Need some advice on what to do

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hello, I am still new here so please forgive any mistakes I make. </p>

<p>I am an International student living in the United Arab Emirates, I have always been looking forward to going to Harvard. I am a grade 10 student. </p>

<p>I did the SAT earlier this year (which is too early to take, there were many concepts involved in the SAT that I was not taught. I just did it to see what it's like) and got 1625. I will do it again next October and I expect around 2300.</p>

<p>Would doing the SAT many times affect my chances?</p>

<p>I rank in the top 10% in my class (A-). But my school is very hard. We have 15 exams a week and we go back home at 4:30 PM. There are around 160 students in my grade. I personally do not like my school and believe I can do better in another school. What would you advise me to do? Would Harvard consider the fact that my school is very hard? Or should I go to an easier school where I can easily become the top student? Should I just stay in my school and aim for an(A) next year?</p>

<p>My main problem is procrastination, that's why I am not able to get to my full potential. I believe if I change my school, that problem would be solved. However changing schools would result in a huge financial burden on my parents. Do you advise me to just work harder? What do you think?</p>

<p>I am planning to take 5 AP courser next year and another 5 in my senior year. Would that be a good idea? Would you advice me to take less? It's definitely going to affect my rank, so would I rather be in the top 5% with 3 or 4 APs or top 10% with 10 APs. I am going to major in computer engineering, would you advise me to do AP biology? Is it fine if I take A-levels too with the APs?</p>

<p>I am the among the youngest Microsoft Student Partners. I have been featured in news papers twice for systems I did. The reporter wrote brilliant things about me. I have also been featured on the BBC and the local tv in my country. I am also the winner of the People's choice award in Microsoft Imagine Cup UAE. There is a decent chance I would be able to have Microsoft recommend me, but I am still not sure about that. </p>

<p>I am eligible to apply for financial aid, would that affect my chances of getting accepted? My parents would pay full amount, but of course I would not like them to.</p>

<p>What do you advice me to do? I am really lost and not able to find help. Do I have a decent chance at Harvard? I am really good at Computer Science, is there any special course or competition that I can join to distinguish my skills in front of Harvard?</p>

<p>Sorry for the long post, your help would be really appreciated.</p>

2

<p>How did you get a 1625 on the SAT?</p>

3

<p>I just used general courses and watched Youtube videos which explain some techniques. I find the SAT very easy. I hope I will be able to get 2300+ on the SAT next October since now I have taken all the necessary courses.</p>

4

<p>I think the point AustroHungarian is making is that the SAT is scored in 10 point increments. Thus, one could get a 1620 or a 1630, but not a 1625.</p>

<p>Also, why would you think that your SAT score will improve 700 points over the course of one year? From 10th grade to 11th grade, it wouldn’t be unusual to see a 100 or even a 200-point increase. But 700 points? I don’t know.</p>

5

<p>It’s my fault, I only got 1620. My weak points were maths and vocab. And both of these problems I have solved. I also have a tutor. When I did the exam I just did it to see what it looks like and did not really try hard in the first time.</p>

<p>But aside from the SAT, from your experience what do you advise me to do? Do you think I am on the right track to Harvard?</p>

6

<p>Your school should be able to help more . I don’t understand why you are so confident that your score will rise 700 points .</p>

7

<p>Let’s hope I will be able to do so. But forget about the SAT now, it’s not the main concern of my post.</p>

8

<p>jimy1666,</p>

<p>Right now, the most glaring weakness of your qualifications in applying to Harvard is your SAT. With an SAT of 1620, you’re not even in spitting distance.</p>

<p>My family is American, and thus my son applied as a US citizen, and we have no direct experience of what it’s like to apply as a foreign national. However, everything I’ve read suggests that competition for admission as a non-US citizen is even more brutal than for US citizens. Thus, your application really can’t have any weak areas.</p>

<p>You say that your school is a very good one, yet you say that the SAT covered material that you hadn’t had in school, yet. Both my sons took the PSAT (the preliminary version of the SAT) as 10th graders, and both did pretty well. There was very little material on it they hadn’t covered by the autumn of their 10th grade year. My younger son didn’t take the PSAT very seriously last year, either. Nonetheless, he scored the equivalent on the PSAT to a score much higher than you scored on the SAT. Hundreds of points.</p>

<p>My sons go to a good high school in the United States, but there are high schools with better academic reputations and wider curricula, especially at the top end.</p>

<p>Thus, if you really scored so low on the SAT because you hadn’t covered the material by 10th grade, that suggests that at least compared to good American high schools perhaps your high school isn’t quite so good. Thus, being in the top 10% of your class will probably be another big weakness in your application. Does your school regularly send students to the Ivies and to Harvard, specifically?</p>

