Student's chance at Harvard

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

So I’ve come across these forums once in a while for years, and I know there’s a lot of useful info here. This is my first post, because I’m dealing with a situation I haven’t really faced before.

One of the students at my school is looking to go to Harvard, and I think he can do it. But I’m not familiar with Harvard admissions (Most of our students find work or apply to Ohio State. One girl went to Case Western in 2012), so can you help me out?

Here’s some info about the student:

3.98 GPA
2160 SAT
He’s taken all our school’s AP classes (6) and some online courses.
Best student in his grade (small school, so about 50 students)
Low income (Almost all of our parents don’t make much)

Extracurriculars:

He’s a youth leader at his church and helps raise money for an orphanage in Guatemala
He’s a starting tackle on the football team.
For a while he took care of his grandmother when she was sick, and he handled it really well - I was proud of him for that, and I’ll definitely mention it in my recommendation.
He’s running our school’s honor society for the second straight year (he was treasurer in grade 10)
He had a project that made it to the state science fair last year. Will Harvard give priority to applicants who have success like in competitions like this?
He’s entering the Siemens challenge this year.
He also had a job last summer working for the local newspaper.
Also, in his spare time he has an aquarium where he’ll raise different sorts of fish.

I think his essays will be great, because even though he’s a “science” student he can write really well. He’s got one recommendation from a teacher who’s known him since he was in middle school, which should be really good, and another from his AP biology teacher. He’s asking his pastor to write one as well. Since this is Harvard, I’m going to have an English teacher help me with the language of my recommendation (won’t be difficult finding good things to mention).

Also, a short while ago the school received some documents from the “National Merit Scholarship Corporation” asking him to apply for finalist status. I wrote a description of some of his activities, and I think he’s working on an essay, which should give him a good chance. Will that help with admissions?

I don’t know if all this will be enough, though, because our school doesn’t have as many AP classes as some others. Is that bad?

What do you think his chances are of getting in?

2

Is he an URM?

3

No. Most people in our town are white or arab (he’s white).

4

As a non-hooked applicant (assuming he’s not recruitable as a football player, and he would know it by now if he were), your friend is on the low side for Harvard in terms of his SAT scores and ECs. Harvard and other top schools certainly take into account the resources available to a student and how he/she has made use of them, and it sounds like your friend has done a great job given the opportunities available to him. But it will be hard to stand out.

If your friend is truly interested at applying to Harvard and other top schools I think it’s worth a shot, but he has to think hard about how to present himself in a way that will get their attention. He needs to make the case that if he had had better opportunities - such as those that Harvard or other top schools would provide him - that he would have shined that much more brightly. He will be competing for admission against national (not state) STEM fair medalists, and people with similar such achievements in other areas.

Why in particular is your friend interested in Harvard? What in particular makes you think that it would be a good fit for him more than the 2 dozen+ really superb and highly competitive universities and LACs out there? I would suggest that a student such as you describe might be overwhelmed in the highly competitive environment of a place like Harvard, but might thrive at a place like Williams where he would get more faculty exposure and potentially shine (and where his athletics might also be of interest).

5

Well, he’s the best student I’ve seen in my 14 years at the school - he took the SAT with little practice, got a 2160, and that GPA would be perfect if not for a B in Spanish during his sophomore year. He’s also a great person all-round, and a dream to work with. He walked into my office at the end of his junior year, showed me the SAT score report, and handed me a list of his extracurriculars - including some I never knew about before.

I’ll write in my recommendation that he’s the best student our school has had in a decade (which he is, by a long shot). Would this help? He wants to apply to Harvard because he’s hoping to attend the medical school when he finishes his 4 years.

Our football coach tells me he won’t be playing for a major football program, but he is a leader on the team (something else I’ll mention in my recommendation).

6

It’s wonderful that you are such a strong advocate for this student, and you should be extremely effusive in your letter. Letters that go above and beyond vs. those that are merely politely supportive can go a long way in terms of making an impression on an adcom.

Some things about Harvard admissions that might help you make a case:

https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/application-process/what-we-look

Given what you have said about this applicant, I would write a letter (not just for Harvard, but to all schools) that emphasizes the degree to which he stands out given his background and environment, and his potential for further growth in an environment which gives him greater opportunities and resources. Be passionate.

But I also think you should broaden your view. This person sounds like he is clearly deserving of a spot at a selective college where he could maximize his potential. I still don’t understand why Harvard is that place. I would suggest that he look more broadly, and think about what kind of environment would best suit him. Would he do better at a smaller LAC? What kind of social and academic environment would best allow him to maximize his potential?

