<p>Hi guys, I just want to give you a general information of myself.</p>
<p>I'm a junior Canadian student who lives in Toronto. Wharton has always been my dream school since I was little.</p>
<p>However, in grades 9 and 10, things happened to my family. Grade 9 was okay, my grades weren't so great, but soso. But in grade 10, my sophomore year, I've failed two courses due to family issues. They aren't important courses, but I know they'd look ugly on the transcript.</p>
<p>I know universities pay the most high attention to your junior grades, but I know US Universities care about all four years (Canadian universities usually look for grade 11 and 12).</p>
<p>Wharton is a rigorous and competitive school, I feel like my dream is crashed because of those two failure courses. I feel like giving up, but my motto is to never give up. And wharton is my dream. </p>
<p>I've been researching online and I've seen people saying that Ivies also look for improvements. I'm just wondering, if I raise up my grades drastically this year and in grade 12 (my senior year), do an excellent job on the SAT (Planning to do it in my senior year, October), have excellent extracurriculars and leaership experiences (People are saying Wharton focuses very much on leadership and math), do I have still have a shot of getting in? </p>
<p>I know I should stop be sad with this and just work harder and try my best, so please give me any advice and recommendations?</p>
<p>Your goal is one of the most competitive programs in N America. Rightfully, you understand the uphill climb you face. Really, there is little room for error/mediocrity in a viable applicant’s profile.</p>
<p>From what you’ve described, I honestly think you’re not a viable applicant – even with a superior SAT in October.</p>
<p>The best thing you can do for yourself is to craft a realistic list of colleges – many of whom will serve you well. Good luck</p>
<p>I’m just another applicant, so might not be the best person to listen to…</p>
<p>But you still HAVE a chance!</p>
<p>All you need to do is make most of your 2 years left! Show that you are a top student. Then use the additional info section on the commonapp - which is specifically meant to explain certain ‘unusual’ circumstances that affected the applicant!! :D</p>
<p>So probably the only thing that’s hurt you is the fact that you’ve lost 2 years of high school to show your excellence. Hopefully your family issues have been solved now. Just do whatever you feel like doing. Don’t push yourself too much because “more the merrier” doesn’t hold true in terms of ECs. It’s quality and not quantity that colleges are looking for!! :)</p>
<p>All the best!!</p>
<p>But keep in mind UPenn’s always a reach, so have safeties & matches on your list!!</p>
<p>I totally agree with what you said. I want to my next 1 year and half achievable and show excellence. Those two years just flew by too quickly. But thank you for asking with the family issues, I believe they are fine for now. But even new issues come into my life again, I need to disregard nonetheless, because applying to university is the main thing to do now. Same as bumping up my grades. </p>
<p>I’ve seen a lot of posts saying they look for improvements, true or not, I’m just going to focus on my grades and other useful ECs to at least make my junior and beginning of senior look better on application. </p>
<p>I will have some back ups! i’m thinking of applying to NYU Stern, because I really want to get into investing banking in the future. </p>
<p>Actually NYU Stern too has a pretty low acceptance rate!</p>
<p>Right now, as T26E4 mentioned, you should list the likes of NYU(Stern), Wharton & other top Ivies as reaches or even super high reaches!! Look up some other great colleges for econ! I’m not really sure but UMich & UCLA seem to be good all-rounded colleges! :)</p>
<p>It all depends on your next two years!! But I wouldn’t “not” apply if I were you!! :)</p>
<p>Cool! What field of engineering will you be doing? Where else are you applying other than UPenn? </p>
<p>The thing is that, I didn’t try for grades 9 and 10. But this year I’m determined to strive for the best (oops, getting a little ambitious here) Nonetheless, I still want to apply to ivies for business though :S Of course Wharton is the first choice for me to reach, I also want to apply for other schools (Maybe like Columbia, Stanford, and I’m also considering Cornell?) I don’t even mind applying to Harvard to be honest (I don’t I definitly won’t get in) It might sounds insane but I’m just thinking it won’t hurt to apply to more schools and see where I can reach.</p>
<p>And since I’m Canada, I’ll be considered as international student, that’s also one of the factors I need to consider about seriously. The acceptance rate probably will be even more competitive.</p>
<p>I will be applying to Wharton though, I just want to try *sigh</p>
<p>Do NOT wait until senior year to take the SAT. In fact, I would take it as soon as you can. You can’t be sure you’ll get a competitive score on it on your first shot so it is nice to have backup dates just in case</p>
<p>^ Yeah! That too!! Don’t wait till October. </p>
<p>Take it in May & then subjects in June!</p>
<p>Keep October for improvement in your scores!! Or you won’t be able to apply ED & you’ll get rushed up for RD!!
It’s always better to have your SAT score in hand before sitting down to apply!! :)</p>
<p>And I’m an International applicant too from India! And worse, I need aid!
UPenn is need blind for Canadians though! :)</p>
<p>Electrical & Electronics is what I’m interested in right now… !!</p>
<p>All the colleges you have mentioned till now are reaches & super reaches!! Cornell is probably the one you’ll have a better chance at, if you get high grades in 11th & 12th.</p>
<p>You can have as many reaches on your list as you want (though general advice says 2-3) but you should have equal no. of matches & safeties too!!</p>
<p>Honestly, if your grades aren’t up to par, it’s hard to get in the more traditional way. Your best chance is to do something really different and make it a strong enough hook to get you in. Just improving on stats/doing the typical leadership thing won’t help quite enough. That said, I don’t know how good or bad your overall gpa is so you’ll have to evaluate yourself.</p>
<p>There’s a part on the Common App where you can give any additional information. Use that space to explain your two failed courses and how the situation around that!! </p>
<p>Wharton is marks based yes, but they also look very heavily at your activities. Wharton is full of smart people, but they are also leaders as well as doers!</p>
<p>Hurrah for another potential Canadian at Penn! Best of luck!</p>
<p>thank you! I will consider taking it in May or June but I’m not that confident, hopefully this problem will be solved soon! Thanks again for the reply</p>
<p>Hello there! Oh man, you’re like the perfect person to answer my questions? Aha. I’m still trying to figure out how to use the Common App :S But yea, I’ll give more info up there and see what other people say about my situation.</p>
<p>I will PM you and ask for more info~ Thank you so much! :)</p>
Best of luck!</p>
but I’m not that confident, hopefully this problem will be solved soon! Thanks again for the reply</p>