Do I have any chance at Harvard?

Colleges & Universities Harvard University
1

<p>White Male, Virginia Resident
First Generation College Student</p>

<p>4.0 Unweighted GPA
4.85 Weighted GPA
2/~400 in graduating class</p>

<p>IB Diploma Candidate
Taking 6 IB Classes, 1 AP, and 1 Honors course next school year (senior)</p>

<p>2110 SAT I (680 CR/700 M/730 W)
35 ACT Composite (will probably send instead of SAT)
SAT II: Math Level II-710</p>

<p>EC’s:
-Autism Awareness Club (Founder and President)
-National Honors Society (Treasurer)
-Gay-Straight Alliance (Secretary)
-Student Government Association (Secretary)
-Member of French National Honors Society, Science National Honors Society, National English Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and Key Club
-500 hours interning at the second largest law firm in my state
-250 hours volunteering at Voices Together, a camp for autistic youth
-Hosted a dinner benefit in October of 2009, raised $800 for the Autism Research Institute
-One year of varsity golf</p>

<p>Awards:
-French Student of the Year (9th and 11th grade)
-Math Student of the Year (10th grade)
-Chemistry Student of the Year (10th and 11th grade)
-National Merit (notification of status in September)</p>

2

<p>numerically, you look good. it will come down to some intangibles, which none can predict. do a good application and hope for the best.</p>

<p>as i say, “worse have gotten in, and better rejected.”</p>

3

<p>Also, I am applying EA if that matters.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for your opinion itsme123. :)</p>

5

<p>chances are slim.</p>

6

<p>You look average, which isn’t good. You need to make your essay STAND OUT for you to be accepted.</p>

7

<p>^ i second that! :P</p>

8

<p>Thank you all for your opinions. Would actually studying for the SAT I help at all?</p>

9

<p>Yes; I think if each of your section scores went up 30-50 points, that would increase your chances. (Still no guarantees, of course.) Good luck!</p>

10

<p>With an ACT of 35, you do not have to retake the SAT I–just submit the ACT instead. Use your prep time for the other SAT II.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for the advice fauve. Are you sure they won’t be biased towards the SAT though?</p>

12

<p>Oh, I was reading too quickly: fauve is right, and no they aren’t.</p>

13

<p>ACT holds the same weight as SAT’s.</p>

<p>Back in the days they didn’t.</p>

14

<p>It seems these days colleges are very deceptive though. </p>

<p>…and harvard is at the top of the list.</p>

<p>Has anyone gone to an info session by Harvard lately?.. gosh are they phony</p>

15

<p>This is my big reach anyways (obviously, haha). Thanks for the input though. :)</p>

16

<p>No, Harvard does not show any preferential treatment towards SAT over ACT scores. They (the clerical help) will take which ever scores you submit and mark them on a small card so adcoms can quickly see your overall academic competiveness.</p>

<p>If you have great SAT II scores, along with the 35 ACT, you’ll be in good shape, score-wise.</p>

17

<p>Thank you for the insider info fauve. Any comments on my ECs in comparison to what Harvard looks for?</p>

18

<p>Your volunteer work will certainly be a plus. The many interning hours for the law firm, those are harder to classify. Where they paid hours? What type of work was it and how did it influence you or the community? Ivies like to see students who have made an impact.</p>

<p>So, its tough to make a prediction for Harvard- there are many applicants with incredible accomplishments or the always desired ‘hooks’. Just be happy your stats will get you into the maybe pile and be sure to have plenty of safeties. You will end up with a great college experience somewhere.</p>

19

<p>Don’t listen to the dummies that think that a few hundred points on your SAT’s are gonna make a difference. You clearly seem to be interested in autism awareness. So focus on that in your essay and make it from the heart.</p>

20

<p>Get that SAT score up.</p>