Biggest mistake... now UPenn RD

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
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<p>My original 1st choices when I was applying early were UPenn and Cornell; however since Cornell has higher accpeptance rate for intl. student, I EDed Cornell. Now on the 14th, ED decisions are in…
I was deferred from Cornell. Big mistake… cuz I didn’t know many people applied to C from my school while no one EDed UPenn so competition… </p>

<p>Trying to be positive. So I’m going to apply to UPenn regular, but I wanted people to advise me on what UPenn is looking for. Ivies consider whether an applicant fits well into their schools (all colleges for that matter), but I guess I wasn’t a Cornell material. </p>

<p>Please chance me… I know it’s long, but your opinions/advises can help me tremendously! and please help me find what strengths/sides I should emphasize when applying to UPenn (for Cornell, it was diversity and variety “Any person… Any Study”.</p>

<p>thank you so much and congrats to UPenn ED students!</p>

<p>I’m an international student BTW, but not applying for financial aid. (UPenn says on its website that for intl. students it is not need blind and will take into account the ability to pay into admission process.)</p>

<p>I think this will be my final chance thread before sending out RD apps.</p>

<p>STATS:</p>

<ul>
<li>GPA:3.78 (don’t know about weighted or uw)
School doesn’t rank or send out deciles… (3 other students EDed Cornell and I think we all got compared side by side for lack of rank… out of 4, 2 got in to Cornell)</li>
<li>SAT I: M 730 CR 660 W 700 2090 total (final retake in Jan. but I think this will be the scores RD colleges will see)</li>
<li>SAT II: Chem 720 USH 740 Math IIC 790</li>
<li>TOEFL iBT: 115/120 (29 reading 29 writing 29 listening 28 speaking)</li>
</ul>

<p>Have taken 8 APs by senior year.</p>

<p>SCHOOL:</p>

<p>Competitive public HS in VA. dunno if it means anything, but 25th or something place in US Newsweek ranking (ranked best in Fairfax couty, excluding Thomas Jefferson HS for Sci and Tech)</p>

<p>ECs:</p>

<p>*Chorus (4yrs) - The liaison (responsible for translating meetings, events, handouts for foreign students and parents. Also responsible for organizing major events), will sing for a big choral convention.
*Altar Boys (3yrs) - leader and senior of Altar Boys. responsible for assisting the priest. regarded as holy. rigorous training.
*Patient Support Services (4yrs) - teen volunteer. rigorous training to assist practically everyone in the hospital. Bunch of badges for services and achievements.
*Small Business (4yrs) - own business translating almost any text for a nominal fee or no fee (for financially challenged people). I wish I could translate at courthouses for poor people, but can’t. rules or w/e…</p>

<p>Summer Activities:</p>

<p>*Boys State - Selected as my high school’s representative to Boys State of America. Leadership position held (City Council).
*County Executive Leadership Program - selected as rep. of my school to county leadership progm for a year. part of the prgm is summer internship at the government center. soley completed major projects.
*Korean Embassy - Intern at Korean Embassy in DC. responsible for database, making Visa, Passport services. Rigorous training.</p>

<p>Awards:
*Chorus awards - Madrigal Choir, Select Choir, Men’s Choir awards since 9th grade. (all of them either 2nd or 1st place with superior ratings). 1th grade, Disney music festival, received 2nd (select choir) and 3rd (men’s choir) in the category and in the whole regional festival.
*American Legion Citizenship Medal - I hope too many Asian international students have gotten this! One of the highest honor an individual can receive during Boys State.
*St.Paul’s Award for an outstanding essay (essay contest)
*1st place in an essay contest held by Korean Daily and other educational institutes (big Korean community thing)
*Academic letters, honor rolls, blah blah blah… the usual stuff
*Junior Award for students with extraordinary talents (school wide, very prestigious)
*top 5% in the nation in AMC 12 thereby → AIME qualifier.</p>

<p>Recs:</p>

<p>*GC rec - GOOD expecting good rec.
*1 teacher rec - DECENT knows me very well.
*2 teacher rec - GOOD knows me enough. knows how hard I worked to earn good grade in her AP eng class. impressed her a couple times with scores, essays, etc.</p>

<p>Essays:</p>

<p>*Some teachers/professors/tutors said best they’ve read in years. very personal, interesting topic, stands out.</p>

