***Official Harvard University 2015 Decisions Thread***

<p>Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 2250 (730 CR, 720M, 800W, 11E)
[</em>] ACT: Did not report.
[<em>] SAT II: 760 (Literature), 790 (Math 2)
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
[<em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1/79
[</em>] AP (place score in parenthesis):
[<em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): 43 (predicted as of midyear report).
[</em>] Senior Year Course Load: Higher Level - Math, Physics, History; Standard Level - Chemistry, English A1, Spanish A2; TOK; National Studies.
[li] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Global & National Awards for IGCSEs; Regional award for MOAS; National awards for debate, knowledge bowl, and academics. </p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Amnesty International national club (Founder + Pres), National Youth Orchestra member, MUN/MOAS (a million random things…team member, club co-founder, MOAS coach, conference organizer, head delegate at CIMUN, etc), and lots of music, activism, debate, and social work elsewhere.
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: Interned with lead strategist during El Salvador’s latest Presidential Campaign (we lost haha)
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service: A lot of work with Amnesty International (fundraising, distributing goods/foods, petitioning, etc) and the International Award for Young People (mostly working to improve the infrastructure at a local public school). I also taught three students from that school to read.
[</em>] Summer Activities: Internship between freshman and sophomore year, Pre-IB course at Oxford in 2009, Harvard Secondary School Program in 2010.
[<em>] Essays: I think my Common App essay is the best thing I’ve ever written (whatever that’s worth). It was adapted from UChicago’s “Find x” prompt, and discussed how I see music and political science/econ as being about the same thing.
[</em>] Teacher Recommendation: My physics teacher from last year. Pretty good, imo 9/10.
[<em>] Counselor Rec: More difficult to evaluate, but I was at an advantage because he is also my History teacher and has known me for at least half of my life.
[</em>] Additional Rec: From my math teacher. She’s quite a character, and it could’ve gone either way. I also sent a Rec in from my Macro prof. from Harvard.
[li] Interview: My first interview at Harvard was awful. I was then contacted for a second, late interview at my hometown, and it was probably one of the coolest experiences of my entire college search/app process. </p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] State (if domestic applicant):
[</em>] Country (if international applicant): Intl student from Latin America.
[<em>] School Type: Small private school w/British curriculum.
[</em>] Ethnicity: Hispanic.
[<em>] Gender: Male
[</em>] Income Bracket:
[li] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Nothing really stands out. You be the judge.</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[<em>] Strengths: Maybe some of the awards/activities? I think my essay was good.
[</em>] Weaknesses: SAT scores are just in the range.
[<em>] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I’m really bad at evaluating my own work, so you be the judge.
[</em>] Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted at Princeton, Yale, Columbia (likely), Penn (Huntsman), Stanford, UChicago, Vanderbilt, BU (Trustee), NYU Abu Dhabi, Amherst. No waitlists/rejections. </p>

<p>[/ul]General Comments: I feel extremely lucky. Congrats and good luck to everyone.</p>

<p>Choose One:
Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 2170 (740M, 730W, 700CR)
[</em>] ACT: 33
[<em>] SAT II: 800 Math II, 780 Chem, 780 Bio-E
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.91
[<em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 1 or 2 out of 59
[</em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): N/A
[<em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): Predicted 40 (not including extra points)
[</em>] Senior Year Course Load: Most challenging
[<em>] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Just National Merit Commended, several school awards
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[</em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Loads of MUN, 3 plays, and Knowledge Bowl
[<em>] Job/Work Experience: Some Tutoring
[</em>] Volunteer/Community service: A couple hundred hours
[<em>] Summer Activities: University of Toronto Youth Summer Program
[</em>] Essays: They were all right, an adcom said “very nice”
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation: Didn’t read, I assume very good
[</em>] Counselor Rec: Didn’t read, probably very good
[<em>] Additional Rec: Same as above
[</em>] Interview: 2. The first one was rather impersonal, but it was fine, the second was a skype interview in March which was great.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] State (if domestic applicant): International
[</em>] Country (if international applicant): Panama (US Citizen)
[<em>] School Type: International/Private
[</em>] Ethnicity: White/Hispanic
[<em>] Gender: Male
[</em>] Income Bracket: Mid-high
[<em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None, really
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[</em>] Strengths: SAT IIs, I guess, and then workload/extracurrics
[<em>] Weaknesses: Essay wasn’t the greatest, maybe I didn’t stand out in 1 particular area
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted: Multiculturalism?
[li] Where else were you accepted: McGill, Brown, Georgetown, Michigan. Rejected UChicago[/li][/ul]General Comments:</p>

