|
Deepinging your ECs will help. By "deepening," mean organizing some project related to your ECs and/or winning some kind of regional/state award related to at lesat one EC. Take advantage of being an officer by spearheading some project. FOr instance, you could start some kind of Spanish club project that helps ESL students or migrant laborers.
When you do your extended essay, select a subject that you're interested in and then do some original research with it. "Original research" means doing an experiment or doing doing oral histories or using the archives at your state library. Get some mentoring from a local professor who's an expert in that field. You can arrange this by checking the college/community college web pages to find professors who are experts in the field that you plan to research. Call or e-mail them to see if they'll meet with you. When you meet, have some concrete ideas about what you want to research. Don't waste their time by expecting them to suggest something.
If you work well with that person, that person could write a good supplementary recommendation for you.
You also may end up with a project that could be submitted to a professional journal, history fair, etc.
Showing this kind of passion about your extended essay would make you stand out as most students seem to pick something that they think is easy, and then they do the easiest research that they can. Meanwhile, colleges like Harvard are looking for students with intellectual passion, not students who just do whatever is needed to get the grade.
Study for your SATs to raise the scores. Get review books and use the College board's free online prep site. Check CC to find and follow Xiggi's tips. Take the SAT at least once this spring, and depending on your score, once more in the fall.
Take the SAT IIs this May or June (Harvard requires 3 -- any 3 of your choice) in subjects that you've taken this year. Do take the time to study for them. Get the review books. Studying for them also will help you with your finals. Don't wait until the fall because you will have forgotten lots of info.
Because Harvard is a longshot for everyone, also look for other reach schools, safety and match schools, and make sure that you're applying to colleges that you'll be able to afford. Not all colleges promise to meet 100% of students' financial need. Some that do meet the need via large loans. For most students, including solidly middle class ones, an in-state public university is a good bet as a financial safety: a school that one knows one will gain acceptance to and can afford. Just get your app in early because often financial aid at in state publics is first come, first served. Check, too, to see if one has to submit extra apps for merit aid consideration.
| 
![bbtitle]](/images/misc/cc_logo.gif){kind=logo}
