What could I do during the summer to increase my chances of getting accepted into Harvard?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

Hi. I am currently a high school student in the 9th grade. I want to apply to Harvard in a few years, and I’ve been wondering what I could do during the summer to increase my chances of getting accepted. The summer break is quite long and I want to do something productive with my free time. What I planned so far is to learn french (I want to take DALF C2 in the 11th grade), volunteer, prepare for TOEFL, Cambridge C2 and SAT.

I’m also interested in applying to any kind of summer programs and internships that accepts international students, but I don’t know many of them. I would be very thankful if you could recommend me some.

2

9th grade is a little on the early side to worry too much about these things, but I can make a couple suggestions.

There aren’t many formal programs in America that accept international students at your age, but I would recommend looking around your local area - particularly, get in contact with local universities/labs and see if a professor/researcher might be interested in having you help out for a couple weeks or shadow them or help them with their research. Better yet, if you have a family friend who works at one of these places, give them a call - I know a lot of people who did something like this. You’d be surprised at how many people are willing to give you a chance if you approach them the right way, and its very impressive for a rising 10th grader to have some research under their belt already.

Otherwise, consider spending a few weeks shadowing or working at a family member’s firm or with a close friend’s parent, or volunteer at a local charity that you care a great deal about.

If I recall correctly, Princeton had an essay for you to explain what you did over your summers but Harvard did not -
however, it’s a common question that gets asked at interviews. I find that the important thing about making use of your summer isn’t necessarily doing something incredibly impressive but making sure it’s something that has meaning to you or that you can talk about well.

Personally, I think I spent that summer with family in France and volunteered to teach at a small elementary school ‘for troubled students’ there - I taught mathematics and they taught me French. Nothing crazy but I had some nice anecdotes to share about what I learned there.

3

Harvard and other top schools are not impressed by activities that only wealthy families can afford, such as poverty tourism.

4

I’m confirming what @TomSrOfBoston just said: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/06/03/college-admissions-secrets-will-a-summer-trip-abroad-get-you-into-harvard

Unfortunately, many US business owners want college students as interns and are NOT interested in high school students doing the same job. Admissions Offices understand this, so if a high school student does manage to get an internship, an AO is going to assume – rightly or wrongly – the student got the internship through family connections. So, many times an internship backfires as it reeks of privilege, unless of course you manage to snag a well respected internship from one of these companies: http://www.hercampus.com/high-school/7-great-companies-high-school-internships

Most high school students are left with either volunteering closer to home or getting a job as a camp counselor, waiter, busboy etc (which is what my kids did when they were 16,17, and 18). Prior to 16, many US states will not issue a work permit, so you might want investigate on-line classes and use the opportunity this summer to take a college level course that would enrich your interests.

5

You are only in 9th grade. Wait a few years to worry about college admissions. And why Harvard? Are you well-informed on the options for college choices in the US or abroad? Many times students want to apply to Harvard because it is well-known, and they don’t have enough knowledge of other schools.

You ask about programs and internships without even indicating an area of interest. This is a huge red flag. Please consider using your high school years to develop genuine interests rather than gearing everything to college admissions. If you are guided by actual interest, desire to help, or natural talents, I am sure you will be able to find something useful to do this summer.

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Thank you for your comments! They helped me to understand a little bit better what to do.

@Telluric I agree it’s early to worry about such things, but I tend to get bored if I don’t have a goal to work towards.

Thank you for your response! I’ll try to speak with my teachers to see if they know anyone at local universities.

Ah, it seems nice! Maybe I’ll try to do something similar in the future. I would probably be a bad teacher, though. I am not very good with children.

@TomSrOfBoston What activities do you think I should do then?

@gibby Thank you! Sadly, I can’t apply to some of these internships because I live in Europe, not in the U.S.A. I’ll try to apply to the New-York Historical Society when the applications open in August.

I think I’ll start volunteering, maybe I’ll join the Red Cross.

Also, do you know where I could take online classes? I only know of edX and Coursera.

@compmom Sorry, I haven’t seen your comment. I appreciate your response!
Well, yes, I am in 9th grade, but I have only three years left until I will apply, and I really want to get into the university I want. Besides, I want to do something productive with my time, either something that could help my community, or something that I am passionate about.
And yes, I know quite a lot about Harvard and other universities.I don’t want to go to Harvard just because it is well-known.

