URM Harvard EA??

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello I am an African-American male junior from a public high school in Washington State. I plan on majoring in economics or government. My brother just finished his freshman year at Harvard.</p>

<p>Current GPA: 3.84 UW, 4.4ish weighted (15/396)
SAT I: 2100 (720 W, 700 CR, 680 M)
SAT II's: US History - 750, Chemistry - 680 (taking Biology, Math IIC, and Spanish June 3rd)</p>

<p>AP World History - 5,
AP Chemistry - 4
AP Statistics - 5
AP English Language - 4
AP United States History - 5</p>

<p>EC's:
1100+ Hours of Community Service thus far...
Youth Link Board Co-Chair (City board that manages over $150,000 in funding annually and distributes it to youth-oriented programs) (11)
Youth Link Grant Committee Founder/Chair (11)
Founder/President of Teen Coffeehouse Initiative (9,10,11)
DECA (9,10,11) -- Currently President
Debate (9,10,11) -- Currently LD Captain
Student Senate (11) -- Senator
JSA (9,10,11)
Youth Council Member (9,10,11)
Safe Rides Program Executive Committe + Design Team Member (9,10,11)
Community Leadership Awards Speaker + Planning Committee Member (9,10,11)
Youth Involvement Conference Speaker + Exec. Committee Member (9,10,11)
JV Tennis (11)
National Honor Society (10,11)
Have played the piano for 8 years</p>

<p>Awards Won:
AP Scholar With Distinction
Wolverine Guard Award for Excellence in Community Service (Over 1000 hours)
1st Place at Area in DECA Sports & Entertainment Marketing Category, State Qualifier</p>

<p>Freshman Year Schedule:
10th Honors English A/A
AP World History A/A
Honors Precalculus B/B
Speech/Video Production A/A
Honors Chemistry A/A
Spanish 3 A/A
P.E. A/A</p>

<p>Sophomore Schedule:
AP American Literature B/A
Health/Wt. Training A/A
AP Statistics A/A
AP Chemistry B/A
AP US History A/A
Spanish 4 A/A
Wt. Training/Computer Graphics A/A</p>

<p>Jr. Year Schedule:
AP English Literature & Composition A/A
AP Calculus AB B/B
AP Biology A/A
AP Spanish 5 B/A
Advanced DECA A/A
Photography/Adv. Photography A/A
Drawing+Painting/Adv. Video Production A/A</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule:
AP Gov
AP Spanish Literature
Advanced Literature (new post-AP Lit class)
AP Calculus BC
AP Economics
AP Physics
Advanced Marketing</p>

2

<p>I'd try to get your Math SAT up.</p>

3

<p>ur in seventh grade i dont think ur in any position to be giving advice to juniors.</p>

4

<p>With your brother at Harvard, you should already have a good handle on what it takes to get in.</p>

5

<p>Harvard: Match</p>

6

<p>"ur in seventh grade i dont think ur in any position to be giving advice to juniors."</p>

<p>I knew someone was going to say that.</p>

<p>I'm just being realistic. I've rarely seen anyone on these boards with less than a 700 that was applying to ivies.</p>

7

<p>You have a chance, but I wouldn't expect admission.</p>

8

<p>Harvard is not a match for anybody, but you've got a decent shot.</p>

9

<p>Jon. K. exactly all u have to base ur advice on is these boards which are like the top1% of applicants. this is why u shouldnt be on these boards because u get warped views of college admissions. and ur annoying :)</p>

10

<p>Your best advice is from seeing what it took for your brother. Same school, similar stats? It will help you slightly that he's there. I would agree that rsisig the SAT would help.</p>

11

<p>is having a brother LEGACY?</p>

12

<p>I don't think it is.</p>

13

<p>Even a legacy won't help at a place like Harvard.</p>

14

<p>Brother isn't legacy, but if you have a similar/better application and your brother got admitted and is doing well, that speaks well about you.</p>

<p>And actually, a legacy does help at a place like harvard.</p>

15

<p>GreenDayFan, what did I do to you? What do you have against me?</p>

<p>And you think I'm annoying?</p>

<p>ha.</p>

<p>Go away.</p>

16

<p>The Math SAT score is just a triviality for me, especially since it's pretty clear you're not going to be focusing on math/science, though econ does need more math than other related majors like poli sci. I think you have a very good chance, looking at the stats of a black URM accepted Harvard EA at my school.</p>

<p>And legacy helps more at Harvard than at other colleges, like the UCs, which don't take it into account. HYP have a legacy admit rate at least double that of their regular admit rate. This is simply correlation; not claiming causation because I don't want to get into a "legacy at Ivy League schools" debate.</p>

17

<p>ur black and top univeristies are always looking for smart AA kids, especially cuz they NEED the diversity.</p>

18

<p>To anyone who said something about Harvard and legacy: Harvard is among the most loyal schools in the country, but only if they are your parents. If your parents are alums and grandparents and great-grandparents, then obviously that is better, but your grandparents alone won't help you. Very often, having a parent alumnus is the difference between being accepted and being waitlisted. You still need the 2200+ SATs and the near perfect GPA, but, with those things, being a child of an alumnus or alumna increases your chances considerably.</p>

19

<p>Wow...im surprised by the number of responses this post received. As far as the SAT math question, a part of my application that irks me as well, I am planning on taking the SAT again in october (the 2100 was actually the score I got taking it without any prep) and hopefully by then I can get my scores up (after some intense prep in August/September). Im also taking the ACTs "dry" this saturday and will most likely take them again in the fall. I will also be attending the LEAD Summer Business Institute at Wharton this summer but left that out, as well as the fact that I took that SAT dry, in order to get the most accurate response as to where i stand NOW and not where I could possibly stand.</p>

<p>Thanks alot guys you guys have been really helpful (and have focused me on getting that math score up). Good luck to all you other '11 applicants.</p>

20

<p>There is nothing wrong with a 680M. It is silly to think there is any difference b/w the 720, 700, and 680. Instead of focusing on an imaginary 700 cut-off, focus more on improving your overall score. A 2200 would make you much more competitive than you are currently. However, you hav a decent shot even with your current stats.</p>