<p>i'm not sure if i can still get in, but i just finished highschool and i started college this year. BUT, i didn't get into my top choices so i ended up going to a local school in my area, university of mass amherst. I still want to go to harvard and i want to know what my chances are. is it harder to transfer, i mean are admissions more stringent? i am going to reapply after this first semester and see what happens, but what else can i do? I am taking honors level courses, 6 courses total, and i want to be a lawyer. I am working hard to get all As but even with that i don't know what they will say. I did good in highschool with a 3.8 gpa and alot of extra curriculars, i dont know why i didn't get in. is it just harder for girls to get into harvard? i am going to call the admissions this week and ask them what i should do to improve my chances.</p>
<p>"i am going to reapply after this first semester"</p>
<p>they dont take any transfers for fall 2009 entry</p>
<p>So i have to wait a whole year before i can transfer? do you think that will improve my chances. i am so desperate to get in, i don't care what it takes, i will do it. If i have to take 20 classes i will ! Please help.</p>
<p>dont feel bad about not getting into harvard, many people dont get into harvard you have to be a superstar among 100 very talented applicants to get in, i think the acceptance rate is 7% so imagine 7 out of 100 get in 93 get rejected and about 78 of those applicants have 36 ACT/2400 SAT/4.0 GPA, I mean it really is hard, my best suggestion is keep working and trying don't give up hope and see what happens when you try and transfer</p>
<p>You really should keep in mind that Harvard didn't take ANY transfer applicants last year, and there really is no expectations for that to change this year. Even if they did, you're looking at acceptance rates less then 5%. For comparison, Yale's acceptance rate for this year transfer students was 2-3%.</p>
<p>It doesn't hurt to apply, but just realize it's most likely that they won't take anyone.</p>
<p>F O R G E T I T D O N T W A S T E Y O U R T I M E L I K E M E .</p>
<p>well this is depressing, to say the least. is there anything special i could do like an internship or something to show that i deserve to get in? Like some kind of extracurricular, do they still look at that kind of thing in college transferring?</p>
<p>Harvard is not even taking transfer applications this year. See their website: Harvard</a> College Admissions Office: Prospective Students. This may change in 2010. But even if it does, transfer admissions is harder than freshmen admissions. You say you "deserve to get in" but the fact is, so do a lot of people. Harvard has the luxury of picking and choosing among highly qualified candidates. No matter what you do Harvard isn't a guarantee. So, what you should do is enjoy your time at UMass and find things you like and dedicate yourself to them. Don't do things just for Harvard.
In fact, you should forget about Harvard completely at least until January 2010.</p>
<p>I know how you feel, but sometimes you need to be realistic with your goals. Harvard isn't the only school that will guarantee you success in life, there many people who become more successful than Harvard graduates. There are however other universities that are exceptional and it would be wise to look into some of these Tier 1 unis. My advice is to stop dwelling on Harvard, and look into other great universities, try look into Northwestern, NYU, or even Boston U. Many of these universities are respectable. You need to find the ones that are a match for you. If you're looking for quality education you will get them at these unis, Harvard is not the only means for this kind of privilege. </p>
<p>That being said, I will also tell you not to give up, 2-3% acceptance in say 2010 is still a chance, you can be that statistic. Harvard won't accept transfer applicants for this fall, so unless you are looking to wait for another year (even this won't guarantee that they will accept applicants in 2010). To best prepare for this, remember Harvard will regard 4.0 GPA applicants as average, you need to standout. Strive for rewards, show capability leadership, excel in the things you love to do, that show you are truly part of this Harvard student body. </p>
<p>Harvard are looking for candidates who will contribute and who are capable of changing the world for the greater good once they leave, they are looking people who would become next president, the next Microsoft CEO, the best surgeons and lawyers etc. All of them were leaders at some point during their high school years. To get in, you need to STAND OUT. </p>
<p>Good Luck</p>
<p>i guess you're right, there's not much to hope for. i could still try BC or BU for now, they accept transfers for spring 2008, the rest of the top tier schools like yale, and columbia are probably the same as harvard. I'm still going to try for harvard but for now i can try BC or BU. how hard do you think it will be for me to get into either of those 2? Are those two good choices for someone who wants to be a lawyer or should i be looking elsewhere?, and thanks for the help :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
