<p>Don’t base your college list on “if I get a better ACT score,” if’s aren’t going to get you anywhere. Make a realistic list on what you have now. This is September…are you putting in apps for safety schools? Also, why do you keep harping on a sob story? Has somebody told you that is what makes a good essay? Just a bit confused on why you keep going back to that theme.</p>
<p>I’m trying to think of good essay topics. Some of the options for the Common App are like “Some people have something that is so central to their identity that …” or "Name a time you defied / challenged a belief or idea (my parents lol) and these topics are hard for me. I’m trying to think of things that are important to me and it’s hard. I’m really bad at explaining this though </p>
<p>And according to Harvard’s website, “If we feel like we’ve gotten to know you better after reading your essay, you’ve done a good job.” I’m trying to think of something personal that they wouldn’t know unless I told them otherwise. </p>
<p>@ejcclc I got my scores back on the ACT… only got a 30 
I’m gonna try again in October. I improved 6 points on math , 3 on science and 1 on reading but went down 2 in English </p>
<p>@sally305 What are good SAT subject test scores? Do you HAVE to make an 800? And I went to an informational meeting with Harvard and they suggested you take a subject test before you apply. However, I see the next available subject test date is Nov 8, which is a week after the early app is due. Is there any way I could still get in or send these scores later and still get in early admission?</p>
<p>@bldrDad I might as well mark Harvard off my list … I took 3 subject tests yesterday and did well on the questions I answered but couldn’t keep up with the questions and wasn’t able to answer ~10 on each test so I’d be lucky to break 700 on any of them … </p>