<p>Hey everyone! I'm new on this site and I was hoping you guys could help me with something. I am currently a sophmore whose dream has always been to go to Harvard and my school is now doing scheduling for next year. I was wondering if you you guys could look at my general info. and give me some advice as to what I should be doing these next two years to increase my chances. Here's what I have so far:</p>
<p>GPA: 4.28
Rank: 1/116
School: Challenging private school
Nationality: Romanian (moved here as a child)
Grades: A+'s in every class in which A+'s are possible, A's in everything else
Sophmore PSAT Score: 228</p>
<p>Courses
FRESHMAN YEAR
*Honors English 9
*Honors Geometry
*Honors Modern Civilizations
*Honors Chemistry
*Honors Spanish II
*Honors Latin II (I was permitted to independent study Latin I during the summer and got into this class)
*Graphic Design I/Art I</p>
<p>SOPHMORE YEAR
*Honors English 10
*Honors Algebra II
*Honors Spanish III
*Honors Latin III
*AP Chemistry
*AP Physics B
*AP US Government/AP Comparative Politics </p>
<p>PROBABLE JUNIOR YEAR
*AP English Language
*AP US History
*AP Biology
*AP Calculus BC (I have been permitted to skip pre-calculus)
*AP Spanish Language
*AP Latin Vergil
*AP Art History
*AP Macroeconomics/AP Microeconomics (online independent study)
*AP Human Geography (online independent study)</p>
<p>Extracurricular and Honors
*Model UN (SEVERAL related awards)
*School paper
*School yearbook
*Math Club
*Science Olympiad
*Amnesty International
*Freshman Class Officer
*Horseback riding (Almost one year)
*Piano player (Almost one year after three years of flute)
*Student Distribution Coordinator for school cookbook
*Selected member of the Student Global Awareness Committee
*Beta Club
*Member of selected city leadership forum
*Lover of Languages. I speak Romanian, English, Spanish, and am learning Italian and French.
*Lover of Math. I've taken some online courses at AoPS and enjoy doing math.</p>
<p>I've always worried that I'm not at all different from other candidates that are just as academically qualified. I'm trying to search for a summer program that would both fit my interests (math/science or politics) and that would not be one of those expensive, "everyone gets in" type of programs. Do you guys have any suggestions for summer programs or for what I should be trying to do these next few years so I can increase my chances? </p>
<p>I'm a parent and this is probably not what you want to hear, but that junior year looks way too stressful! I think you will impress the committee more by taking a more reasonable schedule and taking the extra time to develop some interests that you <em>love</em>. Work on a campaign, volunteer to work with someone in math and science. Live :-) </p>
<p>My oldest DS is a great kid and is doing very well with admittances and scholarship offers. I limited his AP classes and told him to spend time learning what he loves and I think he is doing much better because of it.</p>
<p>Don't kill yourself trying to be the best academically and never find out what you need for you!</p>
<p>I'd skip those independent study APs junior year for sure. Instead use the time, to do something in your community. Internship, research opportunities, community service whatever floats your boat. Three or four APs as a junior and the same number as a senior are more than enough. </p>
<p>I really think Harvard would rather see someone who has a strong academic (or non-academic) interest in ONE area than someone who takes a million APs just to prove they can.</p>
<p>You can't write killer essays if you don't have anything interesting to write about.</p>
<p>Oh and do a search for Northstarmom's posts - she's got lots of great advice about the sort of student Harvard is looking for. She's an alumni interviewer.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies thus far! To be honest, I am one of those incredibly nerdy kids who loves to take hard classes for the sake of the classes. I'm not choosing to take them for Harvard; I just love to learn that stuff. As for the independent study classes, I was really interested in taking the Economics as my school just happens to be the only private school in the whole area who doesn't offer it (note: we're a bit weird-hehe). Has anyone taken the class to know whether or not its worth it and/or really difficult?</p>
<p>akybaky, well, I'm in honors Algebra II becuase the idea to ask to skip didn't occur to me until this year. I learned Algebra II independently in ninth grade and finished up pre-calc this past summer and fall. Basically, class is awfully boring and I couldn't drag myself through it again by doing pre-calc next year. So the math department let me test out. : )</p>
<p>mathmom, I'll definitely look up those posts! Thanks for the reference!</p>
<p>One last question, any summer program suggestions? I find all these things on the internet and its so hard to discern which ones are worth applying (and paying) for and which ones are not.</p>
<p>o0o0o i see...so then you tested out of Calc AB too...i was just like *** because calc BC is more then just year ahead...i didn't know about your self-studying during the summer but cool...</p>