A- GPA with Solid Extra Curriculars and Test Scores Penn Chance

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

GPA: 3.67/4.0
SAT: 1570 (800 Math + 770 English)
SAT II: 800 Math, 760 Physics
Took every AP available (rigorous course load) and got 5’s on all of them
(BC Cal, APUSH, Bio, Gov, Human Geo, World, Language)
IB Student
Huge Passion for CompSci and Business

So my GPA is not that great. It’s definitely on the low end for a highly selective school, let alone UPenn. It might worth noting that I always score high on math and science related classes (although the Physics SAT was pretty hard for me).

I don't have any "special circumstances" for my grades. Sometimes I'd just mess up on tests or assignments and that's that. I've done my best to make up for that number with my SAT's and AP Tests. Although I'm not sure how much they will help considering that most colleges are test optional. So instead, let me try to sell my case with my EC's.

Eagle Scout - Complicated Eagle Project which involved travelling to foreign countries and providing disaster relief on site. Close to $5000 in fundraising and it is STEM related. It is being considered for multiple awards.

Debate/Model UN - Head of our school’s Model UN/Debate club. Every year, we host a conference of 300+ students that I am now in charge of. I also have a few awards from those events.

Robotics - President of Robotics club. My school never offered anything remotely computer related so I used the club as a means to hone my tech skills. The club also introduced me to the business side of technology and how there is more to tech than just writing lines of code.

Research - Done some independent research related to computer science and cybersecurity for the intel science fair. Never worked with a professor or anything like that. The project never made it past the state level to nationals either.

Interned at two local tech companies where I gained some experience. Since they were small, they let me do a lot of different things and gain experience that most interns would never do.

This might be a disadvantage, but I am an Asian male that lives a relatively comfortable life where both parents are college educated and have jobs.

The M&T Program is basically heaven for me because it combines Tech and Business together into a single experience. However, I know that only 55-60 people are accepted.

I guess my real question is, will my EC’s be enough to sell the idea that I’m really passionate about tech and business and that I should be accepted regardless of my average grades? I plan on doing ED so will that also help?

2

depends on fin aid req

3

How so?

4

“Penn is a need-blind institution for students that are citizens or permanent residents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.* That means that we don’t consider your financial need when we make decisions about your admission. “

5

I would count it as a high reach. Penn’s acceptance rate is small and 85% of admitted students have a 3.75 or higher (average 3.9). Students on the low end tend to be athletes, legacies, etc.

ECs can be important, but they won’t cause grades to be disregarded. There’s always a chance, admissions is not an exact science and something in your activities, essays, etc., might be especially attractive. But as a generalization, it’s a reach.