marialaura
marialaura,
Harvard
B.A., Computational and Applied Mathematics
Applied Math/Economics student at Harvard
Features Included
2
Essays
1
Schools
17
Scores
12
Advice
8
ECs
1
Sports

Background

Hometown Topeka, Kansas
GenderFemale
EthnicityWhite Non-Hispanic
Class of2020
First Gen College StudentNo

Results, Essays, and Advice

Accepted
Waitlisted or Withdrew
Denied
  • Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
Tap/click a school logo above to view essays and advice specific to that school.

Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)

Applied for a B.A. in Computational and Applied Mathematics

Accepted and Enrolled Legacy: Sibling

School Specific Essays

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
Forced labor. Constant surveillance. Starvation camps. My 25-year-old dad decided to leave. He was disgusted by the idea of spending the rest of his life in the country in which he grew up, where neighbors betrayed each other to the secret police in hopes of gaining government favor and two million people died of hunger from the socialist economy’s perpetual inability to produce food. My dad dreamt of coming to America; even the Iron Curtain could not prevent the...
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
617 Words
Describe an intellectual experience that has meant the most to you.
Competing in math taught me how to think. I often tell people that if I had not participated in math competitions since the third grade, I would lack most of my current mental capabilities. Today, due to my high school’s lack of an adequately funded and coached math team, I consider myself primarily a debater, but before high school, “mathlete” was my identity. Competitive math gave me some of my best friends and most influential role models, as well...
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School Specific Advice

5 adjectives that describe a typical student at my school (Feel free to elaborate!)
9 Words
Intelligent Driven...
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How to increase chances at my school
151 Words
If you're interested in the humanities or the liberal arts (such as English, History, Philosophy, Social Studies, etc.), say so. Harvard's humanities departments have been losing students to departments like Economics, Statistics, and Computer Science. Having more intended humanities/liberal arts majors would help them...
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How I would rate the alumni network at my school
74 Words
The alumni network is amazing. There is a Harvard alumnus/a at the top of every industry you might be interested in....
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How important school spirit is around athletics at my school
9 Words
Not very important,...
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How to balance class with social or extracurricular involvements
251 Words
In your first semester, you should take four classes, no more. Transitioning to Harvard is like a class all on its own. One nice thing about Harvard is that everyone is academically driven, so people will not be too offended or critical if you are not able to go out or attend events all the time because you have classwork to do. That's totally fine. There is very little pressure to party or drink, etc,...
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My favorite course thus far, and why
51 Words
My favorite course was a class on Kantian ethical theory taught by the world's top...
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Most popular extracurricular activities at my college
178 Words
Some of the most popular extracurricular activities at Harvard are consulting and finance clubs, research assistant work for a professor, and parliamentary debate or Model UN. The consulting and finance clubs tend to be full of career-oriented people who want to make sure that they have good job options after graduation, as well...
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My schedule on a typical weekday
45 Words
Class and studying, eating lunch or dinner with friends in a dining hall if...
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More Essays

These essays haven't been tagged by school. Click school logos above to see tagged essays.

General Admissions Advice

What set me apart from other applicants
155 Words
My debate experience and awards definitely set me apart from other applicants. Admissions committees really value debate because it teaches students to critically think about issues, defend many different views on an issue, and grapple with the complexity of real-world decisions. My debate experience showed my deep...
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How I narrowed down my essay topics
207 Words
My Common App topic was a story crucial to my background and identity. But rather than just telling a personal narrative for "diversity points" or "hardship points," I connected it to my values and philosophical interests. My family background is a key reason why I am so interested in government and political philosophy; that combined with my debate experience made it clear...
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Recommended summer activities during high school and college
209 Words
Summer activities should fit the whole story of the student. If you're sure you want to do medicine, then you should work in hospitals or take extra classes in science. If you really like policy and government, you should intern in government. There is no "magic" summer activity; summer activities should flow naturally from your genuine interests and career goals. This helps...
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What I’d change about my application process
66 Words
I would make my essays more polished and better-written. I wrote them pretty casually because I wanted them to reflect...
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High School Performance

Weighted GPA
4.90
(equivalent to 4.00 unweighted)
Rank
Top 1%
 
Academic Performance in High School Steady

Test Scores

Highest ACT
36
 
ACT Score Details
 
Other ACT Scores
ACT Prep
Highest SAT
1590
on 1600 scale
Highest SAT
2360
 
SAT Score Details
 
Original SAT Score2360
Other SAT Scores
SAT Prep

AP / IB Classes and Scores

Details15 classes and scores

Sports

SportsTennis (Recruited)

Extracurriculars

ActivitiesDebate Club/Team, Quiz Bowl/Academic Bowl, Student Council / Government, Model Congress / Model UN, Science Club/Team, Math Team, Academic Decathlon, Cultural
Elaborate on Extracurriculars or Work

Experience & Awards

Volunteer Experiences
Awards Received

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