Future reference

Colleges & Universities Harvard University
1

<p>Hey guys,
I was wondering what I missed in my application that earned me a rejection from Harvard.
My resume is as follows:
I have a 3.98 unweighted gpa, and a 5.48 weighted gpa.
I took:
9th grade: english 1 pre-ib, world history pre-ib, algebra 2 honors, biology 1 pre-ib, journalism 2 honors, art 1 pre-ib, and spanish 3 pre-ib.</p>

<p>10th grade: AP language and composition, AP us history, IB pre-calculus, physics 1 pre-ib/chemistry 1 pre-ib*, HOPE (basically a p.e. class), AP spanish lang, and AP
government/economics 1 pre-ib. *our school made us take one semester of physics and one semester of chemistry for the purpose of “enhancing our learning”.</p>

<p>11th grade: English 3 IB, Contemporary history IB SL, Physics 2 IB, Biology 2 IB, Spanish 4 IB, TOK/research, and Math IB SL.</p>

<p>12th grade: English 4 IB SL, European history IB HL, Physics 3 IB HL, Spanish 5 IB HL, TOK, Math IB HL, and IB Music SL</p>

<p>I got a 7 on the Bio SL exam, 6 on the IB Spanish 4 exam, 4 in AP lang, 5 in AP gov, 5 in AP ush, 5 in AP Physics B( had to take this exam also with Physics 2 IB), and 5 on AP sp lang. I also did online classes and got: 5 in AP Calculus AB, 5 in AP art history, 4 in AP environmental sci, and 4 in AP computer science A.</p>

<p>Awards: won first place in two spanish competitions for 4 years, got first place in a math regional competition, 1st in science fair, 2nd in a county chess competition, National Merit Finalist and winner, and got the top AP test award. Oh, and got Biology student of the year in 9th and 11th grades. </p>

<p>PSAT: 225
SAT 1: 800 in math, 780 in reading, 780 in writing = 2460
SAT 2: 800 in math lv2, 770 in spanish, 790 in physics</p>

<p>I did Band(captain, 4 years), water polo (4 years), Ecology club (vice-president, 4 years), chess club (4 years, president), math club (4 years, president), NHS.</p>

<p>I have research experience at UM (in florida), did a ongoing project that transfered and gathered food for poorer countries like Ghana, and recently, Haiti. I organized relay for life for all 4 years for my school.</p>

<p>If you think my essay was the problem, please tell me so.
I know for a fact that my recommendation letters were prefect.</p>

<p>What do you think?</p>

2

<p>Are you sure you had a score of 800 for math at the SAT? Because 800 + 780 + 780 isn’t 2460, is it? ^^</p>

3

<p>First, there is no such thing as a “perfect” recommendation letter.</p>

<p>Second, you probably didn’t have any problems in your application. You certainly don’t seem under-qualified. The problem is that Harvard has tons of applicants like you, and they have to reject most of them. I’m sure with your qualifications you got into a perfectly fine school so screw Harvard and enjoy your next four years.</p>

4

<p>Honestly, I could instantly see that your ECs were broad and somewhat lacklustre, in my opinion. You show commitment by sticking with them for 4 years but as far as I can see (and its based on what I see in your post only) you haven’t made much of a difference at your school.</p>

<p>For example, I founded and am the president of Guitar club at my school. Basically it is the most popular student led club in the school and I started it because the other guitar club charges upwards of 400USD for 3 months of crap teaching, so I started mine on the same day except, mine is free. By doing so, I have made an impact on the whole school community. I have many others as well but I think that one best illustrates my point.</p>

5

<p>@JebarPolsky
If it is a matter of making a change at my school, then I organized Ecology club as president to make a school garden and ever since I made it at the end of sophomore year, I’ve helped maintain the garden.
@Jeroentk
My SAT score is 2360. It was my mistake, sorry.
@DwightEisenhower
I guess your right, but it does make me wonder.</p>

6

<p>Kwany - I’m sure that Ike is correct. I’ve read before on CC that the acceptance rate of 2400s at Harvard is only about 40%.</p>

<p>But there was a post on this board about a year ago, offering “insider advice” from a student who worked on campus at the Admissions Office, that might provide some insight. He said that a common critical asset in many accepted applications is the extent to which the applicants demonstrated genuine interest in and desire to attend Harvard for its own sake - not just for its prominence or the assumption of excellent programs. This, he said, was usually made evident through the specificity of those applicants’ cited interests and undergraduate plans.</p>

<p>BTW, I now wonder where you’re planning to be next fall? Given the data you cited above, I’m assuming it’s going to be somewhere awesome.</p>

7

<p>I am going to Princeton University! Hooray for class of 2014!</p>

8

<p>lol maybe you didn’t get in because (based on your having started this thread) you sound arrogant and have a sense of entitlement.</p>

9

<p>^ haha, but i have to say i agree</p>

10

<p>Global conspiracy. You should just give up now.</p>

11

<p>Kwany - FWIW, I have a kid at Harvard who was turned down at Princeton. I don’t know why, but I always felt that the line she listed as her “Favorite Movie Line” was kind of lame. :slight_smile: Congratulations!!!</p>