<p>Choose One:
Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 1860 (Test scores are not everything)
[</em>] ACT: 29
[<em>] SAT II: 700 Chem, 670 Math II
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
[<em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2/70
[</em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): n/a
[<em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
[</em>] Senior Year Course Load: 3 college courses a semester (Cal III, College General Chemistry II, Linear Alg, Differential Eqns, Eng 1A), High school (Eng 4, Senior Proj, US Government, Economics, Span III)
[li] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): QuestBridge National College Prep Scholar, Venture’s Scholar, Discus Award Winner</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[<em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Leadership/Student Government (Senior President, Prom 2011 Chair, Student Body President, Class rep, Valentine’s Candy Gram Chair, Penny War’s Chair, and so on), Contra Costa Drama Department (Principal Dancer), School Site Council (Elected Student Rep), St. Columba Youth Group (Youth Ambassador), Speech and Debate Team, Western Association of Schools and Colleges Student Group (Facilitator)
[</em>] Job/Work Experience: Peer Tutor, Biomedical and Health Sciences Intern at UCSF
[<em>] Volunteer/Community service: Urban Creeks Council Volunteer, Friday Night Live Mentoring, Empowerment Through Action, Biology Garden volunteer
[</em>] Summer Activities: College courses at Contra Costa College, Internship at UCSF
[<em>] Essays: Common app was about my life (I’ve had many struggles)
[</em>] Teacher Recommendation: History teacher, English teacher, chemistry professors
[<em>] Counselor Rec: It was okay…
[</em>] Additional Rec:
[li] Interview: It was great!</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] State (if domestic applicant): CA
[</em>] Country (if international applicant):
[<em>] School Type: Alternative Public School (only 298 students) located on a college campus
[</em>] Ethnicity: Nigerian
[<em>] Gender: female
[</em>] Income Bracket:
[li] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): TWIN!, URM, low socio-economic background</p>[/li]
<p>[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[<em>] Strengths: Grades, activities, perseverance
[</em>] Weaknesses: Definitely the test scores
[<em>] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I have no idea, although those around me think its completely obvious.
[</em>] Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: </p>

<p>Accepted-Bowdoin College, Amherst College, Williams College, Swarthmore College, UC Berkeley (IAP and Regents Scholar), UCLA, UC Davis, UC San Diego, Rice University, Dartmouth College, UChicago, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard, Xavier (Chancellor Scholar), </p>

<p>Waitlist-Tulane , WashU</p>

<p>no rejections</p>

<p>[/ul]General Comments: My twin and I are blessed! I definitely have a tough decision to make in the upcoming weeks.</p>

<p>Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:
• SAT I: 2030
• SAT II: US history 750 (crammed in 2 weeks. knew nothing before) BIO M 760
• Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2nd
• Major Awards

  • Highest O level results in the country: 10A’s
  • 4 A’s at A Levels (kids normally do 3 subjects) and highest raw marks in class of 2010
  • Runner up in Malaysian/Sri Lankan Law Olympiad
  • Commended with excellence in Intl Essay Anthology 2010
  • Head Prefect
    (I have my final A level results because I am on a gap year)</p>

<p>Subjective:
Extracurriculars:

  • own a sustainable Tshirt line
  • Winner of National Scrabble tournament when I was 12
  • 1 Hour radio interview
  • MUN
  • represented school in national debating and national quiz
  • Catwalk model for 2 shows</p>

<p>Sports:
• Captain of school soccer team
• Currently assistant coach at school
• Was in Division II of national swimming team 2 years back.</p>

<p>Drama: Just got cast in Oscar nominated director’s (Deepa Mehta) new movie (Midnight’s Children based on Salman Rushdy’s novel). I get to act alongside Satya Bhabha (played Matthew Patel in Scott Pilgrim vs the World), Soha Ali Khan, etc.

