Dear any Harvard students/ parents,
How old were you, or your child, when you knew you wanted to apply/attend Harvard? Did you apply on a whim, or had you been planning for years?
Sincerely,
An 8th grader who has no idea what they want to do.
You’re not even in high school yet! You don’t need to think about college for a few more years yet. It’s okay that you don’t know what you want to do. In fact, your plans are likely to change a bazillion times before you figure it out.
As for me, I only decided to apply when I got some promotional stuff from them in the mail near the beginning of senior year. It was a very last-minute decision but I’m glad I did because I’m really enjoying it. For now, don’t worry about what colleges to apply to. Just focus on working hard and doing the things you like best now in high school. 
Dear 8th grader: This article was written just for you!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-s-doctoroff/college-interviews_b_1288106.html
Thank you for the insight, @gibby and @radmadeline . Oftentimes, I see juniors/seniors freak out and stress terribly. By the time I’m in their position, I hope to have the self-assurance and serenity to go after my goals without going crazy. Lol
At age 6 or so my son announced that he was going to attend Harvard. Even at that tender age he knew he wanted to reach for “the best” and, from his childish perspective, that meant Harvard.
As the years passed his perspective changed, and he chose to study at another university.
Fairly last minute based on courses in a particular major and location. We did not talk about colleges at all until mid-junior year and certainly did not focus on Ivies. You are stressing in 8th grade about stress in 11th grade Double stress!! Try not to think about it too much for a couple of years.
And Sherpa makes a good point. Many come on here saying that since age 5, Harvard has been their “dream.” It is a little like wanting to be a fireman when you grow up Not that there aren’t mature reasons to apply to Harvard…but not at 5 and not in 8th grade either.
Before birth some parents are fixated on their future child attending Harvard.
I learned about the whole US college process less than a year ago.
I was not set on Harvard until around 28th of October
Oh- there are mature reasons for wanting to be a firefighter too.