No. Going to Harvard undergrad does not provide any edge on getting into Harvard Medical School. [I went to Harvard Medical School, for what it’s worth.] Plenty of Harvard undergrads do go on to the medical school there, but to do so they have to come out on top of the premed process, which is grueling. I still think that this student might be better off going to somewhere less pressured where he has a bit more room to blossom. If he does well, then Harvard Medical School is always a possibility down the road.

7

That’s a lot of information. I hadn’t come across some of it before, so thanks for finding it. It’ll take me a while to digest.

I have told him to apply to a safety (Ohio State) and some other schools - he’s thinking of Case Western or Purdue. (I tell all my students who know they’re going to college to find a safety just in case). He sees Harvard as his dream school, though, so it’ll be tough telling him that his chances are low. Oh well

8

OP, is he first generation? If so, that would help. Has he taken the ACT? He probably still has time to take that, and some students do better on that than the SAT. He should study for it if he takes it.

Also, I saw that you mention he may be a National Merit Finalist. This could be a very big deal for him. If he makes it, he can get a full ride to Kentucky, assuming they haven’t made any changes to that scholarship. He will also get close to that at Alabama. However, in order for him to make Finalist, everything has to be sent to the National Merit Corporation in a timely manner. Are you his GC? If so, you will have some work to do so PLEASE make sure all of the deadlines are met. Here is some information on that: http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf

9

With a 5.3% admission rate that includes hooked applicants, everyone’s chances are low. Write a strong recommendation singing his praise and potential and you may get the attention of someone on the adcom; but if I were advising this applicant I’d advise him to scatter in a few more reaches.

10

He is first generation. Students at our school don’t really take the ACT, but maybe he’ll be interested.

This is a kid who understands that National Merit could be a big deal, but he’s also looking to attend a school where he’ll be challenged. He doesn’t feel Kentucky or Alabama would be the best place for that.

If I’m not forgetting something, the deadline is the 7th, right? I have him handing in an essay next Monday, which we’ll send on Tuesday after I (and his English teacher) read through it.

11

If not the ACT, then see if he can retake the SAT and raise that score.

What can his parents afford? OSU offers some very generous scholarships, but to a very limited number of students. Can his parents afford 25K or so a year? Case Western offers nice scholarships, but they are off of a pretty high (60K plus) cost so affordability may still be an issue.

Please look over the Alabama forum. Lots of very high achieving kids are thriving there. (My nephew is on a full tuition scholarship and doing very well.) If this young man is thinking of med school down the road, then conserving funds for medical school could be crucial. It’s worth a second look IMO.

12

The deadline is November 1st. There’s a preferred or suggested deadline of Oct. 15th but that only helps them get started on setting up files early, it doesn’t give any boost in getting in.

13

“If I’m not forgetting something, the deadline is the 7th, right? I have him handing in an essay next Monday, which we’ll send on Tuesday after I (and his English teacher) read through it.” Yes, I believe October 7 is the deadline for the school to send everything in - including recommendation letter, transcript, etc. Also, please make sure the student sends SAT score to the National Merit Corporation. (I don’t mean to harp on this - sorry. Just want to make sure he is covered if he wants to take advantage of one of the big scholarships.)

14

^ @Falcon1, I believe the deadline in question for the OP was for school submission of NMS finalist applications. That deadline is October 7.

http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf

15

@suzy100, your point about maximizing resources for medical school is an important one. Given that long term goal, I think that the applicant in question should look at schools that meet the following criteria:

  1. Are excellent overall academically.
  2. That he thinks will be good fits for him based on his interests and personality, and which will allow him to thrive.
  3. That will be likely to be financially feasible.
  4. That will maximize his chances at a top medical school in terms of both academic preparation and financial resources.

I understand that Harvard may be his “dream school” right now. But a lot of teenagers have dreams that aren’t necessarily best suited to meet their needs in reality. Harvard might end up being a great fit, but I wouldn’t take it as a given, and even if it is he should cast a much wider net.

16

Sorry, I was talking about the Harvard deadline. My bad.

17

The student’s parents aren’t 100% sure what they can pay, but he should be eligible for Pell grants. His parents’ work contributes about $20,000 towards college for one member of our school’s senior class each year, to help them earn a degree, and I think he’ll probably get that scholarship. It isn’t enough for 4 years, though.

Thanks for the general advice, everyone.

18

Has he taken SAT subject tests?

19

He took a couple of subject tests last Saturday. Hopefully results will be good.