It May Be a Bit Early, but Humor Me

Colleges & Universities Harvard University
1

<p>I’m a junior and, while it may be a bit early, I want to make sure that I’m a strong applicant for Harvard when I apply next year.
Am I on the right track ? Any advice on how I can be a competitive applicant?
Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>BTW, I apologize if this post is too long!</p>

<p>Location: Michigan
Ethnicity: Hispanic immigrant (Cuban)
Sex: Female
First generation college student, and I will be needing financial aid since my parents cannot afford to help me pay for college.</p>

<p>GPA (UW): 4.0 (This will, unfortunately, change to a 3.9, since FST is kicking my butt. I will keep it at a 3.9, though.)
GPA (W): 4.056
Rank: 1/491</p>

<p>I’ve taken the hardest courses available at my school.</p>

<p>Not expecting to be a NM Scholar because I don’t think I did very well in the Math section. I’m registered to take the SAT and SAT IIs in US History, World History, and Literature in 2008, and I’m expecting 750+ on all sections except in Math, where I’m expecting a score in the low 600s.</p>

<p>APs:
10th
AP US History (5)</p>

<p>11th
AP Biology
AP American Gov.
AP Spanish (Self-study)
AP Psychology (Self-study)</p>

<p>12th
AP Calculus
AP Physics
AP Statistics
AP English
AP European History
AP Comparative Gov. (Self-study)</p>

<p>ECs:
Editor-in-Chief of high school newspaper
Academic Decathlon
Student Council (Will be President senior year)
Excellers (In the process of organizing a large event for diversity in our school, which will include a concert.)

  • President
    County Youth Commission (Also in the process of planning an event dedicated to celebrating youth.)
    -Secretary
  • Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee
  • Chair of the Government Education Committee
    NHS (Expecting a leadership position next year.)
    Quiz Bowl</p>

<p>Community Service
192+ volunteer hours</p>

<ul>
<li>Volunteer at a local library
(May 2006 - December 2006)</li>
</ul>

<p>Work Experience:
Library Page at a local library; 10 hours/week.</p>

<p>Awards:
Honor Roll
Ventures Scholar
Sophomore of the Year (School Award)
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Speech
Academic Decathlon 3rd place in Interview
Academic Decathlon Highest Team Scorer</p>

<p>Possible Major: History
Possible Minor: Psychology</p>

2

<p>You have as good a chance at receiving an offer of admission as any well qualified applicant; unfortunately that chance is only about 9% (nine percent) according to USNews & WR college guide. What do you want to study? Also consider the University of Michigan’s Honors College/ Program. I don’t know about their financial aid at Michigan, but as an in-state student it is a great deal and a great honors college/program. I believe that both Yale and Princeton have strong and well respected history departments.</p>

3

<p>I am planning on applying to U of M. Any more advice?</p>

4

<p>Yes. Ask your school to nominate you for Princeton University’s Humanities Symposium which should be held in late September of your senior year in high school.</p>

5

<p>I’ll do that. Thanks, icy9ff8!</p>

6

<p>Bump please…</p>

7

<p>hmmm…make SURE that you get that math score in a similar range as the other two, because most private colleges usually have the math score right up with the cr and writing, and the ones you’re looking at have really high math score averages…check out the stats if you don’t believe me…but hey, i think the rest of it’s solid; good luck!</p>

8

<p>Bump again…</p>

9

<p>Your confidence level is impressive - how do you know you will be Student Council President next year? How do you know you can expect 750 on all SAT sections except math? Four APs in one year is alot, let alone 6 your senior year. You may want to re-evaluate your senior course load with all of those ECs. If you can achieve all the goals you have listed, I think you have a good shot at every college in America.</p>

10

<p>I’m already in Student Council and I’ve been participating in it since my freshmen year, the only freshman that very year, so I’m pretty sure I will have a leadership position. Well, I am really strong in history and literature, but with the SATs and ACTs, you’re right, you never know. Also, I’ve changed the APs, I won’t take AP Physics or AP Calc, instead I will take AP Environmental Science and AP Statistics. I apologize if I came off as really confident or cocky, but I’m just trying to predict as much as possible to give everyone a clear picture of my stats.</p>