Chance me for Havard?

RhineandRoses · 12-25-2007, 04:03 AM

Okay, I'm new to all this so I hope I give all the information...

15 year old junior at overseas school.

Female.

Have attended DoDDS (Department of Defense Schools) all my life, except K which was in a Japanese school. Have lived in Japan and Germany all my life.

2007 PSAT 224

GPA 4.2+ (only weighted classes at DoDDS are AP) (Got a B+ in AP US History)

AP composition (4) and US history (3) in 10th grade

SAT (as sophomore) 2270 Will take again and hope to improve end of jr year

Take the most difficult classes offered at my school, which means I'm in mostly senior classes as a junior and don't really know what I'll do next year. Probably distance ed courses, which means I'll be sitting most of the day in a computer lab. Alone. AP Calculus BC, AP German, AP Psychology, AP Physics, if I can get it, and then I don't know what to do for English- maybe another writing class from JHU CTY.

This year I am in AP Calculus AB, AP lit, AP US govt, Right now have As in all. Also taking CISCO (tech required course), chorus, German 5, and Physics (not offered as AP)

Also took a few summer courses: Johns Hopkins CTY writing course, BYU Japanese class (both distance ed), FL governor's summer class for gifted in math and cryptology Got A's, but will not have them added to my transcript since only APs count as weighted and the 4.0 will bring my GPA down.

Mom won't let me work because we have to go to the USA for summers.

Have lots of community service hours, mostly from mission trips to eastern Europe.

Extracurricular: Letter in varsity cross country, Prom Czar, Brain Bowl, Advanced chorus, wrestling (this is my first year-don't know if I'll letter)
Youth leader at my church, piano since age 3, voice since age 11. I was thinking of submitting a cd of my piano with my application???? I won't major in music, though. I've won my school's math competitions- high scorer as a sophomore, but did not qualify for national level. (Hope to this year!) I think it's some national math contest sponsored by math teachers.

Plan to major in math, maybe. I want to go to med school to become a psychiatrist.

Also considering: Yale, Tufts, Boston College, Stanford, University of Florida, Johns Hopkins

Any comments, advice? A family friend who went to Harvard Law says I won't be happy at Harvard as an undergrad and recommends Swarthmore, Haverford, and a few other liberal arts schools. The comment was about undergrads at Harvard in general, not me specifically.

Have traveled extensively because we live in central Europe.

bwzhou6543 · 12-29-2007, 01:10 PM

Not quite sure about international students.

You seem very well-rounded, good PSAT. But what about ACT/SAT?

As for music, on the Common app it allows you to check a place to send in music. I would recommend sending it in even if you don't major in it because it gives them something else to see about you (dedication, etc.).

Not offering too much because I don't want to give bad advice..

SSAT · 01-05-2008, 11:59 PM

Dude, all you have to do this calmly talk to Soowook, it's no big deal...Geez people nowadays!

myohmy · 01-10-2008, 08:10 PM

You should be a shoo in at Tufts. They love international students and your work experience on missions would really appeal to them. Great school...my sister goes there. You are in the same boat as everyone else with regard to the Ivies but you have a really interesting profile given your overseas experience and languages. Don't know why you are interested in the Florida college. It doesn't really match your other choices. Good luck.

mosharrafb · 01-24-2008, 03:21 AM

i think you have an excellent chance given your stats.......but then again most of those who apply to harvard are truly exceptional.......but i think you should make it....cheers!

tetrisfan · 01-24-2008, 04:09 AM

Oh man gotta love this thread...1069 view, and I'm only the 5th replier!

chair2 · 01-28-2008, 08:23 PM

female wrestler! that's so coool! if that's one of your more important activities i think it'd make an interesting essay.

you sound like you have a good chance. keep up your stats and don't freak out about your GPA too much.

caffinefree826 · 02-02-2008, 12:35 PM

as you probably know, harvard has gotten way more applications this year than in any other year, and nobody knows how its going to be next year. i think you've got a good chance, especially because of your excellent PSAT score (study for the SAT and you'll do amazing!), but my biggest advice to you would be to make sure you get some 5s this year on your AP tests! colleges love those, and from a person who obviously is very bright / tests very well, a few 5s on AP tests is pretty much expected. also, your ECs arent really all that impressive, but interesting- highlight that uniqueness in your app

razzberry1010 · 02-03-2008, 05:22 PM

i have a question, why University of Florida? i live in gainesville florida, which is where the college is located, and its so weird to see UF amongst ur other higher tier choices. i also applied to Harvard, and though i have no clue where i stand as of now, i feel like ur credentials give u a good chance.

im just curious what you saw in UF that made you choose it?

fibonacci · 02-03-2008, 10:57 PM

If you send in a recording, I'm pretty sure they *will* send it to their music department for feedback. So I'd only send a recording if it's really good.

RhineandRoses · 02-04-2008, 01:49 AM

i listed uf because my mother and cousins graduated from uf, and I am "from" Florida. my mom also worked in Gainesville and loved it. We visited last summer. I think it's a cool campus, plus it's the only safe school on my list. also they give NM scholarships and I'll probably qualify. it's not my first choice, but it's a choice i can be happy with plus I'll have relatives close by, which is kinda important to me since my immediate family lives in Europe.

if i send in a music recording, it will be top quality. i'm pretty accomplished in piano, plus i started practicing this audition piece in august and won't record until may- lots of time to polish.

sammyone · 02-08-2008, 01:22 PM

U r already in.I know someone who had 2040 in SAT 1 and is at Harvard. (He had 2400 in SAT2 so that probably balances it.) U probably had a lot to write about in ur essays( wrestling, piano and all that) - I wish u saw how flat mine were. Trust me, I'm not being modest here. Good luck and remember me when u enter Harvard sometime in August.

flywilliams · 02-09-2008, 06:13 PM

Thread opener says she has a PSAT of 224. Does anyone know what a perfect PSAT score would be?

RhineandRoses · 02-10-2008, 09:07 AM

perfect PSAT is 240

schmohawk · 02-10-2008, 09:23 AM

Do not take these people very seriously about Harvard, because your chances of getting in are about 1 in 2700. Your resume is good, as are the resumes of most of the others who apply. Of course, some of them will be development cases from well connected prep schools, some will be legacies, some athletes, and some URMs, so they will have a leg up on you. The truth is that being qualified does not = getting admitted. Same goes for Stanford. Better chance to be admitted at the others.