How Did I Get Into Harvard?

Earlier I made a post with my top 7 tips on how to have the best shot at gaining admission to Harvard University. Now I’m going to share my own story and how I implemented those tips in my own application. 

During my application process, I found it really helpful to read successful essays and profiles, so I hope you can use my story as an inspiration. However, everyone is different, so be yourself and don’t try to copy what others do. I come from a unique background that cannot be that easily copied, and so do you. If you have any feedback or ideas you want to hear more about, contact me!

I. worked hard at school, but my grades were far from perfect

Like I said before, to get into Harvard, you do not actually always need to be at the very top of your class. In fact, one of my SAT Subject Test scores was in the very bottom percentile (400-500 score range), and I never excelled in my high school natural science classes. 

However, this did not matter. 

I showed my talent in subjects I am interested in, such as history and philosophy, so I focused more on those. I was able to graduate as a valedictorian because I could choose what subjects I will include in my final diploma and pour my heart into those subjects only.

This of course differs from country to country (which is why I have made a separate helpful post for international students). Still, the bottom line is the same: the admissions officers won’t care about your biology grades that much if you’re planning to study literature. 

2. Showcasing my commitment to my (unique) passion

I put unique in parentheses because I don’t believe it is necessary to have some eccentric hobby to be interesting. If you like more popular hobbies like football or debate, go for it! The most important thing is that you go for it wholeheartedly. 

One of my passions is Irish step dancing, which I started in high school. Despite facing multiple challenges in becoming talented in it in my “old age” (it’s one of those sports people start very young), I’ve kept going and let nothing stop me. I still do this even in college, so I am going to write more about that in the future. It has taught me such great time-management and other skills that it deserves its own post. Stay tuned for that! 

3. Make a positive impact on the people around you, no matter how big or small

In addition to dancing, advocacy work has also been really important to me for a long time. In high school, I was part of a theatre program that prioritized disability inclusion. I will never forget that experience and I am so grateful I was able to be part of it and see the amazing impact it had on so many people. 

Maybe it didn’t bring world peace, but even if you can positively impact one person, it’s all for the better. Top schools are looking for people who care about others and will use their education to make a positive impact and become good leaders. 

4. Being open about my personal background

My passion for disability advocacy comes from my family background. I didn’t have to spend hours brainstorming topics for my application essay because I immediately knew that I wanted to write about my family. 

Every word I wrote came straight from my heart, and I even made my mother cry when reading the finished essay. 

That was when I knew I could not make it any more authentic. And that should be your goal as well. One of the admission officers who reviewed my application said it was one of the best essays they have read in a long time. 

Having mentored high school students in their application journey, I have had moments when they start to cry when pitching their essays. That is when they hit the nail on the head. 

In some cultures, this might seem weird. Why does the Harvard admission officer need to know about my difficult family background? To really get to know you. 

This is important when there are so many applicants fighting for a spot, so you need to make them really understand who you are. When they understand where you are coming from, they can also understand how the school would be a good fit for you. 

5. I didn’t try to be good at everything, I carefully chose my niche

How often have you met a person who can do everything perfectly? Exactly, not often, if ever at all. Also, that’s not what you should aspire to be. 

I don’t personally care about studying biology or other natural sciences, so I always struggled to focus on those classes. I can’t play any musical instruments and I’m also pretty bad at math.

Surely I could get better on all of those aspects if I wanted to, but we have limited time and energy. Most importantly, if I had spent all my energy and time on improving those aspects of my life, I would not be as good at the things I care about more. I spent my energy on writing, dancing, and studying humanities. That’s my niche. Obviously, if you are into many things, it’s also good! But you don’t need to be. 

Funnily enough, in college, I realized that I don’t even have time for all the subjects I’m interested in. There are so many cool things happening all the time! Also, college is the perfect time to explore new things. In high school I hated Economics, and now it’s actually my major! Funny things can happen, and that is exciting.

In most countries outside the US, you need to decide what to study right away, but in liberal arts colleges like Harvard, you don’t need to choose right away, and it’s really flexible to change. Take advantage of that. 

Reflection

I hope you got inspiration from my story, and my contact box is always open for feedback and suggestions!