  • Was in a Broadway show in Sri Lanka
  • Won best actress in school competitions for 4 consecutive years
  • Directed school musical with 78 kids (including costume design, make up, lights, sound, choir, choreography, etc) and sold out a 700 seat theatre for 3 nights.</p>

<p>Journalism:
• Manager of school website and prospectus
• Senior editor of school magazine
• photographer and comic artist for school newspaper</p>

<p>Job/Work Experience:

  • assistant soccer coach at school
  • art teacher for 120 kids aged 10-19
  • school photographer
  • worked at renewable energy company
    etc</p>

<p>Volunteer/Community service:

  • hundreds of volunteer hours
  • exhibitions to auction off paintings for cancer hospital being built
  • work with Zonta Intl
  • president of initiative at school to build Braille libraries in war torn areas</p>

<p>Essays: common app was original (about painting myself but it was an extended metaphor)
Teacher Recommendation: great
Counselor Rec: great
Interview: yep and it went GREATTTT</p>

<p>Country (if international applicant): Sri Lanka
School Type: Private, best in country
Gender: F
Financial Aid: need full ride
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): in an oscar nominated director’s movie? tshirt line? successful gap year? god knows!</p>

<p>Where else have you been accepted/deferred/rejected:
A: Harvard, Princeton, U Chicago, NYUAD
W: Williams
R: Yale, Brown, Columbia, Amherst, Hamilton, </p>

<p>General Comments: Oh well I’m going Harvard :slight_smile:
:)</p>

<p>Advice to underclassmen and juniors looking at this thread:

  1. Comparing your stats to those rejected or accepted will give you absolutely no indication of your fate. Every year it’s different and the decisions do not make sense. There is no formula.
  2. Never take an Ivy League acceptance for granted. There are no guarantees no matter who you are. Almost every ivy league is a reach, for everyone.
  3. Never have your heart set on one highly selective, reach school. Take what you get, and be happy.
  4. Do not trash talk the minorities. They bring alot to a college environment and they are excellent students.
  5. Do what you enjoy, don’t be fake. Show that you love learning and your activities.
  6. I never understood the randomness of acceptances until I went through this process. In the end you will end up at the school you were meant to be. It won’t matter, except for ego and bragging rights.
  7. Don’t be intimidated. Most of you reading this probably have a chance at these schools and it’s an honor/privilege to be accepted.</p>

<p>Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 2400, you know what I mean.
[</em>] ACT: NA
[<em>] SAT II:4 800s in BioE, Lit, USH, and WH
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
[<em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 1% (750 kids)
[</em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): All 5s in about 10 tests so far.
[<em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): NA
[</em>] Senior Year Course Load: AP Euro History, AP Physics, AP Spanish Lit, AP English Lit, Gym/health (I live in NJ, they’re required), AP Stat, International Business and Politics Honors/Philosophy Honors, and Band/Science Lab
[<em>] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): USAMO, writing, debating, and political awards across the board.
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[</em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Model UN, Model Congress, Mock Trial, Academic Team, Varsity baseball and basketball, travel baseball, internships with politicians, and lawyers, my own pickup baseball league, you get the idea.
[<em>] Job/Work Experience: Umpiring, reffing (basketball), tutoring business, etc.
[</em>] Volunteer/Community service: Lots of service with my team, peer tutoring, soup kitchens, working with the elderly (I love boomers, great to talk to).
[<em>] Summer Activities: Writing my generations book, sports, hiking the Appalachian Trail with 5 of my friends.
[</em>] Essays: Superb, according to those who read them.
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation: Killer from my AP Gov teacher (who’s my Model UN advisor) and my APUSH teacher. Really good from my Physics teacher.
[</em>] Counselor Rec: Can’t say. I didn’t know him too well, but he liked me.
[<em>] Additional Rec: From my travel baseball coach. I’ve known him since 4th grade, and the team’s been around forever. He gave me a killer rec.
[</em>] Interview: Awesome. My interviewers was very politically inclined, as am I, and we got a lot of topics discussed. We discussed mainly fiscal and foreign policy issues for an hour before moving on to a 45 minute interview. The wisdom is to not discuss politics with your interviewer, but as long as you avoid social, emotionally charged issues, there should be no problem.
[/ul]Other[ul]
[<em>] State (if domestic applicant): NJ
[</em>] Country (if international applicant): USA
[<em>] School Type: High competitive large public school (10 kids get into Princeton and Columbia each every year)
[</em>] Ethnicity: Multi racial. In a nutshell, 30% white, 30% Asian, 20% black, 10% Latino, 10% other.
[<em>] Gender: Male
[</em>] Income Bracket: <500000
[<em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None, except my sister goes to Stanford. My parents though successful and brilliant, got rejected from the top schools, went to top ranked LACs.
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[</em>] Strengths: Numbers, recs, ECs
[<em>] Weaknesses: Socio Economic status (I’m rich, but not rich enough to buy a building or do something drastic)
[</em>] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I guess they felt me to be a good match for their school, something I hoped.
[li] Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted at Yale SCEA (attending), Princeton, Stanford, and Georgetown, Rejected at Dartmouth and UMich, and waitlisted then accepted at Columbia.[/li][/ul]General Comments: Congrats to everyone. There’re futures for everyone here. Although I won’t be attending Harvard, I will come back for grad school.
PS: If you were accepted by a college but you decide not to go, call the college back immediately to tell them of your plans, and politely request that your spot be given to someone else. It shows character, integrity, and empathy. Plus, this college will remember you if you apply there to grad school.</p>

