Inorder to get into Harvard, what kind of extracurriclar activities should I do?

Question

I am a high school student and I am just looking for a few suggestions.

Answer 1

community based service, volunteer work is an excellent ec activity.  

Answer 2

it looks really good to have long term activities because it shows that you are committed. don't bulk up on activities because they will be able to tell that you are only doing it for college applications. try things like model un, band, dance, peer mediation or any sports.

Answer 3

The ones that get you in are the ones you can't pad and those are the only ones Harvard level schools care about. This is not about clubs at your high school. It's about taking a single passion and accomplishing something of magnitude in it, the kind of thing you can't lie about because you've been written about.

The other thing is being an athlete good enough to be recruited for one of their teams.

And can someone tell Ranto no ivy interviews any longer except for informational alumni "interviews" which don't matter.

Answer 4

Yearbook, theater, sports, student government, history, art club after school, marching band, choir groups, etc; anything afterschool is over.  Work at a library.  Volunteer at homeless shelters, all of these look good. Church groups, volunteer at a hospital, anywhere.  Do anything and everything you can think of.   And take  all the advanced classes you can do.  And get straight A's at minimum.  It helps to be a minority, but even white people can still get in.

Answer 5

I don't understand why everyone thinks that extracurricular activities get you into great schools.  They are easy to pad and the university has no way of telling if you are truthful or not, so why would they give them great importance?

Yes you need them -- but to get into Harvard it is more important to have the following:

1.  Unweighted GPA over 3.8

2.  SAT scores around 2200 or higher

3.  Great interview and killer admissions essay

4.  Lots of AP and honors classes

5.  Go to a quality HS.

For activities, just do the normal stuff.  Play sports, join academic and service clubs.  Do some volunteer work.  It is bad if you don't have any -- but don't fool yourself into thinking that it will be a deciding factor.