What I need to be considered by Harvard?
Up until a week ago, I was sure I had A.D.H.D. Why? I was skipping a lot of classes at college and I had a lot of similar symptoms to the disorder. However, after seeing a psychiatrist, I was told that my above average grades at GCSE (6 As and 6 Bs) were not reminiscent of a person with A.D.H.D, and instead suggested that due to my high intelligence (my IQ is 147) I was most likely bored with college, and I needed motivation to channel my positive energy into a significant project. She then suggested that I do entrance exams, and apply to the best universities in America and the UK, and also do the SAT and ACT exams to further measure my aptitude. She then said Harvard would be a good choice for me and I agreed. However, I am not sure of what I currently should do to be the best applicant I could be, as American universities love wellrounded applicants, so can someone maybe list the things I need in bullet points or in checklist form? By the way, I'm English.
Moved to International Study 
Original post by hajinator
She then said Harvard would be a good choice for me and I agreed.
Great. Just realise that Harvard reject 94% of applicants (an even more internationals), so banking on Harvard is not a wise idea. Apply to a range of schools.
Original post by hajinator
so can someone maybe list the things I need in bullet points or in checklist form? By the way, I'm English.
There is no such thing. If there were such a checklist, everyone applying would get in. The process is "holistic" which means that there isn't any set criteria. Lack of motivation/truancy is not attractive to an elite institution. They want to see students that will definitely succeed in their environment, and that means looking at their past track record. Just a head's up.
Look up the Fulbright Commission for information on what Universities in the US look for in applicants. That will definitely help you.
You can have ADHD without having miserable grades. The issue is that boredom may mimic some of the disorder's symptoms, making it hard to distinguish what's what. Personally, the more I am challenged the better I feel. I would definitely apply to Harvard if I were you and perhaps some other top tier US universities, but I wouldn't rule out Oxbridge. Personally, I am not convinced that Harvard is more challenging than Oxbridge. It is very different, though, and it may suit you better.
The vast majority of applicants to top universities is very bright and has excellent credentials. That means a lot of excellent applicants are turned down due to a lack of capacity. Top grades, 20 A-levels and perfect SATs are not enough to get you admitted, because hundreds of applicants will have the exact same credentials. You need to stand out, have won medals in international olympiads, written books, published papers, won scholarships, to name a couple of possibilities. In fact the admissions process is much less transparent. They just have to like you, which doesn't make it any easier to be admitted. It still is quite a lottery.
Good luck!
By the way, I skipped the last year of secondary school (which is 12th grade here) because of extreme boredom.
The vast majority of applicants to top universities is very bright and has excellent credentials. That means a lot of excellent applicants are turned down due to a lack of capacity. Top grades, 20 A-levels and perfect SATs are not enough to get you admitted, because hundreds of applicants will have the exact same credentials. You need to stand out, have won medals in international olympiads, written books, published papers, won scholarships, to name a couple of possibilities. In fact the admissions process is much less transparent. They just have to like you, which doesn't make it any easier to be admitted. It still is quite a lottery.
Good luck!
By the way, I skipped the last year of secondary school (which is 12th grade here) because of extreme boredom.
(edited 10 years ago)
Having a high IQ does not have correlation with attention span.
But, if you are truly not being challenged enough then, shouldn't you be getting the best marks in these exams? In my grade 10 exams (similar to GCSE), I got something equivalent to 10A* without putting in much work apart from attending the classes and revising before the final exam.
Harvard is no joke. They are the best in the world. Your GCSE marks are far below what they would be expecting from a UK applicant.
I would just like to say, you may have a short attention span (something which constant texting etc can leave you with). Or may just be lazy.
Or you might have slight ADHD like me. Although, the ADHD is not commonly recognized early here, the doctor said I showed quite a few signs of it.
If you are applying anywhere worthwhile, expect a lot of work. If you are constantly not attending classes, I don't see how Harvard will give you that much motivation to remedy that situation.
But, if you are truly not being challenged enough then, shouldn't you be getting the best marks in these exams? In my grade 10 exams (similar to GCSE), I got something equivalent to 10A* without putting in much work apart from attending the classes and revising before the final exam.
Harvard is no joke. They are the best in the world. Your GCSE marks are far below what they would be expecting from a UK applicant.
I would just like to say, you may have a short attention span (something which constant texting etc can leave you with). Or may just be lazy.
Or you might have slight ADHD like me. Although, the ADHD is not commonly recognized early here, the doctor said I showed quite a few signs of it.
If you are applying anywhere worthwhile, expect a lot of work. If you are constantly not attending classes, I don't see how Harvard will give you that much motivation to remedy that situation.
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