To better explain my title, I’m in a bit of a pickle right now. I’m 17, on track to finish my associate’s degree in about a year with a 4.0 (if I keep up my grades, that is). My CC feeds into a top 15 university which I am automatically accepted into.
However, I have been independently studying the Russian language for the past year or so (and through some full immersion classes am actually getting quite fluent), and have been considering, instead of going to the reputable university, studying in Russia to finish my undergraduate degree (there are a couple of options that look possible). I doubt any Russian college I got into would be on par with my local university as far as reputation goes, but being an 18 year old who learned enough of a language to live on her own in a foreign country to complete her studies has its own appeal, I think.
From a purely admissions chance viewpoint (I have my eyes on Harvard), which of these choices would be most beneficial?
First of all, I am assuming that you have your “eyes on Harvard” for graduate school. Having goals is fine, but it is best that you don’t get too attached to one specific graduate program. Harvard might not even be the best program in your field for you. And if it is, likely it’s super competitive.
With that aside, it would be far better for you to go to the top 15 university and finish your BA in the states than it would for you to finish your BA in Russia. There are all kinds of complications with showing that your undergraduate education in Russia is equivalent to the undergraduate education here in the United States that you won’t face if you simply go to the choice you have here.
If you want to develop your Russian language proficiency more, you can always study abroad in Russia for a semester or summer at your new institution. Or you can get a Fulbright after graduating to either be an English Teaching Assistant or undertake some sort of special project in Russia.