<p>All right, I'm sure there have been threads made about this topic, but I wanted some fresh perspectives. To those who are knowledgeable about Ivy League, especially Harvard, admissions and to those who have been accepted to Harvard; is there still any room at Harvard for those who have not had a chance to develop "passions" or those who have and just don't have the proper help or tools to further develop them?
I'm sure that not all students who roam the halls of Ivy League institutions have a perfected passion and have been able to have extraordinary extracurriculars related to those passions. I'm only asking this because in two years I will be applying to several Ivy League universities, including Harvard, and although I've began developing multiple passions and interests, the place where I live doesn't have many opportunities for them.
Can those well-rounded students who have been accepted to Harvard share their stats or stories about Harvard admissions?</p>
<p>I was accepted to Harvard this past year and can say that YES, there is certainly room for well-rounded students. While many Harvard students are there because they excel in a very specific area or in something quirky, a large mass of students gets accepted to Harvard because they perform extremely well in school and on tests, and excel in a variety of pursuits.</p>
<p>I think you are also asking whether the admissions committee takes into account the different opportunities available for each applicant. This is certainly the case. For example, if an applicant attends a high school that offers tons of AP courses and extracurricular activities, it would be expected that the applicant take advantage of these. However, if the applicant does not have all these opportunities, this is taken into consideration.</p>
<p>In addition to the obvious of doing well in school and on tests, the key is to GET INVOLVED. There are always opportunities to pursue things that interest you and excel in them. Whether you focus on a single one or do them all simultaneously is your choice, and it is possible to get accepted to Harvard either way.</p>
<p>No problem. Where do you live, Olive_Tree? I'm just curious since you said that it doesn't have any great opportunities to pursue your extracurricular interests. What are your interests?</p>
<p>I live in Lansing, Michigan. Although it's the capital of Michigan, it's no big city. If you look back at my posts you could see that I wanted to be a doctor, but I've recently discovered that it's not at all the career for me. I guess I was lying to myself thinking I could and wanted to be one. My interests include international business, economics, law, cultures, human geography. I'm a social sciences nerd, really.
This year I'll try to start a Model UN at my school, although it's going to be extremely hard. Either that or a business club. I'll also have a leadership position with a club at my school that is geared towards cultures and cultural activities, and the advisor and I plan to do something really big this year which will, hopefully, include a concert to raise money. Lansing is not really a city full of international opportunities, really.</p>
<p>What I don't think schools like Harvard want to see are students with lots of ec's only to pad their applications. Of course, I would assume most high school guidance counselors would flag the garbage ec's when they write out the rec's.</p>
<p>Model UN is a great idea if you can get it started. The conferences that colleges hold during the year are good opportunities and a lot of fun.</p>
<p>If you are into the social sciences, try searching the web for some good essay contests. There are lots of them out there. Some are prestigious and give good prize money. Other activities that come to mind when I think of the social sciences are things like mock trial, debate, school papers, and political clubs.</p>
<p>Volunteering is also a great activity that can be pursued anywhere. Almost every community is in desperate need in volunteers. I did a lot of community service and found it a lot of fun.</p>
<p>I was in newspaper class, but I had to drop it this year in order to take more AP classes like AP American Gov. Debate and political clubs are also a great idea. I'll try those too!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the great help, RCMan13! Congrats on getting into Harvard!</p>