| there's no foolproof road
just stop worrying so much about getting into Harvard. they want to see that you don't have a wall full of Harvard posters or don't dream about it every night. right now you need to get involved and start developing your personality so you can have your say when the time comes to apply. you need to have a picture of what the world is and how you can contribute to its development. just get involved in voluntary activities, do sports, and study the most varied things. when you find something you really enjoy, follow that as a passion, but don't forget about the other things. just don't be lazy. always try to discover more and more. harvard wants people who are opinionated and who have a thirst of learning and discovering, of molding their future with their hands, and the future of the world. be that person. be proactive and don't be afraid to make changes, but also don't think in terms of "what i need to do in order to..." harvard doesn't want people who are so weak that they live their life so as to get into the best college. they want you to have a personality so you can make the most out of their resources and then go on to change the world as much as you can. college is just one step towards achieving that. | 
College Confidential is dedicated to providing the best free college admissions information available on the Web, through our many articles and this discussion forum. For those of you who wish more personal advising, College Confidential offers private counseling services, conducted via e-mail, with services starting at $89. Counseling is conducted by our Director of Counseling Dave Berry, co-author of America's Elite Colleges and/or with Sally Rubenstone, co-author of Panicked Parents Guide to College Admission, and our other outstanding associates. See College Counseling for more information.
