<p>I know it may be a long shot, but its the college I've wanted to attend all my life and wanted to know how I would rank. I want to go there for Econ. American citizen who was born there and spent 4 years there but I have been moving around the world a lot. My graduating class will be the best my school has ever had bar none.
I attend a private school in Chennai, India where I am taking the IB. Can you also recommend some other colleges that would be well suited for me. I also want to got to Wharton and CalTech.</p>
<p>IB: possible 39-45/45 points
Courses: (Hardest courses offered) HL Econ, HL Math, HL English. French ab intio (They didnt offer Spanish B), SL Chem and SL Bio.
SAT: 2200
SAT II's: Math, Literature, US History, (750-800)</p>
<p>Recs:1 X Harvard Summer School Prof (Econ)
1 X Columbia Summer School Prof (Econ)
2 X HS Teachers (Known for 3 and 5 years, Exemplary Grades)
1 X Guidance </p>
<p>ECs:
Columbia University Summer School (Introduction to Business, Economics and Finance)
Harvard University Summer School (Journalism/Economics)
SAISA Swimming (4 years, broke South-East Asia Records)
Student Council (3 Years)
Jazz Band (2 1/2 Years)
Model United Nations (2 Years)
New York City Kendo Club (1 Summer)
Fencing (2 Years)
Guitar lessons (2 1/2 Years)
Horse Riding (2 Years)
Polo (1 1/2 Years)
Photography (2 Years, couple of exhibitions and prospective books)</p>
<p>Volunteer Work (500-750 Hours)
Community School
Crocodile Bank
Cancer Hospital
Fund Raisers
Habitat for Humanity
Night School
Deaf/Dumb School
Cabaret</p>
<p>Work Experience
The Hindu (Newspaper)
Physiotherapy Clinic
Modeling</p>
<p>Pretty Advanced with:
Eb Alto Saxophone
Acoustic and Electric Guitar</p>
<p>Wow, all HL. I think you have a better chance then most. Esp with the Harvard/Columbia summer school programs...they must be selective. Probably a 40% chance for you (while most people only have a 9% chance)</p>
<p>your travel experiences make you unique, so i think you have a good chance at Harvard, wait, what's your GPA? or is there not a GPA system in India? i'm in an IB program also, but we're not offered HL math, is that 3 years? or 2 years like the SL?</p>
<p>My travel experience if it counts I think is amazing, i have lived in the US, Germany, Turkey, England and now India. I have traveled pretty well, to over 30 countries. The IB i don't think offers GPA becuause a 7 in the IB would be like i dunno a 4.66 or sm. But I think I ma equal to a 4.0 GPA currently. I attend an international school as I stated above. All HL and SL Courses are 2 years but SL is 150 hours of contact time while HL is 240.</p>
<p>Unless your two summer school professors have something unique and amazing to add about you that your teachers or guidance couselor wouldn't be able to express, I wouldn't advise going with all those additional letters of recommendation. It makes admission officers frustrated when extra evaluations turn out to be just "copies" that don't present anything new about the college candidate.</p>
<p>Have you actually visited Harvard? If not, I strongly advise that you do. I visited Harvard a couple times before, and it's not exactly the most friendly atmosphere that you will find. Yes, the academics there is top-notch, and the name will open up a lot of doors; but the social scene is very akward. The students there, at least the ones that I've met, are very unenthusiastic about life.</p>
<p>25-30% The summer schools show you have money; I believe they will hurt you more than help you. Remember: the adcoms probably didn't have such opportunities. Without them I would say 35-40%</p>
<p>the summer schools aren't going to hurt him, it's not like having money makes you seem less of an applicant in anyway. In fact, actually choosing to spend his/her money on summer educational programs makes him appear to actually love to learn, something that is truly important in the application reading. I think that the OP has as good a chance as anyone, if he/she is as good as it appears at swimming, then he/she should talk to the coach to possibly be recruited</p>
<p>alright well about the summer schools, the columbia one I had paid for the other one I won a fund for so its not like I have a ton of money, my bro will go to umich the year before I graduate and my parents (I dont mean to brag, but land and stuff hear is really really expensive) are building a multi-million $ home so my college well shouldn't be too expensive. The main reason I wanted to go to Harvard is because of the Economics/History/Theology course and partly the name but the colleges that I really want to go to are Wharton or Caltech. I am sure that it will be an antiseptic society but if it helps me in life great. </p>
<p>The main careers I am looking at are my first, Investment Banking, writing for the Economist, historain, or teaching last. Swimming record for 50 meters is 25 sec. a couple of seconds off olympic time.</p>
<p>I have 600 community service hours now, is it worth getting 1000?</p>