<p>In terms of AP courses, obviously, if you do well in them, the more the better. If you’re successful in 10 AP courses, that will be a strength in your application. But don’t take 10 if you’re not going to get mostly As with maybe a B or two. Not unless your school has students that apply regularly to Harvard, and the school has a reputation for giving low grades in specific AP courses.</p>

<p>Apart from the Microsoft Student Partner program, I don’t see much other extracurricular activity. I don’t know much about this Microsoft program, though it looks mostly like an effort by Microsoft to create student evangelists on school campuses for their technologies. From what I can see, it appears to be oriented toward college students, so if you’re actually formally a partner, I imagine that since you’re still a high school student, that would be a plus for you.</p>

<p>However, one wonders whether your ability to participate may have something to do with where you are.</p>

<p>In sum, the single biggest problem you have is an SAT score that pretty much takes you out of contention, and the likelihood is that on retaking the test, you will not sufficiently increase your score to be competitive.</p>

<p>Complicating that is the fact that you’re an international applicant, and thus, having top-notch standardized test scores as well as top-notch grades is even more important for you.</p>

<p>You’ll need to see just how much you can really boost your SAT before it will be possible to determine how viable your application might be. Right now, I’d say that the odds are exceedingly low that you might be admitted to Harvard.</p>

9

<p>Alright, thank you for taking the time to reply to me. That puts me on the right track and gives me a better vision.</p>

10

<p>“Right now, the most glaring weakness of your qualifications in applying to Harvard is your SAT. With an SAT of 1620, you’re not even in spitting distance.”</p>

<p>^^ I agree. Your SAT score will keep you out of Harvard and virtually all selective colleges in the US. Given your score, you should be looking at schools that do not require an SAT score. See: [SAT/ACT</a> Optional 4-Year Universities | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional]SAT/ACT”>ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest).</p>

11

<p>Thank you for replying, but I made it clear I would like you to not consider my SAT and comment on the other aspects. I just went in there to see what it is like and guessed many questions and did not really care about my score. I have already done practice exams and that is what I am basing my expectations on. </p>

<p>However, I really need advise on other aspects. Would universities rather have me do 4 APs and be the top student, or do they prefer a top ranked student? Also, can I do A-levels along with APs? </p>

<p>There are other questions in my post that are not related to the SAT, and I really need guidance in these aspects.</p>

12

<p>Okay, if you want more …

</p>

<p>This is not in the profile of the typical student accepted in the top schools. Kids that get into Harvard gorge themselves on all of the academic opportunities that their high schools offer and excel. They take the most rigorous classes and have the best grades/rank. If you cannot be sufficiently motivated in a “hard” high school, then what makes you think you will be able to compete at a “hard” college?</p>

13

<p>All selective colleges want students who have (in this order):</p>

<ol>
<li>Taken the most rigorous course load available at their high school.</li>
<li>A high GPA</li>
<li>SAT scores above 2100 or the ACT equivalent</li>
<li>SAT Subject Tests scores of 700 or above</li>
<li>AP tests (if AP’s are offered at your school) no lower than 4 (preferably all 5’s, especially at Harvard, as they don’t grant credit for 4 or below.)</li>
<li>Stellar teacher recommendations proclaiming you as one of the best students they have had in their teaching career.</li>
<li>Well written essays that demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a love of learning.</li>
<li>Extracurricular activities that show passion and dedication.</li>
</ol>

<p>Successful applicants to Harvard and to all selective colleges have everyone single one of the above. If students are missing one element, they are passed over in favor of students who have it all.</p>

<p>So to answer your question: To be admitted to Harvard you need it all!</p>

14

<p>Dear all, Thanks a million for your help :). One last thing, so as I understood, the most important tests I do are the standardized tests.</p>

<p>If I have an SAT score of 2300, and I have 10 APs with score 5 and of course some SAT subject tests. In addition to my ECs. Would I have a decent chance?</p>

<p>Thank you again for taking the time to guide me.</p>

15

<p>^^ It’s impossible to chance, as much would then depend on your teacher recommendations, guidance counselor’s report and essays and how you compare with other students applying from the United Arab Emirates. There are just too many variables to hazard a guess.</p>

16

<p>Jimy, please respect gibby’s post above. There’s a list there. You mention having a couple of those things and then you ask if that would give you a decent chance. </p>

<p>To be clear, if you do not have every item in that list, you have a very, very tiny chance. Possibly none. </p>

<p>If you do have every item on that list, you will be eligible, but because of the high number of eligible applicants who also have every item on that list, you still will not have a “good chance,” because no one does. </p>

<p>If you hit every mark on that list perfectly, you will have a decent chance. You, along with the two to three other highly qualified people Harvard can choose from to fill your spot.</p>

17

<p>Alright, I now fully understand what you are trying to make clear. Thank you all for the help and guidance provided :)</p>

18

<p>You’re welcome & good luck!</p>

<p>Don’t forget to fall in love with several other schools, too. You will be glad you did.</p>