Should I even bother applying?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

GPA: 90% average of grade 9 - 11, in Canada we have 0-100% scale and I’m in a rather competitive program so this is definitely one of my cons

Class Rank: N/A for my school

ACT: 34 Subscores:
Science (34), English (31), Reading (34), Math (35), Writing (8)
Not really sure how good my ACT score is…

SAT Subject Tests: I’ll be taking Bio M and Math 2 in October. Probably will score around 750-800

AP’s (at time of application) Biology - 4
My school doesn’t do APs and so I just did one for fun with self-studying

Teacher Recs: Probably will be pretty good. I’m asking my biology and english teacher who both love me. In addition to this, I will be asking my lab PI to write me a recommendation letter. She’s a professor at Harvard in neuroscience, which is what I want to do in the future, so hopefully that will be helpful.

Province: Ontario
Gender: F
Ethnicity: Asian, Sri Lankan
Income: 250K ish? My parents dont talk about money with me

Possible hooks: Research? Top 10 youth environmentalist in Canada? 3rd place in international south indian carnatic singing contest?

Major ECs:

  • Environmental Youth Council - had an internship there one summer
  • Biology Club VP
  • Neuroscience club - President
  • Choir - VP
  • UofT choir
  • Carnatic music
  • Executive on a medical related organization

Community Service:

  • Tutoring
  • Singing in hospitals

Medically related activities:

  • Volunteered in three labs
  • Executive on a medical related organization

Awards:

  • Regional Sci Fair - Silver, 2 Bronze, University Environmental Award
  • 3rd place in International singing competition
  • 4 times Distinction in national math contest
  • Best Overall Research Paper in a Highschool Research Paper competition

Sorry if this was too long :((

2

Have you looked through Harvard’s Common Data Set to compare your stats to those of accepted students: https://oir.harvard.edu/files/huoir/files/harvard_cds_2014-15.pdf

For example, in section C10, notice that 95% of admitted students were in the top 10% of their graduating class. Does your GPA place you in the top 10% of your graduating class?

Also notice that in section C10, 87.41% of admitted students had an unweighted GPA of 3.75+. Here is the College Board’s conversation chart for comparison: http://www.collegeboard.com/html/academicTracker-howtoconvert.html

Based upon that information, do you think it’s worth applying keeping in mind the below?

3

There is no harm in applying, only harm in getting your heart set on one school. So of course, go ahead and apply but find other schools you love as much and apply to them.

You list “executive on a medical related organization” twice. What does that mean exactly?

I don’t think admissions chances are as easily quantified as Gibby’s post implies. Admissions is “holistic” and looks at the whole person as much as possible. Also it is not about the individual so much as what you bring to the mix of the class. Harvard wants to assemble a diverse and interesting class.

4

I think there’s a huge difference between buying a lottery ticket and expecting to win.

If you can swing the cost of the application, as well as the cost of attending, then apply.

But hedge your bets-- also apply to schools where you have better odds of getting admitted.

Good luck!