Yesterday we participated in a live webinar with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, William Fitzimmons. He talked extensively about the progress the university has made over the past several decades in trying to “level the playing field”. He also talked about Harvard's test-optional policy and provided details on how the 45-member admissions committee makes decisions. We loved the fact that he talked about well-rounded students with multiple intelligences (we use this as a basis for our work with high school students)!
One way that students can demonstrate their skill and talent is through academic passion projects. Harvard offers more than 100 free online classes for anyone to enroll in. These classes can provide an excellent foundation or stepping stone for your passion project.
The best time to develop your passion project is the summer, when you have more time. But these classes can be taken anytime, during holiday or spring break, and they can spark your creativity so you're coming up with new ideas over the long-term and have an excellent foundation for developing your passion project!