<p>wow, harvardhopeful, you really are on the right track. I remember that I was like that when I was a freshman, but I just wish that I had a better outlook on precisely what EC’s I would pursue. Keep up the good work!</p>
<p>thanks for all the advice. I feel a little bit better after hearing the positive comments. kd5qdf, i do have a lot of EC listed and they all are pretty much what i am passionate about. (As you can see, most of them are academic, sports, or volunteering related) I’m hoping that i can do all these for 4 years, but i’m not sure if my schedule would work out. This year, i went to Korea(i’m korean :)) for the summer, so i could not really do anything besides practicing music and academics, but next year, i’m considering going to college science camps for highschool students, but not Indiana University, because IU is only strong in business. About the unique activity like “amateur” program you did, would forming a “rock.aternative” band count? i play the guitar and pretty good at singing. i’m passionate about anything related to arts(i draw too), music, sports, and science, if you could recommend any unique activity you could think of?? Oh, school work is still, of course, my #1 priority, but the classes are going to be easy.(my sister, who is as smart as i am, said the classes are jokes.) I’m taking honors classes, but not AP, because freshmen cannot take ap classes. I’m thinking bout also taking some AP Science or math courses during the summer next year, if i can. zam614, thank you for the praise and hope you get into a great college, if not Harvard. Finally, White_Rabbit, can you be more specific about why Harvard might not be my best choice?? I’m leaning towards orthopedic doctor, surgeon(prbaly not), or dentist/orthodontist. I thought Harvard had some kind of pre-med related classes/club/major?? If not i’m going to choose some kind of science major that is the best fit for me.Thanks again. (:</p>
<p>do u think that i have a good chance of getting into harvard:
im valedictorain
4.0+ gpa
in orchestra for 7 yrs
drill team for 4 yrs
havent took my sat yett, but im predicting ill get somewhere around 2,220 as my score
brown belt in karate
Exective Officer in Student Council and will have been in it for 4 yrs in my senior yr
Natinal Honor Society Member
Took 3 yrs of Spanish
Dance Group Member and gave performances around dallas at concerts and fundraising organizations
Went to States in Destination Imagination and 3rd in regionals
Performed Solos in School Orchestra and In UILS
Concert Master in Orchestra
Social Officer Member in Drill Team
took part on a soccer team for 2 yrs
100+ volunteer hrs</p>
<p>i need to stand out somehow…how did u write ur nurtition book? like what is the process of getting it published?? i want to be recognized some how and i dont know how to do that…im thinking of published a cd because i love to compose music, but im not sure can u give me more details of what i need to do… its my dream to get into harvard and i will work hard for it :)</p>
<p>holy ****. from the way u talk i can already tell ur a genius. like no lie</p>
<p>damn nationals for music groups? i have never even heard of any except npr radio, lol. all state is familiar tho</p>
<p>um, if u dont mind me asking, can u give me ur email so i can kind of sent u my resume and stuff? like can u check over it and give me some advice and etc?</p>
<p>hello i am new here…
i live in israel and i am very good and serious student…
i am 16 years old and one of my dreams is to learn medicine in the medical school of Harvard…
i am going to start the high school in september and start the path to the Matriculation (bagrut in hebrew) so i want to know , what can i do right now…in the high school to improve my chances of acceptance…if you need more information just tell…
please help me</p>
<p>Hey, I was thinking about ‘Depth, not Breadth’ and it’s really got me thinking… Im just starting 8th grade this year, so I’m extremely young and I know I’m capable of getting into Harvard or for that matter any school that appeals to me, but I still have work to do. For 4 years, I’ve been going to a fantastic charter school thats setting me up to go crazy with AP courses in High School. It sounds great, but the problem is, isn’t it not very deep to do a ton of scattered AP courses? How do I take a ton of AP courses but still focus on depth? Thats one thing that I just can’t stop thinking about.</p>
<p>We were wondering if some one who has gone through the Harvard application process could give some more indepth advice about what kind of choices to make as you go through high school to make Harvard more than just a dream for my daughter. She is in her second year of High School at our “okay” public school. She took last year and will be taking this year the hardest classes that the school has to offer. Her weighted GPA was 106 for last year. She was in the gifted program when it was offered in our school and took the sat that was offered to the 7th and 8th graders who had been singled out by the Johns Hopkins talent search and she did very well. She belongs to many clubs and honor society’s and is leaning toward the math and science fields. She is equally divided between medicine and engineering. She also works at a local ice cream store. She is trying to figure out what can help her fine tune what she eventually wants to study and what would make her stand out for admittance to Harvard. We visted Harvard this summer and it certainly made her even more determined to go. So whatever insight and guidance could be given would be much appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>Keeping in mind my son had an extra boost from being a legacy…</p>
