DEARBORN — Three, soon-to-be, high school graduates from Dearborn, who have been accepted to Harvard University, sat down with The Arab American News recently to discuss their acceptance.  Harvard University is one of the most selective universities in the world, and has a 6.3 percent acceptance rate.  

Harp.

While two of them will begin their first year of college at the Ivy League school this fall, one has decided to attend Stanford University, where he was also accepted. 

The students, Moiead Charawi of Dearborn High School; Marwa Harp and Ali Elreichouni of Fordson High School all offered advice on how to get into an elite school and included tips on the application and essay process. 

All three students indicated that many of their peers have the same credentials as they do, but do not apply, because they believe that they don’t have a chance of getting in. “Don’t be afraid of failure, and always think positively. Many people think they can’t get into a leading university, so they don’t bother trying, but they should,” Charawi said. 

When asked about the college essay process, all three shared the same advice: Just be yourself. In personal essays that gave the students a chance to simply introduce themselves, Harp says she discussed some of the local organizations that have assisted her family, and how, some day, after completing her education, she wanted to give back to the same groups and her community. “I want to come back and help students prepare for college and get them to take advantage of scholarships,” Harp said. She also wants to help change the traditional mentality that Arab Americans have about their children moving away for college. 

Charawi

In an essay on what matters to him, Chariwi had written about spending time with his younger siblings and what the experience brings him. 

Elreichouni, on the other hand, who has lived in Dearborn his entire life, discussed the local Arab American community in his essay.  He wrote about the negative perception that exists of them in other communities, and how they are seen as different than these other communities.  He goes on to discuss how, in reality, it is really no different. 

Elreichouni was accepted to two other Ivy League schools, Princton and Dartmouth, in addition to the University of Michigan. Harp and Charawi were also accepted to other prestigious universities. 

All three students are heavily involved in the community and school organizations and have held various leadership roles. They say that a high GPA and test scores are important in the application process, but not the only thing that schools look for. They say showing leadership, being involved in different organizations, and showing that you’re giving back to your community are also key factors. “The college admissions process is no longer one dimensional,” Charawi said. 

Elreichouni

So how did these students manage to maintain a high a high GPA, remain involved in so many different groups and continue to have a social life? 

“You have to really want it, and have the drive, and know when enough is enough,” Charawi said. He says that one thing students can do is try to fulfill social needs through different student groups that they can get involved in. 

Charawi has a 4.2 cumulative GPA, Elreichouni has a 4.5 and Harp has a 4.4. Charawi, Elreichouni and Harp are not the first Dearborn students to be accepted to a prestigious Ivy League school.  Several years ago, Ryan Berry from Dearborn High School was accepted to Harvard University and Mariam Jalloul, a former Fordson High School student, also began her freshman year at Harvard in the Fall of 2012. 

During a conversation with The Arab American News last year, Jalloul said that she hoped her admission into Harvard would encourage other students to apply. Harp admits that Jalloul’s acceptance did, in fact, influence her to apply as well.