Apply to Harvard University Undergrad Program - IB Programmer from Montreal

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the application process for Harvard University's undergraduate program, specifically from the perspective of a student currently enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in Montreal. Participants explore eligibility for admission, preparation for standardized tests like the SAT, and the overall competitiveness of applications to Harvard.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions their eligibility to apply for the second year at Harvard due to their IB program completion timeline.
  • Another participant emphasizes that grades alone may not be significant for admission, suggesting that other qualifications, such as high-level (HL) courses, are also important.
  • Concerns are raised about preparing for the SAT while also studying for IB exams, with requests for recommendations on study strategies.
  • Some participants share their experiences with the SAT, discussing the nature of the test, particularly the critical reading and writing sections, and the importance of understanding idiomatic usage in English.
  • There is a sentiment expressed that admission to Harvard may depend more on unique distinctions and talents rather than just academic performance.
  • One participant reflects on the frustrations of being evaluated on writing skills in a system perceived as favoring certain backgrounds or schools.
  • Another participant inquires about the quality of Harvard's physics and astronomy programs and seeks advice on strengthening their application with teacher recommendations.
  • Concerns about language use in application essays are raised, with advice given to avoid informal phrases.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the importance of grades, standardized test scores, and unique qualifications in the admissions process. There is no consensus on the best approach to strengthen an application or the significance of various components of the application.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss the competitive nature of admissions to prestigious universities like Harvard, highlighting the potential impact of school reputation and unique achievements on application outcomes. There are also mentions of the challenges faced by non-native English speakers in standardized testing contexts.

itsygo
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Hello all,

I am looking forward to apply at Harvard university (undergrad program). I am currently enrolled in the IB program at a well-known institution in my city (I live in Montreal). Since the program takes an additional year to complete (which is equivalent to first year of undergrad study), I was wondering if I will be eligible to apply at Harvard and get into the second year?I am doing really good in all my courses, with an average of 92%. I expect to earn my IB diploma sometime this summer.

Sorry for my poor English.Thank you in advance. :smile:
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
Anyone? :confused:
 
Your grades are going to be very insignificant to the admission officers. They can except this sort of average (if not higher) from all applicants to Harvard. What else do you have? How many HL courses?
 
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I am currently taking 4 HL courses. It seems like Harvard demands all applicants to take the SAT test. However, I'm not sure how to prepare for it since I am also preparing for my IB exams...

Any recommendations?
 
I would take some of the practice SATs that are out there (you can find them in any SAT study book you find in the bookstore--one of them is http://store.collegeboard.com/productdetail.do?Itemkey=007182)

First, see where you are at. You may be one of those people who are just naturally great at standardized tests. This way, you will also learn more about the test and its format.
 
Will the book prepare me for the Writing and Critical Reading sections ? And, what type of questions do they ask for the writing/critical reading part? Do I have to learn stuff like "What is a noun" or any other from of complex grammar? Any advice from those who have previously taken this test is appreciated.

Also, how much time do they give you for the test?
 
Grades are insignificant with Harvard including SAT scores Havard is about all about talent win the Westinghouse and you might get interviewed.
 
Check it out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAT#Structure

In my personal experience, critical reading is more like critical elimination. They ask you to choose the best answer, and the best answer is the one that is most literal and has most literal support. Many times, you can eliminate answers because they are either wrong or require some degree of abstraction. It would be good to practice a few passages and be able to put yourself in the mindset of ETS, which administers the test.

The writing section was a thorn in my side. The essay is annoying, because it is 25 minutes of quick writing, which could prove troublesome if you, like me, are a slow and careful writer. The grammar sections are not too bad as long as you go over some of the common mistakes they try to trap you with. Subscribe to the SAT question of the day from the College Board website if you have not already. Common errors they use involve tricky subject-verb agreements, bad comparisons, and verb tenses. It helps if you have a good feel for the English language (e.g. you read a lot or speak fluent English), because many times they will give the reason for their answer choice as proper idiomatic usage, which is very difficult to grasp for non-native speakers. Luckily, however, you hardly need to know what a noun is, never mind gerunds, appositives, antecedents, etc.
 
GCT said:
Grades are insignificant with Harvard including SAT scores Havard is about all about talent win the Westinghouse and you might get interviewed.

It is less about pure talent than it is about distinction. Good SAT scores are a must, as are good grades. Beyond that, unless you have any specific distinctions, such as science fairs, international olympiads, or something particular special, it is often a roll of the dice.

I can tell you, personally, that it is extremely frustrating as a math and science person to be forced to be judged almost purely based on my writing skills, which while not lacking is certainly not brilliant. The real problem is that most public high schools in the US have a glass ceiling, especially in mathematics and science. If you do not know about other science and math outlets, such as fairs or competitions, you do not have the opportunity to distinguish yourself.

To tell the truth, I try to be understanding, but of course it rankles to get deferrals and wait-lists while others who are at about the same or a lower level than me in the sciences get accepted to MIT or Caltech because they go to a bigger and higher placed school that feeds their students As just to further raise their esteem.

Wow, it feels good to get that out there, but I'll cut this post short lest this become even more of a rant against a system everyone already knows is broken. If you've got this far, thanks for taking the time to read, and know that I have made peace with the reality of things for the most part. Anyway, I've already been accepted to Rutgers, and I hear their physics and math isn't too shabby.
 
  • #10
Congratulations on your acceptance. I knew a person who got 1600 on the SATs which was a perfect score at the time and was not accepted into Harvard. Why do people want to get into Harvard everything is so dogmatic over there and going there does not guarantee a good job.
 
  • #11
I think Harvard got a good physics and astronomy program. I am planning a joint-honors in physics and astronomy and later a Ph.D in astronomy. Is there any other university that offers a better program in these fields than Harvard? Also, other than my grades, I've got some teacher recommendations and few other stuff that might strengthen my application...

Thank you in advance for any sort of recommendation/advice. :smile:
 
  • #12
Is French your first language? In any case, I would be really careful not to use things like "doing really good" and "Harvard got" on any essays you might submit!
 
  • #13
HallsofIvy said:
Is French your first language? In any case, I would be really careful not to use things like "doing really good" and "Harvard got" on any essays you might submit!

French is my second language. How many words are you required to write for the SAT test(for the writing part)?
 
  • #14
itsygo said:
I think Harvard got a good physics and astronomy program. I am planning a joint-honors in physics and astronomy and later a Ph.D in astronomy. Is there any other university that offers a better program in these fields than Harvard? Also, other than my grades, I've got some teacher recommendations and few other stuff that might strengthen my application...

Thank you in advance for any sort of recommendation/advice. :smile:

NRC rankings should be of help

http://books.nap.edu/html/researchdoc/researchdoc_tables.html
 
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