<p>Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:</p>

<pre><code>SAT I (breakdown): 750CR, 800M, 700W (12E)
ACT: 34 (11E)
SAT II: Math 2C - 800, Physics - 800, Chemistry - 790, Biology E - 790
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 3/490
AP (place score in parenthesis): N/A
IB (place score in parenthesis): 43/45
Senior Year Course Load:
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Honorary mention in Math Olympiad, Silver Medalist in Physics Olympiad, Honorary Mention in Chemistry Olympiad, Two time State Champion in Debating, Runner-up National public speaking competition.
</code></pre>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<pre><code>Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Senior Advisor - Computer Club, President of English Language Society and Debating Club, Vice President in Entrepreneurial Society, Secretary in Tennis Club, Treasurer in Chess Club
Job/Work Experience: Promoter for Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba in a PC Fair.
Volunteer/Community service: Student Facilitator (48 hours per year for 4 continuous years), 50 hours in Old Folks’ Home, 20 hours in a charity center for underprivileged children, Freelance painter - sells paintings to donate to disabled children.
Summer Activities: Updating and changing school computer’s database systems. (one of my proudest achievements)
Essays: Good, I guess.
Teacher Recommendation: Very awesome.
Counselor Rec: He knows me very well, should be very good.
Additional Rec: None.
Interview: It should have been great, he said “I think you are a good fit”
</code></pre>

<p>Other</p>

<pre><code>State (if domestic applicant):
Country (if international applicant): South East Asia!
School Type: Private
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: <40,000USD per year.
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): First generation college student
</code></pre>

<p>Reflection</p>

<pre><code>Strengths: Interview, ECAs?
Weaknesses: Test scores
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I don’t know. Seriously. I was very lucky,
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
</code></pre>

<p>ACCEPTED-Columbia, Cornell, Brown
WAITLISTED-Princeton
REJECTED-Yale, MIT, Caltech, Duke.</p>

<p>(Still waiting for Princeton, if they don’t take me, then Harvard it is. Otherwise, Princeton :D)</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>How in the world were you rejected from UMich? For that matter, how were you rejected from Dartmouth and waitlisted at Columbia? Your app is just crazy.</p>

<p>

[Quote]
Choose One:
Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 1860 (Test scores are not everything)
ACT: 29
SAT II: 700 Chem, 670 Math II
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 2/70
AP (place score in parenthesis): n/a
IB (place score in parenthesis): n/a
Senior Year Course Load: 3 college courses a semester (Cal III, College General Chemistry II, Linear Alg, Differential Eqns, Eng 1A), High school (Eng 4, Senior Proj, US Government, Economics, Span III)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): QuestBridge National College Prep Scholar, Venture’s Scholar, Discus Award Winner

Accepted-Bowdoin College, Amherst College, Williams College, Swarthmore College, UC Berkeley (IAP and Regents Scholar), UCLA, UC Davis, UC San Diego, Rice University, Dartmouth College, UChicago, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard, Xavier (Chancellor Scholar), </p>

<p>Waitlist-Tulane , WashU</p>

<p>no rejections
General Comments: My twin and I are blessed! I definitely have a tough decision to make in the upcoming weeks.

