Please chance Me

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>This is a general chance post. I am 16 now and a junior. I will put "potential" next to things that are likely b/c of my work and the other stuff has happened. Please, give me an idea of where I stand in terms of chances of getting into Harvard. I'm assuming the acceptance rate next spring will be 5.5% and I intend to apply for regular action, but please let me know if you think that applying early decision will boost my chances of getting in. </p>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<p>Ethnicity: South Asian American (Pakistani)</p>

<p>Age: 17</p>

<p>Schools: Large Public in IN (9)
Small Private in TN (10-11)
Medium Public in TN (12)</p>

<p>Family: MD (Dad), Master's (Mom), 2 younger siblings, 180K income (for financial aid)</p>

<p>Recs (Potential- I've talked to the teachers about what they will write): AP Euro History Teacher, AP Bio Teacher, Community College Professor (Very Good-They talked about mow I found motivation and became a role model.)</p>

<p>Essays (Potential) : One on being an agnostic Pakistani Democrat in Tennessee, One on how I went through three years of high school without a passion and then found a love for math and science which inspired me to learn about them in very great detail and partake in the national competitions that I will. </p>

<p>Intended Major: Physics or Chemistry (Solid)</p>

<p>Objective:</p>

<p>Grades (9-11): 50% A- 50% B Range in All Honors Classes at Standard Pace and 2 AP Classes: AP Chemistry and AP Calculus BC (1/2 A's 1/2 B's in 9th) (Mostly A's in 10th) (Mostly B+'s in 11th)</p>

<p>Senior Course Load and Grades (Potential): All A's (97% or better) in AP Biology, AP European History, AP English Literature, AP US Government, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Psychology at School and A's in Organic Chemistry with Lab and Calculus 3 at a local community college</p>

<p>GPA/Class Rank (Potential): 4.05 Ranked in Top 25% in 300 Students</p>

<p>SAT: 2400 ACT: 36 SAT Chemistry: 800 SAT Math II: 800</p>

<p>AP Exam Scores (Self-Studying for all besides Chem and Calc BC) (Potential):</p>

<p>5's in AP Chemistry, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C-Mechanics, AP Physics C-Electricity and Magnetism, AP Computer Science A, AP English Language, AP US History, AP World History</p>

<p>Extra-Cirricular Activities:</p>

<p>Speech and Debate (10-12): State 2nd Place (10), 350 Tournament Points</p>

<p>Piano (9, 11-12): Gold Star Rating in Region (9), Did Well in Regional Festival (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Mock Trial (11): Lawyer- 2nd Place in Region</p>

<p>Young Democrats (10-11): VP (11)</p>

<p>NHS and Mu Alpha Theta Member (10-12)</p>

<p>Community Service (10-12): 200 Hours in Mosque and Science Center; Mathcounts Coach (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Math Club (9, 12): President (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Student Newspaper Member (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Cross Country JV (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Research (12-Potential): Work in Chemistry Lab with Community College Professor</p>

<p>Other Awards/Distinctions: Regional Math Test Top 5 (9, 10), National Merit Commended Scholar (12), National AP Scholar (12-Potential), Published Article in Local Chemistry Journal (12-Potential), State Math Problem Solving Test Top 10 (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Awards to be sent after initial submission of application (all potential): </p>

<p>Intel STS Semi-Finalist in Chemistry (Sent in Late January)</p>

<p>USA Physics Olympiad Semi-Finalist and AMC 12 Top 1% (Mid-February)</p>

<p>USA Chem Olympiad Top in Region and USA Biology Olympiad Semi-Finalist (Early March)</p>

2

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1330740-chance-me-please.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1330740-chance-me-please.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1329562-chances-mediocre-grades.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1329562-chances-mediocre-grades.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>For the record, you can ‘bump’ your old threads if you want more responses, but starting a new thread when you have already asked the question is NOT appropriate.</p>

3

<p>Sorry, Gibby, I had posted this exact thread before but I can not find it on the Harvard homepage. Also, how do you bump your thread?</p>

4

<p>Your previous threads are currently on page 2. At the bottom of the page, on right hand side, there are page numbers for the Harvard forum. To bump a thread just write “bump” on the thread you wish to bring to the top. See: "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_(Internet)“&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_(Internet)&lt;/a&gt;”&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>Did you look back beyond the front page of the Harvard forum?</p>

<p>To find your own threads, click on your name in the top-right corner, under the banner ad, where it says “Welcome, [your name].” Then click the red tab that says STATISTICS, and then the link that says “Find all posts by [your name].”</p>

<p>“Bumping” a thread just means bringing it back up to the top of a forum. Since College Confidential sorts threads by most recent post, any time you post to a thread, it bumps back to the top of the list. So if you go and post anything in an old thread–keeping in mind that on this board, posts must be at least 10 characters long–it will get bumped to the top.</p>

6

<p>Thank you Sikorsky. Please just keep this thread here and continue to give opinions on my chances next spring.</p>

7

<p>Slim. You cannot hide your grades.</p>

8

<p>BUMP…I do not intend to hide my grades and am willing to even write one of my college essays on how they are not up to par compared to everything else of mine. Could I possibly use them to my advantage and highlight the fact that I had to move three times in high school-not only schools but homes.</p>

9

<p>BUMP…I probably will get 5’s on 5 AP’s: AP Chemistry, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP English Language, and AP World History and a 4 on AP Calculus BC. I dropped AP US History and AP Computer Science A. Will this significantly affect my chances of admission? To elaborate on my grades: Freshman Year: 5A/6B/1C, Sophomore Year: 10A/2B, Junior Year: 3A/8B/1C (my AP Chem teacher hates me and she often tried to screw me up…can this be mentioned?). In grades 9-11, I took all honors classes and AP Calculus BC and AP Chem. Senior (Potential): 98% or better (8A + 8A for one quarter) in AP Biology, AP Statistics, AP English Literature, AP European History, AP US Government, AP Macroeconomics, AP Psychology, and Organic Chemistry with Lab at a community college. I intend to submit my first semester senior grades and then the first quarter grades for my second semester. I will also be a Kumon Math Tutor instead of a Mathcounts coach next year. My class rank will be anywhere from top 20-30% next year.</p>

10

<p>Not to be harsh, but it’s honestly a far shot. I was looking for an upward trend, but I saw this instead:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Especially since Junior year is perhaps, arguably, the most important. And grades/transcripts outweigh SAT/ACT test scores pretty well in college admissions.</p>

<p>Wait until you receive your AP scores this July, and come back so that all of us here have more than pure speculation to look at in terms of your academic prowess (which is impressive, don’t get me wrong - it’s simply easier to chance with more accurate statistics).</p>

11

<p>I’d have to agree with what others are posting… While your SATs and ACTs are spectacular and your extra curriculars are very good also, your mediocre grades really hurt you. I’m not sure how good the schools you went to were, but you will need better than just top 25%. Colleges like harvard like to see consistently good grades, and Cs and many Bs really dont show your true potential.</p>