careld

Hi, I'm a rising senior who's going to apply for college this year!
I was just wondering, do I have any shot at all for Harvard??
My scores are pretty decent, but there's nothing SUPER FANTASTIC or an eye-grabber for my EC
If you could chance me and give me some ideas on what my chances are and what I might do more, I'd be really thankful


GPA - 4.95/5 (unweighted - our school doesn't have weighted scores)
ranking - top 10% (school doesn't have ranking system)

SAT - CR 770 MA 800 WR 800 (2370)
SAT II - Math II C 800, Literature & US History 750+ (predicted)
AP - Micro(5), Macro(5), Calculus(5), Chemistry(5), US History(4 - going to retake)
going to take US History, US GNP, Comparative GNP, English Literature, English Language, Psychology and Statistics this year

Mock Trial - team captain, 2 Best Attorney Awards, 2 3rd-place Awards
(going for 1st-place this time, if succeed then will go to US Nationals)
Moot Court - Individual 5th place speaker
(going for competition again, if within top 6 then will go to US Nationals too)
MUN - Honorable Mention award, school delegate for THIMUN-Singapore
President of multicultural family tutor club - 150+ hours, awards for participation
Volunteer at refugee center - yet a sinecure, have to develop it more this year
Translation volunteer - miscellaneous club projects, Compassion (50+ hours)
Lacrosse - school junior varsity team member (few teams here, our school always wins)
Badminton - individual and team awards in school competition
Research project on aid agencies in Nepal - got published in government paper (was part of government teenager go-abroad project)

Interested departments (I'm a pre-law)
: History, Government and Politics, International Relations, Literature, Philosophy


I know Harvard's probably too high for me, but still I'd like to see my chances.
I take criticism well, so please tell me how you really feel my application looks like
And I'd be really thankful if you could give advice on what I might do for my EC

careld

Nobody??

thomasrosal

Your scores are definitely well within Harvard's range, and as for your ECs, there's certainly a trend; you know what you're doing. I think now it really depends on how you differentiate yourself from everyone else. I'm sure there are tons of applicants with stats and ECs like you, so yeah, I guess the key is differentiation. You've got to offer the admissions committee something that applicants with your stats don't have. Like everyone on this website says, applying to Harvard (or any Ivies for that matter) is a crapshoot. I can't judge your chances; I don't think anyone will, but I'd say your definitely in the range.

collegeluva101

I'd say you have pretty good chances. Good luck!

awkwardpenguin13

I'd say you have a good chance, especially if you go EA. :-)

T26E4

No one's chances are "good" at a school with ~7% admit rate, IMHO. You're in the competitive range however and it's worth a shot. But know that you'll need to stand out somehow amongst the others with similar stats/GPA as you in order to move along in the process.

careld

Thanks for all the advice. About the differentiation part, are you talking about the 'hook' for my essays, or other extracurriculars?? Do yoi have any ideas what I might do more for my ECs??

aashish1996

Your academics are definitely well within the range of Harvard. You have a solid chance of making it to Harvard. Just know though, you need have your own unique thing that you are good at and good luck.

blumox

Really sorry to disturb this discussion,i desperately need help.

i am currently in class 12 and will be appearing for the boards exams this march.I was unfortunate to realize my aim just 3 months back and hence i am striving hard for it.
i want to pursue a bachelor course in mechanical engineering at Harvard.

fortunately i am involved in tons of extracurricular activities and have also been the vice head boy of my school last year.my academic record isnt that great. apart from my class 10 th boards i dont have a good score in past 3 years. my hopes are high for these board exams. i scored a mediocre 70% in my preboards. i dont expect to get in these universities as a freshman hence i am planning to apply through a transfer and i wanted the details about the same.
please tell me about the exams, academic requirements, and any thing else that may be essential for transfer.
i am desperate to get admission and i am ready to do anything for it.

thomasrosal

Off the top of my head, I think an internship at a law firm would definitely boost your chances given your concentrations. You could also get an additional rec from someone there. That, coupled with your research project, really ought to get your app recognized. And yeah, your essays too I guess. I read somewhere that they not only ought to be intellectual in nature, like you show you learned something and how you learned it, but at the same time a "slice of life" in the sense that your essays reveal the kind of person you are the committee.

careld

aashish1996, thanks for the encouragement, I hope I really do make it

blumox, start your own thread.

thomasrosal, thanks for the suggestion, I'll look up some internships and see if I can land them And about the essays, if for example I was writing about learning leadership I should not just write about how I learned it and was affected by it but rather talk about my original leadership qualities and how it enhanced it? Or something like that?

collegepepper12

You are amazing!! I think you will get in. You sound like a perfect candidate.

Chance me? im getting nervous reading stats like your
GPA 4.84 in line to be valedictorian
SAT: 1840 SAT subjects (chem, bio, us history): 1940
Pres/ founder of Speech and debate. Won regional finalist award
Mock trial president. 6 awards
Academic Decathlon participant.
NHS, Key club, history club, math club, Peer leadership, JV Tennis, theater, drama club.
I passed 4 APs, I am taking nine this year, but ill probably only pass 8. I have over 900 hours of community service.
I am getting so nervous looking at other people stats, I also have an interview with harvard.. chance me please, and any advice would be appreciated.
Good luck to you friend

gibby

What many "chance threads" don't understand is that Harvard Admissions is looking for "character" -- and that cannot be gleaned from a laundry list of accomplishments and stats, such as yours.

"Character" is an old fashioned word that means the way you develop your inner qualities: intellectual passion, maturity, social conscience, concern for community, tolerance and inclusiveness.

Harvard accesses character through what your teachers say about you in their recommendation letters, as well as your guidance counselor's SSR report and your essays. See: Guidance Office: Answers From Harvard's Dean, Part 1 - NYTimes.com

"While we value objective criteria, we apply a more expansive view of excellence. Test scores and grades offer some indication of students’ academic promise and achievement. But we also scrutinize applications for extracurricular distinction and personal qualities.

Students’ intellectual imagination, strength of character, and their ability to exercise good judgment — these are critical factors in the admissions process, and they are revealed not by test scores but by students’ activities outside the classroom, the testimony of teachers and guidance counselors, and by alumni/ae and staff interview reports.

With these aspects — academic excellence, extracurricular distinction, and personal qualities — in mind, we read with care all the components of each application."

So, what are your chances? As good as anyone's, but MUCH depends on what your teachers and guidance counselor writes, as well as how your essay comes across.

careld

collegepepper12, thanks but probably not true Could you create a new thread, elaborate more on your ECs and leave the url?? I'll chance back there.

gibby, thanks for your advice. Problem is, I'm meeting my counselor for the first time next April, since only the seniors got chances to talk with him. Any ideas how I could get close with him within a few months?? I really don't know what sort of relationship to establish with him

gibby

^^See: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/...chool_Form.pdf

Your guidance counselor will probably ask you to complete a number of essay questions so he can complete the SSR form above. Ask a current senior student about the process at your school.