I know that most college app deadlines have passed, but I wanted to ask how much my school makes a difference in the application process. I was recently deferred by Harvard and I’m planning to write a short letter of continued interest about how my tiny, non-competitive school has shaped my actions and global perspective. I want to talk about how I learned to seize all my opportunities to succeed and look past my immediate surroundings. Will this come across as interesting and unique, or will stressing the size of my school make me look like an arrogant brag who doesn’t know what students in huge competitive schools are achieving? My ECs aren’t spectacular because my school and city (I’m international) really don’t have many opportunities, but I am very active in the community. I am also only the second student in the history of my school to apply to super prestigious colleges.
Eh lightly touch on your lack of established resources. You might come off as unmotivated if you jabber on about your lack of resources.
It really depends on how you write/word your essay. You need to write an essay that appeals to most people. I’m sure they get a lot of applicants from rural areas (that don’t even live in a city) so your case isn’t unique.
Since your situation isn’t too rare, I’d say write about your positive experiences from your situation and with style. Style of writing will be the huge component that will set you apart from the generic “I come from a small/poor area” essays
Leave out the super prestigious part as well. That sounds pretentious.
@Athana I definitely agree. I’ve read essays that people have written where the entire text is an excuse for their lack of achievements. I want to focus on the positive (how I learned to escape this sleepy environment) instead of these excuses.
I’m not going to mention prestige or any “I’m from a small school so you should pity me.” My guidance counselor already wrote about my situation in his recommendation. I realize that many people come from poor or rural areas with much fewer resources, and I’m not complaining at all. I’m just wondering if they’ll see my letter, and say, “pfff, there are students from competitive schools who are going through worse. This kid hasn’t even seen the outside world.” Which is exactly what I want to disprove.
I honestly doubt it will help you. “Small fish, small pool” is how it will likely come across.
Also, sorry I forgot to say this in the original post. I heard that colleges favor some schools that send kids to Ivies every year (because they can be assured of their competitiveness). Nobody in my school has ever been accepted to a top-20 college and only one has applied to Harvard. Will the fact that my school’s off the radar affect my application?
No. Might even help a bit. Definitely apply if you think you are competitive.
@intparent I didn’t see your reply before I posted my previous comment, but that is exactly what I’m thinking right now. But either way, the AOs will see that my school is small and tell from my counselor’s recommendation that my area has few resources. I just don’t know if I should leave my application as is, or specifically point it out and emphasize the way my environment taught me to come out of my cave. I personally feel like I have a global perspective and the initiative to impact my community, and I want the AO to see that.
Have you actually done anything that supports your notion of having a “global perspective”?
SAT score?
Show us why you think you should get into Harvard. All you’ve done is apply (like 40,000 others). Who cares if nobody from your tiny school applied to Harvard in the past? Applying is the easy part.
@JustOneDad I wrote about this in my personal statement and have been involved in MUNs, charity work, among other activities. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but I really am interested in history and global affairs and I showed it in the essay.
@mnm111 2390. My stats are competitive. But I’ve heard that students from feeder schools have a slight advantage because the colleges are assured of their schools’ competitiveness.
I want to go to Harvard because I like the competition. I’ve gone to small schools my entire life where, to be honest, nobody cares about grades. And thus I’ve always felt too comfortable yet out of place. I used to go to school and then go home every day, but I’ve learned that there’s so much more out there to do. After both my best friends left in 9th grade, I joined and co-founded several organizations at school, because I want to create these opportunities for myself and other people. I want to go to Harvard because I see beyond the safe haven that my school and city create for me. I want to feel pressured by the Olympic athletes and award-winning researchers, because I’ve had that feeling at my first international MUN and I learned more in four days than in my entire high school career. That’s a lot, but here you go.
Keep in mind that Harvard is a reach for pretty much everyone. And Harvard is certainly not the only school that can challenge you or expand your horizons beyond your school and city. In the end you have to see how things fall out acceptance wise and financially and make the best choice. Embrace whatever college you end up at and challenge yourself to become an active learner and an involved member of the school community. You will then have a chance to learn and grow beyond your dreams. Good luck wherever you end up.
I have to apologize for misreading your original post. I didn’t realize you had already applied.
Have you looked at what Harvard says on their website about deferral?
Just remember that even though you may be only the second person to apply from your small non-competitive school, Harvard gets plenty of applications from kids in your situation. Don’t waste your time telling them what you weren’t able to do and why. Show them how you made the most of what you were given. That’s what they want to see
@Ninopedia I think you should write it and have someone double check it’s good. If it’s not full of excuses, the worst Harvard will say is “this kid really wants to be here but we don’t have the room with all the other internationals”
It’s Worth a shot. My class size was a little under double of your class size so I know where you’re coming from. I think the small environment could make a great essay.
I’m one of a class of one high school senior. Does that make me special? JK
You sound like an interesting person, and if the college wants diversity, than you could certainly bring an unusual perspective. Bringing it up probably wouldn’t hurt, but don’t harp on it or use it as too much of an excuse.
I agree with Happy1. If you’ve been deferred, Harvard has basically made their decision. I don’t think you’ll be able to convince the admissions committee that something “mind-blowingly” new has changed in your situation.
There are only so many seats at Harvard and they’ve made their decision; begging for a spot, no matter how well-written, is telling them that they were wrong in their initial decision. Harvard knows what it wants in each of its classes. I don’t understand the stubbornness of some students to insist that they have to be at Harvard. There are other schools.
@qialah @Athana @albert69 @"aunt bea" That’s exactly what I’ve been saying in my past posts. My biggest fear is that I’ll look like I’m finding excuses for my less-than-spectacular ECs. I realize that this letter might not be a groundbreaking update, but it might clarify a large part of my situation that they otherwise won’t see.
@albert69 Haha I used to be the only student in my class. Glad my school has grown a bit.
@JustOneDad I’ve read pretty much their entire website O_O Everything is pretty generic, though.
@"aunt bea" To be fair, the OP hasn’t been rejected yet. While most deferrals (and most applications in general) end in a rejection, it isn’t fair to say that sending updates is akin to telling them that they were wrong in their initial decision. Many students are still accepted after being deferred (anecdotally, which I know doesn’t mean much, I know of two people deferred -> accepted to Yale, and one deferred -> accepted to Harvard)
Most schools say themselves that a deferral often means that they need more information, and encourage applicants to send updates (which also demonstrates continued interest). In any case, it doesn’t hurt.
@Ninopedia You’ll have to write an essay that dances around that subject and let the reader pick it up through your implications.
This essay should add new information so is what we’re suggesting something you’ve already written about?
Thanks for the advice guys.
@Athana It’s kinda complicated, and I can’t really explain my CA essay without showing it to you, but I can ensure that I’m not repeating information. I actually want to write a concise and straightforward essay that deals with “why Harvard” and my individual perspective, since those are the aspects of myself that I really feel like were missing from my application looking back.