<p>It seems like in order to get into one of these schools, you must do something that virtually qualifies you as "prodigy" Many people I've read about have an asteroid named after them, have written books/independent research, or won international contests. </p>
<p>My question is this: can you get in by being an outstanding student and person, but not having that prodigal status?</p>
<p>If you can answer yes, what was the one thing that set you apart from everyone else, in your personal opinion?</p>
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<p>It seems like in order to get into one of these schools, you must do something that virtually qualifies you as "prodigy"<<</p>
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<p>IMO, this is not necessary.</p>
<p>Based on my experience I'd say that <em>most</em> Harvard kids didn't do anything that fabulous. I know of a few that did - world-class musician, successful international entrepeneur, math genius, etc. But my daughter and most of her friends and roommates did not do anything that extraordinary. But they are all very smart, articulate, witty, and very hard working. Most were val or sal at their high schools. Most had very strong stats and strong ECs, though not usually pro level - just very involved and dedicated.</p>
<p>In my daughter's case I can't think of any one thing that set her apart from everyone else. Perhaps it was that she had no real weaknesses: very strong stats, decent ECs that she tried to make the most of, great recs, all pulled together with a good essay and a dose of good luck. There was no secret formula.</p>
I don't know if you were referring to your daughter's roomies or Harvard students in general, but if it was the latter, I don't think that is entirely true. I know tons of Harvard students who weren't number one or even number two in their class...So, while there are a number of students who graduated first, don't sweat it if that's not you.</p>
<p>But I agree with everything else coureur said.</p>
<p>^^Yes, I was referring specifically to my daughter's blocking group = 5 vals and 1 sal. Being a val wasn't a requirement to block with them; it just worked out that way in this case. I agree that there are plenty of kids there who weren't val or sal, but it's also pretty easy to get a conversation going around a Harvard dorm about memories of giving val or sal speeches at high school graduations.</p>
<p>Yes, I must say in many ways Harvard isn't necessarily looking for people who have already accomplished "A LOT" in the OP's sense of the definition. Sure, as coureur pointed out, a few are already extremely accomplished by the time they get to Harvard, but the last time I checked, (I'm taking you literally, though you probably didn't mean it, just for the heck of it) I don't know any Nobel or Pulitzer or whatever winners under the age of 25-30, way after college graduation. </p>
<p>Anyway, the point is, elite schools are mostly in the game of 'guessing' or predicting who will be a Nobel winner in the future, not simply taking those who are already prize winners at 12. And since this is not a perfect science, there will be plenty of elite school alum who end up living very ordinarily lives (either willingly and unwillingly) and a very small number who are basically duds and actually give the school a bad name. But rest assure, they are few in number.</p>
<p>My D wasn't val or sal (top 1% though), and she has no idea how her 7 blockmates were ranked. (At my D's h.s., small distinctions in class rank tend to reflect course selection, rather than academic prowess, with chorus, band and orchestra dragging down the weighted GPA.) They would no more talk about their h.s. class ranks than they would their SAT scores. What she does know is that they're all involved, intelligent, acadmically motivated and kind.</p>
<p>Yes, it is possible. (also, could we please make a pact to drop the "Nobel Prize" and "curing cancer" cliches from the CC lexicon? Obviously, no one has ever applied to Harvard that has done either.)</p>
<p>The vast majority of students I know here are very normal- the'y're just smart people that just do what they like.</p>