Hannah Humes has brought pride to Pleasant Valley in a variety of ways. She is a stellar student, a disciplined athlete, and a strong young woman. Her high school years have been full of many outstanding accomplishments, but one of her most recent and momentous is her acceptance into Harvard. Even after receiving the exciting news on a scale that big, she kept a humbleness about herself and didn’t go shouting it from the rooftops. The maturity and modesty she holds are fine markers of her character. PV has been lucky to have her, and is happy to have been the start of her journey. However, her path still has a ways to be paved, and her future is an unknown slate of opportunity. We can’t wait to see where Harvard takes her, and wish her the very best in her upcoming college endeavors. Congratulations, Hannah!

Q: When did you decide you wanted to apply to Harvard?

A: It didn’t really feel like a decision to apply; my parents have always been advocates of me going there for college. When it came time to apply for college, it was just natural that that was the place I would apply to early. I first thought about going there when I was a young kid, but I really didn’t start truly considering it until about junior high, when one of my cousins started there and really loved it.

Q: What things did you do to make Harvard become more attainable of an option?

A: With any college, the things you can do to make yourself seem like a good candidate are mainly the same. Getting good grades, taking hard classes, having good test scores, and participating in extracurricular activities. Other than that it is important to show that you have a personality in your interviews and essays.

Q: How did you and your family react to your acceptance?

A: I didn’t believe it when I saw it. It was before the time the decisions were supposed to be released and I had logged onto my student profile and saw it. It didn’t feel real for a while, but afterwards I was really happy and shocked. My parents and siblings were all really happy, with both of my parents crying when they heard the news.

Q: Is your brother jealous? 

A: As far as I can tell, my siblings are not jealous at all. They both have other things they like to do and are really proud of me, my brother in particular.

Q: What was the most daunting thing about trying to get in?

A: Everything is daunting because when you look at statistics about admissions, they are pretty scary. It was important to keep in mind that I had done everything I could have, and that if I didn’t get in, it wasn’t a reflection on me, but the crazy standards of admission these days.

Q: What question was most difficult to answer when you got interviewed for Harvard?

A: It is incredibly hard when interviewers say “Just describe yourself.” It is such a broad topic and it is so awkward to talk about yourself for so long, but I had to get past it to be successful during the interview.

Q: How do you feel when people look at you with shock/awe after hearing about where you will be attending college?

A: I try to avoid talking about where I’m going to college at all costs because it makes me feel awkward and uncomfortable. Usually I tell people that I will be going to college in Boston and only tell them which one if they ask further questions.

Q: What about Harvard are you most looking forward to?

A: Every person that I have talked to who is an alumni or a student at Harvard has said meeting all the unique people that are there [is the best part]. I am also looking forward to taking classes there and learning from the professors.

Q: What were some of your first impressions when you saw the campus?

A: It is my favorite campus that I have ever visited. The campus looks really beautiful with old brick buildings, but also is very modern being incorporated into Cambridge and Boston. I am not looking forward to the cold winters, but I am still really excited about it.

Q: Do you have any idea of what you want to major in or clubs you would like to join next fall?

A: Right now, I am planning to be a BioChemistry major, but I really don’t know if that is what I will stick with. At Harvard, students are not allowed to declare a major until sophomore year, so I have some time to figure it out.

Q: Who has been helpful or encouraging to you during your Harvard application process?

A: Obviously, the teachers who wrote my recommendation letter, Dr. Lundberg, Mr. Neuhaus, Mrs. Moritz, were incredibly helpful and part of the reason I got accepted. Other than that, I went through the process mainly by myself, with some help from my family.

Q: If you could give students one piece of advice about college applications or admittance/rejection letters, what would it be?

A: Don’t take the decisions as a reflection of who you are and remember that success is not dependent on where you go to college.