<p>While I know it's possible to know for certain, what do you guys think?
I have a 3.58/4.0 I have an 1800 SAT. (1260 CR & M)I will have amassed 6 APs (US History, English Lang, US Government, Environmental Science, Calc AB, Calc BC) I have gotten 4s and 5s with the exception of English (I did not take it.) I also have lived in a single parent home and extreme poverty (although we are well off now) I was also born with Cerebral Palsy; at one point, I was on an IEP. I personally felt that my essay was superb!</p>
<p>What do you guys think? I have an interview Thursday. Any advice?</p>
<p>Truthfully, your 1800 SAT indicates that you would be struggling to read the course materials and have difficulty writing on a competitive level at Harvard. If admitted, you would probably have a borderline ‘C’ / ‘D’ average. Is that what you want from your college experience? You need to pick a more appropriate college that aligns more with your SAT score.</p>
<p>You would need to play music at a conservatory level to be admitted with your SAT score. And even then, your inability to read and write English at a competitive level would be difficult to overcome.</p>
<p>With all due respect, that’s not necessarily true, Gibby. Some people have trouble with standardized tests. Whether the problems stem from pressure, timing issues, or a general fear of the SAT, they can certainly misrepresent an applicant’s abilities. In fact, I knew someone (a non-athlete) with a 1900 who got in. It’s about what you can offer the school in the end.</p>
<p>Are you signed up for the January 25 SAT? It might not hurt to take it again.</p>
<p>And a 600 on the SAT verbal means almost nothing with regard to one’s writing ability. When was the last time you took the test? I scored an 800, but personally know many good, quality writers who scored far lower.</p>
<p>Is your admission likely? Hell no. But, if you can offer Harvard something unique, I’d give it a shot.</p>
<p>When I ask the unique question, I am primarily talking about whether or not you can offer harvard something that they might value. After a certain GPA, number of 5s on APs, and SAT score, every applicant begins to look the same. What distinguishes one from another, however, is this uniqueness. </p>
<p>You say that you have lived in extreme poverty: how did you cope? Did you do something tremendous with the resources you have recently been provided with?</p>
<p>You have CP: How have you overcome the challenges? Have you inspired others in your shoes to do the same? Have you fostered a sense of empowerment within your community?</p>
<p>Uniqueness can come in many forms. It is almost always fostered and driven by a passion and commitment. That’s all that I can really say. It worked for me with Yale.</p>
<p>For purposes of anonymity, I’ll keep it vague. But here’re the basics:</p>
<ol>
<li> I am a middle-class white kid.</li>
<li> Neither of my parents have attended an Ivy League school (or anything similar.)</li>
<li> I had average scores for Harvard/Yale/Princeton (~4.0, 2200s, etc)</li>
<li> I had a passion, I pursued it to no end, and I showed that I was more than a resume.</li>
</ol>
<p>You don’t need my stats to get in, though. I’m increasingly convinced that HYP wants people with passions, stories, and potential more than 2000 4.0s with 2400s.</p>
<p>As one of the EA Admits for this year, I totally agree with Mike. We already have an incredibly diverse class in every way imaginable. I can personally relate with Mike as</p>
<ol>
<li>I, too, am a middle-class white kid.</li>
<li>Neither of my parents attended a prestigious university</li>
<li>I got in with a 1900 SAT, but I also had a 34 ACT.</li>
</ol>
<p>I wholeheartedly agree with Mike’s points about adversity and uniqueness. Harvard wants to see that you grew from the experience, and when applicants primarily use adversity as a crutch, it doesn’t go well. Nobody can really say how that will impact your application without reading your teachers’ recommendations and essays. </p>
<p>In response to your question about the possibility of Harvard, there isn’t enough information to say. First, your GPA and SAT scores aren’t very meaningful without context. Do you have an upward trend? Was your GPA the result of one really bad semester? Do you go to an under-performing high school with poor SAT preparation? These are questions to think about. </p>
<p>While your application will be considered, I don’t think Harvard would feel comfortable admitting you. A grade point average below a 3.6 would raise a red flag, and your SAT score isn’t going to help your case. Unfortunately, your ability to handle the level of work required will be under question, regardless of your circumstances. Top colleges certainly understand your adversities and take that into consideration, but they won’t admit a student if they don’t believe you can succeed academically. Yes, it’s possible that you’ll be admitted, but your application will have to show that in spite of all of this, you can succeed at Harvard. </p>
<p>Like gibby said, you may want to look at schools where you’re closer to the middle 50 percent of admitted students. The academic and advising resources there may be better-suited for you. There are so many colleges out there and the vast majority of my friends in college are happy with their choices. Worst case scenario, you transfer the next year. </p>
<p>I hope this makes the process easier for you, and I wish you the best of luck. You should be very proud of yourself :)</p>
<p>^^ If you look at Harvard’s Common data set, 95.4% of admitted students were in the top 10% of their class. So, given your GPA and class rank, Harvard is an extremely high reach for you. While not impossible, it’s not probable. (Sorry.)</p>
<p>Please keep in mind: Harvard is a large school with multiple graduate schools in a variety of fields. I didn’t even apply to Harvard College, but I went there for grad school. You could always go there for grad school or look at transferring there after your first year of college somewhere else. In short: there are lots of doors there that may be opened to you.</p>