<p>Ok, I am not in high school yet, but I am starting to make my college preparations now. I really want to get into Harvard. I am going to be in the IB program. My Ecs are going to be marching band, varsity soccer, newspaper editing, a lot of community service, and more. I haven't really decided on the more part yet. The high school I am planning to go to is Deerfield Beach High. If I become valedictorian (which I am going to try my hardest to do) and get decent SAT, ACT, and SAT 2s (I am going to take all of them) will I have a chance? I also participated in the Duke University talent search and took the SAT in seventh grade. I received state recognition for my score.</p>
<p>OK.....I don't usually say this, honestly, but please get off this site and don't worry </p>
<p>If you have an interest, pursue pursue pursue.</p>
<p>It's great for you to know about these things early, but really, you should chill and come back later.</p>
<p>This is almost ridiculous. And you have more posts than me!</p>
<p>I admire the kid. Do everything and more. Hard work always pays off kid.</p>
<p>Exactly... Just do what extracurriculars you find enjoyable and you won't have any regrets.</p>
<p>Besides, nobody can tell you years in advance what your odds of getting into Harvard are - a lot can change. But you're definitely in good shape, I can tell you that much.</p>
<p>How could you possibly applaud this sort of behaviour? </p>
<p>You shouldn't be doing everything just because it will affect your chances to get into university. Do what you love, and nothing less. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you happen to love marching band, varsity soccer, newspaper editing (how could you even know that you'll enjoy this!?), community service, and 'more' so much that you can already tell that this is what you'll be doing in 4 years then... good on you - keep at it.</p>
<p>Oh come on Momomo, though there is a cold, calculating bite to that message, there's always merit in dedication.</p>
<p>Seunglee, I think you'll do very well if you keep up with that hard-working determination. Just... make sure you don't become so bent on getting into college that you forget to enjoy your highschool years. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>mrsandman, you are a marvel to behold. The epitome of magnificent wit to which we all should strive. </p>
<p>Indeed good sir, that was quite the post.</p>
<p>Come back in 3 years and maybe I can tell you your chances...</p>
<p>i wouldnt be talking cosine45. ur like in 8th grade or grammar school</p>
<p>lol do NOT obcess over harvard. Please, do urself a favor, and read some posts on that stickie'd of people who got deferred EA. some of them actually spent all 3 high school years doing everything JUST for harvard, and still got rejected.</p>
<p>haha god, i wish i had a dime for every pre-highschooler who posted "my lifelong dream is to get into harvard, i'm gonna do x,y,z".
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I am going to be in the IB program. My Ecs are going to be marching band, varsity soccer, newspaper editing, a lot of community service, and more. I haven't really decided on the more part yet. The high school I am planning to go to is Deerfield Beach High. If I become valedictorian (which I am going to try my hardest to do) and get decent SAT, ACT, and SAT 2s (I am going to take all of them) will I have a chance?
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To the OP, to tell u the truth, I know plenty of kids with those ECs who got rejected from Harvard. I'm gonna post a quote from NorthStarMom, an alum interviewer for Harvard, who had some invaluable advice on what colleges are looking for when it comes to ECs</p>
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[quote]
I'm an alum interviewer for Harvard.
The best ECs are the ones that you enjoy and that you run with by creatively pursuing your interests, happily spending time doing them, and by strengthening your skills, taking on leadership roles, having an impact on the EC or with the EC, and/or by winning awards or other recognition.</p>
<p>In general, the ECs that stand out in admissions for top colleges are ones that students created themselves (and that really were substantial ECs, not resume dressing) or that students made a big impact on such as by reviving a moribund organization. </p>
<p>Depending on how it's pursued, any EC can be impressive. For instance, tutoring can be an impressive EC if one makes a major impact on a student's life (and this impact can be documented by a supplementary recommendation by the student or their parent), creates a fund raising project as a result of what one learned through tutoring (such as being inspired to collect donations to start libraries at Head Star programs or low income schools); decides on a career related to one's tutoring experience (and that career could be anything from deciding to be a legislator to impact the country's educational system to deciding to become a neuropsychologist in order to help people with learning disabilities). </p>
<p>When it comes to the top colleges, they don't care how many hours one spends with an activity. What they care about is how you impacted the organization and how it inspired or changed you. Having a title that's bascially resume dressing, such as if you become your school's MUN president but do nothing to strengthen the organization, is not impressive to top colleges.</p>
<p>When it comes to places like HPYS, most successful applicants that I have seen have had two strong and very different ECs. For instance, a student might be a varsity athlete, statewide champion in that sport, and captain of their team and the creator and chief organizer of a successful school-wide project to raise the funds and build a Habitat for Humanity house. The student also would have been involved in both activities out of their own interest, not to look good to colleges. Frankly, it's virtually impossible to sustain that level of commitment to any ECs without deeply caring about the activities.
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