[Quote]
</p>

<p>How did you get Berkeley Regents Scholar, isn’t that a purely academic scholarship? Good job on your acceptances, and I’m not trying to insult you, just wondering as your SAT is below the average for Berkeley…</p>

<p>CONGRATS TO EVERYONE WHO GOT IN WITH A 2200+!! You guys have a great curve coming your way :slight_smile: trolol</p>

<p><a href=“http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207008_1994102096322_1356538066_2389481_3316816_n.jpg[/url]”>http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/207008_1994102096322_1356538066_2389481_3316816_n.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>lol @ the cockiness of harvard undergrads</p>

<p>I don’t follow on the curve comment.</p>

<p>I’m being rude and bad mannered to trollll. i’m saying the people with 2200 + are the ones that harvard is for and the ones less will help you guys boost your grades lol… harvard’s grade inflation… hardest to get in -easiest to get out.</p>

<p>^ hahah I see. trolol indeed!</p>

<p>bobtheboy: I have so many conspiracy theories, but the reality is just that it’s a crapshoot. Also, I’m OOS for UMich, and maybe they thought I was using them as a safety.</p>

<p>Are mods on vacation? Why isn’t this thread being stickied?</p>

<p>So I am in too. Rejected by darn near everyone else, but if Harvard wants me, who am I to judge? :)</p>

<p>[ size=+2][ color=red][ b]Decision: Rejected[ /b][ /color][ /size]</p>

<p>[ b]Objective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] SAT I (breakdown): 2050 (600 CR, 670 M, 780 W)
[ *] TOEFL: 114 (iBT) (Listening: 27, Reading: 28, Speaking: 29, Writing: 30)
[ *] SAT II (if submitted): German with Listening: 750, Literature: 620
[ *] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): German Scale: 0-15, I am 11/15, best in class is 13/15
[ *] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): Non Available, approx top 15 percent
[ *] Senior Year Course Load: most challenging
[ *] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): None</p>

<p>[ /list][ b]Subjective:[ /b][ list]
[ *] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Model European Parliament National Top10 Delegate, one of the 10 people to get invited to international conferences
Schul/Baenker (Bank System simulation amongst 880 German High School teams) Bank leader, bank placed favorably
[ *] Job/Work Experience: major gas company (customer service), major Hungarian press agency (writer, translator)
[ *] Volunteer/Community service: None
[ *] Essays: Common App essay was on how the fusing of the childish hedonism that I used to represent and the adult responsiblity that I have learnt from my father made me a complete person and helped me feel comfortable in my own skin. Sup. essay was on my first experience being discriminated against, probably my best essay so far.
[ *] Teacher Recommendation: one is from my Hungarian teacher who absolutely loves me, other one is from my Social Sciences teacher who talked about my interest and talent in the fields of Economics and Politics
[ *] Counselor Rec: quite solid, describes as an independent thinker
[ *] Additional Rec: None
[ *] Interview: 1,5 hours, really good and interesting, felt like we got along rather well.</p>

<p>[ /list][ b]Other[ /b][ list]
[ *] Applied for Financial Aid?: yes
[ *] Intended Major: Econonomics
[ *] Country (if international applicant): Hungary, I am Russian though
[ *] School Type: German private school in Hungary, considered to be one of the best schools in the whole country.
[ *] Ethnicity: white
[ *] Gender: male
[ *] Income Bracket: low-middle
[ *] Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.): URM, speak 4 languages fluently and am learning another two.</p>

<p>[ /list][ b]Reflection[ /b][ list]
[ *] Strengths: very international background, knowledge of languages
[ *] Weaknesses: Academics, lack of national awards, applied for aid
[ *] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: not amazing enough
[ /list][ b]General Comments:[ /b] frustrated :I Congratulations to everyone who got in! Am really sad that I didn’t get accepted into a single ivy, but I guess I’ll try to transfer.</p>

<p>Glebshes: If you’re Russian, American schools don’t consider you a URM.</p>

<p>I posted much earlier with barely any info, but decided to post my detailed one now:</p>

