I am a High school student. I have been looking at many online resources on how to get into top colleges but I want to know more information. So my question is:
What should you do to get into Harvard and other ivy leagues?
(specifics please/details)
Be the best of the best in GPA, ACT/SAT, EC’s and rec letters. Plus lot OF LUCK.
You should google Harvard’s GPA and SAT averages, exceed them, and build a resume of activities that will cause an adult’s jaw to drop. Then you should have significant luck because for every person who fulfills those criteria who gets in, eight or nine who fulfill them do not.
^^ No. You should not do that, you should do THIS: http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways
That MIT post doesn’t remotely preclude my advice.
A surefire way is to be in the top 3% of your class, score 700+ on all SAT sections and 2 subject tests, and be a recruitable athlete.
To get into Harvard, be a URM, from North Dakota, first gen, a recruited athlete, legacy, discover a cure for cancer or stand out in a unique and interesting way.
“To get into Harvard, be a URM, from North Dakota, first gen, a recruited athlete, legacy, discover a cure for cancer AND stand out in a unique and interesting way.”
Fixed it for you.
Your application will need to stand out and appeal to the person or persons reading your application. How to do that? That is a tough question. I would start with @marvin100 answer. Beyond that it is difficult to discern what will catch the eye of the persons reading your application or how your application compares to the thousands of others that they will be reading. About the only thing I would add is to be sure to give them the best of you in your application. Spend the most time writing your essays to the top universities and show your passion both for the person you are and for the university. If you really are passionate about you then ultimately it really doesn’t matter whether H,Y, P etc. accepts you or not. You haven’t changed. There is no secret answer or a vault somewhere in the bowels of Harvard with the secret to admission. Harvard and all top schools admit individuals. Each applicant hopes that individual will be them.
OP, if there was one single sure-fire answer to your question, don’t you think you’d have heard about it by now? My friend went to Yale. He’s a normal guy. So be normal.
Be the best person, student, leader you can be. Pursue the things that interest you. And have some fun along the way. That will serve you well wherever you go, whatever you do.
Don’t focus on Ivies - just find a college and major that are right for you.
You should randomly ask strangers on internet boards.
Then meet with with your guidance counselor, perhaps hire a college counselor and then determine what are the right schools for you. Research them, visit them and show interest in them.
For 99.99% that school is not Harvard.
Be someone that they think will give them a lot of money one day.
Harvard is big into Hockey. A good skater who can regularly hit the top shelf and has, at least, 730 Evidenced Based Reading and Writing and 760 Math has about a 35% chance of admission depending on the needs of the program on any given year.
Thank You All
This Really Helped
The “regular” guys if you look closely have some other thing going on that may be obscured. In the regular guy I know, he had all kinds of opportunities, from KG thru boarding school, having privilege that a prviate school affords you.
Are you 6’ 7", 295 lbs with the frame to add 30 lbs and wish to protect the QB’s blindside?
Be a recruited athlete, get 700 or above on at least one part of SAT, not less than 650 on the other part. ACT preferably 30 and above. No C’s( max 1) in any of your high school classes (preferably high honors or AP). If you are a minority way more flexibility in above requirements as an athlete wanting admission. Legacy even more flexibility especially if you are super wealthy. Sad but true.
Be paparazzi worthy and have a 1550 SAT.