Can I get a chance-me for Penn?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi. I need a chance me for UPenn (ED), and Berkeley. Sadly, my school doesn’t have a counselor per se, and they’re learning to use CommonApp just for me, essentially…so I don’t have much guidance.

I am from Puerto Rico, born and raised. I don’t need financial aid.
UW GPA-3.8 - school has no weight, no rank.
SAT-1450 (M:730, EBRW: 720); planning on retaking, tests say 1500+.
I took the hardest classes possible; I’ll graduate with 8 college classes. My school does not offer AP’s or anything since I am from Puerto Rico, and it is a very poor area.
No subject tests, sadly.

Extracurriculars:

  • Student Government
  • Founder & President of a programming club
  • United Nations Organization President
  • Math club president (competitions, activities, workshops to students)
  • Puerto Rico Math Olympiad team selection phase 2 (lost here :()
  • Class Treasurer
  • Basketball player (since 5th grade)
  • School tutor and non-profit SAT tutor online
  • Worked at a company for a few years as a systems administrator online
  • Youths for Lead Free Water volunteer (I check water’s lead content, essentially)
  • Harvard Pre-College program in Number Theory
  • I got an interview for an advanced mathematics summer program; I’ll know my decisions in a few days, so hopefully that, too!

Hooks/Additional information
I’m from Puerto Rico, and I’m from the poorest region in Puerto Rico. The mean SAT here is ~900 from CollegeBoard reports, and my school doesn’t offer any AP’s or anything. With that said, I took some college courses in mathematics & economics (~8 by graduation, but might be less now, since Corona might stop my dual-enrollment :disappointed:)

2

I think that it is worth an application. It is a reach but not a crazy reach.

Good luck with this. Do also apply to some other schools where admissions is safer.

3

Thank you, and I most definitely will apply to a safety. I’m thinking of my state school, and perhaps something harder – yet not ridiculously so – such as UMich. Any tips on what to do for my resume to buff it up?

4

Thought I should mention: I’ve been self-studying for AP Stats, AP Calc BC, AP Bio, AP Micro, and I will take all of them next year.

5

Do not worry that school doesn’t offer AP classes. You are a very strong applicant. This is an interesting activity " Youths for Lead Free Water volunteer" push these unique activities.

6

If you don’t need financial aid, you may be able to afford an international college counselor who’ll help you with essays and crafting your application. I highly recommend it, as an intl applicant you need to be able to stand out.
If not, feel free to PM me throughout the process for help with the Common and UC app and I’ll get back to you quickly. What major are you applying for?

7

I’m hoping to be an economics major, if all goes well! :slight_smile: Also, Puerto Rico is not international; It’s a U.S. territory, with U.S. citizenship, so throughout the admissions process I’m U.S. Thank you for offering help, it means a lot!

8

Cal went test optional this year. 1450 is a bit on the low side for them. If you apply to Cal, consider not sending your SAT scores.

For Penn, similar story, but I don’t think they are test optional. Which college in Penn are you considering? Hopefully not engineering or Wharton? If A&S then you have a good chance during the ED round.

9

@sgopal2 Thanks for the response. I’m going for A&S, not Wharton. Wharton would be impossible with my stats, lol!

10

Ok, then I think you’ll be fine. Just focus on writing good essays. Especially write about the poverty around you. Have you considered Questbridge?