) (full AP schedule senior year)
My 10th grade GPA brought the overall down, because I was suffering from a serious medical condition which required hospitalizations and many day missed from school. I let this be know in the application.
STANDARDIZED TESTING:
ACT: 33
SAT II: Math 2 - 770, Spanish: 790
AP Classes: 7 (Maximum I could take due to school class requirements, also had a spine surgery so missed all AP test this year)
AP Lang: 5
AP Statistics: 3
APUSH: 4
APES: 4
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:
Counselor: I have no idea about this one.
Stats Teacher: 8/10 AP Lit Teacher: 8/10
Panamanian Politician that I worked with to setup business advising group (would be equivalent to a Senator): 9/10
Hospital Volunteering Mentor: 7/10
Essays: Personal Statement: 7/10 Harvard Supplement: 9/10 (extremely creative/unique. Everybody I showed likes it.)
EXTRACURRICULARS:
Played for the best hockey prep school in the nation (easily 45+ hours per week, but I’m not coming in as a recruited athlete) I was also the captain of my team.
Manage an Investment portfolio worth around $8000. I have had positive returns for two years.
Founded a business/ economics study group in a poor area of Panama to teach people with entrepreneurial desires.
Lead Volunteer at an impoverished Panamanian hospital where I led numerous initiatives relating to cancer detection and HIV prevention.
I have been taking high level economics courses online since 9th grade. I have taken over 15+ courses.
Worked as Spanish tutors for all my dorm mates. I would help with homework and aid in studying.
Was part of the diversity club. (limited participiatation due to insane hockey schedule).
Have been playing high level junior hockey during my gap year.
I made it clear in the application that most of my time was consumed by hockey which runs year round. I only had off for about 6 weeks in the summer, which I used to go to Panama.
Awards:
Numerous hockey related all star selections and awards.
If you are not a recruited athlete, the hockey is not going to have any more significance than other ECs. You do have a well rounded EC resume.
You are below what I have seen as the average Harvard applicant in your academic profile. Being URM puts you in a whole other pool, however, and how other applicants are in that pool will likely be the determining factor. That you are well prepared for rigorous academics is a big plus
@compmom Considering the condition, which I do not want to disclose, was life threatening, I don’t think any “accommodations,” as you put it would have helped. I went to a boarding school that ended in the in the third week of May, so if how I am supposed to take a makeup AP exams if my school is out already, when the official make up dates occurs.
@cptofthehouse I mean I understand hockey is not as “standout,” as say research, but I think the time commitment clearly demonstrates commitment to a passion. Each week I was spring 50 hours just on hockey, which is more hours then most people put into a week of work.
@hockey731 private schools are tougher to deal with when ill. Public schools have 504 plans based on the ADA. A lawyer would have helped with your school.
We have dealt with very serious medical issues in our family but grades did not suffer because of accommodations. It woud have been possible to withdraw for a term, get a substitute project for an exam, extensions or incompletes, or credit for an online or community college class in lieu of the classes affected by your illness. You could have skipped an AP exam and explained to colleges as well.
If there is any chance of recurrence or continuing illness on a chronic basis, I hope you will register with the Office of Disabilities at college and receive accommodations. You have legal rights to perform at the level of your best ability even with ill, and if gravely ill, you can withdraw. Get tuition refund insurance and there will be no financial penalty.
The fact that you put “accomodations” in quotation marks followed by “as you put it” would seem to indicate that you have absolutely no knowledge of what we would consider normal procedures for anyone with a health challenge.