If they are offered at your school, take honors/AP courses. In other words, take the most challenging course load you can handle, since if you ace AP classes (and to some extent honors courses), it will show you are up for the rigor of courses at Harvard. However, if you are getting bad grades (C’s or under) in honors/AP classes, it is probably better to take a regular class and score better, such as an A/B. [1] X Research source Maintaining excellent grades in high school (especially in honors/AP courses) tells admissions officers that you are a hard worker and that you will be able to keep up with the rigor of the courses at Harvard. You can show that you can stand out in other parts of the application. You should demonstrate excellence in all of your academic subjects. Though you can be stronger in some subjects and weaker than others, you should be an exceptional student in almost every class. Don’t be discouraged if your GPA isn’t quite as high as you wanted it to be. If your grades have improved from your freshman year until the time you apply, officers will be impressed, and if there was a dip in your grades because of a personal situation, you can explain it in your essay.
Don’t be worried if your school doesn’t offer a ton of AP tests. Not every school offers 20 different AP tests, and the admissions officers will know if your high school does not. Just try to do well on the tests that your school does offer. Another option could be to take AP courses online. Make sure to take your tests at the right time. If you want to impress Harvard with your SAT score, you’ll have to take it well before the application is due. Take the test during your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it if it’s necessary. Check Harvard’s requirements for the last possible test date for the ACT or SAT. It’s always just a week or a few weeks after the application due date, but you should already have an excellent score when you apply. Harvard also requires you to take two SAT II tests. Don’t forget to have your score reports sent directly to the Harvard admissions office.
Remember to have quality over quantity. Harvard and other Ivy League Colleges will not care how many things you participate in. Rather they want to see excellence and deep dedication in one or two fields you are passionate about. [3] X Research source Some people who excel at a certain subject, also compete in various competitions. Interested in science? Try out for competitions like Science Olympiad, Quiz Bowl, or others available in your school. How about math? Think about the AMC-8, a math competition where kids must solve problems in a limited amount of time. Harvard wants students that stand out, so having a few competitions under your belt, even with participation, is a good boost for anyone. Become a leader. Don’t just join a club, but run for secretary, or even president. In most clubs, you’ll have to work your way up from a smaller leadership role to the head role. [4] X Research source Start your commitment during your freshman year. You should join clubs and other activities early on so you can show a record of dedication and commitment. Show your leadership skills by joining the Student Council and working your way up to be the president of your class. If you like writing or using technology, join the school paper or yearbook. If you like politics or debating, join the Model United Nations team or debate team. If you love languages, join the French or Spanish club. If you love to act, be a part of the school’s theatre troupe (theater). You can also join a club or organization outside of your school that has to do with a religious institution or your local community. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a lot of time to pursue interests outside of school because you have to work after school. Though you should still do the best you can, you will be able to put your work experience on your application as well.
If you join a sport, try to work up to a leadership position. Remember that you don’t often have to be the best athlete to be the team captain. You have to be the most dedicated or most well-liked. Remember that while many sports require ten or more hours of commitment a week, you can also do a sport for just one or two of the three sports seasons. For example, you can run cross country in the fall, but take the winter off to focus on your studies and clubs, and then run spring track the next season. If you play an instrument, you should also strive to gain a leadership position in your team’s band. Quite a few colleges look at musical excellence.
Volunteer to help children learn to read in your local library. Volunteer in an old age or veteran’s home in your area. Volunteer in a local homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Volunteer to clean up your community at a local park clean-up event. Help build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Spend your summer volunteering or building homes in a foreign country.
Travel to a foreign country or a language camp to pursue your interest in a foreign language. Take a summer class in something you like at a local college. Spend more time developing your talents. Go to band camp or boot camp for soccer players. Get an internship at a place that relates to your interests. If you like science, try to get work in a lab. Get a job and work hard. Admissions are often impressed at students who take the initiative to pay their own way into college rather than relying on their parents to cover the exorbitant costs.
