Chances at HARVARD??

Colleges & Universities Harvard University
1

<p>Hey everyone,</p>

<p>I plan on applying to Harvard RD in the fall. Just wondering how I stand as an applicant: </p>

<p>Male (Indian)
Northern California (Bay Area)
Class Ranking unavailable, but def in top 10 (of 600 or so)
Weighted GPA: approx 4.6
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
SAT I: Math 760, CR 690, Writing 700 = 2150 (possibly retake in October)
SAT II’s: Math IIC 790, Bio M 790, Spanish 750
AP’s: Spanish Language (5), Biology (5), English Language (4), European History (3)
PSAT: 223
Projected major: Economics/Finance</p>

<p>Senior Year Workload:
AP Calculus AB
AP Economics
AP English Literature
Honors Physics
Speech/Debate Advanced
Civics (1st sem only)</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>Speech & Debate:
Competed since 9th grade
Team Secretary (11th)
Team President (12th)
Ranked 2nd in State in Humorous Interpretation (out of 270-something people)
Ranked 1st in League in Humorous Interpretation
Won Best Presiding Officer at both Berkeley/Stanford Invitational
Special Distinction ( 500+ National Forensic League Points)
Have been an Instructor at team’s summer institute for past 2 summers</p>

<p>Interact Club:
Been a member of school’s club since 9th grade
Been a member of Interact District Council (supervises over 60 Interact clubs of Northern California) since 11th grade
Publicity Officer of school’s club (10th grade)
Vice President of school’s club (11th/12th grade)
Secretary of Interact District Council (11th grade)
Lieutenant Governor of Interact District Council (12th grade)
Helped raise $8000 with school for international service projects (11th)
Helped raise over $20,000 with district through Interact District Council (11th)
Attended two separate Rotary-sponsored summer camps to represent school’s Interact club (summer before 12th grade)</p>

<p>Volunteer work @ Local Hospital:
Volunteered at hospital since 10th grade
More than 500 hours of volunteer work
Monday Shift Leader (11th grade)
Senior Shift Supervisor - analogous to President (12th grade)</p>

<p>Also, the summer before my junior year, I traveled to Pakistan’s Kashmir region for a week and did earthquake relief work, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In addition to providing assistance to the volunteer doctors there, I also wrote a 20-page research paper on the lack of breastfeeding in the region and its effects upon the children of the region. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Sad but true, there will be many others like you applying. It’s not hopeless but consider it a high reach and look for more realistic alternatives. Some high-ranking LACs like Haverford or Midwestern schools like Carleton or Northwestern or consider Brandeis and Tufts in the Boston area. You’ll probably apply to some of the UCs, as well.</p>

3

<p>did you write the research paper or did you just assist?<br>
also did it get published?
If it did were you the first author?
I think iit would make a difference if it got published and you were the first author.</p>

4

<p>I wrote the paper for a research contest. I didn’t receive any award, however, because they said they could not prove any of it since it dealt with a society of people who have had very little research done upon them. So I mean, I haven’t published it, but could I perhaps submit it with my app? Or maybe even just my abstract?</p>

5

<p>you should definately retake the SAT if you think you can score higher. But you grades, coursework and rank is good. The forensic speech and debate EC is strong. The community service work is noble, but, well, so is everybody else’s. (Is community service your real passion?) I agree with pyewacket about the chance of admittance.</p>

6

<p>to my knowledge many students are writing all different kinds of research papers and thinking that it could be a hook. To what iI understand it could be prestgious like writing a book but it should be something so great that it can be published in journals.</p>