Humanly Possible to Get Harvard with 3.5 GPA?

[jwinaz]

That's what I have, but haven't taken LSAT. But assuming I could score within Harvard's range, would my GPA cut me off?

[mephistopheles]

yes.

be URM.

[jwinaz]

yes.

be URM.

Yes, I would get cut off or, yes, I could get in still?

not URM.

Unless we stretch the meaning as in all humans (purportedly) originated from Africa. And, thus, I have some "black" blood a longgg time ago? But, no, otherwise.

Oh well. ...even with a 180???

[cinephile]

My sister got into Harvard with a 3.5 and a 177 and she's Asian. So it is certainly possible.

[jwinaz]

My sister got into Harvard with a 3.5 and a 177 and she's Asian. So it is certainly possible.

Oh yeah?

Any spectacular softs?

[cinephile]

My sister got into Harvard with a 3.5 and a 177 and she's Asian. So it is certainly possible.

Oh yeah?

Any spectacular softs?

PM'd.

[dproduct]

PM'd.

ETA: Yes it's possible, I just don't want to share specifics about someone without their permission ITT.

[jwinaz]

Thanks. Both of you.

[dproduct]

Thanks. Both of you.

NP. Good luck with the LSAT! Just work hard and NAIL IT.

[pifhib2]

Get a 180 and a negroplasty. Cure cancer in your downtime. Guaranteed admission.

Edit: here are the non URM LSN folks that got in with your numbers last cycle.

[nerv]

Could I get a pm too? I'm also curious about this.

[Micdiddy]

Could I get a pm too? I'm also curious about this.

Yeah seriously, why are you guys sharing the secret of how to get into Harvard with only this guy? We all want to know!

[crazyrobin]

NP. Good luck with the LSAT! Just work hard and NAIL IT.

dproduct & cinephile, thank you for the PM. Very much appreciated!!!!

PM'd.

[PhilEconCS]

I want a PM too.

-asian girl with like a 3.5

[PDaddy]

Should any of this be a mystery? A 3.5, if coupled with amazing everything else (i.e. strong UG, tough major, great softs, strong LOR's, no char-fit issues) can still result in admission.

[cinephile]

Just wanted to respond again since I got a lot of PMs: if you're exceptional and have exceptional softs then YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS ABOUT YOURSELF. If you have to ask me what my sis did to get in to Harvard with a GPA that was a bit low, then I just have to assume that you do not have exceptional softs, because if you did you wouldn't be wondering if you too could also get in with a 3.5. You definitely know at this point if you have a game changing soft.

[eyfl]

Just wanted to respond again since I got a lot of PMs: if you're exceptional and have exceptional softs then YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS ABOUT YOURSELF. If you have to ask me what my sis did to get in to Harvard with a GPA that was a bit low, then I just have to assume that you do not have exceptional softs, because if you did you wouldn't be wondering if you too could also get in with a 3.5. You definitely know at this point if you have a game changing soft.

That's the thing, people want to know the example of that game changing soft that has helped to get someone into HLS

[cinephile]

Just wanted to respond again since I got a lot of PMs: if you're exceptional and have exceptional softs then YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS ABOUT YOURSELF. If you have to ask me what my sis did to get in to Harvard with a GPA that was a bit low, then I just have to assume that you do not have exceptional softs, because if you did you wouldn't be wondering if you too could also get in with a 3.5. You definitely know at this point if you have a game changing soft.

That's the thing, people want to know the example of that game changing soft that has helped to get someone into HLS

No, the thing is you already know if you have one. If there's something that's game-changing about yourself, you know it. No one needs to give you an example because it's so game-changing that it's obvious to you.

[PDaddy]

Just wanted to respond again since I got a lot of PMs: if you're exceptional and have exceptional softs then YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS ABOUT YOURSELF. If you have to ask me what my sis did to get in to Harvard with a GPA that was a bit low, then I just have to assume that you do not have exceptional softs, because if you did you wouldn't be wondering if you too could also get in with a 3.5. You definitely know at this point if you have a game changing soft.

That's the thing, people want to know the example of that game changing soft that has helped to get someone into HLS

If anyone can identify a "game changing soft" [sic] that would work for any and all 3.5 GPA's regardless of the rest of their profiles, they would deserve a Nobel Prize.

Look folks, all you can do is put together the best possible profile you can and let fate happen. To do otherwise is futile.