Be original. Write something that only you could write. Show what makes you special. Show your strong character. Tell a story that demonstrates your persistence, work ethic, creativity, or even your ability to learn from your mistakes. Be compelling. Hook the admissions officers from your opening line, and keep their interests with your lively language, varied sentences, and engaging topic. Be concise. Don’t go over the word limit. Admissions officers will be reading thousands of essays, and they won’t appreciate it if you can’t follow directions. Some popular admissions essay topics include writing about your achievements in a club or a sport, describing your family and background, or writing about a life-changing experience. Get feedback. Run your essay by a trusted friend or family member and your English teacher, if you can. They can help you catch grammar mistakes, and they can also tell whether your essay had its intended effect. Always proofread your work. When you’re done, check your essay for grammar and punctuation mistakes. Remember that admissions officers aren’t just interested in the content of your essay, but also by how well you can write.
A teacher can describe your excellence in his or her classroom, as well as your contributions to the class discussion. Pick a teacher who has really seen you at your academic best. If your teacher is also your athletic coach or club leader, he can add even more dimension to the recommendation. Pick two teachers from two different subjects. Don’t ask your sophomore and junior year English teachers to write recommendations, or it may look like you only excel in one subject. Pick someone who you know will write a knockout recommendation. Ask older students if they recommend a certain teacher, or if there’s a teacher who has a reputation of being late with the recommendations or not writing anything too specific. You should not only pick a teacher or person who has a close connection to you, but someone who you know will write something detailed and positive.
Add in why you are a good candidate for the school. Explain how you want to help improve the world and how going to Harvard would help you achieve it. But try to keep the explanation brief. If you are an exceptional musician, you can send a tape of yourself playing music. If you’re an amazing actress, send along a tape of yourself in your latest school play. If you’re an award-winning creative writer, send along a short story.
Be thorough. Fill out all of the space you are given without going over the limit. Write neatly. If you’re filling out your application by hand, demonstrate your diligence through good handwriting. Be impressive. Describe your activities and honors in the most impressive way possible. You don’t have to lie to make the most of your accomplishments.
The application. [9] X Research source Your essay. Your SAT or ACT score report. You should arrange to have the testing company send the scores directly to Harvard’s admissions office. Your two SAT II score reports. Again, these should be sent to the admissions office by the testing company. Two teacher reports (recommendations). The Harvard supplement. This is a short application that will provide more information about your academic and extra-curricular interests. Your financial aid application (if you qualify). The school report and mid-year school report. Fill out the information on the top of these and hand them to your school guidance counselor. The school report should be turned in by your counselor before your application is due, and your mid-year report should be turned in in early February. Remember that if you are accepted to Harvard, your final school report will also be turned in, so you should maintain a record of excellence. Your application fee or application fee waver. The application fee is $75.
Early Action candidates should apply by November 1 and will receive notice by December 13th. Harvard recommends that these candidates turn in their application by October 15th. Regular Decision candidates should apply by January 1st and will receive notice by March 28th. Harvard recommends that these candidates turn in their application by December 15th. If you really want to go to Harvard, apply early. The decision is non-binding, so you’ll have until May 1st to make your decision and to compare financial aid packages from colleges if they are necessary. Though Harvard states that you will not get an advantage for applying early, you should do so to show your commitment to Harvard. You’ll also feel more at ease if you know you’ve been accepted to Harvard early! If you apply Early Action, you won’t be able to apply to any other colleges early. The only exception is if you also apply to your local public institution.
Be prompt, polite, courteous, and engaging if you do meet. Prepare a few questions to ask about the Harvard experience. Don’t worry if you’re not asked to have an interview. This could just be because it was difficult to arrange a meeting between you and someone in your area.
Maintain a record of excellence. Though you can relax a little bit, this is not the time to slack off, cut class, or stop being a stellar student. Harvard will take your mid-year and (if you’re accepted) final reports seriously. Plan a campus visit. If you haven’t already visited the campus, check it out to see if it feels like a good fit for you. Apply to other colleges. Harvard is a dream school for even the most amazing student, so make sure you’re applying to some safety schools as well as other ivy league and prestigious colleges. Don’t obsess. There’s nothing you can do to change the decision once your application is in the mail, so enjoy your senior year and do what you normally do. React appropriately. If you get in, throw yourself a big party! And if not, don’t sweat it. It may feel like your dream school, but you’ll be having the time of your life at another amazing institution before you know it. Of the 34,303 students who applied for Harvard’s class of 2016, just 2,706 were admitted (A 7 % acceptance rate). Don’t be discouraged if you feel like you’ve met every requirement and still didn’t make the cut.
