What should I be doing to increase my odds?

<p>I am currently a Sophomore and would like to know what I should be doing to increase my likelihood of being accepted into an ivy league school, particularly Harvard. Here is a basic list:</p>

<p>Expected major: Applied Mathematics</p>

<p>ACT (As a sophomore): Composite- 33
Math- 36
English- 33
Reading- 32
Science- 30
I hope to raise my ACT score to a 35 by the end of junior year. I did this one as a sophomore with absolutely no prep just to gauge where I am at now.</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 unweighted
I have taken all the APs and Accelerated classes my school has had to offer. My course load for junior year will be as follows:
AP Calculus BC
AP U.S. History
Accelerated Physics
AP English Language and Comp.
Spanish 4 Acc.
Band</p>

<p>Extracurricular activities:</p>

<p>I play the trombone in "Band" band, pep band, marching band, jazz band, and brass choir. I really enjoy band and plan to continue participating in it in College. I am applying to be the section leader for marching band in my high school next year but a lot of people are most likely going to be trying out so I am not sure if I will make it.</p>

<p>I am a part of a leadership committee in my school's K.E.Y. Club (a volunteer organization). In addition, I created and run a website for my school's K.E.Y. Club. </p>

<p>I am also the election chair in my school's student council. I coordinate the elections, make sure everyone that is running is qualified, and things like that.</p>

<p>I am also in my school's Math Team. I took the AMC-12 this year but did not qualify to move on to the AIME (I believe that is the test after it, but I am not sure).</p>

<p>I expect to become an NHS member next year also. </p>

<p>Also, I heard that some majors are harder to get accepted with than others; what about applied mathematics? I really have a passion and interest for that so I don't plan on changing it, but I would just like to know.</p>

<p>Eh what are you doing going into applied mathematics? Are you really good at math?
TBH you can do a lot, but Harvard can be pretty hard to get into. Work on improving your standardized test scores, take the SAT subject tests, try to earn some rewards/certificates/get your name out. I’d worth on the extracurriculars+try to earn some service hours.</p>

<p>You might be better off applying under an easier major and transferring once you’re in the system.</p>

<p>I am a sophomore and did not prepare for the ACT at all. I am fairly certain that I can get a 35 as a junior.</p>

<p>As of now however, I got a 36 on the math portion of the ACT and I am fairly sure that I can get a 800 on the SAT II Math 2 test, but I do not now if I should take it know or wait to finish Calculus BC.</p>

<p>Also, on the PSAT (I know it doesn’t matter but it is good tool to gauge where I am at) I got a 80 on the math section, translating to an 800.</p>

<p>The PSAT/SAT math sections aren’t really good indicators of the ability to succeed in high level math courses. That being said, if you really think you’re good at math, what are you doing wasting your time in applied mathematics?</p>

<p>What’s wrong with applied mathematics? Also, I agree with you that the ACT and SAT math sections aren’t good indicators of high level math abilities.</p>

<p>What would you suggest if I like science and math a lot and would much rather work with a pen and paper than hands-on?</p>

<p>If you’re a math prodigy, you should be going into a form of pure or abstract mathematics. Not saying applied mathematics is a joke, it is far from that. Hell JVN had 60 papers in applied mathematics, sorry I’m rambling at this point. I’m just an advocate of pure mathematics lol.</p>

<p>What could I do with a major in pure mathematics though other than being a teacher? From what I have heard, the job opportunity for a applied mathematics major is much better than that of a pure mathematics major.</p>

<p>If you’re good, you’ll spend most of your time teaching and publishing papers. I doubt anyone on this forum is good enough to be publishing good papers at a fast rate. If you’re looking to make some $$$ neither of those degrees are right for you. If you love math, then go with pure. </p>

<p>If you want to compromise between $$$ and math, I’d advise you look into becoming some sort of a physicist. That involves plenty of applied maths and the pay isn’t terrible.</p>

<p>I haven’t taken any type of statistics classes yet, but do you think I would like that if I like math? Also, what is the average salary for a physicist? I haven’t taken physics yet but I feel I am really going to enjoy it since I enjoy chemistry a lot (the theoretical side of it though, less so the experimental side).</p>

<p>Stat is math so yes you’ll like it lol.
I take back my earlier comment, I’m a bit tired. You can do a good bit with a degree in app. math. The average salary of a physicist is pretty low, unless you’re good. What do you plan to do with your degree though?</p>

<p>Get a job. I don’t really care what as long as I enjoy it and make enough money that I don’t need to worry about money.</p>

<p>What is your class rank? Being the number 1 or 2 will help a lot. And run for president of your clubs- especially national honor society.</p>

<p>Other than that, it’s a crapshoot.</p>

<p>My class rank in weighted and unweighted is number 1, but for next year my school has decided to get rid of class rank which really sucks for me. My weighted GPA is a 4.9 atm, which is the highest possible. (I have taken all AP and Accelerated classes, which earn a 5.0 with an A, and Oral Comm, Health, and Consumer Ed are all required and earn a 4.0)</p>

<p>Work on ECs, a lot.</p>

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<p>An applicant’s intended field of concentration has nothing to do with his or her prospects for admission to Harvard College.</p>

<p>Here’s my candid advice as a former interviewer: don’t do anything to improve your chances of being admitted to Harvard. No matter what you do, you can’t make your chances any good. The numbers are simply stacked against you. </p>

<p>Study hard and get the best grades you can. But apart from doing well in school, do things because you like to do them. The students who do get into Harvard are, almost without exception, not the ones who deliberately groomed themselves for Harvard. They are the ones who excelled in school and excelled in something else–something that they really cared about for its own sake–outside of school. If not-specifically-trying-to-get-into-Harvard works, and you get into Harvard, great! And if it doesn’t work (which is overwhelmingly likely), you’ll have had much better quality of life in high school.</p>

<p>I suggest you read this blog post: [Esse</a> quam videri | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/esse-quam-videri]Esse”>Esse quam videri | MIT Admissions). Most high-school juniors and seniors who post on College Confidential completely miss (or ignore) its point.</p>

<p>Maybe transfer to a more prestigious high school, do a summer pre-college program (and internships relating to applied mathematics during the school year), and work on some sort of “hook” EC.</p>

<p>Wow, I’m really turning into one of those CC kids. So I’ll just ask the ultimate admissions-whoring question: are you an under-represented minority, living well below the poverty line, and/or going to be the first person in your family to go to college? In an attempt to counteract centuries of racism/classism/generally being gross, Harvard’s admissions people are ALL OVER that stuff now.</p>

<p>Think in terms of the admissions officers. How many applications do you think they read with the words “band member” or “math club”? Try to do something that will make yourself stand out, something that the tens of thousands of kids who apply don’t already have</p>