I am a sophomore and I want to get into Harvard University?

I am a sophmore, I get straight As. I am taking all honor classes, and I will be taking All AP classes that are availabe to me next year. I am a wrestler and I volunteer every week 3 hours. I am in Key Club and Youth Government club. I know I need to get at least a 2300 on my SAT and write a damn good essay but what other extra curricular activities can I do?

I am a sophomore and I want to get into Harvard University?
Hey,





I am a senior and am the Key Club president of Oxford Academy, Division 30 South, Region 13.





IB looks better than AP's. IB is much harder test to pass.





If you want to follow a certain major, then you should volunteer at a place that has to do with the major. For example, if you want to pursue medical career, then volunteer at a doctor's office or at a hospital. This shows that you are making decisions that has to do with your interest. It shows planning, focus, and intellect.





You have the extra-curricular activities, but do you have leadership? Try and take hold of a leadership position by running for office in anyone of your clubs.





Also, try out for a sport that works with teams. You are in a sport, but it only requires working with oneself. They want students who can work with other people and being on a sports team that works with other people will show just that.





Try to get awards. This sounds overly ambitious, but you are not going to get awards without showing people that you deserved it, so really get involved with wrestling, Key Club, etc.





Make good student-to-teacher relationships and find the teachers that you want recommendations from. Take note that they should know you to a certain degree, they like you, and they can actually write a letter. For example, a teacher that really likes you may not sound as passionate about you on paper as another teacher, who is an English teacher, can.





these are all things that i have on hte top of my head. Wish you luck.
Reply:Sounds like you are on the write track!! Keep volunteering and doing things that make you unique from other applicants. Maybe look into a summer college program there and go and take a 1-4 week class there in the summer. These programs are also very difficult to get into. I did this at Cornell, and it really helped. This way the school knows how serious you are about attending, and it really makes you stick out on an application. You need to give up a week or two of your summer, but it will really improve your chances. Keep volunteering, getting A's, and studying for the SAT's and I'd say you have a good chance.
Reply:Sounds like you've got a shot. But rather than set your sites specifically on Harvard, broaden it to getting into a top-notch college. There are many out there.
Reply:It takes more than just an incredible GPA, Stellar SAT Scores, and a large amount of extra curricular activities. I knew a girl...she was ethnically diverse, 4.00 GPA, 2400 SAT Score, National Merit Scholar winner, 6 AP's: she got accepted by Yale, Princeton, MIT, Dartmouth, and Brown. She got denied by Harvard.


Similarly, i also knew a girl who got a 2100ish SAT, 3 AP's, but she had been on TV. She got into to Harvard. The only easy way to say this is: THERE IS NOT FOOLPROOF WAY TO GET INTO HARVARD. My personal suggestion would be to explore one of your talents (acting, singing, spelling, playing the kazoo, etc.). Harvard is not looking for people who know all the words in the dictionary. They are looking for people whose talents extend beyond the classroom.


In the end, don't stress if you don't get into Harvard, it does not mean your are a bad student. It just means that Harvard is a highly selective university which has no criteria for accepting applicants.





Don't Stress,





.