What really gets you into Harvard: lessons from SA's top students
WITH nine distinctions with an average of 95.9%, Sazi Bongwe earned a place at Harvard University in the United Stayes. However, it wasn't just his stellar academic record that opened doors, it was Ukuzibuza, the platform he invented to tackle South African youth challenges. This shows how today's elite institutions are seeking problem-solvers, not just perfect students, and what this means for ambitious South African youth, argues the writer.
Image: Supplied
WITH nine distinctions with an average of 95.5%, Sazi Bongwe earned a place at the prestigious Untited States higher education institution, Harvard. However, it wasn't just his stellar academic record that opened doors, it was Ukuzibuza, the platform he invented to tackle challenges faced by South African youth The writer argues that today's elite institutions are seeking problem-solvers, not just perfect students.
Image: Supplied
Harvard doesn't want perfect grades. They want proof you'll change the world.
Sazi Bongwe didn't get into Harvard with 9 distinctions alone. He got in with Ukuzibuza — an online platform he built to address injustices facing South African youth.
The Credentials Myth
Having coached leaders across five continents, I've watched organisations obsess over transcripts while ignoring the only question that matters: What have you actually built?
"Top American universities look for students who demonstrate academic potential and are intellectually curious, passionate, and innovative," says Rebecca Pretorius from Crimson Education, who guided Sazi through applications to Harvard, Stanford, and Yale in 2022.
Think about that. The world's most prestigious institutions aren't asking 'What did you score?' They're asking 'What did you create?'
The Capstone That Opened Doors
Sazi's 95.9% aggregate got him noticed. His platform got him accepted.
Ukuzibuza wasn't a school project for marks. It was a response to real problems he saw around him. Injustices. Challenges. Gaps that needed filling.
That's what admissions officers wanted to see — not just academic potential, but evidence of who he is and the impact he's already making.
The SA Champions Pattern
This is the formula elite institutions actually reward:
𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Yes, the grades matter. They prove you can handle the rigour.
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆. Not just learning what's taught, but questioning what isn't.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. Building something that exists beyond your transcript.
The Pipeline Reality
South African youth aren't just collecting credentials anymore. They're creating solutions.
While others polish CVs, students like Sazi are building platforms. While others chase distinctions, they're chasing impact.
Harvard saw a young man who won't just study law and politics. He'll use them to continue what Ukuzibuza started.
Your Leadership Question
Right now, what are you building that proves who you are? What exists in the world because you created it?
Because Sazi Bongwe showed us that the path to the world's best institutions doesn't run through perfect scores alone.
It runs through the problems you chose to solve before anyone asked you to.
(Maxon is a dedicated social justice activist and academic enthusiast, passionately committed to driving positive change and fostering equittable communities. His views don't necessarily reflect those of the Sunday Tribune or IOL)