From Community College to Harvard: A Transfer Student’s Dream

by A Guest Author

From Community College To Harvard

Imagine transferring from community college to Harvard, achieving the American Dream. It's an opportunity to learn and accomplish more than you've ever imagined. Most community college students are under the impression that since Harvard is one of the top Ivy League universities, they only accept transfers from other top-tier universities, leaving community college to Ivy League transfers out of the question. However, going from community college to Harvard University is quite achievable, and I will explain why and how.

The first step is simply being aware of the fact that you can transfer from community college to Harvard. Sure, it’s easy to dismiss this as too competitive, but as a wise man once said, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” In this post, we will check out the most helpful community college tips to successfully transfer from community college to Harvard. By following these tips, your chances of acceptance will be much higher. Ready to get started? Let's go!

Be a Top Student from Community College

Since Harvard is very selective when selecting its transfers, it is important for any community college student to make themselves stand out from the crowd.

Click to learn how to become a top student at community college >>

Part of standing out from the crowd is making sure to have earned excellent grades in all classes at a community college. Earning “A” grades shows that an applicant is highly intelligent and hardworking; both of which are desirable and necessary qualities in a Harvard prospect. This is especially true for Harvard  since this Ivy League university receives applicants that have some of the highest grades in the country.

Community College applicants applying to Harvard should also show they are well-rounded individuals with diverse past experience. A great way to do this would be to have a range of verifiable involvement in extracurricular activities. Fortunately, community colleges are a great environment for meeting new people, joining clubs, and partaking in new experiences. By being a person who contributes to the social life of a community college campus, an applicant can show admissions counselors that he or she can bring that same energy to Harvard. In fact, extracurricular activity experiences can be an excellent topic to consider when writing your admissions essay to transfer from community college to Harvard, which is required on page 3 of the university’s standard application.

Prove To Harvard You're Worth It

Retaking the SATs or ACT can also be an option worth pursuing. Unlike your high school GPA, your original SAT scores can be replaced with new and improved scores. A higher score from a retaken test can make an applicant all the more attractive to Harvard admissions counselors. This can really help applicants who did not achieve the best grades in high school, but who excelled in community college. Since an SAT score can be very important, it may be wise to attend SAT study classes or seek out private tutoring.

Or, let me show you how to raise your SATs scores quickly >>

Applicants with unique talents have a chance to shine by submitting material or a portfolio from community college to Harvard. This golden opportunity can allow veritable “diamonds in the rough” from community colleges to let their merit sparkle for admissions counselors to see.

Harvard’s admissions staff won’t just be interested in hearing from the applicants themselves. They also want to hear what an applicant’s community college professors have to say about them. Several strong recommendations from community college faculty can tip the scales in favor of applicants. This is why it is important to network with professors and form personal and professional bonds with them in the two short years—or less—that community college students have before transferring. These connections can help you score strong and supportive recommendations written in time for yearly admissions.

Click here to learn how to craft an effective transfer application >>

Since some students attend community college through the use of student loans; making the transition to Harvard can be financially straining. Harvard is one of the most expensive learning institutions in the world. While the university offers financial aid options, it is up to individual students to decide if they will need to borrow student loans in order to attend Harvard. It is imperative that students speak with their current student loan lender to find out how their debt would change if they are admitted to Harvard.

Sure, going from community college to Harvard is a challenging shot. But, you always miss the shots you don’t take.

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Author Bio:

With diverse experience having worked for a congressional campaign during the 2008 election, Isaac Juarez is now a writer for loans.org, an online lending authority featuring news, advice, and financing options. Having studied abroad in the UK during his senior year at the University of California in Riverside, Isaac presents a well-rounded perspective on the world of college financing.

This post was written by A Guest Author

This post was written by a guest author. If you have high quality, useful information to share with students, send us an email or click Write For Us to learn more. And in case you're wondering - yes, you can promote yourself in this fancy author byline.

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Alex February 26, 2013 at 8:47 pm

Hi, I have reading and will definitely bookmark your site, just wanted to say i liked this article.

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