<p>Hello,
It is truly my dream to study at Harvard. I enjoy the atmosphere, but as we well know it is highly competitive. I am ranked 70 out of 550 at my school with a 4.8 gpa, I am taking all Pre-AP classes and one AP Class as of now (I am a sophmore) although next year I am planned to take 7 AP Classes (to boost my rank up). I am expecting a 30 on my ACT and I am highly involved with extra-curriculars. I have been the class president for two years in a row, head of fundraising for Student Council, and a representative for HOSA. Also I am part of a Medical Academy at my school which is an add-on to my high school curriculum, only 30 students are accepted of all the rising freshmen apply (we have 4 middle schools, so a lot of people apply). I am soon to be president for NHS. I enjoy leading, it is simply my passion. Also my Dad did a program at Harvard so I believe I am considered a Legacy. This coming summer I am planning on studying at Harvard Summer School. As for community service, I have well over 100 hours. Last year I received student of the year award from my school. I also do Cross Country and Track every year since 7th grade. Ive been playing the viola since 3rd grade, and received a 1 meaning outstanding at a high school competition when I was in 7th and 8th grade. What do you think I can do to improve my resume for Harvard? What are my chances? Thank you very much in advance.</p>
<p>Come on, anyone?!</p>
<p>I am afraid you may be underestimating what it takes to get into Harvard.</p>
<p>Unless you come from a really prominent high school or prep school (New Trier HS, Stuyvesant, Phillips Exeter, etc.), you probably need to be one of the most remarkable students in your graduating class–maybe even in the last few classes. </p>
<p>For Harvard, 30 isn’t really a very competitive ACT score; 75% of the current freshmen who reported ACT scores had 31 or above.</p>
<p>In order to be considered a legacy, one of your parents would have to have attended Harvard College; other Harvard affiliations don’t count. There’s often vigorous debate on this forum about just how much legacy matters at Harvard. Harvard insists it’s not much more than a feather on the scale; I’m inclined to believe them.</p>
<p>The sad reality is that Harvard could fill its freshman dorms many times over with applicants who rank at or very near the top of their graduating classes, who have SATs > 2300 or ACTs > 34. Even most applicants with those stats don’t get in.</p>
<p>Johnsmith1214: read this article from 5 years ago: [A</a> Great Year for Ivy League Schools, but Not So Good for Applicants to Them - New York Times](<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/04/education/04colleges.html]A”>A Great Year for Ivy League Schools, but Not So Good for Applicants to Them - The New York Times)
The competition for Harvard, and other selective colleges, has only increased since then. To succeed in the college application process, you need be ranked #7 not #70 – and even then, it’s not a done-deal.</p>
<p>So is Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford - any Ivy in my reach? Or is that too much for me too say? Next year I am expected to take 7 AP classes which will increase my class rank, possibly to the 20’s. But I am working on improving my ACT. Since I am in the top 10% of my class, I will receive an automatic admission to any college in my state, so those schools are going to be my safety schools - but ultimately, my dream is Harvard, Yale, Princeton, or Stanford. What could I do to improve my application? I am going to a state competition for public speaking and possibly receive an internship at the white house. Would this help? Thank you so much, this advice is really making me think and I take all your input for consideration.</p>
<p>HYPS is a reach for EVERY applicant. If you work hard and demonstrate passion / academic success, then you stand a chance. You’re still in your sophomore year, and in my opinion, that gives you enough time to improve your academic standing. Just remember there are absolutely no guarantees in this process.</p>
<p>Consider looking at the 2015 Harvard RD Decisions Thread, for some perspective. Harvard turns downs thousands (THOUSANDS!!) of highly qualified applicants yearly. </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1112322-official-harvard-university-2015-decisions-thread.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1112322-official-harvard-university-2015-decisions-thread.html</a></p>
<p>If your high school doesn’t routinely send 20 students a year to Ivies+MIT+Stanford (+ maybe a few other extremely selective institutions), then I think a class rank in the 20’s is still going to be an uphill climb.</p>
<p>But the real problem right now is that you’re a sophomore. The data you’ve given us now won’t get you into Harvard or its peers. I am sure of that. I don’t want to get sucked into playing “What if?” There are too many unhatched chickens to count.</p>
<p>Here’s what I feel comfortable saying: if you want to go to a very selective college or university, then you should do everything you can to polish your academic record. Take demanding classes and get A’s in them. Work to impress your teachers, so that they’ll write you glowing letters of recommendation. Improve your ACT score, or focus on SAT instead. Will that get you into Harvard, Stanford, Swarthmore or MIT? Nobody can promise that. It will, however, help you gain admission to someplace where you can have a rewarding, life-changing intellectual experience in college. That might be a selective, famous university; it might be the honors program of a good university without a name that makes the hair on people’s arms stand on end. It’s just too soon to know.</p>