I didn’t indicate an area of interest because I just wanted to know what available programs are, and I was going to make the selection myself. I didn’t want to make things more difficult for the others.

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A few hours ago, I didn’t have the time to completely respond, as I was meeting with some friends. As a result, I didn’t elaborate on some subjects: why I want to go to Harvard and what are my interests.
I am not sure if it’s allowed to double post on this forum-I looked around a bit and I couldn’t find anything about it- , so I am sorry if I am breaking any rules now.

Anyway, moving on. I am well aware of the fact that many young people want to go to Harvard because it is one of the most famous universities in the world. In fact, that’s why I wanted to go to Harvard a few years ago. However, that’s not the case anymore.
I am more informed and more serious now. I’ve read almost everything I could from their website, as well as many articles about it. I’m also watching youtubers that are going/went to Harvard. Of course, this may not be enough to choose a university, but I think it’s a start. Over the course of years I might change my mind and choose any other university, but right now I am sure that I want to go to Harvard. Not because it is “Harvard”, but because of the experiences, the spirit of the school, the people that are going there and the professors.

Now, I have quite a lot of interests. Firstly, I have an interest in business/entrepreneurship and that is where I want to go after high school. I also like physics and languages (especially English and French), and they are the school subjects in which I excel the most. As hobbies, I love drawing/painting, public speaking and history. In addition, I am very interested in leadership.
I hope that helped to paint a picture about my interests and what I want to do next.

Also, I really wanted to thank all of you again for taking the time to respond. To be honest, I didn’t really except any comments, so I am very grateful.

8

I’m a parent of a junior who will be a senior in the fall, and I wish we had been more aware earlier on. I’ve a lot of thoughts on this whole thing:

  1. One of the thing top colleges look for are "spike-y" kids.....kids who are the best in their field at one particular thing. I think if you were a "spike-y" kid, you would already know what that thing is. It seems like you enjoy a number of things, though; I think this is a great thing and you should be using your summers to try to explore a number of things to see what really interests you.
  2. Another thing colleges look for is interesting kids. I agree with the other posters that 9th grade is too soon to be focused on doing things for a particular college, but I disagree that it's too soon to be doing things. You want your focus to be on YOU and making yourself a better and more interesting person for your own personal growth, not for what some particular college wants. College admissions can be arbitrary because of how few spots are available and how many qualified candidates there are. So doing things to impress a college can end up with tremendously disappointing results. Doing things to make yourself a better, stronger person, though, will help you through the rest of your life.
  3. It's not too early to be thinking about what kinds of jobs there are in life, and talking with adults about their careers and their likes and dislikes about their jobs. Keep your ears open. And people love to talk about themselves, so while it might seem awkward at first, adults will be pleased to share this with you. Also, once you've established a rapport with some people, you might be able to ask if you can shadow them at their job, whether for a day or just a couple of hours....ask your parents about how to handle this.

4 Here’s some ideas for you for this summer:

(A) You have an interest in entrepreneurship... can you identify a need in your community and start a business to fulfill that need?  I know that sounds really tough, but I'm not taking about a big business. Watch some episodes of Shark Tank and see how people have started off small.   There are oftentimes volunteer groups of businessmen/women who are recently retired and are very helpful with ideas and know-how.  Ask around.

(B) design and implement a community service program to give back to your community. Think along the lines of a Boy Scout Eagle Scout Project.
© you like physics. Look into the various science competitions available for you to compete in, and use the summer to create your project. Talk to your science teacher about this. One of my daughter’s classmates was able to work over the summer on her science fair project at our local university because the project was of interest to them too, and this started from the student expressing an interest to the teacher, who knew someone at the university. This student had just finished 9th grade at that time. Regardless of how you place in the competition, you will have learned something from this process. What you get out of it can be as simple as deciding you don’t like something after all, to having something to put on your resume and contacts to help get an internship a summer in the future.
(D) for next summer, look into college pre-summer programs that will give you experience in a lab setting so that you will be more a more attractive candidate the following summer as an intern. For example, University of Chicago has a great summer lab program, and I think if you did that the summer between 10th and 11th, then when you apply for internships at local colleges or other science programs for the summer between 11th and 12th, you’d be a more competitive candidate.

