<p>I am currently in my freshman year. I have a 4.0 GPA, (4.33 GPA weighted). I am rank 1 in my grade level. I am currently taking all honors and plan to do the same next year with 1 AP class. I am also playing JV in my school tennis team (hoping to play Varsity next year) and I am the boys tennis team manager. I am also a regular volunteer at the Fremont Animal Shelter. I am enrolled in CTY (Center for Talented Youth) and I have attended for 3 summers. I got 740 and 770 on SAT Math 1 and 2 this year and I am planning to take SAT biology. I have also had experience going to school in China.<br>
How are my chances and what else can I do? Thank you!</p>
<p>I hope that since you are only a freshman, that you can relax a little about college for now. Just live your life, follow your interests, and explore who you are without doing everything for the sake of getting into Harvard.</p>
<p>Also, try to learn about other colleges. There is nothing magical about Harvard: it is just the most famous. It may or may not be the best fit for you. Think about whether a school fits you and don’t try to mold yourself to fit the school. But even that should wait a year or two.</p>
<p>I am a parent who is grateful that my kids did not grow up in an environment with all this pressure, and hope that you can enjoy your teens.</p>
<p>^^ harvard is magical. not for everyone.</p>
<p>don’t live your life for harvard; live your life as you would like as a hardworking student and pray harvard wants you. that’s all. don’t be one of those nerds who wastes their entire four years striving for one school.</p>
<p>Honestly, just get straight A’s and score well on your SAT’s (preferably 2300+), but after that you can just relax and follow your passions. Don’t volunteer to add to your resume if you’d rather be participating in a school play because you love theater, for example. If you have straight A’s and great test scores you’ll get into many good places, if not harvard.</p>
<p>Agreed. When I was a freshman, I did not even know what college is. If you focus on Harvard now, you will be in trouble for the next three years, especially at college time. Anytime you get a low grade you will become frantic and depressed. Your high school experience will be ruined. Furthermore, given the complete randomness of the college process, if you get a rejection, your life will be crushed. So really, don’t sweat it; there are plenty of other places out there that are equal to or better than Harvard in some respects. Harvard is an amazing school, but it is not perfect in all aspects. You gotta really look everywhere before choosing Harvard as the perfect place for you.</p>