<p>Good afternoon,</p>
<p>I was wondering whether you really need a 'wow factor' (national awards, Olympics etc.) to go to a university like Harvard, if you're not a URM or something alike. For example, I am a Dutch student with autism. Although I do have some pretty good EC's (leading and setting up the first autistic MUN-team, teaching at my school, once had a debate on national television) for an autistic sophomore, I do not have the wow-factor. Is that really necessary?</p>
<p>I’m not really understanding your definition. What would you define as a wow factor if debating on national TV does not count?</p>
<p>Now, running with your definition, your ECs are somewhere between good and wow (and very unique and interesting and that pushes them much closer to wow than to good, imo) so far, and you’re a sophomore. Do you think you could achieve things you would count as wow sometime in the next two years?</p>
<p>Nobody’s a shoo-in etc etc but it does look to me like you are one day going to be a very competitive applicant. Good luck, and congratulations on all the impressive things you’ve achieved so far!</p>
<p>Well, yes, I do think debating on national TV is a good EC, although it is probably not as good as you are thinking right now. Since the Netherlands is much smaller than the USA, the debate was watched by ~500,000 people in comparison to a much bigger number in the USA. </p>
<p>For the rest, I don’t think I’ll achieve much more than I already did. But I would like to improve my debating and teaching skills and also become a better leader, which will improve my EC’s.
Thank you for your compliments.</p>
<p>WOW</p>
<p>You are well on your way! Just ensure your transcript is good and your SAT scores are decent and I believe you will be a very competitive applicant! :)</p>
<p>I think everyone has some “wow factor” that made them stand out among thousands of applicants, but it need not be a national award. I’m fairly certain mine was my essay (though this writing ability was supplemented by national awards).</p>
<p>500,000 people have never watched me do anything and I got in…</p>
<p>To be serious, plenty of people get into Harvard without doing something “amazing” in the popular conception of amazing. You don’t have to cure a disease or be an Olympic athlete or own a million-dollar business when you’re seven years old. What you have to do is prove to Harvard that you can achieve great things, and I’d venture to say that those great things happen for most people in the school or local level. </p>
<p>I didn’t have anything crazy on my application, but I was a committed leader in a few activities and Harvard for whatever reason deemed me acceptable.</p>
<p>^ I second DwightEisenhower’s statment</p>
<p>I’m also another student who lacks anything “National” or “amazing.” The most important thing is to work hard, and follow your heart. Do things that interest you a lot, and shows a powerful passion. I personally believe that you have a very strong chance (:</p>
<p>I personally think it was my second interview / essay that got me in (because I was passionate about everything I do)</p>