<p>Decision: Accepted</p>

<p>Objective:[ul]
[<em>] SAT I (breakdown): 2210 (750 M, 750 CR, 710 W, 11 Essay)
[</em>] ACT: Never Took
[<em>] SAT II: 780 Math IIC, 740 US History
[</em>] Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): UW: 3.95, W: 4.52
[<em>] Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 5/500+
[</em>] AP (place score in parenthesis): AP Calculus AB (5), AP Calculus BC (5), AP Biology (4), AP Psychology (4), AP Chemistry (3), AP US History (4), AP World History (4), AP English Language (3)
[<em>] IB (place score in parenthesis): Never Took
[</em>] Senior Year Course Load: AP French, AP Music Theory, AP Physics C, AP English Literature, AP Statistics, Student Govt, Independent Govt/Econ
[<em>] Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): None really. I have over 10+ Violin competition wins (With recognition as State Panel Masters), Collegeboard AP Scholar with Distinction, President Obama Education Award- Gold Seal, Congressional Award from Congressman Brad Sherman, Letter of Appreciation from L.A. Regional Chairman (I also sent in an additional award- Gates Millennium Scholar Finalist, which now I’m a Gates Millennium Scholar)
[/ul]Subjective:[ul]
[</em>] Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Student Government (President-12th, Treasurer- 11th), Class Board (President- 9th-11th), Junior State of America Organization (State Director- 10th-12th), Junior State of America High School Chapter (Co-President- 12th), Korean Club (Co-President, 11th), Chamber Club (Creator/President- 11th-12th), College Orchestra (Concertmaster- 10th-12th, Associate Concertmaster- 9th)
[<em>] Job/Work Experience: Private Tutor (12th)
[</em>] Volunteer/Community service: Hospital (10th-12th: 160+ Hours), Nonprofit Organization work (9th-12th: 100+ Hours)
[<em>] Summer Activities: Nonprofit Organization Internship (12th), French at Community College (11th)
[</em>] Essays: One was about my passion in violin performance, and it’s experience bringing me to places like the Walt Disney Hall, Another was about successfully creating new parks in Los Angeles, my Harvard one was about my two favorite books and how they relate to me
[<em>] Teacher Recommendation: English Teacher’s: Very personal and caring
Math Teacher’s: Never seen. But, I’m assuming it was superb, since he wrote my recommendation for Gates Millennium
Student Govt/Psychology Teacher’s: Never seen, but I heard from a friend that my teacher writes a wonderful recommendation
[</em>] Counselor Rec: Never seen, but assuming it was good (since I’m pretty close to my counselor)
[<em>] Additional Rec: Amazing, since my internship president (who graduated from Harvard) wrote about my passion and what we successfully achieved
[</em>] Music Supplement: Decent. Performed two hard repertoires, one by Sarasate (Zigeunerweisen) and another by Bach (Ciaconne). My music supplement recommendation was good, as my recommender was a music professor at one of the top music schools, and talked about my dedication to the college (been in the different level college’s orchestras since my 2nd grade)
[<em>] Interview: I was interviewed twice. First time was sort of average, since my interviewer didn’t seem to be very positive nor negative about Harvard. My second interview was from an Assistant Admissions Officer (who is specialized with low income students). I really enjoyed this interview, since she was really nice and I loved talking to her (:
[/ul]Other[ul]
[</em>] State (if domestic applicant): CA
[<em>] Country (if international applicant):
[</em>] School Type: Public
[<em>] Ethnicity: Asian
[</em>] Gender: Male
[<em>] Income Bracket: 20k ~ 30k
[</em>] Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Disadvantage: ORM. But, I believe that my brother who attends Harvard may have helped me a little
[/ul]Reflection[ul]
[<em>] Strengths: My passions
[</em>] Weaknesses: My scores (even though many people keep telling me they’re superb. I personally believe that as an Asian, mine are sub par)
[<em>] Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Originally, I think I was a Wait Listed student, until I sent my Gates Millennium Scholar Finalist status. This may have got the admission’s officers realizing that I was struggling through financial difficulties (that I did not mention), thus the second interview ensued, and eventually got me in
[</em>] Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted: Harvard, Stanford, Tufts, Pomona, UCLA (Regent’s Scholar), UC Berkeley, UCSD
Wait Listed: Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Columbia
Rejected: Yale, UPenn
[/ul]General Comments: I posted very late partially due to uncertainty whether I should post it (since time did pass), but decided to post in the end. Struggling not only through low-income life, but also high expectations due to my brother (and having English as my second language), I never knew that I would have been considered by ivies. My peers were jealous about my brother’s acceptance and constantly talked behind my back, making my life more difficult. But, in the end, I told myself that I will go wherever a school sees my passion in public service, and this is the result of all my hard work. I wish everyone the best of luck in their endeavors! Harvard Class of 2015</p>