should I apply?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>i know i am not the strongest candidate (probably among the weakest applying) but i still want to try. im white and from a public school on long island (no financial aid)</p>

<p>97.90 Weighted GPA on 100 system- 38th in class of 434- competitive school</p>

<p>SAT- 790 Math, 710 Verbal, 680 Writing- 2180 (retake 10/8)
SATII- 760 Chem, 760 Physics, 760 American History, 740 Math IIC</p>

<p>AP/IB/Honors taken</p>

<p>9th
9H Math</p>

<p>10th
10H/Pre-IB Math
AP World History - 5</p>

<p>11th
AP Chem- 5
AP American History- 4
Honors Physics
11H-IB/SL Math- 6 on IB Test</p>

<p>12th
AP US Politics
AP Statistics
BC Calculus
AP Physics B (C not offered)
Project Advance English (AP English Language Comp Test)
AP European History self study
possibly self study physics c mechanics</p>

<p>will have 9 AP + 1 IB SL at graduation
Grades on upward trend every year- 103.71 weighted average junior year, including 100 unweighted in AP chem and 98 in honors physics</p>

<p>Extracurriculars
4 years Varsity Bowling- All County junior year, captain this year
2 years JV Golf, 1 year Varsity, and this year Varsity Lacrosse
2 years Honor Society
DECA- 10th and 12th grade- regional winner in 2004
Academy of Finance- 3 year program in business that includes summer internship- officer
Quiz Bowl- 4 years, 3 years starting- co-captain this year although this isnt official
Mathletes- 4 years
Business Honor Society- 11th-12th
took AMC for 3 years, didnt qualify for AIME (hopefully this year</p>

<p>Summer
Academy of Finance Internship this summer- 133 hours doing accounts receivable at small company
2003- people to people sports ambassador- bowling - england and wales for 10 days. includes international tournament</p>

<p>Community Service
40 hrs from people to people with special olympics
40 hrs hosting annual quiz bowl tournament
30-40 hours from honor society (ALS walk, Lupus Walk, blood drive..)</p>

<p>Awards
Deca state qualifier
AP scholar
several aof awards (school)</p>

<p>and if i have no chance, please tell me (ill probably apply anyway haha)</p>

2

<p>i'm just curious.. what weighted gpa does your valedictorian have?</p>

3

<p>i think he has around a 104. something but he never tells anyone his grades so I dont know haha</p>

4

<p>any opinions?</p>

5

<p>you actually have a decent chance. You have varsity bowling at your school?</p>

6

<p>yea, it has been a varsity sport in NY for like 35 years, and my school has had it for around 30. wow you actually think I have a chance?</p>

7

<p>Your chances all depend on your personality. You don't have a highschool record that stands out very much. Your SAT scores are merely average for Harvard applicants. So really, whether you get in or not depends on your essays/app/interview.</p>

<p>If you get in it'll be because you have a unique personality and "character" that Harvard wants. Of course, "character" is a very nebulous concept. The only way Harvard is gonna see your character is - and I'm repeating myself here - through your app/interview.</p>

<p>So, the best advice that I can give you is write two great essays (common app, and supplement) and be comfortable with your interview. Also ,make sure that your teachers know exactly what you view as your strengths and what you want emphasized so they can give you those great reccomendations.</p>

8

<p>You are so not the weakest applicant there is. So take heart: you will at least be number 1005 of 1006 applicants :)</p>

<p>No, seriously, your stats look good. You're accomplished, giving, etc. It's all about the essays man. You can make you shine through the stellar grades. So do your best, send in your stuff, and pray. God must have an entire file cabinet devoted to wanna-be-Harvard students. Pretty soon He'll realize there's a lucrative business in this and steal customers from the Devil, who's promising an Ivy education in return for souls. When you get to Harvard, walk around and count how many people still have pupils....</p>

9

<p>"When you get to Harvard, walk around and count how many people still have pupils...."</p>

<p>That's hilarious......where exactly could I contact the Devil about this?</p>

<p>Just joking, just joking!</p>

10

<p>haha thanks for the confidence guys :)</p>

11

<p>bump..........</p>

12

<p>No!! I AM THE WEAKEST APPLICANT!!!! Wonder how I measure up to you stellar people? I'll post my stats in a week....unless someone with a 3-letter s/n hunts me down and kills me....:(</p>

13

<p>yes, you should apply. you have a better chance then me, and i say thats good. but then again, i'm not applying</p>

14

<p>Apply. I just got my ACT score today and....I am the weakest applicant....(sigh)...I am totally screwed...of all the practice tests I have done this ACTUAL test is soo low......:( :(...I don't even know if I should apply anymore.......</p>

15

<p>How low are we talking here apfreak? I'm sure it's not THAT bad, after all, you got a 30 on the ACT alrdy didn't you?</p>

16

<p>No that was from past practice test...consistent tooo...but this is tooooo loww....(sigh) I just could not finish....I got a 26....I have no chance whatsoever....if my SATIIs are not mid 700s which I think they should be mid 700s then I am not applying EA. I need more time and less pressure to prepare for these tests. whatever the case.....I'm screwed.....:(</p>

17

<p>I seroiusly think you have a 60-40 chance of admission........keep it up and be sure you have other strong back ups. Are you doing EA? Your scores are high which is good, hey its truly arbitrary no matter what some try to tell you, would you believe me if I told you I know someone who got in with a little over 1200 as her SAT score? Believe it, its true!</p>

18

<p>haha nobody has a 60/40 chance at harvard</p>

<p>yes i know there are people with 1200s who get in, 2 people from my school got in last year with 1360 and 1390, relatively low scores for harvard.</p>

19

<p>This is MY opinion!! I had a VERY similiar record and I got in so THERE!</p>

20

<p>Oh hope for me because everything else I do is awesome...</p>