Posted by Kate on January 14, 19101 at 01:02:32:
In Reply to: Re: future harvard student? posted by juniorrr on January 08, 19101 at 04:13:13:
I'd say go for it. You'll definitely get into Cornell (I think so anyway), and your chances are pretty good at Harvard - definitely on par with other candidates- though getting accepted is a tricky process that obeys neither rhyme nor reason. Basically, be sure to distinguish yourself with any hidden talents you might have or ways that you could be separated from the crowd. Good SAT scores and grades help, but remember that hundreds of people applying get 1600s on their SAT's who don't get in, and a majority of the students get greater than 3.5's in high school.
The key is making yourself known to the admissions committee. Send in supplementary materials for something you're especially good at -- find out to whom to send the materials first -- such as the Clarinet if you have been recognized on a high level for it. Describe your work at Boston's community center. Make your humanity and yourself shine through and use every opportunity to show another angle of yourself, but make sure that every angle that you show points to you accurately and consistently. Don't be afraid to describe your life experiences and stuff like that; explain what living abroad has done for you. Also, write both the common essay and the optional supplementary essay for Harvard - do whatever you can.