Small town kid with a big dream...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>These forums always seem to give me the impression that getting into Harvard is some Herculean task that only a privileged few will accomplish. But what about the kids like me? The average kids.</p>

<p>My class rank is 2/180. I scored a 2200 on the SAT (740R 720M 740W) and a 760 on US History and a 710 on Math II. Clearly I don't have the strongest scores. </p>

<p>I'm a three sport, varsity captain of Cross-Country, Indoor and Outdoor track, but I'll most likely never be fast enough to run in college. </p>

<p>I was a full time intern at the Mass. Statehouse over the summer, as well as an MA Boys' State Alum. (at which I won the highest non-elected award possible), an MA Lion's Club Speech contest regional finalist (2 years in a row), and a member of my schools student government. </p>

<p>I tutored throughout high school, whether it be for my little sister or 5th grade students, and I have even ventured to share the knowledge I have of the SAT with other students at my school by creating an SAT class. Not to mention I sacrificed almost every Friday night in the Spring of my Junior year to be a counselor at my local middle school's track club. </p>

<p>I belong to all my school's honors societies and quiz bowl teams, and I have won every major award that my school and community offers.</p>

<p>Yet, somehow, every time I read the forums on this site, I feel like all of those accomplishments, which I take deep pride in, are not and will never be enough. </p>

<p>At the end of the day, I guess I'm asking what my ODDS OF ACCEPTANCE are, but I'm also posing the question, what if I did make the most out of my high school career? What if this truly was the best anyone could have done with my particular background and community. Does anyone feel the same way?</p>

2

<p>Based on that last bit, I think that you have tried your best, and Harvard will appreciate that. Although it is not certain, I think you have a better than average chance, but you never know what they are looking for…</p>

3

<p>I would suggest that you apply and I actually think that you have a decent chance. Being from a small town in Mass. actually will help you, making you unique among the typical applicants from Mass :-). BTW, average kids don’t score 2200 on SAT :-).</p>

4

<p>Exactly. And that’s why essays are significant part of the application process. As long as you can demonstrate.</p>

5

<p>It sounds like you have done everything right. You have challenged yourself to learn, you have given back to your community, you have done the very best you can and you are proud of what you have done. You are a winner.</p>

<p>Does that get you into Harvard? Maybe it does, actually. You are one of the types of person they are looking for, especially coming from an un-fancy part of Massachusetts. But maybe it doesn’t, too, because not everyone who is a winner and does the best he can gets into Harvard. Whether Harvard accepts you or not should mean NOTHING to your sense of your own worth, anyone else’s sense of your worth, or your prospects for success in life (which are super great).</p>

<p>You don’t need Harvard. You will absolutely, positively have plenty of opportunity to continue doing your best and succeeding, whether it’s at Harvard or someplace else. Harvard offers some unique opportunities, but all of the other places you have a great chance to get into also offer unique opportunities, and it really doesn’t matter that much which opportunities you start with. If you keep on with a winner’s approach to things – and that means dropping the sense of aggrievement at the thought that Harvard might still turn you down – you are going to be a good person and a successful person. And that’s what education is really about, not the name or colors on your hoodie.</p>

6

<p>Wow, thanks so much for all of the encouragement everyone! It’s nice seeing a bit of optimism and some kind words in the face of a really daunting goal. And to JHS, thank you so much for those words, I wish there were more people like you around me during this whole college process.</p>

<p>I should have clarified, however, that I already applied SCEA to Harvard, and that I am currently a senior, albeit a nervous one awaiting his decision letter. </p>

<p>To “helpmeoutman” in my two essays for Harvard, I chose not to write about what I have done or any of my accomplishments. My teachers most likely highlighted them in their recommendations anyways.</p>

<p>Instead I wrote about the final conversation I ever had with my grandfather. A Portuguese immigrant, he never had an education but was a natural lover of learning and his last wish for me was to never stop thinking, and to never stop questioning the world around me. I wrote about how I can still hear his final words to me even to this day. </p>

<p>The other essay I wrote was one about my summer two years ago, going into my junior year. That summer I developed an insatiable appetite for reading, and I read many of the classics like Plato, Aristotle, Hugo, Camus, etc. However, those books totally changed my view of the world. I went from being a typical 16 year old, honors student who thought he knew everything, to a much more mature young adult who realized just how little he actually knew. I ended the essay by saying, "May that night, the start of that summer, always remind me of how small I truly am, but never deter me from searching. May the quest live on, and may I always remember the summer I read Les Mis</p>

7

<p>OP,
I beleive that you chosed the right topics for your essays and they had the right personal touch and showed the personal growth and maturity. The decision date is not too far away. And as JHS had already stated, you will do perfectly fine no matter where you matriculate and will have a bright future ahead of you.</p>

8

<p>Just remember, your real “big dream” isn’t Harvard. It’s becoming a good man who accomplishes things. Harvard may be one path for achieving that dream – no one here has told you that it was a mistake to apply – but Harvard is just one path of many possible paths. It’s not the destination.</p>

<p>So . . . what other “paths” are you applying to? I hope you have your other applications in, or are working on them this week. If it turns out the news from Harvard next week is bad . . . well, you seem a little high-strung about that, so you may not do your best work right afterwards.</p>

9

<p>I saw that you read Camus, and I had to post! “The Stranger” is one of my absolute favorite books! (And for the record, my mind went all AP Lit on your essay’s closing quote :])</p>

<p>Back on topic: I think you have a chance–everyone has a chance. It definitely helps that you have taken advantage of everything in your small town; I am from a small town in rural Georgia so I completely understand where you are coming from. I often worry whether or not I will get in too because I haven’t had as many resources as some other applicants. But you know what, just the fact that you have pushed yourself beyond the limits of your community already makes you a winner! </p>

<p>Good luck! The world needs more “small town, big dreams” people like us!</p>