<p>Bmonticello, why can’t you? Harvard has one of the most generous financial aid packages in the planet! Harvard will cost me less than my state school, if I get that opportunity to attend! </p>
<p>And diddly123, are you talking about the common app essays? Because the Harvard supplement, the last time I checked, didn’t have any mandatory essays, am I correct?</p>
<p>It’s becuase I don’t qualify for any financial aid (according to Harvard’s NPC) and my parents don’t really have enough, or won’t pay for full price: quarter of a million dollars for an undergrad degree</p>
<p>Hmm, I understand. I guess Harvard’s assumption is that most families making above that 180K+ range might be able to afford it. My family makes slightly below that amount, so according to the NPC, we have to pay just about 10% of our income, which is amazing! But still, bmonticello23, Harvard will always do case-by-case instances for people like you, who are perhaps in unique situations!</p>
<p>Thanks for the helpful advice. And yeah, my family income I believe used to be 200k+ but my father changed jobs last year and now our gross income is around 180k or less. But it’s really the assets that’s killing me. My only hope to attend Harvard, even if I get in is if they give me enough aid to get the school under 30k or if I can negotiate with them, but I doubt I’ll have any basis for a negotiation.</p>
<p>bmonticello, scholarship search! it’s worth a shot! that’s what i’m doing (very low income). we need every penny and scholarships have been working well so far.</p>
<p>and terminatorp, i mean the actual harvard essays (they’re optional but still). my gc sent them to us a few days ago. i think i’m doing the ‘what your room mate should know about you’ one.</p>
<p>YES. diddly123 brought up a great point. Scholarships bmonticello23…apply to as many as you can fit in. Even if you think you won’t get it. I applied to many scholarships my junior year, and received almost none (many due to my higher-than-average income unfortunately though). I almost thought I wasted my time. But then one day I get a notification by email that I won a major scholarship for $25K, and then my whole perspective changed. It pays off (literally) lol</p>
<p>A good way to find them is to use websites like Fastweb.com . You just enter your info and it shows you lots of scholarships you’d be eligible for. Give it a shot! :)</p>
<p>Thanks guys, and yeah I’ve been doing just that, but no luck so far. All i can find are the ones that are like raffles.</p>
<p>Bmonticello23, if you have been doing research( you did say you are about to have some published research), I suggest applying to the Davidson Fellows Scholarship. I applied last year, and found out this year I was a 2013 Davidson Fellow, winning $25,000. Give it a shot! You might never know… :)</p>
<p>Thanks! I’ll check it out 
You guys on here are great. Wish we could all go to Harvard</p>
<p>Ah, the deadline this year passed :/</p>
<p>in all our dreams . and i agree with terminatorp, never stop looking! even if the deadline for that one passed there’s bound to be so many more</p>
<p>Bmonticello23, the page hasn’t been updated, as this year’s winners haven’t been posted on their site yet. The new application should be up in some months. Just keep checking. But definitely decisions will be out before you enroll in college, thereby bringing you generous aid if you win! I didn’t have any published research, and I was stunned I even won something. You have a good chance to win the $50K award!</p>
<p>Thanks But I might have to wait until 2014 becuase it said 2013 application deadline has passed</p>
<p>Should I apply guys? </p>
<p>Harvard is my dream but I am realistic and not sure if I should. Please feel free to give honest feedback:</p>
<p>Academics:
SAT: 2240 (720 reading, 800 math, 720 writing) - only taken once; will take again in Nov.
GPA: Valedictorian (1/240 at private school)
APs/IB: hardest possible schedule; have gotten a 5 on all AP exams taken already (only Lang, Bio, World, and Human because I’m in IB)
SAT II’s: will have them soon; so far, 750 on Bio E
Most likely National Merit Scholar
AP Scholar Award</p>
<p>Athletics: Basketball team all 4 years (varsity last 2 years)
Varisty tennis freshman year</p>
<p>EC’s: Student Gov class president 9-11, student gov executive officer in 12th
Debate all four years (LD captain last two years) - have some state awards - will reach level of distinction by application time
Mu Alpha Theta all 4 years (Treasurer for 10-11) - one local award
Key Club all four years (President last 2 years)- some huge charity events
Selected for the Freedoms Foundation Leadership Summit and attended
Selected for Boys State but could not attend
Some other community service things…won one of the Principal’s community service award
Princeton Book Award
Know C++…learned it at a program
Attended the STaRS research program
Selected and attended the Young Scholars Program at Florida State (all expenses paid for 6.5 weeks)
Will be competing in Siemens this year (we will see what happens)
I have also studied the philosophy of Maimonides with a scholar</p>
<p>will have really good teacher and counselor recs… hopefully a good essay too!</p>
<p>Intended major: mechanical engineering</p>
<p>Harvard is my dream and top choice and I think its an added bonus that I’m a “science kid”…Most top science kids I know are not attracted to Harvard (at least for early action)</p>
<p>Please be frank with feedback and advice!</p>
<p>You have as good a chance as anybody that’s applying, solid scores and stats, but unless you’ve done something really amazing you can’t say for sure whether you’ll get in.</p>
<p>bmotincello, also check out the questbridge scholarship! it’s four full paid years for high aciheving, low-income students. I’m applying for it and the application is due september 27th, so that’s a lot of time. Give it a shot! It’d be a real shame for you to get in and not be able to go for financial reasons :)</p>
<p>I know, but I’m not a low-income student (which in only this scenario I can say: sadly) :/</p>
<p>aw 
well i hope it all works out for you!!!</p>
<p>Thanks They say the hardest battle is getting in. But I feel like getting it for a good price is harder than getting in haha.</p>