<p>Hello! I would like you to make an assessment and try to judge my chances.
I’m from Russia.
Academics: my schools doesn’t have class ranking. I have mostly B’s, several A’s and two C.
Extra Curricular: I studied Ancient Greek and Biblical Hebrew for several years ( to the advance level) and should have about 20 credit points from Hebrew University in Jerusalem ( via on-line classes) in the last. Also I studied Latin and Sanskrit (I’m going to visit some remote village in India to improve it).
At summer I’ll try to attend Harvard Summer Language School as well as innovative fluency workshop in California( desined for teachers to get used to the communicative teaching approach) to review Ancient Hebrew and Greek and will try to obtain the recommendations from professors.
Also I trade (traded) currencies and study economics in spare time.
Early I was was shooting but didn’t attended any sport competition and attended ship modeling club ( we made real looking models of various ships).
As you probably see my main passion is linguistics and Ancient Languages and Harvard is unique school with more than 100 languages offered.
I’m planning to take SAT and too SAT Subgect Tests in Latin and Modern Hebrew.</p>
<p>And yes -something which probably will bet a dead sentence… I’m 23 old and attended Maritime School and have been working at sea ever since ( now in the position of Third Officer). I just found my passion later after High School and it is connected to the global experience I got in merchant Navy. Due to the circumstances and financial obstacles I was’t able to attend college . So, I’m non traditional student…
THank you! Will be glad to hear any advice!
Sorry for my bad English!</p>
<p>First off, regardless of whether your school ranks or not, I’m sure you have a sense if you are at the top of your class. Harvard looks for students who are in the top 10% of their class. Honestly, your grades sound like you are not.</p>
<p>Secondly, you cannot succeed at any American University without being able to read and write proficiently in English. You need to fix that.</p>
<p>Lastly, as you do not have an ACT or SAT score, and have not taken your SAT Subject tests yet, it’s too early to ask for chances.</p>
<p>Unfortunately your chances are almost zero with “mostly B’s, several A’s and two C”. Especially so considering your international status. Furthermore, you acknowledge your “bad English”. This is unacceptable for Harvard, as it requires all applicants to be fluent in English, just like native speakers.</p>
<p>Thanks for replies.
Actually I do read in English. Almost all the literature related to linguistics and economics is in English. I speak well. My problem is writing. It is most difficult to write without any mistakes for a non-native speaker.It is fixable in a short amount of time, I think.
It is six years now since I finished high-school. There is an explanation for my bad grades at school.
As for SAT -it is a TEST and it could be mastered. I don’t think I will apply to HArvard with low scores…
Is it actually possible for a adult student (not me,my chances are zero…) to be admitted in Harvard College? Are there any examples?</p>
<p>Adult students happen, but they are very rare. Here is a 26 year old freshman who entered Harvard after military service. I would guess that is the route for most late entrants. </p>
<p>Are you Harvard student? Congratulations then. I serve in Merchant Navy and it is almost the same thing. At the mission statement Harvard says it doesn’t discriminate by age. But I think they can have some idea that the guy in 24 or 26 years would be a stranger in the dorms with 16 and 17 years old. As for me I look on 20 and handsome as some girls say …))) Anyway I have a clear defined passion and will advance fast once I get in. I know that to do and do it. These re exactly the thinks Harvard likes. Besides that I learned Biblical Hebrew in a month while a lot of people I know struggle for several years which should be a proof of my abilities (of course I’ll need strong recommendations to show that). This is going to be a long journey and my chances are small but who really knows…
Do you know some other example of adult freshman ?</p>
<p>No, I am the parent of a H student and therefore do not know any students that entered late. While H may be a great place for your academic pursuits you need to look very broadly at other schools to apply to. You face a very steep hill to climb to get into Harvard as it is the most selective US college, even more selective for students outside the US, and probably even more selective for non-traditional (older than normal) students. Good luck.</p>
<p>Harvard says it doesn’t ‘discriminate’ against age, but that doesn’t mean that you are not disadvantaged. Younger applicants will have an advantage over older applicants in almost all cases. (This is similar to Harvard’s affirmative action policy: no race is discriminated against, but URMs have a slight advantage). This policy is in place because older students do not always mingle with younger students.</p>
<p>My daughter’s class at the University of Chicago had a student in it who started college at age 34. He lived in her dorm, too, which was all singles.</p>
<p>At Harvard, famously, Rivers Cuomo, the founder and lead singer/songwriter of the group Weezer, was admitted as a freshman when he was 25 or so, after Weezer’s first album became a surprise hit. He left after a year, but returned (and left again) and returned again, and received his AB at 35. So if you are an actual rock star, maybe it can happen.</p>