<p>What's the craziest, most messed up thing you'd do to get into Harvard? This thread is just for fun :)</p>
<p>… nobody would do <em>anything</em> crazy to get into Harvard?</p>
<p>How about: Work hard in school to get good grades and dedicate myself to cool extracurriculars! Oh wait, everyone does that…</p>
<p>Consider (not any action more laborious, though) doing the optional supplemental essay.</p>
<p>I would make out with my girlfriend for hours. Oh wait, I would want to do that anyway.</p>
<p>Write a 150 (crazy) pages book (in 10 days = mess up), publish it on wordpress.org (again crazy) and send the link to Hahward!</p>
<p>My life for Harvard? (Starcraft reference)</p>
<p>Anywho, let’s say hypothetically a kid gets rejected and threatens to commit suicide if Harvard doesn’t accept him. What would Harvard do?</p>
<p>^ Hahward will inform 911!</p>
<p>The kid must have serious mental issues to want to commit suicide just because he/she got rejected from one of the best schools in the world. It’s a tough process. </p>
<p>Either that, or the person is desperate and overreacting.</p>
<p>Either way, I’m pretty sure that Harvard would not be pleased or impressed with this applicant’s behaviour.</p>
<p>What would I do to get into Harvard? Oh wait…</p>
<p>Yep, that’s what I thought most people would say. That’s what I would probably have said too, but then I started reading about other systems of education. Gotta feed my application addiction somehow. XP</p>
<p>Are you familiar with the gaokao, and other East Asian equivalent university placement exams? Kids take a single test, and it determines where they go to college, which is many cases will determine how well they do in life. GPA, extracurriculars, none of it matters. Just that one test score. Answers come out right after the exam ends. Kids (and parents of kids) know how they did right away. Some of those who do badly commit suicide. I read about this, and I thought “what would happen in America?”</p>
<p>I thought it was a line of questioning worth pursuing, anyways.</p>
<p>Sorry if I’ve made anyone feel depressed. I lubz u? :X</p>
<p>See, I am not money driven (ok I am, but not much), but I found this link interesting. Check it out now!</p>
<p>[Where</a> CEOs at America’s Largest Companies Went to College - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/mba-jobs/articles/2010/11/15/where-ceos-at-americas-largest-companies-went-to-college?s_cid=related-links:TOP]Where”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/mba-jobs/articles/2010/11/15/where-ceos-at-americas-largest-companies-went-to-college?s_cid=related-links:TOP)</p>
<p>@adchang, I know exactly what you’re talking about with “gaokao”. It’s like the Asian equivalent of the SAT, but more intense. It’s true that extracurriculars matter little, if at all (unless they did something amazing, like win an international award). Many times, families go with the student on test day and bring flowers and food before the exam starts. They usually wait outside until exams are done and students come out. There is a LOT of pressure. TONS.</p>
<p>Yupp. Well, its the same thing here in a way-- a competition to get into a top school.</p>
<p>Adchang - Many countries follow the same guidelines for college admissions including Bangladesh, India and many other South Asian countries. It’s pretty competitive though. </p>
<p>Stories like wasting a year to retake exam just because one got sinusitis on the day of exam is common here. :(</p>
<p>I have relatives in China and they all go absolutely bat**** over those, but…yeah. I get kinda freaked out.</p>
<p>I’d knit my admissions officer a crimson afghan and send it to his/her office.</p>
<p>I would apply. I have applied. I will suffer until the end of March.</p>
<p>And learn how to properly play Tchaikovsky’s Concerto in D. Gosh, I can almost) do it now too. Just couldn’t do it for the supplement. Arghhhhh timing is everything.</p>
<p>We never hear about people going (to borrow portia’s expression) bat**** about college apps here. Well, we do. But not THAT bat****.</p>
<p>I think I’d do anything to get into Harvard, though nothing TOO extreme (e.g. wear my birthday suit and parade around the school).</p>
<p>Just be me- what more can I do?</p>
<p>@portia, adchang
I can’t make out what the “bat****” mean…I just can’t. Am I the only one who lacks the creativity?</p>