<p>He got excellent grades and scores. That ensures your application will be taken seriously, but it is not enough.</p>
<p>He had a few (two) school ECs that he excelled at. He was on the academic team and they went to Nationals. He was on the Science Olympiad Team and it was the performance of his cohort of freshman that got the team to States and kept it there for the next four years. He won medals at events every year.</p>
<p>He was the top scorer in his school every year on ACM10, ACM 12 and AIME. (Though his scores were very good, not stellar by budding mathematician standards - he never practiced for these exams, though he’d had some experience with these types of questions through MathCounts in middle school.)</p>
<p>The bulk of his free time was pursuing his own academic interest which in his case was computer programming. He had experience both with modding games, working for a company, doing programming for a couple of med school labs, and doing volunteering at the computer center at the local senior center. He had a couple of stellar extra recommendations related to the computer work.</p>
<p>It’s very hard to predict what will catch the eye of the Admissions Committee. I think my son came across as someone who was self-directed, who had taught himself a tremendous amount on his own. (He took AP Comp Sci as a freshman, though the only formal class in Computer programming that he had was one week in middle school.) He also looked pretty well rounded on paper. He loves to read and got perfect scores in CR both times he took the SAT, excelled in Latin and History as well as the expect science and math. He did get mostly B+'s in honors level English courses.</p>
<p>In the end my son got into Harvard, but decided to go to a better school for his interests - he’s a junior at Carnegie Mellon and has no regrets about his decision.</p>
<p>can anyone give advice to someone that has excellent academics but little in the way of extracurriculars? i’m in my senior year and i don’t really have anything substantial. 4.0uw GPA, 4.4 weighted, took all but one AP my school offered (two of them independent study), 2370 SAT, 760 literature subject test, 5 school departmental awards. i’ve done track since 7th grade, academic team for four years but no significant achievements, 100 hours volunteer work as track and field manager. if my essays are spot on would you say i have a good chance extracurricular-wise for harvard? and is there anything i can do in these next two or so months to boost my chances?</p>
<p>@LTMREM & Muffinmeister - keep up the GPA, take the most rigorous course load offered at your school. Make sure that the you are not just a member of many school clubs - have a leadership position in several of them and be involved in them. You don’t want a laundry list of ECs with no apparent direction. Like Mathmom said, high GPA and SATs will get you considered. The tough part is to stand out. You don’t want to be another generic 4.0/2400 valedictorian with nothing else that sets you apart. HYP could fill their entire student body with those people. But they won’t. They want interesting, dedicated, passionate students that could not only thrive there academically, but contribute to the school community. One way to stand out is to be nationally recognized in a field. Win national/regional/state awards for something that you’ve devoted a lot of time and energy to. Another way is to do extensive volunteering/work in an area that you are passionate about. Muffinmeister - you excel at track and field and have volunteered as t&f manager. That’s good, but take it a step further. How about starting a local program, mentoring and coaching kids to excel at track & field. LTMREM - why not have your daughter tutor elementary school kids in math & science? My S was accepted to HYP. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you lowellbelle!Your advice was very good for someone who wants to get into Harvard University!
I’m giving the SAT exams in May, and my first choice is Harvard!I know that it is very difficult to get in, but I’m not going to give up.
I live in Kozani which is a small town in Greece but unfortunately, we don’t have the opportunity for scholarships or interships here and I’m afraid that it will effect their decision.
I was very good student, I went to U.S Space and Rocket, in Advanced Space Academy for 10 days as astronaut,I participated in Astronomy Olympiad for my country, I have awards, honors,research projects,articles etc…But I believe that are not enough…</p>
<p>Do you have any advice???What, can I do??I’m really sorry, if I am annoying.</p>
<p>Hmmm… I wonder if lowellbelle is bored with this forum yet. It’s already been 3 years since it began. lol</p>
<p>Maria_astr: Don’t be nervous, have more confident for yourself. To me, your transcript seems incredible. We could definitely tell that your interested in astronomy. Just keep doing what your doing and participate more if possible. But enjoy what you do. =]</p>