<p>I'm thirteen and I want to get into Harvard. I am one of those students who understand that there is no set process to get into Harvard. But, I feel that I still need some opinions on this issue. So, here is my problem:
I'm really interested in investing. I read a book by the father of value investing and am reading another textbook by him. One that's used in many colleges. I have also spent many hours doing research on the Internet about investing.
I'm really smart, so I think I have the scores part of my college application covered. I know that Harvard wants people who are passionate aside of school and grades. I'm really passionate about investing. I was wondering if investing could be an extra-curricular. I'm not talking about buying a stock with my parents' money and then saying that I have made money of off it. I'm thinking of starting a YouTube channel that educates people on how to make sound investments and also analyses stocks and explains why each particular stock would be a good investment and at what price to sell it. I'm also planning to manage people's portfolios at my high school. People in my middle school have asked me if I could make money for them by investing their money (I'm going to start going to high school starting in September, by the way). I was also thinking that I could start a mutual fund at my school.
I'm probably going to give away most of the money I make, since I really don't have any use for it because my parents provide me with everything I need. I'm thinking of donating money and time to a charity I find locally.
Now, for why I'm worried. I'm worried about having investing as an extra-curricular because I don't know if Ivy League schools will consider it a legitimate extra-curricular. I do do tennis, but I'm not really passionate about it and would much rather spend my time reading Security Analysis than being on the tennis courts.
Do you think that if I do the above mentioned things with investing, the admissions officers at Ivy League schools will consider it a legitimate extra-curricular? Or, do I have to spend my time playing tennis as well, even though I'm not passionate about it.</p>
<p>You wouldn’t be the first student to use investing as an EC. See: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1027094-does-virtual-investing-count-extracurricular.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1027094-does-virtual-investing-count-extracurricular.html</a></p>
<p>It counts as an EC. FYI, there are also multiple investment-based clubs/organizations at Harvard. Whatever your passion maybe, don’t feel discourage to to pursue it, because that’s who you are.</p>
<p>Also, if any of the people who answer go to Harvard or an Ivy League school, please say so in your answers. Thanks.</p>
<p>“I’m worried about having investing as an extra-curricular because I don’t know if Ivy League schools will consider it a legitimate extra-curricular.”</p>
<p>Aside from anything criminal or counterproductive, I don’t think there’s anything that’s not a “legitimate extra-curricular”. Pursue your passion and make sure it shows on your app. :)</p>
<p>I don’t go to Ivy.</p>
<p>I do not attend an ivy, but my kids do; one is at H, the other at Y.</p>
<p>You are 13. Follow your own interests and find things you want to do. If virtual investing works for you, so be it. However, don’t target ECs as a way to get into a specific college unless it is proficiency at a specific sport. People are not evaluating ECs but the depth of your involvement and what you did with it. You could have dogwalking as an EC but how involved were you is what matters.</p>
<p>If you took 5 dogs walking every day for 4 years then it is just a job. If you paid enough attention and wrote a guide for future dogwalkers, then it is passion.</p>
<p>I’m a Harvard student and I say go for it. The only thing that makes an EC “legitimate” is genuine interest, and perhaps some level of real world value (I haven’t seen anyone make a good case that playing video games all day is an EC). If you’re thirteen and you’re reading up on this in your spare time and thinking of starting related clubs and such, by all means keep doing it! When I was thirteen I didn’t have any kind of interest like that.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, excel. That’s what will make colleges take notice. I met a world champion in bridge at Harvard. You might be the best yo-yo trickster, Yahtzee player, Frisbee golfer, dog trainer, whatever. It’s the excellence that matters.</p>
<p>Why tf does it matter if we attend an Ivy or not?</p>
<p>It’s an EC, the same kind of EC that gets a 7% acceptance rate for smart kids. If you want to set yourself apart…here’s an example: [How</a> Teenagers Consume Media: the report that shook the City | Business | guardian.co.uk](<a href=“http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/13/teenage-media-habits-morgan-stanley]How”>How Teenagers Consume Media: the report that shook the City | Morgan Stanley | The Guardian)</p>
<p>It’s not easy. You’ll need to rethink your game and find someone to take a chance on you. And you’ll have to prove you’re as good as you say you are.</p>
<p>i am currently a harvard student. my main EC was investing. similar to you, i had great interest in investing and finances since my 8th grade and have studied it ever since. but i advise you not to get arrogant about it! you have no idea what it means to use REAL MONEY, especially other people’s money, at such a young age and with little professional knowledge. I have consistently returned about 20%ish per month over the years. I used to wake up at 6 a.m. each day to study the pre-market opens before schooled started (i live in Cali so time difference…) and to this day, I have not DARED to invest other people’s money. It is completely unmoral without proper education and safety! the best way is to connect your school with known investment programs. my school used [The</a> Stock Market Game - Home](<a href=“http://www.stockmarketgame.org%5DThe”>http://www.stockmarketgame.org) as our main source of competition in investment/finances. I placed nationally and statewide top consistently. My senior year, I placed 3rd place in the nation and was flown to D.C. to meet couple Congressmans, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley representatives by creating a 69.75% profit in 3 months. If you have similar results or even better, I believe the best way is to do what i did: just get involved in known programs like the website i gave you! you can certainly write that in your application and it will give you lifetime connections if you do well! good luck!</p>
<ol>
<li> Earn $1000 waiting tables</li>
<li> Invest at 20% per month for 17 years</li>
<li> Retire as the richest person in the world.</li>
</ol>