What are my chances for Harvard University

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Applying to harvard just for the fun of it...my real reaches are Tufts, Duke, Northwestern, & Columbia</p>

<p>Potential Majors - Economics and International Relations</p>

<p>Secondary School - International School Bangkok (ISB)</p>

<p>Grade 11 (Class of 2006)</p>

<p>Cumulative GPA - 4.216 through grade 11</p>

<p>Class Rank - 4</p>

<p>Classes - IB HL Economics, IB HL English, IB Japanese, IB Biology SL, IB Math Sl, IB English HL, IB Business Management SL, Theory of Knowledge
*HL - Higher Level ; SL - Standard Level</p>

<p>SAT I (new) - Math(710) Critical Reading(640) Writing(730)
Total of 2080, which is equivalent to about a 1380 on old one</p>

<p>SAT II - expected scores: Math IIC(600-650) World History(600-650)</p>

<pre><code> I plan on retaking SATI in Oct. and SATIIs (plus SATIIJapanese)

in Nov.
</code></pre>

<p>Extracurricular Activities:
In School
- National Honor Society (vice president)
- Golf Team (captain)
- Cricket Team (vice-captain)
- Model United Nations (traveled to Singapore for conference)
- Debate Team (finalists at inter-school debate competition)
- Politics Club (co-founder and co-president)
- Amnesty International (treasurer)
- Indian Club (vice president)
- Substance Abuse Prevention Committee (chosen by faculty to be sole representative of student body)
- Peer Helper (highly involved with new student orientations and helping new students adjust) </p>

<p>Outside School
- Royal Bangkok Sports Club (RBSC) Junior Golf Team
- Universal Golf Association (UGA) (UGA is a local golf association that was founded by members of the community and which organizes tournaments on a monthly basis)</p>

<p>Community Service:
- about 150 hours by graduation</p>

<p>Awards and Recognitions:
- High Honor Roll (9-11)
- Award for Academic Achievement (maintaining GPA of 3.9 or higher) (9-11)
- RBSC Sportsmanship Award
- Winner of 4 BISAC (Bangkok International School Athletic Conference) Golf Tournaments </p>

<p>I realize that my credentials do not really stand out among others (especially SAT scores which are horrible), but what can I do in my senior year to improve my chances at the aforementioned universities, i.e., tufts, columbia, duke, and northwestern</p>

2

<p>are you serious?
take a GOOD look at this forum before you post please :)</p>

3

<p>I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean there....</p>

4

<p>its just that if you have read some posts on this forum, you wouldnt set your goal as high as harvard ;)
most people who get into harvard are robots</p>

5

<p>haha, true...like I said, I'm applying there just for the heck of it...absolutely no expectations...what colleges would you reccomend as being possible reaches for me</p>

6

<p>Get your SATs up and you have a shot at the lower Ivies</p>

<p>IB gives you the advantage</p>

7

<p>"most people who get into harvard are robots"</p>

<p>i am quite human - flesh and bone, skrewed up myself and others many times over - and I got in with 10 points lower than your 1380. write a great essay about thailand, your life, your passion -- be real. you won't know how good a chance you stand until you deposit that application fee. best of luck.
and dooit -- criticism (even the honest kind) ain't nothin if it ain't constructive.</p>

8

<p>I say you have a shot anywhere. Just try and get those SAT's up for good measure, but you will stand out in the applicant pool because of some unique EC's and passions. </p>

<p>Write a good essay and I say you have a legit shot. </p>

<p>People on these boards think way too much about numbers and not about the entire application as a whole. If you can reach the ballpark numbers for SAT scoring, they dont really see a difference.</p>

9

<p>Yea..the fact that you have not just one but bunch of 600s on your SAT I/II is a pretty big turn-off. If you dont' bring some of those to 700+, you will be to be really amazing in other aspects to have a shot.</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
People on these boards think way too much about numbers and not about the entire application as a whole. If you can reach the ballpark numbers for SAT scoring, they dont really see a difference.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>See, that is the problem with college admissions nowadays. Universities have nothing to go on to back up their decisions. There is actually an article written about the "Admissions Voodoo", and how the "good enough" students admitted by the Adcoms really aren't good enough.</p>

<p>Anyways, haven't you ever heard of the phrase: "numbers don't lie"?</p>

11

<p>
[quote]
i am quite human - flesh and bone

[/quote]

would a human call him/herself "1214"?</p>

12

<p>I really have trouble believing 1214 got into harvard with a 1380, unless he's a URM, athlete, has AMAZING ECs, or has some other advantage. I've never heard of a normal student getting into Harvard with such a low SAT score.</p>

13

<p>Rice would be a good reach, one with a realistic possibility of success.</p>

14

<p>i'm from atl, and some guy from a nearby high school got in with a score in 1300s, i also read about another guy who was an outstanding wrestler and got into stanford with a score in the 1300s...</p>

<p>if you have ever actually looked at any Ivy League admission website you would read that "while typical scores are in the low 700's, academic achievement can overshadow lower test scores, while high test score cannot make up academic achievement"</p>

<p>your stats show that you're a hard worker, and your EC show that your well-rounded which is what Ivy League is looking for...</p>

<p>you can get in, numbers aren't everything</p>

15

<p>International Relations?</p>

<p>Hey Shivek, why don't you consider Georgetown? They're AWESOME for international relations</p>

16

<p>No One Gets Into Harvard</p>

17

<p>You have a really low chance. Even if your other stuff is amazing, you will be basically on auto-reject because of your SAT/SAT II scores. And if you apply somewhere "just for the fun of it" it means you don't really expect to get in anyway, so I don't understand why you'd make a thread asking for your chances on a place you are applying to "just for the fun of it."</p>

18

<p>


A wrestler and a football player -- recruited athletes are heavily hooked and account for the lower SAT range at the Ivies. Regular students do not get in with those scores.</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
No One Gets Into Harvard

[/quote]

So their 16,500 students are all just an illusion? People get into Harvard, its just very hard. Does shivek123 have a shot? Sure he has a shot, its just a long-shot. Good luck.</p>

20

<p>Check out some very good private schools that aren't as selective as Harvard, like Colby, Holy Cross or Colgate . All these schools offer good academics and social life. Colgate and Colby are a little remote while Holy Cross is an hour from Boston.</p>