(E). You like languages. Teach yourself a new language from the internet. Look into whether there is a “meet up” group that speaks that language, learn more about the culture associated with that language. It sounds stupid, but oftentimes restaurants serving that nationality’s food can help you find those groups or otherwise get involved with that culture. For instance, a Brazilian restaurant locally owned (not a chain) might host Portuguese conversation circles or know where they are held, and tell you when and where cultural events like parades will happen. Here in the US we have various clubs like the Brazilian American club, and you can contact them for more information. You can work on your language skills with the idea of getting more involved in that community and culture now, and then giving back to that community in 11th grade by helping immigrants from that culture assimilate into your culture such as by teaching them your language.

  1. Another thing you can do right now is volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to make contacts, and also to explore things you might be interested in.
  2. Besides formal volunteering, look around you. Do you have a neighbor that is old and having trouble mowing her lawn? Or a neighbor with little kids who can use an hour break to get groceries without the kids. Do little acts of kindness. It can really help someone, and it helps you be a good person. Don't underestimate the importance of being a good person. (Sorry if this is a little too "mom-talk", but I firmly believe this).
  3. Think about yourself. Do you have an area that you need to improve? Work on yourself over the summer. If you are shy, get a book to help teach you the things you need to do to make people comfortable and feel friendly towards you (like smiling, showing a genuine interest in them by asking them about things that they are interested in, etc), and then join a new group of people and practice those things. If you aren't good at sports, take up running. Etc. whatever you are weakest in, force yourself to stretch yourself and try to improve. This might not have any direct correlation to getting you into Harvard, but this will make you into a stronger, more confident, likeable person that will help you throughout your life.

Good luck!

9

adding a bit to @melvin123 's spikey comment…

Do something you truly love. Do two if driven to it. Focus on something that might appear as a waste of time given your assumed goals, for you will never have time to do that again. Paint…draw…volunteer to be a tour guide at a local museum. Do the things you enjoy. Even though they might not feel like they are working toward your goal…it could be that very thing that gets you in. An essay about painting has to be a lot more interesting than the kid who started a charity someplace.

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@ Eyeveee, but the kid who started a charity to raise money for his neighbor that he saw struggling, or for someone he had a true connection with, and maintains a true connection, I think that counts for a lot. I think the problem is a lot of kids just do things for their resume and don’t have any true connection to it and the AdComs can smell that a mile away and aren’t interested. Likewise, they aren’t interested in things that parents buy their way into for their kids. I agree that for a kid who loves to paint, the essay about the painting will be the most meaningful, because it’s the painting or the kid’s outlook on life as seen through the painting that tells the AdCom about the kid.

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@melvin123 very true. That’s what I’ve been telling everyone. If you’re unhooked, being “spikey” is the best way to get accepted by top colleges

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Hi! Thank all of you for your responses! You’ve made me realize that the journey is more important than just getting accepted. And I think it will help me not to get too stressed out in my last year at high school.

@SomeDancinPanda Thank you for sharing your video! It has been really helpful to me and actually inspired me. You just have a new subscriber ^^.
I’ll make sure to ask you if I have any questions, thanks.

@melvin123 Thank you very much! And I hope your child will enter at whichever university he/she/they want.

I really don’t want to overuse “thank you”, but seriously, thank you. Your advice is very valuable to me and I will try to follow it.
I have a question regarding the “spike”. How big does the spike has to be? It is enough if, let’s say, someone takes the first prize at the National English Olympiad from their country and goes to the International English Olympiad? Or wins a competition such as ESU’s Public Speaking?

And I love your ideas!
Starting a business sounds very interesting, but challenging. I think I might try to open a business online and to sell my drawings, since I like to draw and I’m quite good at it. And if it’s somewhat successful, I could print them and try to sell them. At the very least, maybe I could help raise some funds for an volunteering organization.
I’ll also speak with my teachers before the school year ends and see if they can recommend me anything at the university. I may also try to learn Chinese, I kind of like it and I’ve already had some lessons at school.
I think I could also pick up martial arts since I am horrible at sports.
In the end I think I have what to do in this summer, so thank you ^^.

@EyeVeee Thanks for the help! I’ll do something that I like doing!

