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Home Home and Family Teenagers How to get into Harvard in 30 minutes
How to get into Harvard in 30 minutes PDF Print E-mail
Written by Ivy League Secrets   
Take care of your school GPA from 9th grade/freshman year
by IvyLeagueSecrets


Take care of your school GPA from 9th grade/freshman year

This is obvious but should be said regardless. Some students like to slack-off after middle school - it's a new school, you may not have a solid group of friends, you're still getting use to the teachers and lockers. But a poor freshman year GPA can kill you.

You may think that one or two C's can be made up later by plenty of AP and Honors classes, but colleges pay attention to your FULL TRANSCRIPT. A few C's in relatively easy courses like American History or World Geography will make Harvard think that you can't handle even basic academic material. It doesn't matter if you're 15 or 50. Your high school GPA matters - all four years.

Get ready for and take the SAT as soon as you can

In an earlier post on SAT scores for Ivy League admissions, I explain the "minimum" score necessary for Ivy League admissions.

My general advice is that you should shoot for a perfect score (why not??) but be happy with a "good score" (anything above 2100). Don't take it more than a couple times - anything more than 2 without 100+ strides each time makes you look like you're not trying very hard.

You should also take the test as early as possible - take the Duke University TIP in 7th grade, take the PSAT in freshman year at least once. It won't go on your permanent score transcript and Harvard won't be mad that you got a 1800 as a freshman high school student.

It's a great opportunity for practice that has no consequences. Why wouldn't you do that?

Get involved in clubs from day one

Notice my advice here - an early start is ideal for Ivy League candidates. By joining different activities and clubs your freshman year, you demonstrate to Harvard that you are committed to specific interests/passions.

Ideally, you'd stay involved in those same clubs over at least a few years. However, if you find that the French Club is really not where you'd prefer spending Tuesday afternoon, that's ok too - just make sure you're not using the time watch reruns of the Simpsons.

Diversify a little bit

I usually say it's more about your unique admissions stories than it is about diversification. After all, college admissions offices want diversified student bodies but don't need everyone to be completely well-rounded.

Build a core set of commitments

By having a consistent and related theme - for instance, a passion for inner city issues or a love of music (as shown through participation in the String Orchestra and involvement in music-related nonprofit charities) is a great way to build a UNIQUE IDENTITY that, if strong enough, is your best shot at getting into Harvard.

Visit campus

By visiting campus, you show a clear interest in that school. Plus, you'll meet people along the way that will help you understand whether you're a better fit for Harvard or Princeton, Penn or Brown.

Prepare for alumni interviews

IMPORTANT - don't forget to start doing this early. If you're a strong candidate, this isn't something that you wait until the last minute to get ready for.

The best way to get ready for alumni interviews is to practice interviews with family and older people - not your twin brother. Have them ask questions about your accomplishments, your life story, your reasons for wanting to go to Stanford.

About the Author:

Running out of time on your college application? Hopeless To Harvard is an insider's account of how a B+ student got into Ivy League schools. Click here to learn last-minute tips. Get into Harvard now!

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