My S is not stressed out but I am! He applied ED to Boston College and was accepted. Harvard and Notre Dame are his Regular Decision schools but TBH Notre Dame has changed its direction on taking AP classes which is a negative for us. So the wait is on Harvard. I have read different threads on “chance me” and have really enjoyed reading about prospective students’ backgrounds. My S has similar stats but his ECs are really really different which is making me a bit nervous.
His ECs have been primarily sports:
Baseball and Football, captain for both, State Championship this year
All honor societies, and was elected by his peers as President
Catholic Church catechist
Football Youth Coach
APs - all 5’s
4.03 unweighted GPA
5.2 weighted
33 ACT (34 superscore)
AP Scholar
Illinois State Scholar
Essay(s) - VERY personal and related to character and overcoming adversity / strength of character
Letters of Recs – Excellent
Interview – He really enjoyed it
LACKING: I noticed a lot of science and worldly awards from other applicants. Due to a 25 hour a week commitment all year to football for the last 48 months there would be close to 0 time for that. Do you think Harvard would know this? Will lack of science or math “awards” keep him from admittance? Do you think this shows a positive commitment that could compensate for these awards. His grades are all A+ right now including Calc B/C. All AP classes.
Would love input as we all await “the decision.” THANK YOU
Harvard takes all kinds of profile, not just STEM kids with awards. I don’t think lack of science/math awards is going to be a deal breaker. But if his main spike is baseball/football he probably needs support from Harvard’s coach; just having State Championships won’t be enough. Nathan Chan, the reigning national champion for the last two years was not admitted during EA round. Too bad Harvard does not have a figure skating coach.
THANK YOU. I will be posting a follow-up post for future admission hopefuls. I find this site to be very informative. I really appreciate the information
How can your son have a 4.03 UW GPA? That’s not possible on a 4.0 scale. I am always intrigued by all the different ways schools can calculate a GPA.
And I agree with others, Harvard takes all kinds. And most elite schools will look for activities which have been devoted to for multiple years, as your son has. It shows persistence in reaching a goal. And the fact that his EC’s are “different” (for an elite school that isn’t Div 1 sports-oriented) will make him stand out.
Like you, I am probably more stressed than my DS who at least has his spring musical performances to keep him occupied this month! I just have this forum. lol We are not holding our breath as I can now see many deficiencies in his application compared to others, although we are hopeful. Harvard is a reach for 99.9% of applicants. Thankfully we have two very good choices already. Too bad I didn’t have this forum three years ago.
Yes it is. Some HS’s give A+ and calculate as a 4.3 or 4.33. That said, any college that recalculates GPA will calculate it as 4.0, since not all high schools give higher than an A.
That is correct We are on a 4 quarter / 2 semester based academic year. A+ is 4.33, an A is 4.0 and an A- is 3.67. If you take AP courses you get an additional multiplier. So when I checked my S’s GPA is says 4.03/4.0. Weighted its 5.2.
FYI, many plan on taking advantage of advanced standing, but few actually end up doing it. If one can afford 4 years, and worked so hard to be one of the lucky ones to get in, it’s rare that a student wants to rush out.
Actually @Choski94 , Harvard is Division I, and proudly fields more sports teams than any other Ivy.
In order for a high school varsity sport to have the weight of a “hook”, the student needs to be recruited by the Harvard coach, which is done SCEA in the summer and early autumn before applications are due. Otherwise, the sport is viewed as any other average EC.
I totally agree it MAY NOT be a “hook” – but playing linebacker for 8 years, as a captain as well as holding the highest GPA Athletic Award and then winning the State Championship while earning a 5.2 GPA is not an average EC. I also agree that if admitted, who wants to rush out of Harvard! I didn’t want to leave after our 2 hour tour last summer!
Same boat as OP, my DS is showing no signs of stress or anxiety about College decisions. Me, I’m a total wreck. I wonder why they call me the “helicopter parent”? LOL
@CAtherineF I have twins - DS1 - Accepted at UC Irvine and ASU; waiting on USC, UCLA, Michigan and Notre Dame. DS2 - Accepted at UC Irvine and ASU; Deferred at Harvard; waiting on USC, UCLA, Brown, Northwestern and Harvard.
@usma87 best of luck with your twins! Fabulous schools. We are waiting on Northwestern, Harvard and Notre Dame. Accepted at Villanova and Boston College. Can’t wait to see your follow-up posts!
@CatherineF I would agree that his football achievements are very impressive and will likely be given a very strong consideration for his dedication and achievements when deciding on admissions. However I also agree with @fauve that unless the Harvard coach is recruiting him during the SCEA round, it would not be giving him a “hook” as an athletic recruit. It will just be considered a very impressive EC. By the way, with your son’s academic stat, pursuing the recruitment route would have certainly given him a great boost (almost near certainty) towards his admission during the SCEA. Was there a reason he chose to do EA to Boston instead of being recruited at Harvard?
@noanswers-Hi! He has chosen to pursue his role as an academic vs. football athlete. A linebacker position is extremely strenuous on the body. We have several family members that played for Wesleyan and Penn and have had subsequent multiple surgeries. I think it was the right decision. His initial goal was BC then Harvard for law school. I suppose we will know next week.
