Is Harvard really about high GPAs and huge EC resumes?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I'm confused, they tell you to concentrate on your passions for ECs and not to overdo it but then I come here and my hopes are drenched because of the long lists of ECs you guys have. I have everything going against me to tell you the truth
1. im international
2. i in a 3 year HS so showing commitment and passion through ECs is hard since i slacked first year
3. my school only offers ib courses
4. my school doesn't talk about university until junior year(this fall) so i have no idea how my school calculates GPA, ratings or if it even does that
5. My school's ECs are very minimal...
6. I know I'm perfect for Ivy leagues from my personality but i really cant find something that will stand out about me.
7. according to my calculations my gpa is only 3.75 so far and unless i take full ib and get more than 4 "7"s, I can't raise my GPA passed 4.0
8. I can't think of any leadership things i have done because my school's clubs dont have leadership positions other than student cousil and i cant run forthat cause it's a huge popularity contest (known from past experience)
9. there's more but im too sad to keep going</p>

<p>:(</p>

2

<p>Do you have any ECs at all? It would be great if you had one that you were truly committed to, preferably holding leadership positions and winning awards in the long run.</p>

3

<p>Yes, and no. Of course they'll expect you to be capable of handling the academic courseload at Harvard, but that doesn't necessarily translate to a requirement for a 4.0/2400. They will evaluate whether or not you can be sucessfull at Harvard, and then they will move on to other things, such as your "resume."</p>

<p>No, they do not want "Huge EC resumes." They want to see passion in a specific field, not necessarily completion of many things. They're very, very, very good at spotting resume pads, and you will not be helped if you don't show that you're committed to specific things. (They'd rather see a master than a jack-of-all trades type). </p>

<p>Essays/Circumstances are also very important.</p>

4

<p>
[quote]
2.i in a 3 year HS so showing commitment and passion through ECs is hard since i slacked first year
3. my school only offers ib courses
4. my school doesn't talk about university until junior year(this fall) so i have no idea how my school calculates GPA, ratings or if it even does that
5. My school's ECs are very minimal...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Being in a three year high school shouldn't hurt you. It's not like you transferred into a different high school after 9th grade, so you shouldn't be at a disadvantage securing EC leadership positions. Many successful applicants are involved in EC's outside of their school. This is especially important for students like yourself whose schools aren't designed with American college admissions in mind. Don't worry about not having APs. Colleges give equal consideration to IBs.</p>

<p>
[quote]
6. I know I'm perfect for Ivy leagues from my personality but i really cant find something that will stand out about me.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>How do you know this? Or do you just like the idea of going to an Ivy?</p>

5

<p>Think about this:<br>
1 - There's no real difference between a 2200 and a 2400 SAT.
2 - There's no real difference between a 3.8 and a 4.0 GPA.
3 - The vast majority of H's applicant pool looks like these stats.
4 - H can only accommodate 7% of its applicant pool.</p>

<p>So in general, you want ECs, awards, honors, accomplishments, etc. to make you stand out from the sea of applicants whose objective credentials are the same as yours.</p>

6

<p>"Yes, and no. Of course they'll expect you to be capable of handling the academic course load at Harvard, but that doesn't necessarily translate to a requirement for a 4.0/2400. They will evaluate whether or not you can be successful at Harvard, and then they will move on to other things, such as your "resume."</p>

<p>No, they do not want "Huge EC resumes." They want to see passion in a specific field, not necessarily completion of many things. They're very, very, very good at spotting resume pads, and you will not be helped if you don't show that you're committed to specific things. (They'd rather see a master than a jack-of-all trades type).</p>

<p>Essays/Circumstances are also very important."</p>

<p>that's my point, I can't show commitment to something when I only have 2 years left of high school! in grade nine i was on the school grade 9 mathlete team and we won regional but that's about it until i go on my "EC Hyper mode" next year.</p>

<p>"So in general, you want ECs, awards, honors, accomplishments, etc. to make you stand out from the sea of applicants whose objective credentials are the same as yours."</p>

<p>awards at my school are also very minimal, we only get honors, involvement awards, and excellence in specific courses. There is a sports recognition night but I'm not sure if the badminton team would get me any awards(I can't play sports which require a lot of running anymore because of corn on my foot and the fact that my big toe nail grows into my skin and causes pain around the nail [btw should i mention this to the universities cause it may gross them out lol? cause i use to play soccer and stuff before but now it's only badminton and tennis [recreational/semi-competitive]])</p>

<p>"How do you know this? Or do you just like the idea of going to an Ivy?"</p>

<p>It's hard to put into words I guess...I guess it's the way I think and see the world.(I don't want to reveal anything else because this might make me stand out and i don't want copiers to ruin my chances :p)</p>

7

<p>In addition EC's don't have to be things you do at school. My son was only involved in two school ECs. All his other activities, all related to computer programming, were done outside school. Quality really trumps quantity.</p>

<p>You don't have to show leadership in clubs by being president. You can show it by being able to describe what the club accomplished thanks to your initiative.</p>

