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1

Hi,

Little background: I’m an international student applying to Harvard his year.

I have a couple of questions:

1- Should I mention taking online courses (e.g. Harvard’s CS50) in my application? If so, should it be under additional information? What about the courses I will be taking after submitting my application?

2- Should I mention translating about 15 Wikipedia articles to my language in my application? (one of my teachers probably mentioned it in his recommendation letter)

2
  1. There is a section on the Common Application for this. Under EDUCATION, go to COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES. Select the number of courses you took at a college from the pull-down menu. Under COLLEGE LOOK-UP, select HARVARD COLLEGE, then fill in the dates, check the box for COURSE TAUGHT ON-LINE and TRANSCRIPT. Then in the ADDITIONAL INFORMATION section provide the link you were given from EdX

Keep in mind that as EdX only gives certificates of competition, not actual grades, if you are admitted to Harvard College, the university will not give you credit for this on-line course. You would have to retake CS50 on campus to obtain credit.

  1. You could mention this in the EC section of the Common Application. Under ACTIVITIES select OTHER. For position/Leadership, write WIKIPEDIA TRANSLATOR, then describe the activity in a short 25 word or less sentence, something like
3

You intend to major in Computer Science?

4

Thank you @gibby for your reply.
I just studied the material and did the assignments, I didn’t do the evaluation part (to get a transcript).
And that was in 2014.
Should I still mention it?

@cristina1225 applied math or computer science

5

If you don’t have an official transcript then you have absolutely no proof you took and completed the course. Unfortunately, too many student’s have tried to dupe Harvard (and other colleges) by saying they took such-and-such a college course when they didn’t, so Admissions no longer accepts student’s at their word. That’s why Harvard and other universities request an Official Transcript for a college level course taken on-campus at another school or for an on-line course. If you don’t have the transcript, it’s as if you never took the course (sorry). So, I would not mention it, as it calls into question why you didn’t request a transcript or if you actually completed the course.

6

@gibby it makes sense I guess :
The course was one of the main reasons I got into computer science, I don’t think my interest in the field is clearly shown in my application.

What about the online courses I am planning on taking after submitting the application?

7

Then you need to write your supplemental essay about your interest in computer science.

It’s not worth mentioning you’re planning on taking them, as you haven’t started the courses and could change your mind and drop them before completion. It’s like saying next year I plan on learning to skydive and travel to the moon. (Ya, okay . . . let me know when you’ve accomplished those things!)