Me or a snowball in Hell...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I developed a rather late dream of attending Harvard. I want to get an honest interpretation of my chances at ACTUALLY surviving the admissions process from some of the folks on here. So, with respect to objectivity, fire away:</p>

<p>ACT Composite: 34 (Not sure of superscore)
GPA: 3.62 (More on this later)
AP's: Euro History, Biology, Psychology, English Lang./Comp., US History
Rank: Top 4%
Senior Year Courses: Calc BC, AP Physics B, AP Econ, Microbiology, Broadcasting, Fitness and Performance, AP Literature</p>

<p>AP Scholar, Honor Roll, State Achievement Exam Accolades, Top Documentary for School Radio Program of 50 years, Finalist for American Cancer Society Research Grant/Intership</p>

<p>EC's:
National Honor Society
Key Club
DECA (Business Club): First Place Sectional Competition, State Competitor
Friends of Rachel
School Radio Station News Director/ Administrative Manager (Heavy involvement; big EC for me)
Kiva: microfinance for small businesses in the Third World
Community service :150+ hours at Cancer Support Center, St. Baldricks (Cancer)
Scholastic Bowl
Cross Country(JV, Varsity)- 3 Years
Lacrosse(Varsity Captain)- 3 Years
Oraganized Japan Tsunami Relief Fundraiser/ Cultural Awareness Event
State Psychology Bowl- 2nd Place
Tutoring Hours: 200+ at School</p>

<p>I'm Caucasian, come from a large (750 in my class) public highschool in the Southside Chicago that is mostly African American. We're a working class family (80,000/year).</p>

<p>The reason that my GPA is so low is that I have had recurring medical issues (Kidney stones, Cancer) that have kept me in and out of school for most of my highschool career. Also, my father suffered a serious car accident in my Freshman year that detrimented us financially when he could not work (in coma, then unable to work due to traumatic brain injury) and mentally when his injury affected his personality (normal vasillating to psychotically enraged)- something that we've struggled to cope with.</p>

<p>So, I don't want this to be a sob-story, I just want this inordinately selective school to look at what I have been through and then weight it hopefully as good life experience; a pipe-dream I know.</p>

2

<p>^^Cases like yours are exactly the reason why they do admissions holistically rather than from the numbers. I would definitely apply. </p>

<p>However, obviously I would apply to a variety of schools as admission to very selective schools is unpredictable even with perfect stats.</p>

3

<p>Hey - it can happen!:</p>

<p><a href=“http://images.quickblogcast.com/9/9/7/7/6/178359-167799/hell.jpg[/url]”>http://images.quickblogcast.com/9/9/7/7/6/178359-167799/hell.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>I chuckled, then cringed at the possibility of that being a sardonic joke…</p>

5

<p>CN - You made me look up the word “sardonic” - that’s a good start on Harvardian skills! :)</p>

<p>Seriously, Harvard acceptance is a pipe-dream for everyone; most SAT 2400s who apply aren’t accepted. Your perseverance in the face of serious challenges is significant. Whether it’s significant enough to get you accepted at Harvard, no one knows, but definitely give yourself a shot at selective colleges.</p>

6

<p>Thanks a ton. I appreciate the support more than you know!</p>

7

<p>Do you work for Kiva?</p>

8

<p>In the sense that I raised capital and reinvested it, then yes. I never was employed there.</p>

9

<p>

</p>

<p>Not true. But besides this, Ivies love essays with the theme of “overcoming challenged.” And you evidently have an immense story to tell. Best of luck.</p>

10

<p>Kiva is just a place where you loan people (usually in third-world countries) money, usually $10 or $25. Counting that as an extracurricular activity is really stretching it.</p>

11

<p>I have done a lot with Kiva, despite the incriments of each loan being small, I believe I invested somewhere like 5000 between 30 or so businesses.</p>

12

<p>That’s like listing that you gave $50 to the Boy Scouts who knocked at your door. I’m not an admissions officer, but I’d find that listing Kiva as an activity pretty lame. Just my opinion.</p>

13

<p>I feel like its worth its salt so long as I embellish how it “touched me”. Again, its Harvard and I have lackluster numbers- got to compensate somewhere.</p>

14

<p>Be careful – Harvard staff can generally tell the difference between what are legitimate ECs and what is written as padding.</p>

15

<p>Ok, given that you seem pretty confident in what are solid EC’s, care to offer some examples that would be more substantive? (THis was not intended to sound arrogant or accusatory).</p>

16

<p>If you can write up your story well, not necessarily to justify your bad GPA but to show how many odds you have had to overcome where you are, it could be compelling. You do not need to justify your ECs with the amount of time you have spending in hospitals or bed or whereever. </p>

<p>Any Ivy is a crapshoot and so aiming for just one is truly mega million winning pipedream. So as others suggested, aim wide and you will definitely get into one top 20 school.</p>

17

<p>Don’t include donating to Kiva. I know you aren’t rich, but it’s the same thing as people who list their expensive parent-paid volunteer abroad summer programs… all that shows about YOU is that your family has the money to do it. If on the other hand you worked to earn the money you donated, do list your job and feel free to explain how you spent all your hard earned salary on donations. That would mean much more.</p>

<p>Focus on the things you accomplished that other people in your situation would not have typically accomplished. So for example, any events you organized, money you raised, challenges you overcame. You have a great angle already, don’t dilute it with filler.</p>

18

<p>Kiva seemed like such a positive when I listed it, oh well. I was considering starting a support group at school for kids with poor home lives, does this seem like a good idea? Regardless I will be doing it because I can empathize to some extent, but I wasn’t sure if it would be a good EC.</p>

19

<p>Also, since Harvard is my number one choice, should I wait for RD or do EA?</p>

20

<p>You can’t determine whether or not it’s a good EC until after you do it…did you accomplish something? Did you make a difference for someone? Did you make a difference at your school? Did you grow as a person? These are the questions that matter and they’re all in the past tense.</p>