8

<p>I'd say you are at a disadvantage, but not for the reasons you think you are.<br>
-IB is awesome, and colleges like it.
-You can't change the fact that your school is three years, so it doesn't matter.</p>

<p>Buuuutt leadership and ECs can be found outside of school. Even if you school only made it to math regionals, that's okay. Just push yourself through this last stretch by volunteering, working (yes, that counts), or whatever. You don't need student council or whatever, but you will be a disadvantage for tippy-top schools without strong ECs.</p>

9

<p>What do you mean you can't show commitment? Who said that you had to go into "EC hyper mode?" The thing is, if you're truly committed to an EC, that quality should easily resonate throughout your entire application- there's no need to make a concerted effort to highlight that activity. If not, then trust me, adcoms will be able to smell false commitment.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for giving us an update on your podiatric health. :rolleyes:</p>

<p>When posters mention awards, they are generally referring to regional and national awards--not recognition for your school badminton team. The bottom line is that your school isn't going to hurt you, but your woe-is-me attitude will. Either join a club/organization outside of school or found your own school club (a great way to show leadership by the way). </p>

<p>What do you want to study in college? What schools are you considering besides Harvard?</p>

11

<p>


</p>

<p>The data don't support this claim. I can't find comparable statistics for Harvard, but Princeton has a 26% acceptance rate for those with SAT scores in the 2300-2400 range while accepting only 10.6% of applicants with scores in the 2100-2290 range. Clearly there are a number of confounding variables (correlation with GPA, etc.), but I'd be surprised if they accounted for the entire difference.</p>

<p>Princeton</a> University | Admission Statistics</p>

12

<p>What I mean by show commitment is that I can't be involved in a club for more than 2 years(that's all i have left in HS). </p>

<p>Oh and BTW to the person who said I'm at a disadvantage for not having IB, I already contacted the coordinator and she said she'll still let me in this fall if i contact her by late august (she recommended me to IB so I'll have not problem getting in)</p>

<p>Oh and I have an update. I went to the local food bank and signed up for a volunteering seminar so I plan to have 300 hours by the beginning of grade 12.</p>

<p>Oh and how do you start a club at school? How do you get ideas and stuff? Do I need friends to help because my friends aren't as ambitious as me when it comes to university so they wouldn't help.</p>

13

<p>
[quote]
Oh and how do you start a club at school?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>You just do it. Pick something that you and your friends are interested in and start having meetings. Seek administrative approval for your club so that you can use classroom space. There's really not much to it.</p>

14

<p>What are you passions? What do you really like doing? Tell us a little bit more about yourself!</p>

15

<p>"What are you passions? What do you really like doing? Tell us a little bit more about yourself!"</p>

<p>I've played guitar for 6 or 7 years. I'm not big on theory though. I compose symphonic-ish (not sure what the criteria to a symphony are) music on a computer program called Guitar Pro. I play PC games. I like to write. I like tennis. I'm Baha'i but I'm only 1 of 2 in my school....</p>

<p>"You just do it. Pick something that you and your friends are interested in and start having meetings. Seek administrative approval for your club so that you can use classroom space. There's really not much to it."</p>

<p>There's nothing we have in common...</p>

<p>EDIT I just got an idea. A Current Events Discussion club? would that be a good idea? meet once a week, bring a newspaper clipping and print one and discuss global issues and our opinions on solutions?</p>

<p>I'm a very globaly aware and minded person...I'm thinking of either highlighting this ormy religious(not a religion you'd find often on an application: Baha'i) passion on my application, which do you guys think is more sellable? are they good enough to standout?</p>

<p>I'm also thinking of starting a guitar club where one of my friends and I each guitar to lesser guitarists.(not many good non-bad musicians at my school, I have to travel across the harbour for my current band)</p>

16

<p>UPDATE!</p>

<p>I talked to my friend and he's interested in both of my ideas for starting the clubs. is founding two clubs enough?</p>

<p>oh and guys, is no national or international awards going to hurt me? I have no idea how to get either!</p>

17

<p>Founding clubs really doesn't matter unless you have significant achievements in them. It can actually hurt you if you do it during the year that you're applying.</p>

18

<p>"Founding clubs really doesn't matter unless you have significant achievements in them. It can actually hurt you if you do it during the year that you're applying."</p>

<p>does junior year count as the year I apply? or are you talking about the calendar year? I'm in a 3 year high school so then 10th grade is the only time I can start a club. GRADE 10 WAS MY FIRST YEAR! I DIDNT KNOW 2/3 OF MY CLASS! </p>

<p>What do you mean what I do in them. I'd lead them and organize them. What do I need to do? I don't think there is a national guitar club competition or current events discussion championship.</p>

<p>this forum is so depressing. nothing is ever enough :(</p>

19

<p>If you cannot find leadership positions, make your own!!! If your school needs MUN club, and it doesn't have it, found it!!!! Create your own!</p>

20

<p>"If you cannot find leadership positions, make your own!!! If your school needs MUN club, and it doesn't have it, found it!!!! Create your own!"</p>

<p>we don't have MUN...what is it? how many club founding/leadership would be impressive?</p>