Advice?

[sarahiochoa]

-Deleted-

[rising_star]

In English, there's really no point in working with faculty before you're in the program.

[dowjonesindustrial]

While I'm not a senior poster here, I have done my fair share of research on admissions chances, with professors and fellow applicants. I think that you have every right to apply to Harvard with the background you've amassed. You've got a chance, and you should take it. To be honest, I would say the same even to an applicant with a slightly less impressive resume than yours.

It's not wise, however, after determining that you have a chance at a top 5 school to think of yourself as Deserving It. That's important to keep in mind, I think. There's a degree of fit (as well as some would say luck) that you won't have control over. You've done steps A-Y. You can be proud of that. But Z is out of your hands. Z is why we apply to more than 1 school. Which prompts my question to you: are you applying to enough schools? schools that aren't Harvard, but that you would be happy to attend?

[anese]

Alone, your GPA would be dicey, but when you consider the entire package I think you stand a chance. Networking, in ivy admissions, is key.

ETA- to remove my spec about your school, as per your request...

But if it is the school I'm thinking of, I think you stand more than a chance. I have family who went there and were practically begged to join Harvard--faculty connections play a large part.

anyway, you only hurt yourself if you don't bother to apply.

[sarahiochoa]

Thanks a bunch, people. I appreciate all the advice given and it's nice to have some real opinions on the matter with how little information is readily available about one's chances on getting accepted to a program (though, I imagine it's fairly mutable). Anyway, thanks again and I -greatly- appreciate all the feedback.