I’m a junior at a pretty good high school; we usually have around 3-5 kids get into Ivy Leagues each year. I don’t have amazing test scores and grades though; I have an SAT score of 1290 and an unweighted GPA around a 3.9. My weighted GPA is around a 4.25. I took 1 AP my sophomore year, and I am taking 4 this year. I got a 4 on the AP European History Exam.
For extracurriculars, I am a varsity tennis player and I’ve been on varsity since my freshman year. I’m not amazing, but I might be able to play college tennis, depending on what school I go to. I have participated in Reading Olympics (team captain both 9th and 10th grade), FBLA, Science Fair, and I started my own club. I have a lot of responsibilities at home and have never had much time to put a lot of effort into by clubs and academics.
I am also bilingual; my mother’s English is not too great and I translate things like messages and emails for her a lot. I spend a lot of time taking care of her in my free time as well. This is my biggest commitment, which has caused me to not be able to put a lot of time in my ECs and academics, but I am hardworking, passionate, and caring.
Would UPenn accept someone like me? I know it is a holistic process, but I’m not even in the 25th percentile for the SAT, so I don’t really look that academically competitive, but I have pretty good ECs and responsibilities at home that come before anything else. Would I even be able to pass the first round in the admissions process?
probably not unless you are good enough for them to want you for tennis…
but you are only a Junior? So then you have time to beef up those SAT scores, don’t you?
According to their CDS:
Average UPenn GPA 3.9
25th percentile SAT 1440
1st percentile SAT 1198
An average GPA is unlikely to make up for an extremely below par SAT. Unless you are actually recruited for tennis, your SAT is probably way to low to have any shot at UPenn.
Even then, tennis is typically one of the higher academic index sports at the IVY’, so unless you were a truly outstanding prospect, your SAT would still pose a significant hurdle.
Absent extraordinary accomplishments on the national or international level, the “Holistic process” helps admissions committees at the most highly selective schools like UPenn choose among the overabundance of applicants with stellar stats. Holistic admissions will not make up for subpar stats.
There are hundreds and hundreds of excellent schools where a kid with a 1290/3.9 would have an outstanding shot at admissions, unfortunately the highly selective schools with the single digit (or close to it) admit rates are not among them.
The biggest tip I can give you is to try the ACT – you may be better at it than the SAT! My ACT score (33 = 1490-1510 on the SAT) was over a hundred points higher than my SAT score (1330). I’ve known many seniors who made the mistake of doing terrible on the SAT but not even trying the ACT. Penn accepts both the SAT and the ACT – no test has more importance in the application process. And since you’re a junior, you have PLENTY of time to work on the ACT. (Don’t be like me who took the ACT in October of my senior year lol)
As for grades, keep on taking the most rigorous classes your school offers (but at the same time, don’t take classes that will completely damage your grade). UPenn checks to see the hardest classes your school has and compares that to the class you’re taking.
P.S.
If you are a minority or come from a low-income household, look into Penn’s fly-in program called ‘PEEP.’ (https://admissions.upenn.edu/penn-early-exploration-program-0)
I believe applications open this summer. I had the privilege of being accepted and was at Penn in October. I was able to meet with the Dean of Admissions, attend classes, tour Philly, and more. It is said that you have a greater chance of getting in to Penn ED if you attend the program. I didn’t apply to Penn ED (I ended up applying RD) but my friend did so and got in.
