<p>So I am an incoming senior in High School and I am not asking for a major chance thing. I am simply wondering how likely it is for someone to get in who is not in the top 10% of their class? In my school I will be in the top 11% but due to some people taking easy classes and doing perfectly in everything I will be unable to get into the top 10%. So how likely would it be to get in if you just barely miss getting into the top 10%?</p>
<p>Harvard does not consider rank as part of their admissions criteria. (See page 7 of Harvard’s Common Data Set: [The</a> Office of the Provost | Common Data Set](<a href=“http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/common_data_set.php/CDS_2011-2012_Final.pdf]The”>http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/common_data_set.php/CDS_2011-2012_Final.pdf))</p>
<p>Harvard ignores rank exactly because of the situation in your high school. Some students take the easiest courses available, thereby ending up getting ranked #1 in their class. (This is especially true at high schools that have unweighted grades where an ‘A’ in basket weaving is weighted the same as an ‘A’ in AP Calculus BC.) That is why your course rigor is paramount to Harvard.</p>
<p>Thank You! YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH WEIGHT THAT TAKES OFF MY BACK! Thank you so very much!</p>
<p>That’s great, but it’s still extremely unlikely that you’ll get in. If you are taking a good load of AP courses and don’t do well, (also resulting in a low GPA and class rank) then that will also hurt you. </p>
<p>i.e Harvard still generally takes the top kids in each class, regardless of whether harvard doesn’t consider class rank. Students in the top 10% of their class really don’t get in unless they have a significant hook (underprivileged URM, child of major donor or legacy, or athlete)</p>
<p>I am a published app developer, does that count? And I know it is still unlikely that I will get in, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try, it can never hurt!</p>
<p>Yes. Don’t let that discourage you from trying…</p>
<p>If can you show passion in your application… passion and initiative… then I would say that you should take the chance (provided you’re willing to spend the money for the application fee and actually want to go to Harvard).</p>
<p>My daughter graduated from a large public high school in 2009 with about 900 other kids. The top 15% of the class – that’s about 140 kids – had averages between 93 and 100. That year, Harvard accepted 28 students. They did not take the top 28 kids, but rather hand-picked who they wanted. Some students who had 93/94 averages were accepted while others who had 97/98 averages were rejected. Bottom line: Harvard takes who they want, no matter what percentage of the class they are in. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.</p>
<p>So is the whole “Harvard loves valedectorians” idea kinda wrong?</p>
<p>It’s not wrong, but valedictorians are a dime a dozen. Every high school has one, but not every one ends up at Harvard. </p>
<p>In my example, I should have noted that more than 300 kids (one third the class) applied to Harvard in 2009. Harvard did not accept one student who had below a 93. So, there is some sort of “line in the sand” and I suspect that line varies from high school to high school and from year to year.</p>