<p>I know I look life a fool, but come on, anyone can dream...</p>
<p>White Male from crappy public school in Minneapolis
GPA UW: 3.000 (Hope to raise to 3.1/ Freshman Year and the first trimester of junior year were horrid.)
GPA Weighted: 3.07 (hope to get it to 3.2?)
Rank: top 45%ish?
Projected ACT: 29-33
EC's: Too lazy to type them out, but several awards, 3 athletics, theater, part time job, academic tutor, natural sci. summer class @ a university, awards for well doing at work, bands, ensembles, 14 years piano, leadership teams (exec board of one), influence groups, lots of service hours... etc...</p>
<p>Classes Junior Year:
Honors Algebra II
AP English Lit
AP Psychology
Spanish III
AP US History
AP Chemistry
Anatomy</p>
<p>Senior Year:
Honors Pre-Calc
AP English comp
AP Euro
AP Spanish IV
Honors Govt
AP Econ
Honors Physics</p>
<p>If I NAIL the essays and explain how I learned from procrastination and discovered that my true values are not obtainable without work, do you think I'll even have a TINY TINY TINY chance?</p>
<p>Your only chance would be a very large check (7 or 8 figures?), an Olympic Gold Medal, and some serious blackmail against the admissions office. Even then you probably still wouldn't get in.</p>
<p>Start looking elsewhere. The top universities will hardly look at you when you have a 3.07 from a crappy Minnesota school.</p>
<p>Well just trying to be realistic. My joke about you getting into Howard was only to drive home the point. Just because you don't get into Harvard straight out of HS, doesn't mean you can't up end there. Just look at President-Elect Barack Obama; started out at Occidental College and transferred to Harvard.</p>
<p>do not let all the negative responses keep you from applying
lots of people at harvard are surprised they got accepted who knows,
you could end up being one of them:)</p>
<p>^Let me just say, this is the reason that the acceptance rate is so low. </p>
<p>Many people are surprised, but Harvard takes people who can handle the work. A 3.07 GPA doesn't show that. The fact that you had a bad trimester Junior year is especially disconcerting.</p>
<p>I do understand how the bad trimester junior year is a negative weight.</p>
<p>However, I'd explain in my essays how instead of looking at that trimester as a failure, I'd look at it as a lesson in priorities and moral values. I learned the more important lessons in life (responsibility.)
And now I have to take responsibility for my actions.</p>
<p>I am going to get into Harvard. I sound like a fool, but this false sense of confidence makes me feel happy.</p>
<p>I know your part of the world and the high schools there. I would never discourage anyone from applying to a favorite "reach" college. But to anyone applying to a highly selective college, I might ask this question: what college are you planning to apply to as a safety college? </p>
<p>Good luck in your further high school studies and in your college applications.</p>
<p>If an interviewer flat out asked you: "Why do you deserve to study at the best university in the entire world? Why do we need you?"...could you answer it?</p>
<p>IMHO, in the absence of truly catastrophic circumstances (e.g. both parents dying and having to work to save the house), a 3.0 is evidence of a serious lack of effort and/or intellectual vitality. Just sayin'</p>
<p>Since when is a B/B+ average is the most rigorous courseload available a "serious lack of effort?" I work extremely hard.
Add in a part time job, 3 theatric productions, three sports, 2 clubs, music, and volunteering, and an attempt at a social life.</p>
<p>It may be a waste of time, but I'm gonna give it a shot. Can't hurt, can it?</p>
<p>"Just because you don't get into Harvard straight out of HS, doesn't mean you can't up end there. Just look at President-Elect Barack Obama; started out at Occidental College and transferred to Harvard."</p>
<p>Obama transferred to Columbia, not Harvard. He attended Harvard Law School.</p>
<p>"It may be a waste of time, but I'm gonna give it a shot. Can't hurt, can it?"</p>
<p>People told you to apply if you wanted to. Did they say there was a chance? No. Others said there was no chance. You can do whatever you want.</p>
<p>Why you would waste your time, and everyone else's, by coming onto this board with a decision in mind (as well as a refusal to change it) and making a thread that therefore serves no purpose is beyond me. You are probably not going to get in because more candidates are able to do better in school while still doing more than you EC-wise. You want to apply? That's fine. But don't ask us if there's a chance if your mind is already made up.</p>
<p>Harsh comments! I'm not an admissions officer, obviously, but hey, look at Abraham Lincoln for inspiration. Also, think about why you really want to go there. If you can answer honestly that you love the school not for the prestigious name or the notable alumni, then you're in about 2% of the applicant pool on that part. Go for it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Since when is a B/B+ average is the most rigorous courseload available a "serious lack of effort?"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The most rigorous courseload available to any high school student in the metropolitan Twin Cities is arguably one including PSEO during eleventh and twelfth grade. I certainly know of examples of Twin Cities students who stay enrolled in their local high schools (in various parts of the metro area) who end up getting into Harvard, but I also know of examples of students who did a lot of PSEO who did. Part of serious academic effort in Minnesota is serious effort shopping for the opportunities afforded by statewide public school open enrollment, PSEO in eleventh and twelfth grade, and statewide opportunity to take virtual school distance learning courses. </p>
<p>It's really hard to tell how your ECs compare to those of the other Minnesota students I know. It sounds like your work is a big part of your life, and you should explain that thoughtfully in all of your college applications that give you a chance to do that. </p>
<p>As before, good luck, but don't forget to line up your safety application. A senior could already have admissions results from in-state state universities by this time of year.</p>
<p>First off, I didn't "make a decision." I stated that I had "FALSE confidence" and was clearly smudging on sarcasm when I said "I'm going to get into Harvard." </p>
<p>Do I actually think I'm going to get into Harvard? No. </p>
<p>Do I think I deserve to go to Harvard? No.</p>
<p>I created this thread to find out if I'd have any chance, and apparently I don't, so it wasn't exactly a "Waste of time." You didn't HAVE to reply, so you can't hit at me for that.</p>
<p>@ Tokenadult: I am doing PSEO at Bethel next year.</p>
<p>@WishWash: Okay, I missed the sarcasm. My mistake.</p>
<p>But the second point holds. Of course I didn't have to post. But what is the point of even asking if the answer is "no," but you'll apply anyway? It's not even like a real chances thread...</p>