How can I get into Harvard?

Question

I’m a sophomore in High School, and my weighted GPA is 4.0 (unweighted it is 3.6). I’m an honors student, but not the best in my grade. I do try very hard, I guess I could be considered a “jack of all trades”, since I am pretty well rounded (good athlete, artistic, etc). I just don’t exactly excel at any of those fields. I recently quit basketball, which was my main sport because of the coach. Now I only do soccer in the fall (but I'm not the greatest). I do no extracurricular activities except class reps due to a recent family problems. However, now I am clear to do whatever it takes to achieve my dream. I will take ANY kind of advice, like classes I should take, activities I should get involved in, application advice, advice on my essay, etc. I should also mention I want to become an architect or graphic designer (or anything within that field). Also, my parents are middle class (will need financial aid) and we have no inside connections. Please help me get into my dream school!

Answer 1

It's tough, and you'll probably need to pull your GPA up. But you might be able to pull it off. In case you don't, though, you should apply to safety schools, as well as a few other reach schools similar to Harvard (Yale, Princeton, etc.) because you might get into one of those if you don't get into Harvard.



Also, Harvard isn't necessarily good at everything. So I am a little concerned about your statement that you are willing to change your career rather than changing your school to one that will be good for your intended career of architecture or graphic design.



Next, if you can get into Harvard, financial aid will not be an issue. You will have to fill out a bunch of forms, but you will get a lot of aid if your parents are middle class. If they make less than $180,000 per year total, they will only need to pay 10% of their annual household income. And if they make less than $60,000 (I think that's the threshold), they wont have to pay a cent, as Harvard will pick up the tab. (This is a relatively new policy.) You might have to work summer jobs to pitch in a few thousand, but your parents won't have to pay anything. Harvard doesn't do specific "merit" scholarships; instead, everyone who gets into Harvard is automatically eligible for financial aid grants on the terms I indicated above.



Finally, try not to fret too much. If you don't get into Harvard College, it's not the end of the world. Seriously. As long as you worked hard in high school, you will get into a very good college. And then you can always go to Harvard for graduate school; many of Harvard's graduate and professional schools are actually easier to get into than Harvard College is.



>>>>>>>>>>>>>



All that said, if you want to get into Harvard College, here are the main things you must do!



1. Get good grades. Straight A's are really the best. But a mix of mostly A's and a very few B's is OK, especially if the B's are in tough AP/honors courses. So, try to get straight A's, but if you get a B, don't kill yourself over it--just work harder. Try to stay in the top 10% of your high school class (top 5% if you can).



2. Take challenging classes. Honors, AP, etc. Don't take soo many at once that you overload yourself and get a C. But take as many as you can take with good grades.



3. Clubs/extracurriculars are important, but there is no "magic number" of activities that you need to do.The most important things are commitment (do the same activities for long periods of time) and leadership (being president, or treasurer, or committee chair...). And you should have at least 1 or 2 community service activities, but your other activities can be clubs, sports (especially varsity) or student council, etc.



5. Get as high scores on the SATs (or ACTs) as you possibly can. Study and retake if necessary. Again, you want to be in the top 10% if you can. If you take the SAT, you'll need a few SAT II subject tests in addition to the SAT I.



6. Think about what teachers you might ask for recommendation letters, because you need good ones. Try to take more than one class with them, so that they get to know you well. Or the reverse: in your senior year, ask the teachers you've taken the most classes with (or done the best with) to recommend you. But if you start thinking about that now, you can perhaps plan accordingly.



