<p>This is my final try, I must be feeling masochistic today ;).</p>
<p>Working with underserved communities was an EXAMPLE, to try to get you out of the mode of the typical dime-a-dozen, all-for-me types of ECs. </p>
<p>Do you have any children, special needs, homeless, elderly, etc. people in your area? Does your local government have any committees that you could serve on as a student representative? Are there peer tutors at your HS? Again, these are EXAMPLES. </p>
<p>You’re interested in political science and government, and I would guess that that’s because you have some drive to improve institutions and policies. My comment is that it would strengthen your application to actually show by your actions that you are committed to improving the lives of others in some way.</p>
<p>Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do fine whatever road you take!</p>
<p>I’m really sorry if my comments came across the wrong way, entomom. The reason I came to CC is because I wanted help, and that is exactly what you have been giving. I would truly like to say that I apologize if i abused you in any way :)</p>
<p>And BTW. This year, I am in Mu Alpha Theta and act as a math tutor. Next year I’ll be volunteering at my school’s writing center and I volunteer weekly at my local hospital; I also plan to volunteer in a local basketball year that I’ve participated in for 6 years. I’ll look into the other examples you gave.</p>
<p>It’s often difficult to get an accurate interpretation of what someone is saying via long distance posting, I think we have a mutual understanding. </p>
<p>Roughly speaking, Harvard expects top SATI and SATII scores (750+ in each subsection or close,) straight A’s in the most rigorous courseload available, but this is not what gets you in. It’s more like they are looking to check off the smart box so that they can look at your ECs. Typical EC’s are founding fundraisers or community service organizations–these tend to be preferred over simply advancing to a leadership position in a school club (though these are good to round out your resume’.) Writing for a real newspaper is also considered outstanding. This is true of most of Harvard’s peer schools. I would say they value aggressiveness and being a “go-getter” more than some of their peer schools. Rather than the U. of Chicago ideal where they think the smartest guy will later on have the most effect on the world, at Harvard they expect to see evidence of going out in the world and doing something even as a high school student. The most common major at Harvard is government–I wonder if these means that they value volunteering in political organizations? Combining my last two statements, I’d guess that mentioning in an essay that you want to be president would make you more viable a candidate as opposed to being seen as arrogant.</p>
<p>“Typical EC’s are founding fundraisers or community service organizations–these tend to be preferred over simply advancing to a leadership position in a school club”</p>
<p>Meh… this is being done ad nauseum. Whenever someone says they started an org or ran a fundraiser, my first question is: “what did you find deficient in the clubs/charities that were already in place that didn’t meet the need?”</p>
<p>The “I started a club/charity/fundraiser” thing is quite overplayed, IMHO.</p>
<p>Ha ha, I know, but it still seems to impress for some reason. Adcoms tend to be behind the curve. I remember in the 90’s they were impressed with community service in third world countries. On CC in the mid to late 2000’s, I’ve heard from adcoms that community service in third world countries is now considered to be equivalent to vacation paid for by rich parents. Like I said, they’re behind the curve.</p>