<p>I'm a Penn legacy and the Kelly Writers House is, apparently, very interested in me. I know both of these have sway within the admissions office, but does anyone know how much?</p>
<p>I'm a peculiar candidate due to personal circumstances last year. I have a very low GPA, good test scores (well, dead average for accepted students at Penn), a lot of awesome ECs, and the difficult classes offered at my school. I have a letter about the GPA within my application.</p>
<p>Does the push from the KWH really help that much? Can it overcome the GPA?</p>
<p>Basically, how much will it help me that they want me to write for them?</p>
<p>I believe I got the same email and I’m wondering the same thing. Although I was specifically told “this is by no means an “automatic in” (if only!)”, I’d love to hear from anybody from previous years who got this kind of positive response and either was accepted/rejected.</p>
<p>I’m a fairly average candidate (good scores, average ECs, good recs) but I’m guessing what set me apart (and why I was contacted by KWH) is that I published a book in October. Regardless, if anybody has any experience, it’d be so great to hear it! I’m getting excited about how positive the email was and at the same time trying not to let my hopes up so much. In general, but especially with the college admissions process, it’s good to take everything with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>I’m sure it’s a nice boost. Having any kind of high-quality extra-curricular achievement is a nice boost, and writing counts. Kelly Writers House is very successful, and the university wants to attract and admit students who are serious writers.</p>
<p>But I’m also pretty sure that this is marketing, not an indication that you are in. They have identified you as a writer, and they want you to come to Penn if accepted and to get involved at Kelly House if you come to Penn. It looks like they are doing a good job of getting your attention, and that their efforts will pay off. It’s not likely to be more than that, though.</p>
<p>A friends son is a Soph @ Penn now. He scored a 2040 on the SAT. He had the support of KW and was accepted. Without their support he doesn’t think he’d of been accepted.</p>
<p>JHS, I contacted them first because they have a note on their website saying that the KWH has away in admissions for candidates they identify as quality writers. I’ve been in communication with the woman who runs recruitment for te KWH and I sent her my portfolio. </p>
<p>I don’t think they endorse everyone and, since I was the first to reach out and was thus already an applicant, I don’t think it’s marketing. The NYTimes article said that ~45 people get to that stage of “candidate of significant interest,” so that makes me think that this isn’t something that happens to everyone and means nothing. </p>
<p>I could be totally off, though. </p>
<p>I’d love to hear if anyone know of someone who was recommended and then didn’t get in.</p>
<p>i have also been in contact with the KWH recruitment director and got an email noting me as a “candidate of significant interest” yesterday as well. i believe that it does offer a small advantage, seeing as the KWH staff tells the admissions office that they want you at Penn. sort of like an extra recommendation, but from a well-qualified source. that NYT article is pretty old, so i would think that they recruit more than 45 students now (maybe around 100?). i’m sure people who do get recruited are rejected due to grades, test scores, etc, but someone who is a quality writer is usually a strong overall applicant. all we can do is hope for the best come decision day!</p>
<p>I apologize; I should have read that NYT piece too. I didn’t realize that the OP had submitted a portfolio to them.</p>
<p>(I loved the story, in part because two of the three identifiable students in the photo were kids I knew when they were in grade school!)</p>
<p>My daughter was a serious writer when she applied to college, and she didn’t apply to Penn (too close to home). After she had some experience of college creative writing programs, however, she said that if she had it all to do over again she would have paid a lot more attention to Penn and Johns Hopkins.</p>
<p>I have no idea that KWH recruits people! However, I know a girl who received a letter from KWH after she got accepted though.
In all, I think this is a nice boost, given how little space there is for writers at Penn. It is right, the Wharton school, although being only one school, has a very dominant presence on campus. Even most College seniors I talked to ends up with jobs in the financial sector. KWH’s initiative is very much strategic and appreciative.</p>
<p>My friend (who had an A-/A GPA, decent test scores, good ECs) unfortunately did not get into Penn although she was in constant contact with the writers recruitment program. The email basically tells you that Penn is interested in having you in the Kelly Writers House when you’re admitted, but I don’t think plays much of a large role in the admissions process.</p>