@doorrealthe Can you please explain what do you mean by “unhooked”? I tried to google it, but I couldn’t find anything.

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In college admissions terms, being “hooked” means that you have an advantage over other applicants. If you’re “hooked,” it means that you are either an Under Represented Minority, a legacy, a wealthy donor, a first generation college student, or a recruited athlete. Being “hooked” significantly increases your chances of admission.

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A hooked student is an applicant with a special something about them, like phenomenal athletes who the school wants to recruit, an applicant whose parents did not go to college, an underrepresented minority, a student whose parents are really famous or really rich and donate a building, that kind of thing. There is a question about how strong a hook it is to be a child of an alumn…for that, it depends on the individual school and might only be a hook if you apply early decision. An unhooked student is everyone who doesn’t have a hook.

Winning your country’s National English Olympiad and going to Internationals is very impressive just because of the level of competition. I’m not familiar with this Olympiad so I don’t know if that’s just letting us know that you know the English language very well for a foreign speaker, or whether this lets people know that you have a real talent for English literature or maybe linguistics…I guess what I’m trying to say is, does this tell people that you have a fabulous skill in something and are likely to be able to contribute to the field of knowledge in that area. If you had said science or math or history, then yes. I’m just thrown off by the fact that it’s English; if native English speakers compete and this is an honor for them too, then this is a spike.

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Ohh, I see. Thanks. I’m unhooked then.

Uh, my bad, I don’t even think the International English Olympiad exists. What I found online seems to be an exam from India. I’ll go to the Physics Olympiad instead.

16

Are you doing the same amount of research on other schools? Or just Harvard?

If you are interested in business, finance, entrepreneurship etc. Harvard is not a good choice. They do not have programs in this. There are many schools that do have undergrad business that might suit your interests better. Or is it science that most interests you?

You are young so I don’t mean to be unkind, but it is not a good thing that you have to ask what to do in the summer to appeal to schools. Authenticity is important. Just do what you would do out of interest and skills.

I and others will just try to save you from focusing too much on schools with very low acceptance rates, regardless of your chances. You set yourself up for heartbreak down the road if you get too fixed on a school, you really do.

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On some of them, yes.

I know that. I am not 100% sure which concentration I want, either Economics (I know it’s not the same thing as Business) or Physics. Then I want to do an MBA at HBS.

I wouldn’t do something that I don’t like just to appeal to a school, from all the advice I will choose something that I like. Besides, I didn’t know what I could do during the summer, and I wanted to know more about summer programs and internships in order to apply for the next summer. And I don’t want to go to internships or summer programs just
to get accepted into Harvard, I want to do that to develop myself as a person.

Thank you for caring, I appreciate it.
While Harvard is my first choice and I plan do my best to get accepted, I am not obsessed with it. I would be completely fine going at another good university if I wasn’t accepted into Harvard. Harvard is not my ultimate goal, but it is an ambition that I will try to fulfill.

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Again, a little too early to look this far ahead, but you’re missing a step: full-time work experience. You won’t be able to go directly to HBS after undergrad.

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I was going by the title of your thread :slight_smile:

When you do land at a college, whether Harvard or some other great school, try to stay flexible about your future. It’s great to have ideas about what you want to do ultimately, but you have a lot of years ahead before graduation and it is healthy to change your dreams once in awhile. Maybe you’ll take a great class that will change your direction!

20

It’s okay to be ambitious and to know what it takes to get into the most selective colleges, but I think for most kids who get into these schools, it’s because they pursue natural interests, or they take advantage of opportunities. Ninth grade summer is hard because you are too young to do a lot. My kid who got into Harvard spent part of the summer (3 weeks) in an academic program and the rest teaching himself stuff that interested in with computer programming. Younger son went to a music camp for part of the summer.

My kid who got into Harvard (but applied elsewhere, was very interested in computers - he took MIT open courseware, got involved in the Linux forum, did some programming for a game mod, got acknowledge in a paper for a med school prof who asked him to write a program to help analyze proteins, and ultimately had enough skills that he was hired to work summers at a firm where he did some job shadowing summer after sophomore year. He never sat around thinking how can I get into Harvard, he just followed his passions and took opportunities as they came up.

One of the best pieces of advice about how to apply to colleges comes from MIT: http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways