Harvard College is one of the most prestigious schools in the country, if not the entire world. And, many high school students wonder how to get accepted to Harvard. The truth is, the vast majority of Harvard applicants will be denied even though they've been accepted to a number of other top colleges and universities.
So why is that?
High school is somewhat of a proving ground when it comes to college admission. When you apply, the admission reps are looking at what you did in high school so that can determine your chances of success at their university. And even though you may have graduated at the top of your class, you still run a high risk of being turned away from Harvard.
If you're wondering how to get accepted to Harvard, we're going to give you some sound advice on how to get your application to stand out from the thousands of others. Obviously there's much more to getting into Harvard than we can write in this short article, but hopefully this will give you a clearer picture as to what they like to see in their applicants.
It's Not Just About Grades
Nope. Grades alone will not get you into Harvard. The reason for this is simple: There are literally thousands of students applying to Harvard each year, and most of those students have top grades, and the test scores to go along with them. So, Harvard can afford to be extremely selective with their students.
They want more than just stellar grades. On paper, they get the top students from across the country applying for admission but cannot just accept everyone with a 4.0 grade point average, and a 30+ ACT score. So the question is: How do you get noticed?
Leadership Roles
One of the most important tips we can give you on how to get accepted to Harvard, is to take on leadership roles in any clubs or activities that you're involved in. By doing this, it shows drive, determination, initiative and that type of leadership that Harvard wants to see in their applicants.
Graduates of Harvard College are leaders in today's world. In fact, 8 of America's former Presidents are Harvard graduates. They want to see that type of leader-mentality in their prospective students as well. Becoming the President, Vice President or any other office position in high school clubs and activities is a great way to show your initiative to take on a leadership role.
Become a Founder
Another great way to get noticed is to become a founder of something. Do you have an interest in a specific field, but your school does offer a club for it? Well, become a founding father of a new club for your school. This may sound difficult, but it's probably easier than you think!
Put together a short proposal on what the club is about, who can join, when it will meet and what's required of it's members. Bring that proposal to your school Principal or Director of Activities and more than likely, they'll let you run with it! Make sure you make it professional so that you can show Harvard Admissions if it's something that they'd like to see.
Community Service Project
One last tip is to develop some type of community service project. For instance, are the streets of your town a little dirty and could use some cleaning up? Develop a community service project that gets people involved in making your town a more eco-friendly place. Gather up some friend that need community service hours and go out and make a difference in your town!
Document what you are doing and how the change has a positive impact on your town and it's people. When looking to gain an advantage on other Harvard applicants, you can pull out the Community Service Project that YOU developed and that will go a long way in impressing the admission reps.
These are just a few short examples of great ways to take on leadership roles and get noticed. Having more than just grades is essential when inquiring how to get accepted to Harvard College.
Source by E. Thomas