<p>EXTRA:</p>

<p>*EC may not jump out, but did best I can in things I’m passionate about.
*limitation to activities, competition (offered internship at NIH, but rescinded b/c i’m not a citizen or perm. resident other opportunities missed), but did my best to make the best out of whatever I have.</p>

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<p>dude, you already posted this...look for your old thread on the next page.</p>

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<p>didn't mean to offend you or anything letmepass. I value your advise, but I'd really appreciate other opinions, as well.</p>

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<p>i'm not offended but i guess i sounded like it? lol. you could have just bumped the thread.. :d</p>

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<p>just thought international student in the title attracted only intl. students lol...</p>

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<p>Well unfortunately for you, you are a Korean, which I believe is quite possibly the most over-represented minority at Penn and most other elite schools.</p>

<p>This isn't to say that Koreans don't deserve it. I've lived and worked in Seoul (one of my jobs was in a swank apgujeong hakwon doing SAT prep for kids like you) and have lots of Korean friends and they are by and large some of the most hard-working and thoughtful people I have ever met. But the success of your peers has undoubtedly made getting into college harder for you.</p>

<p>One of Penn's biggest concerns in the RD round is accepting students whom they are confident will pick Penn from their choice of acceptances. Penn knows it's quite awesome, but is insecure about its ability to lure cross-admits from harvard, yale, princeton (imagine that). So it either looks for applicants it is guessing will be rejected from HYP, or well-qualified applicants who make it clear that Penn is their first choice.</p>

<p>I think a good way to show this interest (which is now something penn tries to force you to do) is to show interest in certain people in a Penn department that is of interest to you. If you happen to be interested in Korean studies, then I am happy to tell you that Penn is one of the best schools outside of Korea itself for that. Milan Hejtmanek is a korea god among men and Penn offers courses ranging from the standard korean history to special course on north korea to courses on korean cinema and even a seminar on the hallyu phenomenon. Heck we even have not one but TWO korean student associations (one geared towards yoohaksaeng and one geared towards gyopo).</p>

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<p>aah..i see.</p>

<p>yea people...comment away. :D</p>

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<p>WOW thanks soo much for that info and advise. I really appreciate it. Well I don't think I'mthe first case (HYP rejects), so I guess I'll just have to make myself well qualified for Penn and show the adcom that if accpeted, I'll definitely going to enter Penn.</p>

<p>wow again, thanks for the info. It really helped a lot.</p>

<p>Johnny K, what do you think of my chances? you seem to know about Penn a LOT.</p>

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<p>and how can I, in my application make myself more appealing to Penn adcom?</p>

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<p>I'm a senior soon to be 5th year senior from a family full of smart people (yours truly being the outlier). But at this point I don't know who gets into Penn...aside from your GPA you seem like quite the all-star. send me a PM and i'll give you the email address of hejtmanek. he might be able to help.</p>

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<p>hmm my GPA's low b/c of junior year grades (family issue). My counselor (at least he said so) included in the rec what happened. But after being deferred from Cornell I think that didn't work or sth... dunno.</p>

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<p>oh I came to the U.S. approx. 5 years ago BTW</p>

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<p>welcome to the bestest country on earth. can't you apply for citizenship by now?</p>

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<p>haha thank you.
I have F-2 student visa. my family is currently in the process of becoming perm. residents. </p>

<p>well I hope Penn doesn't hold my status as an intl. student against me. I'm not applying for any financial aid. Penn website for intl. students say it will consider our ability to pay into admission process. So, if I understand this right, I'll have same chance as any other domestic applicants...</p>

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<p>I would keep any religious stuff in your background toned down on the Penn app. I was told before I applied that their admissions people hate religion, but I had a ton of religious activities listed on there. I was rejected, and another kid at my school who was either inferior or equal to me in every part of his application was accepted.</p>

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<p>really?
I'm very sorry you got rejected...</p>

<p>I see.. I never knew that. Well that's the only religious side I have on my app so i hope that doesn't become a problem...</p>

<p>thanks for the heads-up!</p>

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<p>i spent 3 yrs teaching sunday school (still do) and devote a LOT of time to my temple and its comm serv activities. im a south asia studies prosp major && a possible theology/philosophy minor ...
i just got into penn on thursday.
so how does that work?</p>

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<p>hmm
interesting point.</p>

<p>I guess people just have different opinions.</p>

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<p>could anyone comment on my chances??? please???</p>

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<p>Wow, were you seriously deferred from Cornell? Cornell almost never defers people! It has an accept/reject policy for ED.</p>