Each applicant is unique; there's no magic formula I'm afraid. Does anyone believe, for example, that some Harvard adcom has a blind hard-on for all research assistants? Absolutely not! He may love a Berkeley 3.5 in biology with certain research background but be less impressed with the same from a student from U-Texas. Maybe he went to Berkeley and has a beef with the U-Texas administration because of a patent issue he dealt with.

On top of that, adcoms change from year-to-year, and their tastes are idiosyncratic. Their moods change from day to day, and week to week. What floats an adcom's boat in one year may change. If I am an adcom, I might love Teach for America and Olympic athletes in a given year. The next year, I might look more at students or MBA's who have interned or worked with companies known for developing green energy...because maybe I'm in a personal space where I am really concerned about the environment. The year after that, I might be pissed at Obama and love students who worked on GOP campaigns.

Or maybe you have the perfect file, but I am in a really shitty mood the day I read your file; so you get a waitlist vote from me instead of the admit vote you might have otherwise gotten. Maybe I read 10 files in a row with typos and then come across yours which also has a couple of really easy-to-spot typos. I get pissed and deny you.

Adcoms are just human beings. They start with certain parameters for admission, but they really use the "know it when I see it" standard. They know an outstanding file when they read it; the feeling they get is intuitive...innate.

Just do the best you can because there's no magic formula, especially at the elite schools - where almost all of the applicants are special in some way.

[J90]

Just wanted to respond again since I got a lot of PMs: if you're exceptional and have exceptional softs then YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS ABOUT YOURSELF. If you have to ask me what my sis did to get in to Harvard with a GPA that was a bit low, then I just have to assume that you do not have exceptional softs, because if you did you wouldn't be wondering if you too could also get in with a 3.5. You definitely know at this point if you have a game changing soft.

That's the thing, people want to know the example of that game changing soft that has helped to get someone into HLS

No, the thing is you already know if you have one. If there's something that's game-changing about yourself, you know it. No one needs to give you an example because it's so game-changing that it's obvious to you.

I agree with this.

It's not something simple like signing up for a particular club, or, "I was treasurer of the Pre-Law Society at my UG."

If you have something that Harvard would want, you would know it. "I am a Rhodes Scholar. That's pretty unique." "I served in the Peace Corps for 27 months in Tibet." "I published five papers that won significant awards in my field, and did X research project with Y recognition." These are obvious. They're not something you do on a whim to boost your application credentials; it's something you genuinely have to be involved in, plan years in advance, and then actually execute.

If you're skeptical about it counting, it probably doesn't. "Does being sophomore class president in HS help me?" No, it doesn't. "Does having my poem published in an anthology help me?" Nope. "I was part of my UG's pre-law fraternity." Nope again. Those aren't game changers.

The point of an app is to convince ad comms to want you. You have to be able to tell them that you're different from the average student and exceptionally qualified, especially at a place like Harvard. LSAT/GPA can show this - softs can, but it's much harder. If what you consider a good soft is something that hundreds or thousands of applicants may have, it's probably not going to help you. So many people apply with exceptional credentials now, too - you have to distinguish yourself even among the best. So many people have great GPA's, tremendous community involvement, who knows what.

[Big Dog]

so you have a year of basketball eligibility left?

[PDaddy]

Take a look at this:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=185924

These are really good - if not stellar - softs. He's probably going to Haavaad.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Take a look at this:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=185924

These are stellar softs.

Honestly? Those are good softs, but I don't think they're stellar. All the honor societies, for instance, are a result of having good grades, not something unique that the OP has done. (Don't get me wrong - great great candidate - but the softs in and of themselves are not spectacular - LOTS of people are in honors societies and do corporate internships.)

[PDaddy]

Take a look at this:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=185924

These are stellar softs.

Honestly? Those are good softs, but I don't think they're stellar. All the honor societies, for instance, are a result of having good grades, not something unique that the OP has done. (Don't get me wrong - great great candidate - but the softs in and of themselves are not spectacular - LOTS of people are in honors societies and do corporate internships.)

I was actually editing my post before reading yours, and as you were posting. I agree with you...really solid but not stellar. Still, they will be enough to get this guy into HYS with essentially a 3.55.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Take a look at this:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=185924

These are stellar softs.

Honestly? Those are good softs, but I don't think they're stellar. All the honor societies, for instance, are a result of having good grades, not something unique that the OP has done. (Don't get me wrong - great great candidate - but the softs in and of themselves are not spectacular - LOTS of people are in honors societies and do corporate internships.)

I was actually editing my post befor reading yours. I agree with you...really good but not stellar. Still, they will be enough to get this guy into Harvard.

I suspect you're right - personally, I know very little about what gets anyone into Harvard.