Do I Have Have a Good Chance of Getting into an Ivy League school even with one 79?

[Crystal2836]

I'm currently a freshman in high school, but when I was in 8th grade, I took Honors Geometry at the high school and I got a B first semester but then a 79 the second semester. This year, I've gotten mostly A's and I have one B right now in an Honors class. But I'm not taking an honors math course this year.I'm in several clubs (have about 65 or so hours of community service from this year), yearbook, etc. I plan to join more clubs next year but I'll dedicate myself to a couple. I play violin but I'm not in my school's orchestra. I take dance classes outside of school as well.This summer I'll volunteer at a college laboratory and then travel to a third-world country on some program. Also SAT prep classes.My school's really competitive so I don't know how my GPA measures up in comparison with the other students. My dream school has been Harvard since elementary school. Did that 79 really kill my chances of Ivy League? Also will it look bad cause I'm not in honors math anymore?No more room!Please give me honest answers. And tips/suggestions would be helpful.Oh, and next year I'll take one AP class and 3 other honors classes, junior year I'll take 6 AP classes, and senior year I'll probably take 5 APs. I'm taking yearbook all 4 years & one foreign language all 4 years too.

[XxXLiLMXxX]

im guessing you could!to me, i would rather go to UCLA but you could go to Harvard or PRINCTON!

[imatwkrp]

Harvard will consider your GPA as a whole and your SAT score before they will even look at your 79. Therefore, the 79 did not necessarily kill your chances, no. Harvard does consider honors and AP credits as points in students' favor, but it is not necessarily the case that they require all the classes be honors. It is definitely not the case that every single freshman at Harvard last year had all honors courses in high school. So it will not look bad to be out of honors math this year, but it won't look as good as the honors and AP credits of other applicants look.Clubs, community service, music and so on are great, always assets, but they are not as important to Harvard as a high GPA, high SAT, and strong letters of recommendation. Work on improving as you go, share your dream of Harvard with teachers who could attest to the quality of your work in letters of recommendation, and demonstrate consistency and commitment. Last, please consider expanding your dream; I've seen too many high school students consider suicide after rejection from Harvard, and no school is worth such pressure. Conduct yourself excellently and with aim, and let Harvard take care of the rest.

[SamanthaW7248]

Honey, the ivies are near impossible to get into. However, that does not mean you should stop trying. Okay, so I'm assuming you're good at math, right? Did most people in your middle school go to high school to take math courses? B/c if not, then you should really expound on that--in other words, focus on your math/science studies. Ivies don't necessarily look for the well-rounded individual, but for an individual that's really good at something. Since you're a freshman, plan your classes for the next three years of high school. Yes, you should have some honors/APs in the humanities (english, language, history)---However, take the hardest classes at what you're the best at (also assuming you actually enjoy math). Right now, work on getting good grades and finding out which clubs you truly belong to. Good luck.

[dANCiNgaNgEL]

I'm a soph in high school and have done much research on the ivy league of my choice (cornell). i've learned that most colleges as a whole don't only focus on grades. so, a 79 will NOT spoil your chances. You still have to consider the interview and/or essay part of the process. They will look for you as a whole - not the whole "i'm smart and you should lykee totally accept me!!" They want people to show them why they chose harvard? you have to show your passion for this school - and the only way you can learn more about them is by research. look at their mission statement - what do they strive for? and to be honest, the most IMPORTANT years are sophomore and junior year. do NOT get me wrong - freshman is important. but i HIGHLY doubt they will not accept you just because of a 79. besides, since it is your freshman year, colleges understand that you are still adjusting to a new atmosphere. don't worry yourself - you seem like you're on the right track! good luck