<p>Hello CC, before I go any further, I’ll give some background info on me. I’m currently in 9th grade, have no grades less than an A-,and volunteer at two museums and a library. In addition, I play the violin, study German as well as French and am planning to submit essays to AFSA and the Concord Review. I’m interested in politics, international relations and social studies/science in general. While I know there aren’t too many opportunities for high school freshmen, I’m aiming for the likes of Harvard and Yale, so I have to be especially impressive. My question is, what steps should I take to make that happen? Essay contests, competitions(more specifically writing/liberal), internships, whatever. Just throw them at me! I hear of high school students getting internships at think tanks, how the h*** does that even happen?! What are you magical secrets? It feels like I’m already too late and have failed before I even started…</p>
<p>Stop. Yale and Harvard are tired of getting cookie cutter applicants like you. Don’t worry about what colleges want, worry about what YOU want. Find your passion(s), develop them, and let them shine through on your application (which you still have a lot of time before)</p>
<p>^
Nah, they thoroughly enjoy attracting and then rejecting unqualified applicants. It raises their rankings. </p>
<p>First of all:
- Why do you want to go to Harvard or Yale? Have you ever visited a college? Have you ever even heard of any other colleges (glancing over the U.S. News rankings doesn’t count)? Have you ever considered that some other college might be a better fit for you, or that Harvard and Yale might not end up having the program you want, or anything like that?
- There is basically nothing you can do to guarantee your admission at schools like you mentioned. Several of the factors they consider are things you have absolutely no control over - race, whether you’re first-generation or not, legacy status, where you live, etc.
- Not going to HYPSM doesn’t make you a failure, and to say that it does is insulting to every successful person who didn’t go to those schools (aka most of them). </p>
<p>Ways people get internships:
- They filled out an application (typically available online) and were accepted.
- They have connections through their relatives.
- It wasn’t actually a prestigious internship but they inflated it on their resume. </p>
<p>Links to summer programs, internships, and contests you can look into:
[Opportunities</a> & Resources | JHU CTY](<a href=“http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/]Opportunities”>http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/resources/)</p>
<p>Sigh. This reeks of humblebrag.
Look dude, you seem really smart.
You’re also a freshman. Chill the hell out.</p>
<p>Join Model UN 
I’m a freshie and Model UN is awesome, even if you’re a sciencey-type person (me… sighs)</p>
<p>@halcyonheather
Thank you SO much for the link! The only problem is that I live in the mid-West so access might be difficult, but I’m grateful nonetheless.</p>
<p>@marshmallowpop
Humblebrag? A lot of my anxiety started after lurking on this site. People on here have done cancer research, given lectures in India and won international awards. How do I compete with that? Before you know it I’ll be 17 with nothing worthwhile. </p>
<p>@TheGreatCatsbyx
I’ll check the Model UN out. It pertains to one of my specfic interests. Thanks.</p>
<p>I’m sorry for coming off as a grump before- I didn’t mean to.
My point was that you have fantastic stats/activities, and you shouldn’t freak out too much. I think everyone suffers from CC anxiety at some point, and you kind of have to realize that not <em>everyone</em> who applies to an Ivy can cure cancer on the weekends. It’s not possible. So sure, make yourself the best you can be by pursuing activities you enjoy and by working hard in classes, but don’t beat yourself up because you haven’t _<strong><em>(fill in the blank with any ridiculous achievement)</em></strong>.
Also, if you’re interested in politics/law, look into mock trial. I share a lot of your interests, and I’m on my school’s mock trial team and I loveeee it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Why do you feel the need to compete? Why can’t you just find something you enjoy, and pursue it to the utmost, without comparing your accomplishments to others’? That’s how you become an ideal applicant: by not trying to be. </p>
<p>Now, beyond the cliche advice that I was obligated to repeat, read this article. It’s what I wished I had read back in 9th grade.</p>
<p>[Study</a> Hacks » Blog Archive » How to Get Into Stanford with B?s on Your Transcript: Failed Simulations & the Surprising Psychology of Impressiveness](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/03/26/how-to-get-into-stanford-with-bs-on-your-transcript-failed-simulations-the-surprising-psychology-of-impressiveness/]Study”>How to Get Into Stanford with B's on Your Transcript: Failed Simulations & the Surprising Psychology of Impressiveness - Cal Newport)</p>
<p>Ummmm you already got A-'s in easy freshman classes…sooo… yea, not looking too good. To even have a small chance, you better have 3 varsity sports or nationally ranked in one, go to 7 clubs, get 1000 volunteer hours, get all A’s in 7 year long AP or IB classes EACH YEAR. Go on mission trips, start a small business, get a job, get a 35 on ur ACT, have alot of hobbies, be good at everything, play 4 instruments in high ranked bands/orchestras, and have a good personality… Sooo yea, if you havent started working hard for good academics/sports, then you dont really have a chance. Sorry.</p>
<p>^Oh, shut up. I honestly hope that was sarcasm. If not, OP ignore BranBran’s post.That stuff would be nice, sure. But when it comes down to it, (wow this is going to sound cheesy) you just have to be the best you can be.
Don’t compare yourself to others because you’re not them; you’re you.
Continue to work hard, and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>^
BranBran’s sarcasm was pretty obvious, but I agree.
For the record, OP, “you’ll be fine” doesn’t mean “you’ll get into Harvard.”
Work hard, be authentic, etc. but not for the sake of college admissions.</p>
<p>Consider taking the PSAT next year to get practice for 11th grade.
Try a sport at your school- it will broaden your EC list.
Since you’re already studying German and French, take the SAT Subject tests or AP tests.</p>
<p>@halcyonheather
Is it already too late?</p>
<p>Too late for what?
Like I said, there’s virtually no way to guarantee your acceptance Harvard, Yale, or similar schools. No matter how early you start thinking about it.
If you excel as a student (good grades, test scores, ECs, recommendations, essays, etc.) you will definitely get into a great school. But probably not one of the ones with a 5% acceptance rate.</p>
<p>Try competitive forensics. Model UN, mock trial, policy debate, and anything else that requires you to get up and speak in front of people regularly is fun and challenging, and makes you look smart and dedicated. Your sophomore year is a great year to start; it was for me.</p>
<p>If you have any way to compete in the [url=<a href=“http://www.nationalforensicleague.org/]NFL[/url”>http://www.nationalforensicleague.org/]NFL[/url</a>], I recommend it. There are also more localized forensic leagues that host competitions of the same formats. Just beware that policy debate, extemp, and possibly other events will consume your life if you become nationally competitive. It’s not a once-per-year thing like many “prestigious” academic competitions; you travel to many tournaments throughout the country from the beginning to the end of the academic year. It’s a way of life that requires enormous time sacrifices, but it’s more rewarding than doing a bunch of short-term or low-commitment things.</p>