Chance a desperate person.

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>The beauty of copy and paste. Plus updates!!!</p>

<p>GPA UW: 3.6-3.7
GPA W: 4.3-4.4
( A lame excuse for my drop in grades would probably be that I moved in between semesters of junior year. Yeah I know, I still should have done better)</p>

<p>6 honors classes Freshman year
8 honors sophomore year
9 (kind of, pretty much 8 1/2) junior year</p>

<p>APs:
AP Bio- 5
AP Chem- probably a 3 or 4
AP US- 5
AP English Language- 4
AP US Gov't- 4
AP Microeconomics- probably 5
AP Macroeconomics- probably 4 or 5
AP Human Geography- mostly likely 5
AP Environmental Science- most likely 5
AP Statistics- most likely 5</p>

<p>Going for 7 tests next year.</p>

<p>Senior year:
Dual enroll: Philosophy, English, European History, plus 3 more second semester
Math and Science Center: AP Calc BC, Organic and Bio Chem, AP Physics C</p>

<p>When I transferred I got accepted to a small, private math and science center that's pretty well known by the top universities. Next year I'm just dual enrolling at a university for half the day and going to the math center.</p>

<p>ACT: 32
SAT: need to take...:S
SAT II:
US History: 750
Bio- 770
Math 2: unspeakable (retake!)</p>

<p>ECs: Band- section leader since 7th grade. Jazz Band, University band, Civic Band in the university/community. State honors band 2 years (moved out of state so I couldn't do it again.) I also am not in the school band here b/c I had to chose between band and the math and science center. State S/E since 8th grade, NHS 2nd year next year, volunteered at the hospital 70 hours plus going for some more somewhere when volunteer organizations someday get back to me!!, Science Olympiad 3 years probably again this year, (some sports here and there that don't matter b/c I never contributed anything)</p>

<p>yeah not much in the EC department, I hope that's okay though. Maybe some opportunities will arise next year. I'm going to try to do some more stuff for music and other people who are in my situation and had to give band up.</p>

<p>Essay: Not sure, I've got some good ideas. Will probably get the help of an English professor this fall. I think they will be really good- they've really got to be b/c it's my only chance... lol
Recommendations: again, since I just moved here this will be difficult. I could use my bio teacher of 2 years but that was when I was younger.</p>

<p>I'm not sure if there's anything else really. Moving really hurt me as far as extracurriculars and grades first semester. I know it's not that great of an excuse, but I hope it's some what understandable.</p>

2

<p>In honesty, I don’t think Penn will particularly like the fact that you chose academics over an extracurricular. Penn’s pretty big on having well rounded students, and as of right now, you have academics and a little bit of community service. Do you have a job, or have you had summer jobs? If not, you’re going to have to show that you are going to win awards, or else Penn won’t be interested in accepting a bunch of statistics…</p>

<p>Sorry to be harsh, and I do encourage you to apply, but you can’t concentrate solely on academic endeavors.</p>

3

<p>Actually, you don’t need to have impeccable ECs and work experience to get accepted. I didn’t, and I was waitlisted at Penn and accepted at Columbia. The focus for the adcom is to build a well rounded class, not have every member well-rounded (a very important distinction).</p>

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<p>Not a good idea. It’s never good to be idle now and hope for the future. I’m telling ya, senior year’s going to be hectic. Plus, most colleges won’t look kindly upon an activity begun in senior year. They want to see consistent dedication to a few ECs.</p>

<p>My advice to you is to find what’s unique about your personality, academics, etc. and really focus that on the application. Then you’ll stand a pretty good chance. Oh, and you might want to bring up the ACT score, or try the SAT (which I see you are planning to take).</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

4

<p>If colleges care little about your schedule for senior year (which is true, even if you took all APs senior year, they aren’t going to care as much as if you took a lot junior year, why? because they only see your semester grade). But if colleges care little about your schedule senior year, they surely won’t be interested if you started EC your senior years.</p>

5

<p>I was thinking my EC’s were better than my academics (sucky GPA and scores vs. lots of time playing my instrument)</p>

<p>I did do quite a bit of extracurricular activity from freshman to junior year. But I moved so I don’t have the “I’ve done this for 4 years” thing going for me. I can’t really help that I have to start my senior year. My one EC that I’ve really been dedicated to is music and playing in tons of different bands. That’s what my main essay is going to be about, well, kind of.</p>

<p>Any recommendations on what I should do. Should I write about the move in my essay? I don’t want to sound whiny though…</p>

<p>lol btw, I had a job once. Hated it.</p>

6

<p>For the ECs instead of trying new ones (unless you plan on founding a club, which takes alot of effort), its best to try to elevate your position in existing ones. Gun for some leadership positions.</p>

7

<p>So UPenn is big on EC’s? </p>

<p>Note: I have no choice but to start new ones. I go to a different school now!</p>

8

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<p>All top schools are big on EC’s. It is what makes one stands out. When you have thousands of people applying and a lot of them have similar GPA and test score so what is going to set one apart? EC’s!!!</p>

9

<p>The reason top schools look at ECs is to get an idea of what their class will do once on campus. If you are heavily involved in music and make a point of that, Penn would expect that you continue that involvement into your college years, either through the Music Department or through the Performing Arts Council, which has roughly 45 different performing groups. If you highlight community service, Penn expects that you’ll join Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Civic House, or other service groups. If you mention sports, they expect you to go out for either a varsity or club sport.</p>

<p>Penn doesn’t care if you join six different activities your senior year because it doesn’t give them a picture of who you are and what you will bring to campus life. It shows either that you have no clue about what you like whatsoever, that you just want to look good on a resume or that you are unwilling to commit to something. </p>

<p>You chose the math/science center over the band. Is that because you are absolutely fascinated by math and science? If so, is your passion enough that you would want to participate in research or tutoring on campus? If so, then there is something you can write about. However, if you aren’t passionate about it, it’ll just look like you decided to give up on the band.</p>

<p>Most of my friends are doing something similar to what they talked about in their respective applications, be it Greek life, performing arts, religious involvement or community service. Many thought they would do one thing but wound up doing something else, but very VERY few came in without having any kind of long term extra curricular activities in high school. In fact, I only know of one, but his hook was that he started his own bottled water company which was starting to profit by the time he started freshman year at Penn.</p>

10

<p>Ah, well, the highlight of my EC’s is definitely music. I gave up band because I can play on my own plus the Math and Science center offered AP classes while my regular school doesn’t. Plus I got along with people there better so I really didn’t want to lose that. It was a very heartbreaking decision. That sounded dramatic, but it’s true.</p>

<p>CCers usually tell me to improve my EC’s or start something new. And right now all I can do is be a minor member of the clubs here. And try to find opportunities for band outside of school.</p>

<p>But yeah… I will work on trying to figure the EC stuff out. My essays are pretty much going to be about music. </p>

<p>As far as scores am I at least decent? If I retake my ACT. What type of SAT score should I be aiming for?</p>

11

<p>Update allowed?</p>

<p>I’m applying Early Decision. 95% sure. </p>

<p>I’ve more or less taken up the same activities in my new school/town as I did in my old school/town. I’m very sure my recommendations will be great (amazing writer, one of them, changed my life lol) and my essay is coming along pretty great. I think. It’s about music, which is my main activity/passion.</p>

<p>I’m thinking my SAT will be in the 2200’s, hopefully higher, but idk. Based on practice and psat and such. And I’m definitely trying for a 34 on the ACT. But 33 is more likely. Again, idk.</p>