Is it unrealistic to want to go to Harvard University, is it really that hard to get in? How much does it cost

It isn't unrealistic to set your sights on any college as long as you work hard in order to get there. Harvard is a great school that is difficult to get into but it isn't even the hardest to get into. I've always been told to never fall in love with a school in case you don't get in, but if you strive to get in it is worth the effort and you never know. College admissions is really a crapshoot nowadays.





Don't worry about tuition. If the college wants you they will make the effort to get you there. My brothers was offered a lot more money from Williams College than from Harvard (which he managed to get into). When we showed Harvard the offer they met it. In addition there are also tons of scholarships out there. Just type in "scholarship" on any search engine and you will be bombarded with opportunities.





As long as you work hard Harvard is not an unrealistic option.





By the way my brother was not valedictorian or even in the top five. He had good grades, great SATs, but his big thing was that he could write. He only had a few extra-curriculars but his essays were amazing. We paid four thousand a year for him to attend.





Go for it!

Is it unrealistic to want to go to Harvard University, is it really that hard to get in? How much does it cost
I just graduated. To add to that, it's about $45,000/year but there is generous financial aid. If your family earns less than $60,000 per year, it's absolutely free, and above that, you still can get plenty of help if necessary. (Only need though, no merit money directly from the school.) Report It

Reply:You can always put your best into the application and try, it's worth giving it a shot. But plan on other schools. Don't be hell bent on getting into Harvard. So many other kids are, and then they don't get in and they cry.
Reply:As someone who was accepted to the Kennedy School at Harvard, I can tell you that it depends on a couple factors. Primarily, which program you are interested in. Some, such as the business school, are very hard to get in and accept less than 1 in 10 candidates. Other programs have higher acceptance rates. In general it is difficult to get in, but each program in looking for different things. In my own experience, life-experience counts for more than test scores and grades (but of course those are still important). If you really want to go, you could probably do it, but it could mean test-prep coaching and possibly taking a few years off to do something to set you apart as a candidate (Peace Corps or something along those lines). The question is whether or not that kind of sacrifice is worth the education.


The money issue is a big one. I ended up not going to KSG because of the cost and the low level of financial aid available. I think there are many other schools that offer comparable educations for a fraction of the cost but don't give you the brand name of an ivy league school. It just depends on what you want to get out of your education. I'm sure the majority of people who go into debt to pay for a Harvard education think it was worth the cost.
Reply:Check out their website..


And no it is not unrealistic.. go for it if you can!!!





http://www.harvard.edu/
Reply:Yes, it's that hard to get in and yes it's unrealistic (though not completely) to want to attend. Financially, it will kick your hiny. In a single academic year you could be spending well over 20k just in tuition and fees. Worth it? Not a chance.





A state university can and does provide the same level of excellence as an Ivy...just without the pretentiousness and superiority complex.
Reply:It is very hard to get into, the kids that apply are at the top of their class and have a lot of extra's to put on their resume's.


You need to be at the top of your class and do things that make you stand out from all the others.


I'm not sure of the cost, but it is very expensive.