A shot, have I?

Colleges & Universities Harvard University
1

<p>Race: Caucasian
Gender: Male
State: MN
Income Bracket: $60,000</p>

<p>SAT I: 2300 (800M, 740R, 760W)
SAT II: (800 US History, 800 Math 2, 800 Chem.)
ACT: 34
GPA: 3.995 (Unweighted)
AP Test Scores: US History (5), Stats (5), Calc BC (5), Euro (5), Lang (5)
Senior Year Course load: Multivariable Calc, AP Comp. Science, AP Lit, CIS Public Speaking, CIS Spanish 5, AP Economics, AP Physics, AP Chem.
Major Awards: 2 time Tri-athlete Award, National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist, NFL Degree of Honor, Degree of Excellence, Degree of Distinction, All Conference (XC), AP Scholar w/ Distinction, AAA Nominee, Excel Award</p>

<p>Extracurriculars (Bear with me):</p>

<p>Cross-Country (4 Years): Captain, All-Conference, Individual Academic State Award Winner, 2 time State Qualifier, Academic State Silver Award, Honor Roll time in 5K (16:40), 3-Year Varsity Letter Award Winner, Most Improved, Scholar Athlete of the Year, 3 Time Section Qualifier, Section Medalist, All Conference</p>

<p>Swimming (4 Years): Captain, True Team State Qualifier, 4 Time True Team Sectional Qualifier, 4 time Section Qualifier, Most Improved, Scholar Athlete of the Year, 4 time Varsity Letter Award Winner, Section Finalist</p>

<p>Track and Field (4 Years): 3 Time True Team Sectional Qualifier, 2 Time Sectional Qualifier, Most Improved, Scholar Athlete of the Year, 2 Time Varsity Letter Award Winner, Honor Roll Time in 2 events (Mile-4:30, 2 Mile-9:56), 2 Time Sectional Medalist</p>

<p>Debate (3 Years): Captain, 3 Time State Qualifier, Classic Debate State Quarter Finalist, Classic Debate State Quarter Finalist, Classic Debate State Champion, National Forensic League Member, NFL Degree of Honor, Degree of Excellence, Degree of Distinction, Most Improved, 3 time Letter Award Winner, NFL Districts Qualifier</p>

<p>Student Council (3 Years): Officer, Organized various things, including running a school wide Community Cup that includes a $1000 prize and a choice of charity, and also ran initiative for healthier district school lunches</p>

<p>National Spanish Honor Society (2 Years): ….I don’t know……lol</p>

<p>National Honor Society (2 Years): Dialogues Director: (I have organized city wide presentations on various topics with very well known people, for example, globalization, modern media, etc.), Volunteer Gold Award, Attended State Leaders Conference</p>

<p>Summer Activities:</p>

<p>Work Experience: Lifeguard/WSI Instructor</p>

<p>Volunteer Work: Tons with NHS (200 Hours Total? + Every summer since 7th Grade I help teach “Space Camp” for little children….[that sounded really creepy], Captain+organizer for a local “Relay for Life” Team)</p>

<p>Research over two summers: first summer I researched Particles coming into the atmosphere with my own Particle Receptor I built; Second summer I got accepted into a competitive astronomy research program in California… a very fun experience!</p>

<p>Debate Workshops: Worked on Debate and speaking techniques for the future season</p>

<p>Running Camp: Over Two camp seasons, logged a total of more than 800 miles!</p>

<p>Swimming Camp: ….I swam.</p>

<p>Star Wars Collectable Card Game Club: I played star wars ccg. I went to states, regionals, and nationals! Got 8th in Regionals, 2nd in a local tourney, and 15th in nationals (I beat my former “master”, heh heh)</p>

<p>Triathlons: I independently train and compete in triathlons, which includes eating a special diet lol! (The worst part of all….no Doritos!), National USAT Triathlon Competitor (this summer I may travel to the National Tourney/Junior Olympic Qualifier… Is that worth mentioning if it hasn’t happened yet??)</p>

<p>Intended Major: Either Chemical Engineering or International Relations/Political Science. Opposites, I know</p>

<p>….Done. Thanks in advance for reading this probably unnecessarily long laundry list of what I’ve done. I just feel a bit more confident when I see it all in front of me, that’s all =)</p>

<p>I’m also applying to Stanford, Yale, U Chicago, Columbia, U of Minnesota. So… do I have a good chance?</p>

2

<p>The Ivy’s and Stanford are a crapshoot for anyone these days, but you have a good shot given your all-around strong credentials. Also, do you still want to do sports in college? If so, check out some of the Division III schools like Wesleyan and Williams who may want to recruit you as a swimmer or runner. Good luck, Jackuk</p>

3

<p>Yes I agree with Jack your stats on tests are amazing and you seem to be very well covered extracurricularly. I think if you have amazing essays and a good interview you should have a great shot at getting in to most top colleges. Also make sure you continue to develop your relationships with your teachers so you can get good recommendations. Basically, it comes down to having all your bases covered.</p>

4

<p>Thanks guys! Any other opinions?</p>

5

<p>Star Wars CCG is definitely the hook. That’s a varsity sport at Harvard, right?</p>

6

<p>You’re very much what Harvard looks for. An all-rounder, as they say. Fitzsimmons had an interview where he explains that these all-rounders make up the large bulk of incoming classes, so don’t feel as though you need to present a specific focus in your application.</p>

7

<p>@ Noitaraperp you think being well rounded improves your chances? I thought Ivies liked well rounded student bodies but well focused students with 1 or 2 great passion/interests?
(sorry for bringing this off topic question in this thread)</p>

<p>At OP you definitely a shot…make sure you write amazing essays and I think you should get in</p>

8

<p>^Hmmm, you don’t necessarily have to have 1 or 2 great passions…neither I nor many of my friends knew what they really loved before coming to college.</p>

<p>Watch this interview - it’s very enlightening:
/watch?v=WSUcwGMwc2E
(Tack that on after the “dot com” in YouTube)</p>

9

<p>Great stuff!</p>

<p>The video was most illuminating
Thanks a lot Noitaraperp! :)</p>

10

<p>“You’re very much what Harvard looks for” True, but there are many applicants just like the OP. Harvard does accept the “well rounded” student. However, this OP needs to hope something about his profile catches the attention of the file readers – otherwise…</p>

11

<p>I could not agree more :-). The public positions of Admission officials need to be taken with a grain of salt. The final admission decisions are done by a vote of the whole committee and there are certain rules of the dynamics on this kind of votes. I would argue that it is a disadavantage to be a well-around applicants without a clear distinction.</p>

12

<p>Perhaps a clarification - when I say “well-rounded,” I don’t mean it in the “everyone gets a medal” sense and I don’t think Fitzsimmons does either. I mean killer in more than one respect, but not on the level of assassin in any one aspect. This guy has amazing academic credentials (but not on the level of Intel or IMO, etc.) with his incredible test scores, GPA, and courseload (that is one legit courseload). Furthermore, he has great athletic/leadership credentials across the board, and the astronomy research opportunity sounds really cool. These are verifiable things that hold some weight. It is true, though, that the extracurriculars could be stronger.</p>

<p>To be well-rounded in such a sense, I feel, is rare.</p>

13

<p>the title of this thread reminds me of yoda/star wars</p>

14

<p>^^lol hokie11, thats what I was going for =)</p>