<p>Is someone significantly disadvantaged without AP classes? My school doesn't offer AP or IB, will I be really behind at ivy league schools next year? What can I do besides trying to learn AP stuff over the summer? Any general first year prep advice would be much appreciated! </p>
<p>And does anyone know if UPenn is one of those schools that don't want people with not-so-good gpas to apply to med school so it maintains a high med school admission rate? Is there a good support system for pre-meds at Penn? Will there be people helping pre-meds along the way (i.e. reading over applications and offering advice)?</p>
<p>what do you think was your hook florazhao- test scores, URM, ECs?</p>
<p>To the OP- I'm confused. Are you disadvantaged in applying to Penn or are you asking about how you'll do at the actual school? It's not necessarily APs or IBs that will help you, but rather a rigorous curriculum. In order to be accepted as a first year ivies like to see that you took the hardest course of study offered at your school. Your ECs will also be a big factor.</p>
<p>If you schs doesn't offer AP/IB, then it's fine. It would only be a problem if you school offers them and you don't take them. Addy's right, rigorous curriculum is the most important. They've got regional admission officers, so they can determine what is/what is not rigorous for each region. </p>
<p>I'm not sure about Med School, I applied to CAS with a great high school record, but only an avg SAT Reasoning... And I got accepted. My sch doesn't use the GPA system, so I can't really give you information on your other question.</p>
<p>But I would say work very very hard on your essays. And do the "optional" essays. I think it's the essays which got me in. (But I do have a great variety of ECs, esp on community services)</p>
<p>sry guys about the confusing post. my questions apply to people after they get in. as i've been accepted already, i just wanted to know how i should prepare myself for next year. thanks all. </p>
<p>haha seriously I think I honestly dunno what my hooks are..</p>
<p>I am a Chinese girl.. with parents having college and beyond education.
Money is not an issue for me... If i have those kind of hooks, they will only work against me.</p>
<p>I think what I showed them is my potential and my persistence.?! Maybe??
My grades are going upward every year. One thing could be I have awards or credentials shown to them about my ECS. maybe they concluded : What I ECed ,I did well??. My ECs include: Business, Design ( 2D Advertisement Design ish)
and Volunteer I made a big fuss about volunteer tho. but the girl who did far more volunteering than me didnt get in. My college GPA was close to 4.0 from Umich which is not an easy school at all.<br>
Another hook might be my essays. I have two very unique topics I d say. What I concluded from my creative essay kinda matched why I wanna go to Wharton<-- topic of the first essay and the topic I chose was very unique I d say. It def was not something that every1 could imagine or do (works better than flying all the way to Africa to help kids, I honestly think so) What I felt about Wharton is: They want people with potential to succeed by using the school's resource. Maybe they saw that in me..</p>
<p>Anything, just PM me. I would like to answer questions from you guys!</p>