what is the best advice for a high schooler who wants to go to Harvard?

Answer 1

In order to get into Harvard, you would need much more than good gardes. Be an well rounded person. Perticipate in extracular activities, take challenging classes, do well on standarized tests, have connection with teacher, coaches, etc so they can write you good recommendation when you need them.
Take four years of English, with extensive practice in writing; four years of math; four years of science: biology, chemistry, physics, and an advanced course in one of these subjects; three years of history, including American and European history; and four years of one foreign language. Most admitted students ar Harvard rank in the top 10-15% of their graduating classes. So keep up the hard work.

Don't worry to much about money as about 70% of Harvard students receive some form of financial aid-grants, loans and/or part-time work.

Finally, BELIEVE in yourself and keep up the hard work. Good luck.

Answer 2

DON'T. I was a vicitm of one of those big fancy expensive schools, but the truth is, they are a joke. I PROMISE...no one gives a damn about where you went to college once you have that little piece of paper and you will be grateful you opted for a state school or junior college first once you get that bill in the mail.
However, if for whatever naive reason, you HAVE to go to Harvard, then do it.
My best advice is this: For your undergraduate, go somewhere affordable and with a good reputation for whatever you want to study. Work hard there and keep your grades up. THEN, if you still have your heart set on Harvard, apply for one of their Graduate or Professional Programs. Hopefully, by then, you will have realized that you are so thankful you didn't waste all that time going to Harvard when you got an excellent education for a quarter of the cost. Besides, Harvard doesn't guarantee a job. Only a good resume, strong interviewing skills (which you can resource through the internet for free, by the way) and experience will help you land that job. Harvard doesn't teach that.

Answer 3

I really do not know how Harvard's undergraduate school is or how it is set up. As far as the graduate schools go, they are essentially autonomous of each other. The separate schools (medicine, law, public health, etc.) are even permitted to buy buildings without asking a higher authority.
I can't tell you much about the schools of medicine and law, but I can tell you about the school of public health since I'll be starting there for my M.S. in the fall.
No politics that I can see, other than picking on the medicine and law schools over being snooty and in it for money and glory and etc. Everyone there is extremely nice, but they are also hardworking and dedicated to what they are doing.
I chose to go to Harvard not because of the name, but because it's the best at Industrial Hygiene in the world and does research that I want to have a part in. They are not the best at law, and I don't know how their medicine ranks. It's also nice because I am able to take classes at MIT as well. I'll probably stay for my PhD.D since I'm fully funded and getting paid a sizable stipend as well.
I was not valedictorian of my high school, I did graduate in the top 10%. I did not edit the newspaper and I was not class president.
In college, I was a radio station DJ and didn't do too many other official extracurricular activities. I graduated ~3.8.

My being in an odd profession I think helped me get in and get the funding.
I can understand the draw of Harvard, and the fact that Boston is amazing really doesn't hurt either.

So it is possible, although I definitely agree that it would be better to "aim" to get there for graduate school, if you plan on going that far. But if there's a better school for what you want to do, go there. What you do is much more important than where.

I hope that helped.

Edit: and at least at HSPH, everyone makes sure everyone else has a job. It sounds like I will really need to work to be jobless when I graduate.

Answer 4

First off, you will be spending the better part of $200,000, counting your financial aid and scholarships. So you better know why you're going to college in the first place, and then why it has to be Harvard over other schools.

If your goal is to be the best in a field, AND the best education in that field is at Harvard, AND your record/grades/activities is one of the best in your school, then you at least are competitive.

If possible, arrange a visit with their admissions office. Let them know as early as possible that you are a Harvard person. For that kind of university, everybody has good SAT scores, was editor of the newspaper or student president, so that stuff by itself really doesn't cut it. The "tie-breaker" among all those applicants is a social connection. Basically, you have to be "popular" in Harvard's eyes.

Harvard is a private club. So to be accepted into the club, let them know you're interested, and listen to what they say. If you're not "their kind of people", it doesn't matter what you do. If you are, then if you meet their requirements, you'll probably get in.

Answer 5

To get in, get 2400 on the new SAT, 800 on three subject tests, be the chess champion in your State, and also don't forget to place in the pentathlon at the national level.

Sounds absurd, but it is not.

Back to Harvard, understand that it is no big deal. As you may know, it is increasingly plagued by internal strife and political problems. Teachers are more concerned about their research and lucrative consulting contracts than teaching undergrads. Harvard's overall curriculum is undergoing an identity crisis. There have been numerous articles and books on this subject. The quality of education at Harvard is falling. I would seriously consider other Ivy League universities such as Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Brown. I would also seriously consider other schools such as Stanford, MIT, U of Chicago, and the leading liberal arts colleges (Williams, Amherst, Middlebury, Welesley, etc...). I actually think that at any of these schools you will get a better education than at Harvard.

You are probably obsessed with the Harvard name. Given that, refer to my first paragraph on how to get in. It is that straightforward and demanding. Harvard probably turns down more Valedictorians than any other university.

Realize that what you do in school, and how well you perform academically is far more important than where you go to school. This is true at the undergrad level. Check out the book I mention in my source for more information on this topic.

Answer 6

Reviewing the answers you have received the most promising are from Taskgirl & tsbr1963. The most important right now is to be active in the school your in. One girl with a 2.5 GPA got in over a 4.0 just because she was also part of the Student Senate, volunteer commitees, and did swim meets, this was given to me during an online chat with a Harvard student. As for expenses, go to: http://fao.fas.harvard.edu/. It is possible to go to Harvard for Free if someone on the alumni believes in you and will sponsor your education. Last thing, believe in yourself and Know that you can achieve this if it is your dream.

Answer 7

1) If you want to enter as a freshman, get a 4.0 and a gazzilion points on the SAT to even be considered. Also, be involved in a lot of extra curricular stuff in High School. That impresses the Admissions board of Universities.


2) Find out what the feeder schools are (if any). Easier to get into a Univ. if you go to JC first (or feeder school). High level Universities tend to eat freshman alive and then go back for seconds. Transferring from another college tends to be easier. Since you spend your first year or two taking General Ed and basic courses, why not do it for less money (and less stress) at a JC or feeder school?

Answer 8

Get great grades. Get involved with music. Travel and know at least one other language. Do a foreign exchange program if possible. Excel in some sport. Become involved in community service.

If you do all that...you will be like most other Harvard applicants.

Also- write to the Harvard admissions board and ask them what they like to see....they WILL answer you....

And don't worry about the money. If they want you, they will figure out a way to get you there. A $26bb endowment is a nice thing to have....

Answer 9

Go to Harvard Summer School (between sophomore and junior year) and see if you like it. Many kids who feel pressure to go to Harvard try out the summer school, and a significant number find out that it's not the place for them. It's well worth finding this out in advance! However, note that simply having attended the summer school does not mean that you'll get in. But if you do go and don't do well, that could be a problem.

Answer 10

Work/study really hard. Keep your grades up- and when I say up I mean the highest up! Do well on your SAT's (don't believe the myth that you can't study for the SATs). Get a job or do lots of volunteer work. Involve yourself at your school in groups, class government, leadership, drama, film, yearbook, whatever you possibly have time for. Brush up on your writing skills, take all your required courses. They look for proven strong leadership skills.
Do something that sets you apart from the competition. Be original, witty, intelegent, a real find.
It wouldn't hurt to network either.
Most importantly, believe in yourself! You can do it!
And looking into scholorships might not be a bad idea...