What are the possibilities?

[PinkCalculator18]

<p>I am a junior, and I honestly have slacked on school until right now.
my current GPA is a 3.7.
I have taken no AP courses.
I have taken one honors course.
I have a lot of good EC's and plan on taking summer pre-colleges courses at Harvard, Brown,etc. </p>

<p>I feel like if I get a perfect score on my SAT or ACT I'll be able to get it, given that I apply early decision.
I know it is such a reach, but something tells me that if I work really hard now, I can bring my GPA up to a 4.0 and plan to take a TON of AP's my Senior year. </p>

<p>Do you think that I could POSSIBLY get in? </p>

[gibby]

<p>

I feel like if I get a perfect score on my SAT or ACT I’ll be able to get it, given that I apply early decision.

Look at the order of things that Harvard values
<a href=“Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 2 - The New York Times”>http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/harvarddean-part2/&lt;/a&gt;

We have found that the best predictors at Harvard are Advanced Placement tests and International Baccalaureate Exams, closely followed by the College Board subject tests. High school grades are next in predictive power, followed by the SAT and ACT. The writing tests of the SAT and ACT have predictive power similar to the subject tests.

Then look at the average GPA of last year’s admitted class
<a href=“The Harvard Crimson | Class of 2018 By the Numbers”>http://features.thecrimson.com/2014/freshman-survey/admissions/&lt;/a&gt;

The average self-reported unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale was 3.93. Fifty-four percent of students reported a perfect 4.0 or above

Now do the math. If you get a straight A in every course next semester, is it possible for your GPA to go from a 3.7 to a 4.0 at the end of junior year/beginning of senior year when you would apply SCEA?</p>

<p>Now, think about your teacher recommendations. In comparison to students at your high school that currently have 4.0, what will your teachers write about you? Will they proclaim that you are one of the best students they have had in their career?</p>

<p>The reality is that when you apply to college, Admissions Officers directly compare you to your peers at your high school. So, you need to enter the admissions process with your eyes wide open and realize: (1) your GPA isn’t going to go from a 3.7 to a 4.0 in one semester – it’s an impossibility, and (2) scoring a perfect score on your ACT/SAT, while helpful, is not going to push you over the fence of and by itself.</p>

<p>Look through the SCEA decision threads of this year and see for yourself: <a href=“***Official Harvard University 2019 SCEA Decisions ONLY*** - Harvard University - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/1714730-official-harvard-university-2019-scea-decisions-only-p1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[ZBlue17]

<p>To be honest, I don’t think you have a shot. A 3.7 is even too low for a student with a lot of AP classes. Since you don’t take AP classes and only 1 honors, it’s literally impossible. I’m a sophomore in high school and currently I have a 3.80 gpa. I got a C and a B last semester (also 1 B freshmen yr). I took and AP class freshmen yr and I’m currently taking 2 AP classes this yr. next yr I’ll take 5 AP classes. I don’t think any of the Ivies accept students with no APs (even if they have a 4.0). Just my guess, I might be wrong. Good luck!</p>

[gibby]

<p>

I don’t think any of the Ivies accept students with no APs (even if they have a 4.0). Just my guess, I might be wrong.

When you apply to college, your guidance counselor must rate the rigor of your courses in the Secondary School Report (SSR) as compared to all other college bound student’s at your high school. ALL selective colleges, including Harvard, want to see that you have the MOST DEMANDING rating, which usually means students have taken the maximum number – or close to the maximum number – of AP’s available to them. If a student’s high school does not offer AP courses, ALL selective colleges, including Harvard, do not hold it against them, so long as your GC rates the rigor of your curriculum to be MOST DEMANDING. See page 2 of SSR: <a href=“http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/documents/UG_Admissions_SecondarySchoolReport.pdf”>http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/documents/UG_Admissions_SecondarySchoolReport.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[skieurope]

<p>

I don’t think any of the Ivies accept students with no APs (even if they have a 4.0). Just my guess, I might be wrong.

You’re wrong. Many schools, including elite privates, offer no AP’s at all, and they still have students who matriculate to HYPMS.</p>

[ZBlue17]

<p>Yes, I realize my error. I forgot that some students don’t have that available to them. But if your school offers them and you take none of them, that’s a major red flag. It shows that you didn’t challenge yourself and they want people that challenge themselves.</p>