Any chances at Wharton? Please help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
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<p>Hi. I am a Korean Female from North New Jersey.</p>

<p>My goal is to get into Wharton. However, my application might not be so stunning as those of many others that have posted on this forum. The reason for this is that I attend a boarding school. This boarding school is top tier boarding school, easily listed in the top 5~10 borading schools in the nation. While I attend such a prestigious school, it limits my options of what I can do.
I am a rising Junior. (Please keep this in mind; I have only finished my sophomore year.) </p>

<p>My grades during freshman year were not so impressive; my year gpa was low, somewhere in the 3.7 range. Courses:
Honors Physics
Honors Trig for the Fall term, Honors Precalc for the winter term, and the first term of BC Calc. AP in the Spring
English for Freshman (no honors course available)
a couple of course requirements (Inroduction to Psychology, World Religions, Ancient History, Visual Arts)</p>

<p>EC’s and Sports:
3rds Field Hockey in the Fall
Dance in the winter
School Musical, the King and I, in the spring
Christian Fellowship
Violinist for Orchestra
Spanish Club
Asian Students Association
CFKA
Japanese Club
I took the AMC 12, and although I did not qualify for the AIME, I received a certificate of recognition. </p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
My overall year GPA was 3.94.
Courses:
AP BC Calc (I got a 5 on the AP)
Honors Chem
English for Sophomores (there are no honors courses for English in freshman or sophomore year)
Honors World History
Spanish Level 3 Honors </p>

<p>EC’s:
School’s gospel choir
the ASA
Spanish CLub
Christian Felowship
Shelter for the Homeless club
Violist for Orchestra.
I participated in the AMC 12, placing 7th in the school with seniors. I participated in the AIME, but couldn’t pass that. I did receive a certificate of recognition.
3rds Field Hockey in the Fall
Winter Cabaret performance
Started JV softball in the spring.
This summer, I volunteered at the center for the mentally disabled, visited Korea and China, and played with an orchestra. We will perform at Carnegie Hall this September, and I am the Viola Principal. </p>

<p>Junior Year:
This Fall, I will be the Spanish CLub’s Vice President, which is a little odd because I am Asian. I am also starting a book club at my school with my friend, of which we will be founders and co-chairs. I am also looking into creating a mock trial club at my school. I will also be a member of Christian Fellowship, the gospel choir, the Whims (the main acappella group), CKFA, ASA, Secretary for the Shelter for the Homeless, and Orchestra. </p>

<p>Junior Year Expected Courses:</p>

<p>Ap Physics C
AP Macro for Fall, AP Micro for Winter, International Economics Honors in the Spring
AP US history
English Honors (No Ap available)
Linear Algebra for Fall, Multivariable Calculus for Winter and Spring
Spanish AP Language or Level 4 Honors (undecided yet)</p>

<p>My SAT II scores:
Physics: 750 (I plan to retake this after im done with physic’s AP)
Math IIc: 800</p>

<p>PSAT score in Sophomore Year: 215
Recent practice tests for PSAT are almost always over 230.</p>

<p>Expected Senior Year Courses:</p>

<p>British Lit. AP
Stat AP
European History AP
Psychology AP
Biology Honors (my school doesn’t have an AP bio course, but the honors course is strong enough that all honros students are required to take the AP. Most receive 5’s.)
Public Speaking
Business Intern at a company nearby school
(I also plan to participate in the FED Challenge.)
P/F Japanese 150. </p>

<p>I expect to be President of the Spanish Club, President of the Book CLub (In the pricess of creating it), President of the Mock Trial CLub (If I succeed in creating it), member of the gospel choir, member of the WHims, Secretary of Shelter for Homeless, member of Christian Fellowship, Violist in Orchestra. </p>

<p>I have been on the Dean’s List for all terms at my school. I was also awarded a scholarship chosen by the school for sixteen people this year that have contributed to the school for their enthusiasm, effort, and academic standing. </p>

<p>My choices are limited in what I can do because I am far from home, meaning I cannot compete in regionals or compete in any other events. </p>

<p>What else can I do, if my main objective is Wharton? Thanks.</p>

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<p>what school do u go to?</p>

3

<p>Bump bump..</p>

4

<p>Weak application? Hardly. Although it's pretty hard to tell at this point, I'd say your proposed application and your current accomplishments are top-notch. </p>

<p>You definitely don't need a 4.0 every year of high-school. (I'll let you in on a little secret, my cumulative gpa was less than 3.7). What really matters is an upward trend (I finished with a 3.92).</p>

<p>Honestly, your application's biggest weakness is your ethnicity, and that, sorry to say, is hard to change. You'll need to focus on making your application a complete and focused package. Developing a recurring theme that ties everything together works wonders for your app. </p>

<p>However, the most important part of any application to Upenn is showing a clear hunger to be there. ED and a well-researched essay will help you immensly.</p>

<p>Hope that helps.</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot, that really helped!</p>

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<p>Can you talk about your Mock Trial club. I too am starting one. What do you do? What competitions? Thanks.</p>

7

<p>Bump.. bump..</p>

8

<p>'I took the AMC 12, and although I did not qualify for the AIME, I received a certificate of recognition.'</p>

<p>That alone will get you rejected. Just say you took the AMC 12 or omit it, don't give them crap about not qualifying for AIME and getting a recognition certificate. The admissions officers will definately think negatively to that. And besides, getting to AIME is not a big achievement for a high achiever like you and many ppl on CC boards. In my opinion, you'd be better off omitting it from your app.</p>

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<p>she's only a soph. it's a decent accomplishment to qualify for AIME as a soph. however, if you don't get any points jr yr I would only mention the AMC scores.</p>

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<p>stambliark41: she didnt qualify for the AIME. anyone can take the amc12 so if you dont get aime don't mention it. and whats this certificate of recognition bogus.. anyone can give u a certificate of recognition. colleges tend to take u less seriously if u put certificates of recognition in place of substantial ecs. i for example qualified for AIME and didnt get a certificate of recognition. they know its a bs certificate.</p>

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<p>sorry i misunderstood that. i thought she qualified for AIME & then got 0 points or something.</p>