<p>crimson4me, of course you want to get the highest scores that are REASONABLY possible to get, but once you are in a school's range (as you appear to be for Harvard), a lot more than scores are going to enter the admissions picture. Harvard has to turn down many valedictorians with near 800's, yet does admit many with somewhat lower stats who offer other things, such as special personal qualities, diversity, leadership, noticeable abilities or talents, unusual life circumstances, intellectual curiosity, maturity, etc. (not ALL of these at the same time, of course).</p>
<p>thanx mom555. i know these things and i know that my SAT scores wont stop them from admitting me... but something still keeps telling me that i should be getting better SAT scores, etc. </p>
<p>i do have diversity, leadership and noticeable abilities (art), i suppose, as well as unusual life circumstances.... but im afraid that there are too many ppl with those characteristics... and that i have to do well in EVERYTHING to keep up with my competition. maybe im being slightly irrational... </p>
<p>i suppose, even if i had perfect SAT scores and the best ECs and academic results, my admission still would not be guaranteed...</p>
<p>crimson4me, although you've already taken the SAT's a reasonable number of times, maybe it's worth one more shot because you haven't taken the new ones, and I do believe they are different, based on my son and daughter's experiences.<br>
You are right that even with the "perfect" record (whatever that is), admission to Harvard specifically would still be an uphill battle. Not that it isn't worth it to try because it's a great school, but there are MANY others that are equally good too. What I would do to channel that normal anxious energy of this time period (once you've kept up your effort in school) would be to investigate deeply other schools that look good to you (including ones that have a higher acceptance rate) to get excited about other options too. As I said, Harvard can be a great experience, but it isn't perfect. My husband was a biochem major (premed) there and did not have a very supportive experience - in fact it was pretty brutal. My major was in the humanities, and it was all nurturing and exciting. We wouldn't have been happy at a school where kids didn't appreciate academics, and we have lifelong friends from Harvard that are special because of the kinds of students Harvard attracted, but we would have been equally happy and met the same kinds of people at many other schools.
My son is now a freshman at Wash U. in St. Louis. He applied ED1 there last year because not only did it have excellent academics but also an incredibly supportive administration and a HAPPY student body. My daughter, a senior in high school, also is lookingat Wash U. as well as the Universities of California. Wash U's strengths for her I've already mentioned, and the UC's are exciting, vibrant, diverse places full of OPTIONS despite their bureacracies. So definitley apply to Harvard, but spend an equal amount of time delving into that banquet of wonderful colleges out there.
Good luck! (I haven't figured out yet how to do a smiley face on these posts =) ).</p>
<p>i also thought that maybe taking the new SAT would be a good idea... but the problem is, firstly that i have only one test date left (so either it's improving my math 2c, or retaking SAT I) AND that i will be going away in january. i'll be away for three weeks and coming back only on january 24, meaning that i won't have literally any time for studying.</p>
<p>i will give my harvard application my all, but i have already researched other colleges. the main problem i have is financial aid because im an international.... and have a very low family income. so, yes, i do have several options that i can fall back on, but in a sense, they're not really that reliable because, even if i get in, my financial need might get in the way... and cause them to reject me. </p>
<p>thank you for the advice though, i know harvard isn't the end all be all, but getting in would just... be amazing. not just because it's the big H... but on several different levels.</p>
<p>Oh, and the smiley's just a colon next to a closed bracket :)</p>
<p>Here's what I would do about the SAT:
- Access the latest SAT results on the College Board web site on Monday, December 19.<br>
- Before the 19th, take a practice new SAT I test. (Can you access one internationally pretty quickly? The best ones are the ones from the College Board itself).
- On the 19th compare the results of your Math 2C test with the practice new SAT I and see which one is worth more of a shot in January.
- If you decide on the new SAT I in January, could you take several practice tests between December 19 and Jan 24? Taking practice tests is the best way to prepare for the SAT I test over studying.</p>
<p>And keep looking at those college options to see if some can meet your needs in a way that you can get excited about. Hang in there!</p>
<p>By the way, I went to Harvard from the American school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (it was snail mail all the way in those days). I too lived all over the world growing up - my dad's job transfers.</p>
<p>Still working on the smiley - thanks for the tip.</p>
<p>wow, thank you so much! that's some really good advice right there! i'll take that practice test before the 19th and see. any other tips? :)</p>
<p>Glad it helped. That about covers my ideas. Take care!</p>