<p>Hi, my younger sister's friend (and my good friend too) is going to be applying this year to Harvard this year EA. She has amazing grades and test scores, but relatively weak ECs so she wants to know if she should have any hope.
SAT: 2360, one sitting
SAT IIs: 800 Math 2, 760 French, 750 Bio E
Junior year grades: AP Bio - A; AP French - A; AP USH - A-; Honors Math - A; Honors English - A; Spanish - A
Senior courses: AP Physics; AP Calc AB; AP English Lit; AP Psych; Honors French
Ethnicity: Half black/half white
ECs: Varsity swimmer for 3 years, broke a school record but probably not quite good enough to swim D1; Club swimming for a long time (which takes up a lot of her time that could have been used for other activities); Peer mentor for transfer students; Mentor for freshmen; Lifeguards and teaches swim lessons year round to regular kids and those with disabilities; Head swim instructor
School: Public but one of the best in the state</p>
<p>First off, there isn’t such a thing as a “weak EC.” </p>
<p>[Guidance</a> Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Part 1 - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/harvarddean-part1/]Guidance”>Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 1 - The New York Times)
"The term “extracurricular activities” covers an enormous amount of ground. We are interested in whatever a student does: in addition to school extracurricular activities and athletics, students can tell us of significant community, employment, or family commitments. There are many who spend a great deal of time helping to run their household, preparing meals and caring for siblings or making money with a part-time job to help the household meet expenses.</p>
<p>Unfortunately many schools have had to curtail or eliminate extracurricular activities and athletics, or they charge fees for participation. In addition, many students cannot afford expensive musical instruments or athletic equipment — or have families without the resources to pay for lessons, summer programs and the transportation networks necessary to support such activities.</p>
<p>Admissions Committees keep these factors in mind as they review applications, and are concerned most of all to know how well students used the resources available to them. Extracurricular activities need not be exotic — most are not — and substance is far more important. A student who has made the most of opportunities day-to-day during secondary school is much more likely to do so during college and beyond."</p>
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<p>Secondly, no one can predict anyone’s chances as so much of the application process depends on subjective factors.</p>
<p>[Guidance</a> Office: Answers From Harvard’s Dean, Part 1 - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/harvarddean-part1/]Guidance”>Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 1 - The New York Times)
"Many people believe “best” ought to be defined by standardized tests, grades, and class rank, and it is easy to understand why. Such a system, another Harvard dean of admissions, Bill Bender, wrote in 1960, “has great appeal because it has the merits of apparent simplicity, objectivity, relative administrative cheapness in time and money and worry, a clear logical basis and therefore easy applicability and defensibility.”</p>
<p>While we value objective criteria, we apply a more expansive view of excellence. Test scores and grades offer some indication of students’ academic promise and achievement. But we also scrutinize applications for extracurricular distinction and personal qualities.</p>
<p>Students’ intellectual imagination, strength of character, and their ability to exercise good judgment — these are critical factors in the admissions process, and they are revealed not by test scores but by students’ activities outside the classroom, the testimony of teachers and guidance counselors, and by alumni/ae and staff interview reports."</p>
<p>“Personal qualities and character provide the foundation upon which each admission rests. Harvard alumni/ae often report that the education they received from fellow classmates was a critically important component of their college experience. The education that takes place between roommates, in dining halls, classrooms, research groups, extracurricular activities, and in Harvard’s residential houses depends on selecting students who will reach out to others.”</p>
<p>2360, black, and applying EA? In.</p>
<p>^I totally agree.</p>
<p>Her grades and scores put her in the range of Harvard applicants. Her being a URM will be very helpful.</p>
<p>^^ OP also claims to be a Harvard freshman, so I’m not sure why s/he is asking: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1357485-how-do-i-meet-right-people-harvard-next-year.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1357485-how-do-i-meet-right-people-harvard-next-year.html</a></p>
<p>OP says she is writing for “my younger sister’s friend…” so the stats and chances are for the friend, not the OP.</p>
<p>^^ Yes, but if look at the OP’s history, the latest post (<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1389497-supplemental-essay-necessary.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1389497-supplemental-essay-necessary.html</a>) is asking about Harvard supplemental essays. Presumably, if the OP is a Harvard freshman, s/he could obtain the answer by asking her fellow classmates and not posting on CC. Call me cynical, but given the history, I’m questioning the truthfulness of the OP.</p>
<p>Gibby if you want my answer, you can again look on “my latest post” that you have so cleverly discovered.</p>
<p>based on her minority ethnicity, she is greatly advantaged, that’s for sure. she has a good chance, but again, there are many subjective factors. good luck!</p>
<p>There was one thread where a black girl with a 3.7ish GPA, a 2400 SAT score, and virtually no EC’s (she was on science team, won no awards, was not captain, etc.) was accepted at every top school, including Harvard. So by virtue of SAT score and affirmative action, your sister’s friend has a very good chance since she is infinitely more qualified than that other applicant.</p>
<p>Wow it really seems like you guys are finding a lot of advantage in her race. My sister isn’t going to be very happy as she has slightly worse stats and isn’t a URM…haha. She is a Harvard hopeful as well. But thanks for all the input!</p>