How hard is Harvard EA? Also chances

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I was wondering how hard it is to get into Harvard EA versus RD. I don't think I have a stellar chance for any, but I would like to maximize my chances as much as possible. Any input is greatly appreciated :).</p>

<p>Also, chances?</p>

<p>Background: female, Romanian, immigrant, from Arizona (lol, if those help at all), large public school</p>

<p>Rank: top 10% (but kind of low rank because I moved and none of my credits transferred from 9th grade (btw, rank is 46/700+))
SAT: 2270 (800M, 730CR, 740W)
SAT II: 800 IIC, 730 Physics, and I'll take Chemistry and maybe U.S. History in October
ACT: never taken (should I take it?)</p>

<p>E.C: Math Club treasurer (11th), hopefully starting Mu Alpha Theta next year, tennis team and club treasurer (10th-11th), online math tutor, volunteer at a place for underpriviliged children (I just started, so I only have like 12 hours), on a city youth commission, other small leadership positions</p>

<p>I suck at competitions
AMC 12B: 119.5
AIME:4
a few small math awards
a few small writing awards (mostly essay contests), nothing major, though.</p>

<p>Research in bioinformatics, ISEF finalist 2006 (with a team project). Our mentor thinks our project is good enough to publish. Also, we got in touch with a prominent researcher in our field and she wants to collaborate, so that might be a plus.</p>

<p>Attended PROMYS 2005
Attending RSI 2006 - major hook, I guess</p>

<p>I feel like I'm missing some things, but if I can't think of what, I suppose they're not important :).</p>

<p>Assuming pretty good essays and at least one amazing rec, what should I expect for EA (and more importantly, how would that compare with RD)?</p>

2

<p>Oh, yeah I totally forgot about classes:
AP Calc BC (5)
AP Physics C (3 :( )
This year: Multivariable/Diff. Eq., AP Chem, AP Stats, highest level offered in French at school (7-8), AP English, APUSH. Also took Linear Algebra 1st semester at local state university and probably taking 2 more math/science classes next year.</p>

3

<p>This is your best answer....
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=125981%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=125981&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

4

<p>Your stats certainly put you in the running. RSI is a nice boost and they will write a rec for you. I recommend that you really take some time with your essays. The math and science kids had a tough time this year in Harvard EA. (There was a thread in the Parents Forum in December.)</p>

5

<p>get a book deal in high school, you are in!!!!</p>

6

<p>Thank you for the responses. So should I stick with RD for a better chance? </p>

<p>bandit_TX, haha believe me I have read that whole thread..it seems as if Harvard EA favors people with really high SAT scores.</p>

7

<p>corinao:</p>

<p>You should apply to Harvard SCEA if Harvard is the place you want to attend the most. Both PROMYS and RSI are good boosts. The fact that you are a female prospective math major is also a boost, as is your nationality and your current location. </p>

<p>Another school that looks favorably on PROMYS and RSI alumni is the school down the road, MIT, to be precise. There are currently at least 2 MITers who attended PROMYS last summer.</p>

8

<p>You should go EA. That way if you get deferred you look more favourable in RD - not only does it look like you want to be there more than others, but also it shows that you got your act together earlier and are organized etc.</p>

9

<p>If Harvard is really your first choice, you should most definitely apply for SCEA. It's definitely a great option and your test scores and grades are on par. You have definitely showed passion for something you really wanted to do.</p>

<p>Go for it! The worst that can happen is you will be deferred. </p>

<p>SCEA acceptance rate stays static around 20% while the regular action rates drop to about 5% or something like that to make it an overall rate of 9 to 10%. Statistically, you would obviously have a better chance SCEA.</p>

<p>Applications are already available for Fall 2007. Request an application! :)</p>

10

<p>hey corinao, if you REALLY like mit, and you might just get the chance to find out some time soon, why don't you marry it?? :) :) see ya in boston :)</p>

11

<p>Wow Intel ISEF. When I was 16 I was given the choice to participate in either my country's Intel ISEF (which sends finalists to the US Intel ISEF) or this Sony National Science Fair. I opted for the Sony one and won 2nd place. I wonder if US universities care a lot about science fairs other than Intel, Siemens, etc. Sigh, now I'm in my A-levels exam year, so I don't have the time for science fairs.</p>

12

<p>corinao:
I agree with most of the posts, if you really want to go to Harvard, apply EA.
I heard that with RSI, it is 100% admissions into MIT anyway. </p>

<p>Also, I am currently a soph and I really want to do RSI next year. Was it really hard ot get it? Did you have to do anything special to be accepted?
thanks</p>

13

<p>what is RSI? just out of curiousity</p>

14

<p>For a reality check, I went to the thread listed in post #3, then checked the deferred students to see where they ended up. The first few pages (I got bored with this experiment after a few minutes) showed students ending up at Dartmouth, Yale, Berkeley, Penn, Princeton, MIT, Oberlin and, yes, Harvard. I guess what I wanted to tell you is apply to Harvard if it's your first choice, but don't worry that if you don't get in there EA, you won't get in anywhere. I think it's pretty comforting to see that those who were disappointed with their Harvard EA experience, ended up doing quite well for themselves.</p>

15

<p>The EA pool at Harvard is an even more exceptional group of students than is the regular pool (which itself has a pool of students that most colleges would be delighted to admit). That's why students who are EA deferred and eventually rejected still get into some top universities.</p>

16

<p>Thanks, everyone! I requested an application in May - I'm fairly sure I'll be applying EA. Maybe. I REALLY want to get into Harvard, so I was thinking that I could compile more awards/volunteering hours, etc. if I applied RD. My school hasn't had a Harvard acceptee in something like 6 years, though, but there're a few really amazing people applying every year. So I guess awards aren't everything...</p>

<p>xwang90, unfortunately the RSI acceptance rate to MIT isn't 100%. Close, but not quite. As for getting in...really, honestly I did not do anything special. Don't worry about it just yet, but keep an eye out for the RSI 2007 thread in High School Life :)</p>

17

<p>haha twochickens, i don't know if it's legal to marry an institution (maybe it is in MA). yup I will see you - I'm working at Harvard so we can have lunch sometime :) and then go look for free cookies and juice in nearby buildings ;)</p>

18

<p>are you working at harvard?? i can go see you at harvard??? that'll be so cool!!!!!!!! that'll be amazing! we'll act like monkeys again!!!! no but that'll work great :)</p>

19

<p>How do you get to work at Harvard?</p>