I know how you feel, but sometimes you need to be realistic with your goals. Harvard isn't the only school that will guarantee you success in life, there many people who become more successful than Harvard graduates. There are however other universities that are exceptional and it would be wise to look into some of these Tier 1 unis. My advice is to stop dwelling on Harvard, and look into other great universities, try look into Northwestern, NYU, or even Boston U. Many of these universities are respectable. You need to find the ones that are a match for you. If you're looking for quality education you will get them at these unis, Harvard is not the only means for this kind of privilege.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is worth repeating!!!</p>
<p>Collegeboard statistics for BC (may not be current):
Transfer Students</p>
<pre><code>* Total number of transfer students who applied: 1,632
* Total number of transfer students who were admitted: 268
</code></pre>
<p>And for BU:</p>
<p>Transfer Students</p>
<pre><code>* Total number of transfer students who applied: 2,350
* Total number of transfer students who were admitted: 752
</code></pre>
<p>So it looks like BU is easier to get into, but both are a lot easier than Harvard!</p>
<p>You can still transfer into Harvard Extension.</p>
<p>whats that?</p>
<p>I suggest you look into smaller liberal arts schools as well. Williams, Amherst, Dartmouth all focus on their undergraduates and promote a small, intimate classroom atmosphere that will definitely help you hone your critical thinking skills much more than a lecture-oriented university would. </p>
<p>Sorry, but you won't get into Harvard. They have announced that they aren't taking any transfers this year. You can try next year, but this seems like a pattern. Princeton also does not take transfer FYI</p>
<p>thinking about harvard before Jan. 2009 is silly. however, if you do have that goal, keep working hard for it! Many top schools have the same academic quality with harvard, you should think about them. to that point, deft. i agree with -Lurker-.
but what's Harvard Extension? anyone can explain it? :S</p>
<p>Harvard extension is, quite obviously, an extension of Harvard U. It's open admissions, but you must score a B or A? (need reference) for the first 3 courses you take during Harvard summer school or extension school to continue studying at the extension school. You cannot apply if you already have a degree. Extension School offers a number of degrees in the liberal arts. Most of the students are, however, part-time adult students who have not earned a degree yet with the average age of students being 30-33. Whilst you do get the same kind of education Harvard students get, you are not a HARVARD undergrad student, you are a HARVARD EXTENSION student, there's a difference, and employers know this. Although, I do not know how reputable a degree from Harvard Ext. is, I'm assuming it shows quality education and that it is above average, since the courses are demanding (and I don't think Harvard Professors will change their degree of leniency just because you're not a student of Harvard U). But that may be a good thing for most of you, who are looking for a challenging undergraduate experience.</p>
<p>I was thinking about applying, but the reason I don't want to do this is because it seems Harvard Ext. isn't your traditional undergraduate university. Social life may be lacking due to the number of part-time/adult students and mostly evening classes (but then again I might be wrong, since it's a possibility to intermingle with the Harvard U student body). </p>
<p>That being said, it's no walk in the park, if you can't complete the first three courses prior to entering the Harvard Ext. with an A or B then, I don't think they will accept you. Though you can apply for the first 3 courses through open admissions then apply with 2 essays and resume or something like that. </p>
<p>Keep in mind, this was all from my head, I may have gotten the facts wrong. Visit the website for more information. Also remember this Harvard Extension won't improve your chances of transferring to Harvard, although you will be studying on campus by Harvard Professors, there are online courses as well. </p>
<p>harvard is going to be out of reach, if they do allow transfer admissions in the near future they won't have many spots and only those superstar applicants will get accepted (4.0 at a good school, great sats, great hs record, incredible ec's and other accomplishments)</p>
<p>if you want to be a lawyer take a step back...going to harvard undergrad is great if you want to go to harvard or stamford law, but not necessary or even the norm...work hard wherever youre at and you'll have every opportunity to get into a great law school</p>
<p>Listen OP, here's how the world works today:</p>
<p>The people who matter the most come from top 5 colleges.
Then the the top 10
Then the top 20
and so on.</p>
<p>Therefore Harvard grads matter the most in today's world. If you aren't good enough to get in then forget it, just go to an inferior college for now and try again for grad studies.</p>
<p>^^^ Dude, you've seriously got to get your values straight. </p>