<p>Can you give some tips for next years applicants? I'm currently a junior but I've been working so hard to get into Penn/Wharton. Any tips or things that you did to get in to Penn or things you wish you have done to get into Penn? </p>
<p><em>Oh and if anybody wants to pre-chance me and tell me what I need to work on would be great</em>
Female/Black
Georgia
3.8 GPA (don't know ranking but it's not the top though)
School is #1 in county
I've always taken classes that we're above my grade level due to a school transfer freshmen year. I've taken lots of honors classes.
Sophmore Yr: AP US/4
Junior Yr: AP Pysch, AP Calc BC, AP Gov, AP MacroEcon, AP Lang and possibly AP MicroEcon next semester if I can get a class switch.
Possible Senior Yr: Calc 2/3 (through GA tech distance learning class) and more APs</p>
<p>EC/Awards: Deca Member (won 2nd place award at state competiton), National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, member of school's student leadership team (which is a big deal), nominated for Govenor's Honors Program (don't know if I have been selected or rejected yet), step team member, freshmen mentor, school ambassador for new students, Habitat for Humanity
I know my leadership positions are lacking but next year I'm going to the new high school opening up in my district and I plan on taking advantage of every possible leadership opportunity and possibly being on the student leadership team for my county.</p>
<p>You already have a great chance. Those econ classes will be great for Wharton. You need to take your standardized tests though if you haven’t already. Work really hard on those because high scores look great even if they aren’t everything.</p>
<p>As far as applying, get everything you can done early. If you’re taking a tough senior course load, as you should for Penn, you’ll want as much time as possible to focus on your actual school grades and lessons.</p>
<p>Also, get involved in volunteering in non for profit organizations. I’m not sure if you already are doing so, but this can only help by showing dedication to the community.</p>
<p>May I ask what high school you attend that is number 1 in the country? Because I was looking at the US World and News Report List and no Georgia school is in the top 100.</p>
<p>Do something productive over the summer, like a summer program, job internship, volunteering or etc. This summer will be your last chance to do something useful that can be both a personally eye-opening experience and something interesting you can put on your resume/extracurriculars or write about in your essays. If you’re having a hard time finding summer stuff to do, talk with your guidance counselor at school, ask teachers, google stuff online, or call your local non-profit organization that helps high school students be college ready to ask about opportunities. (I’m not sure if wherever you are in Georgia has these types of organizations, but they have a number of them in Philadelphia.)</p>
<p>Also make sure to keep up your GPA (and get straight A’s if possible, but one or two B’s is alright).</p>
<p>Lastly… seriously don’t wait till the last minute to write those essays. You might be unluckily swamped with school work around mid/late October and you’re going to be freaking out. I was near crying the three days before November 1st. I had tons of tests and assignments due, and I unluckily contracted the flu, so I had headaches and couldn’t stop coughing every minute. But I had to finish my Why Penn supplement and common app essay, so while I was absent for the flu, I was writing my essays too. Pg217 I finished earlier in October since inspiration hit pretty early for that but I had no idea about the other two. I ended up pumping out two essays in those 3 days, got the common app one proof read by a college prep mentor… but didn’t have time to get someone to proofread my Why Penn essay since I finished at 8:30PM November 1st. So it’s good idea to start brainstorming ideas for your essays and writing in mid August. :)</p>
<p>I’m going to get started on my applications in the summer. I really want to do some volunteer but I’m having a hard time finding a place to work. You have to be 17 to work at the animal shelter so I have to wait for that. The hospitals closest to me are kind of a long distance and I don’t have a car or my license yet. I’m still doing Habitat for Humanity though.</p>