Our advisory service is constantly receiving questions from students who would like to study in the most prestigious US Universities. Among them are Stanford, Yale, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Columbia University, etc. In this connection, we decided to publish a number of articles devoted to the procedure of entering the most prestigious US and World University. We are referring to Harvard University subject to inquiries of one in ten people having visited our advisory service. Here, we publish the first part of the article.
Harvard University is among the best and most prestigious World Universities offering its students both high class education, and an occasion to build friendly relations with representatives of “gilded youth” of America. Each year, about 28 000 applications for available 2 000 seats are sent to the Harvard selection committee. Each application is considered by two lecturers of Harvard evaluating a potential candidate independently.
The process of entering Harvard is very complicated comprising several important phases. Each candidate is to produce the following results to the selection committee:
• SAT or ACT*
• Three SAT II profile tests
• High-school certificate with extract with recent grades
• Reference letters from two lecturers
*Should a candidate reside in a country were the tests are impracticable, the selection committee may accept GRE results in exceptional cases (are required usually for entering to US MA course). At that, Bachelor’s diploma or any other completed postsecondary education makes admittance to the Harvard Bachelor’s program impossible.
However, perfect results of these tests can hardly secure admittance to Harvard. The selection committee attaches importance to extracurricular activities of potential students, their engagement in social organizations, availability of research and/or practical experience, outstanding scientific achievements etc.
The selection committee welcomes candidates able to produce any additional proofs of their academic or social activities, e.g., international commendation letters or certificates, or International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, Abitur or GCE A-level test results.
The selection committee countenances international experience, e.g. participation in volunteer, academic or social projects in other countries. Some students when admitted are granted study leaves for 1-2 years for participation in such projects, after which they can start studies and share experience they gained with their fellow students.
Thus, if you have even finished a specialized school with gold medal, and passed all abovementioned tests with 98-99% scores, having published a couple of articles in physics in co-authorship with your lecturer, the selection committee may all the same decide they already have several thousands of similar candidates and prefer a student with experience of volunteer activity in Libya or Sudan.
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