7. And of course write a good essay that you have proofread and reviewed by others.

Answer 2

Sorry, I can't answer your question about how to get into Harvard, but there are many people who have higher than a 4.0gpa. I think it can go up to a 5.0, since AP classes gives an additional point for your gpa when it's calculated and if you were to ace every AP class you took, it would make your gpa higher than a 4.0. I know some people who have a 4.6 or 4.8. Some AP classes can be MUCH harder than a mainstream class, it often depends on how strict the teacher is on grading. So if you don't do well in an AP class, this would lower your gpa; meaning that your chances of getting a 4.0 or higher is less likely. (So in an AP class, a B would most likely be equivalent to an A.) AP classes (Advance Placement) is a college-level class, and it's often more difficult than a community college course. You only get college credit for it if you pass the exam for that certain topic, which costs a $90. (So it totally sucks if you don't get a passing score, but colleges say it's better to take it an get a 1 than to not take it at all.) If you pass the AP class and AP exam, you may get college credit if the college/university accepts it. (Even if you don't get the credit, it still looks good.) With community college courses, you get both high school and college credit, just by passing the class. I would advice you to only take ones you feel you can handle and don't let teachers pressure you into taking certain AP classes if you feel you won't do well. Some AP classes are A LOT of work, while others don't require so much effort. Things that good colleges like to see are extra curricular activities, such as mock trial, sports, musicals, clubs, jobs, etc. Some also like a lot of volunteering/ community service hours. They also want really high SATs/ACTs scores. The highest you can get on that is a 2400, and I know some people who got a 2200. I head the average score is 1500 or 1600. (The SATs costs around $35 and there are PSAT, mock SATs, SAT courses your school will probably povide. Most school also require at least 2 subject SATs in addition to the subject reasoning one.) In addition, you might want to try to get an assistant/ secretary job at a lawyer's office when you're in highschool, this will prove that you have more experiance in the field. Hope that helps! :)

Answer 3

At the moment, there's nothing about you that really stands out. Harvard turns down thousands of 4.0 unweighted students every year, as well as hundreds of students that get perfect SAT scores. If you really want a shot at going there, you're going to have to do really well academically and find another way to stand out as well. Can you find a job working in your desired field during the summer? Are you sure that Harvard even offers architecture and graphic design? Maybe you should check that out. Graphic design is usually more of a trade school or lower-ranked university type of major.

Answer 4

Give yourself a break. I took my youngest son to see if he wanted to go to Harvard. (He didn't). But I learned that the school is wide-open. Money is no object. If you can show that you are motivated, will succeed and have the extra effort to be called a Harvard graduate you got it made. If they accept you, they will make sure that you graduate. For example, during your freshman year, you are put in a dorm with colleagues that will monitor you classes, your work, you study, your efforts. Your leisure time is restricted.



One of the things that I noted is that you are asking for advice. You need to move to be the person that will search, research information. Provide yourself information that YOU feel is relevant. Research Harvard. You will be the expert.



People tell me there is no such word (when I make one up). I tell them, there is now. It lets them know that I am in charge and that there is change and I am the fomentor of change. I am in charge of my environment, but I also do understand that I must jump the educational hoops to become one of the club members (Harvard graduate). You develop an attitude, not a bad one, but a strong one, as the example above may illustrate for you.



When I was invited to go to Harvard, I was told that I would mix with people so well known that they could walk into any restaurant and not pay because the owner knew that the family would pay. There would be people that do not use money, just their name. POWER! You must become that POWER.



Finally, I had a girl friend that graduated from Harvard. She was a super person, but you could tell that she had that air about her. I did not know that she had graduated from H. until later. It seems to be an attitude. Cultivate it. Come from the stance of power, of understanding who you are, be honest, but strong. Strive for goodness.



Forget your roots, well not really, but understand that we all start from someplace. They know this. Follow you dreams. Remember that you, Harvard and the rest of us are imperfect, but we all try to travel on that road to perfection.



I wish I could tell you more, but these have been my experiences with Harvard. I have gotten scholarships, three in all, to prestigious colleges. They are different and you do get a better insight into the world of learning. I wish you well!

Answer 5

Get a copy of 'A Is for Admission: The Insider's Guide to Getting into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges'.



As to if its worth it - for undergraduate programs IMHO no, for postgraduate - maybe. For undergraduate go to a community college then a state university. For postgraduate find the highest rated university in what you want to study and, provided you can afford it, go there.



Added after reading replies:

After reading Lux et Veritas et Veritas excellent reply and what they do for you at Harvard my opinion about going there has gone up. I still wouldn't bust my gut to go there, but if you are naturally gifted and can get into it without becoming obsessive about it I say go for it. But if you don't make it I wouldn't worry too much about it - going to a community college then a state university will give you just as good an education IMHO - and save you a bundle. But if Harvard picks up most, or all, of the tab - well why not avail yourself of it - you certainly will not get a bad education that's for sure.



Thanks

Bill

Answer 6

Franny C, just belive that you will make it into harvard, because i belive that you are going to make it into harvard. just keep working hard and try your best in all your studies. don't let any negatives get into your head.

Answer 7

Hey there are a lot of smart people in the world, but If you want them to accept you you'd have to do something to make them notice like community or charity or something

Answer 8

you apply