<p>I know it's a reach for anyone, but I hope I can stand out in some way.</p>
<p>Gender: Male
Race: Korean-American
School: Public (pretty competitive)
Location: California</p>
<p>Stats:
GPA: 4.0 UW; 4.65 W
Rank: 1/214
SAT: 2390 (800 M, 790 CR, 800 W)
SAT II: 800 Math IIC, 800 U.S. History, 800 Biology, 800 Korean, 790 Literature
ACT: 35
APs: World History (5), European History (5), Biology (5), U.S. History (5), Chemistry (4), English Language and Composition (5), Calculus BC (5), Statistics (5), Psychology (5)</p>
<p>Senior Schedule:
AP Government
AP Economics
AP English Literature
AP Environmental Science
AP Physics
AP Spanish</p>
<p>ECs/Volunteering/Awards:
-Varsity Basketball (4 years; co-captain junior and senior year)
-Varsity Cross Country (4 years)
-President of Music Club (4 years)
-President of Key Club (4 years; 2 years as president)
-ASB Vice President (4 years; 2 years as VP)
-Playwright for School Theater (4 years)
-Drama Club (4 years)
-600ish hours of volunteering and community service (hospital, elementary school, animal shelter, soup kitchen)
-Named to District League All-Star team for basketball (sophomore and junior year)</p>
<p>Note: I have other ECs that I've participated in but decided to only use the ones that I've truly been committed to.</p>
<p>two varsity sports seems a little suspect, not to mention 600 hours of volunteerwork. also, it's a little hard to believe that you took 8 APs by senior year. considering almost no schools allow freshman to take APs, that would be four each sophomore and junior year - and many schools don't allow the former to take APs, either. hm. if this is honest, though - well done. sorry if i sound suspect.</p>
<p>At most competitive, fairly large, public high schools (such as the one I'm going to), it's not impossible for kids to take well over 15 AP's. I mean, there isn't anything about this guy that blows me away or is completely unbelievable. He's obviously hardworking, devoted, and has a good shot.</p>
<p>If this is real, then you have a good shot. If it's fake...I don't understand why people would make fake chance threads or exaggerate. It's an online forum, for goodness sake's. People who feel insecure online are the worst of all</p>
<p>I think the OP is a little less focused than the average accepted applicant. This is going to sound very cliched, but I think the OP lacks passion.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think the OP is a little less focused than the average accepted applicant. This is going to sound very cliched, but I think the OP lacks passion.
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</p>
<p>I agree. However, even if he doesn't get into Harvard, I don't doubt that he will get into another great school.</p>
<p>
[quote]
At most competitive, fairly large, public high schools (such as the one I'm going to), it's not impossible for kids to take well over 15 AP's.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is so true, especially in the district that I'm in. We're not even considered the most competitive, but we still offer a very large number of APs multiple times throughout the day which makes scheduling up to five APs very accessible. I don't understand why anyone would think I'm making a 'fake' chance thread. I have better things to spend my time on.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think the OP is a little less focused than the average accepted applicant. This is going to sound very cliched, but I think the OP lacks passion.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly does this mean? How else can I show my 'passion'? I know a lot of my ECs are pretty generic, but I guess I can express my great passion for basketball (btw, I plan to tryout for the Harvard basketball team if I get in). As for cross country, I'll admit it's not something I was really passionate about; I just joined the team in preparation for basketball season (my true passion).</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
I don't understand why anyone would think I'm making a 'fake' chance thread. I have better things to spend my time on.
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</p>
<p>Like making a REAL chances thread? Haha. Although I suppose the same could go for me, for I am posting on it.</p>
<p>Good shot. Involved, dedicated, hardworking, intelligent--you have all the ingredients of a Harvard admit save a clearly defined passion. Don't worry, though. Harvard takes hundreds of well-rounded students every year. Many admits lack a clearly defined passion, although the odds for them and you are longer. </p>
<p>Just write an essay or two that doesn't kill you, find some teachers who will write you some good recs, cross your fingers, and hope for the best.</p>
<p>OP you didn't answer my question. I haven't called you a troll yet, but 4 years of Varsity Basketball and 4 years of being your school "playwright" just don't mix to me. Can you expand on it? </p>
<p>At my school these activities take up hours of time and students are often forced to choose between one or the other. And being the true president of every club also doesn't make sense to me. When and how frequently do your clubs meet? </p>
<p>Can you tell me how this schedule works. I'm having trouble believing it because it is just too much. (To the point of disbelief)</p>
<p>I don't really want to get into it, but you can be assured that I had to make quite a lot of sacrifices (this includes having to talk my way out of practice sometimes). You have no idea how hard I had to work to get to this point, and it honestly feels like a bit of an insult that you think I might be lying.</p>
<p>I think this is perfectly possible (although some initial disbelief, I might agree with) ...what's up with all these "OMG YOU'RE FAKE" comments?</p>
<p>And about "lacking passion", LMFAO...uh. 2 varsity sports. All those theater EC's. </p>
<p>Why does every single person on here say "Omg you lack passion" if he/she doesn't have like 20 EC's/awards generated towards the SAME area of ACADEMICS, as if all those sports/theater works don't count, and as if those AP's/SAT II scores that show academic devotion to particular subjects automatically don't count unless you have "calculus club, chem club, bio club, physics club, trig club, math/science awards". </p>
<p>"Passion" is overrated and awkwardly used on here IMO...considering some of the replies I've read here and then on other threads and then.</p>
<p>And @ OP: I think that by this point, you're smart enough to know that you stand a good chance...</p>
<p>I don't see the reason for all the skepticism...plenty of schools offer APs in freshman year, and the reason that people can have such a "huge" number of APs indicates that the school just doesn't teach the curriculum to a challenging enough extent (though in this case the OP's courses seemed to be taught just fine what with his scores). Regarding ECs, everything looks better in print, officer positions are sometimes very easy to get, especially if you have a reputation of being very capable (as the OP's scores indicate), but he may have just gotten them because he loves the subject/passionate/whatever.
Anyway, I personally think you have a better chance than a lot of people, your scores are quite laudable, but you still may get shafted because no one knows what the admissions officials are thinking sometimes.
Lastly, I've seen plenty of people with stats this good on cc, and people were not accusing them of being fake or trolls and instead commending them, so really, why all the hate..?</p>
<p>I think you have a good shot, and your chances thread seems perfectly possible.
Report your great scores, emphasize your passion for basketball, and hope for the best.</p>