The Visionnaires

How To Get Into Harvard: David Cao's Journey

January 12, 2021 MingXi Gu
The Visionnaires
How To Get Into Harvard: David Cao's Journey
Show Notes

What kind of students does Harvard admit?

David Cao is a bioengineering and computer science student at Harvard, freelance content producer, and Co-Creator of Babbl. Being one of the first to be admitted in his class as part of the early applicants, David tells everything he did from extracurriculars and academics, the mindset of a successful applicant, and the real experience once he got to Harvard.

Timestamps
2:00 - Overview
2:28 - Life Plan During High School
8:41 - Importance of Your Entourage/What You Can Control
11:26 - Extracurriculars During High School/CEGEP
18:31 - Program & Courses In High School/CEGEP
21:46 - Time Management & Balance
23:34 - R Score/Cote R (39)
24:13 - GPA (4.0)
24:58 - Importance of Grades & Effectiveness
27:40 - SATs Preparation
30:48 - SATs Score (1570/1600)
32:24 - SATs Prep Resources
33:42 - Early Application
35:26 - Recommendation Letters
35:55 - Viral Admission Video
37:14 - Admission Email
39:18 - Arriving On Campus & Loss of Identity
42:09 - Concentration (Bioengineering & CS)
44:47 - Workload & Life Sciences Course
47:51 - Extracurriculars at Harvard
51:05 - Misconceptions of Harvard
53:05 - Types of Students
54:46 - Reason for Choosing Harvard
57:29 - Finishing Freshman Year & CEGEP Advantage

From #10 - David Cao: Leaving Harvard for 2-Month Road Trip While Building a Social Media App

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