I have not taken my SAT or ACT. I just finished my second year at high school (I go to Hollywood High School) and am now a junior. I am a writer and have been published twice in two books and in my school’s newspaper. I received an honorable mention in the 2014 Youth Poet Laureate. I am in my school’s marching band and am the section leader of my section. I have played the cello for 7 years, I taught myself how to play the saxophone and the ukulele. Because of marching band I have had many great performances at Universal Studios for a celebration for the previous member of the Los Angeles City Council, Tom LaBonge. I have performed in the Echo Park Christmas parade in 2014 and 2015 and the Martin Luther King Parade, 2014 and 2015 as well. I did many other parades. I was the president of the poetry club at my school for the first semester of sophomore year and am in the marching band club. I want to go to Harvard to study music and be a professional cellist. My grades this year were of a 3.3 GPA. First semester I had a C in geometry but second semester I got a B. For My AP European History class first semester I got a B but second semester I got a C. I am not so great at math but I have a passion for english and history. It bothers me that people believe grades define your intellect but I always say it doesn’t. Grades do NOT define your intellect. I am so much more smarter than I may seem. Just because my grades are not fantastic, does not mean I am unintelligent. Anything helps. What do I need to do more? Thank you.
Please no rude comments. I have gone through those enough and it just lowers my self esteem. I want to go to Harvard more than anything. I want to prove to my dad I am smart and intelligent in music. I hate it when he calls me stupid and an idiot; and that I can’t do anything (or anything right). I want to prove him wrong and follow my dreams of music. Music goes into my brain so easily. Easier than anything else.
You are not unintelligent. I can see that. That being said, though, a 3.3 GPA almost immediately gets your application thrown out at Harvard. There are many amazing music schools. I am so sorry your dad calls you those things, but Harvard does not look feasible at all. On top of that, it sounds like you want to go for the wrong reason.
What do you think about Yale or Julliard?
@brifm317 Same unfortunately. For Julliard, you have to be renowned, having performed at nationally-known venues such as Carnegie Hall and the like, and are expected to be at the top of the country in your instrument.
Just because you don’t go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, etc., doesn’t mean you aren’t highly intelligent. And Jarrett is right in saying you want to go for all the wrong reasons. If your only goal is to use the schools name as a signaling mechanism to show people how “smart” you are, you need to seriously reconsider what education and learning means to you.