Chance a Legacy for Wharton?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>I'm a junior at a very competitive prep school in Illinois, this year approximately 20 out of 100 seniors are attending Ivy League schools or peer institutions. I'm planning on applying early decision to Wharton, but I want to make sure I'm at least a competitive applicant. I'm also a legacy (Grandfather). Wharton's one of my top 3 choices, and I couldn't rank any above the other ones anyway at this point in time.</p>

<p>GPA
3.8 UW or so. My school doesn't weight, but only two kids have GPA's above 4.0. My school also doesn't rank, but I'm top 10%. I've taken the hardest schedule available, and I will have taken 10 AP's by the end of my time at my school. Already gotten a 5 on AP Statistics as a Sophomore. However, my math grades haven't been the best of all my grades, I assume this matters for Wharton. I got an A freshman year, a B+ Sophomore Year and an A+ in Statistics, and will likely get a B this year. I have taken the hardest math courses available to me though.</p>

<p>ACT- 34 (36R,34E,32M,34S)
SAT- 2150 (800R, 690M,660W) (Will be retaking, Math on practices was usually in the 730-780 range… Writing is usually high, but I think my score was low because I have poor handwriting)
SAT II's- Haven't taken any yet. Got 800s on practice tests in Math II, US History, and English, but likely won't get all 800's on real tests</p>

<p>EC'S
Speech and Debate and Mock Trial (3 Years each)
Played Football all 4 years (3 Varsity), Lacrosse for 2 (Both JV), Freshman Basketball for one
Paid Internship at Equity Research firm. (Over 200 Hours one Summer) Would get fantastic rec from a respected analyst who's been named one of the Wall Street Journal's best and owns the firm
I've also managed quite a bit of money from outside sources for the past three years
Member of an outside of school philanthropic board that does community service and gives out grants to charities (3 Years). Will likely have some leadership position
Senior Page Editor for the Yearbook
Sports Editor for the Newspaper. (Editor for one, Writer for two)
Winner of School Stock Market Challenge multiple times (25% of students participate), placed 3rd regionally once out of around 500 teams
Founded the Investment club… President of that club
Won Silver Key in writing competition for Sophomore year paper about the healthcare reform bill and the economy</p>

<p>I'm a very good writer, so I think I'll do a good job with my essays. I also get praised often for how my voice shines through in my writing, so I think those will be good.</p>

<p>I should have very good recs from my counsellor and teachers</p>

<p>Do you think I have a chance at getting into Wharton, or would I be better served applying somewhere else early ?</p>

2

<p>my legacy friend got it with MUCH worse ECs and test scores but had a 4.0</p>

3

<p>Just wondering, what kind of school did he go to? Mine is huge on grade deflation and so students with 4.0s practically don’t exist, and those that do generally get into every school they apply to</p>

4

<p>I wouldn’t bother retaking the SAT. Just send only your ACT score since it’s very good.</p>

5

<p>Is there anything either of you reccomend to improve my application besides the obvious things (Better Grades/Test Scores, etc.)?</p>

6

<p>Penn does not give you the option not to report an ACT or SAT score. They require that all scores be reported on the Common Application. From the Penn Admissions website:</p>

<p>“Penn requires first-year applicants to take the SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests in different subjects OR the ACT Plus Writing. No preference is given to either test. However, Penn requires that applicants submit all testing results from each administration of the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests.”</p>

<p>So it’s too late for Wh1994 to report only his ACT 34, which is the rough equivalent of an SAT 2280. A very good Math II score would help bridge the gap between the ACT and SAT scores. Note, too, that your legacy status is only an advantage for Early Decision. That said, I think you’re a strong candidate but admission to Wharton is extremely competitive. Some applicants with your qualifications will be accepted and many more applicants with your qualifications will be rejected. Use the odds to your advantage by applying ED.</p>

7

<p>I did know that legacy status only helped in early decision. I’m mainly deciding between applying to one of my other top choices early that are slightly less selective, but are both top-20 universities, or applying to Wharton ED. Wharton actually might not end up being my first choice, but I think it probably will be, and if it is I just want to make sure I have a legitimate shot at Wharton before I make the decision to apply ED and not be able to apply early to my other top choices. So I really have 2 questions.

  1. Do I have a real (20% or so at least) shot at getting into Wharton if I apply ED?
  2. How can I improve my application regardless of the answer to question one?</p>
8

<p>I guess I have a couple other questions too, but these aren’t about my chances. Does Wharton provide a significantly better education than other top business schools? What’s the difference other than better name recognition and job placement?</p>

9

<p>Google:</p>

<p>upenn wharton undergrad admissions why top 10 list</p>

<p>and</p>

<p>wharton concentrations academic excellence</p>

10

<p>I have seen those pages before, but the top 10 list consists of things that most highly ranked business schools could claim. I already know Wharton’s the best undergrad business school, what I’m wondering about is whether or not there are things about Wharton that are that much different than other top business schools, or is it a very similar experience with a better name and better placement?</p>

11

<p>Actually, i think I should research those other questions more somewhere else. They aren’t really relevant to what I wanted to get out of this thread, namely how competitive an applicant I am to Wharton ED as a legacy and ways to improve my application for Wharton or other schools I decide to apply to?</p>

12

<p>To answer a couple of your questions</p>

<p>my friend goes to a small private school that is pretty competetive. Normally in our class of about 45 kids there will be about 2 or 3 4.0 students.</p>

<p>Also, he went to a legacy info session and came back and said that the ED acceptance rate for legacy is somewhere around 30% so that would meet your >20% standard.</p>

13

<p>Waiiiit… I took my SATs and got a 2240, but got a 26 on the ACTs (was sick + did not try at all because I knew I was going to submit my SAT scores). Does that mean I will have to send my ACT scores as well as my SAT scores?</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the response bimbop. Any application advice? or anyone else for that matter?</p>

15

<p>You do not have to send your ACT scores. They are a separate service from the College Board; no school need ever know you took them.</p>

16

<p>Only parents qualify you as a legacy, not grandparents. You are not a legacy.</p>

17

<p>I don’t know about the info for other schools, but according to all I’ve read and threads like these, a grandparent counts at penn </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-pennsylvania/761755-what-counts-legacy.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-pennsylvania/761755-what-counts-legacy.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

18

<p>Hmm that’s interesting. Penn’s the only school I’ve heard of that does it that way. </p>

<p>Anyway, if 20% of your school goes to Ivy’s and you’re in the top 10%, you have good EC’s, and you’re a legacy, I would be surprised if you didn’t get in, honestly. I know Ivy’s are a reach for everyone yadda yadda but everything seems stacked in your favor.</p>

19

<p>I’ll clarify a bit. 20% of students go to either an ivy league school or one comparable to at least some of the lesser ivies in terms of selectivity, I.E. UChicago, UVA out of state, Duke, Georgetown, Stanford were included. However about 10% actually attend ivies. About 10% go to a school like those above, and 5% turn down acceptances at those types of schools or ivies</p>

20

<p>Although the ACT does come from another company, Penn does request that you send all scores from all tests taken including ACT, SAT and SAT subject tests. Just send a note saying you were sick when you took the ACT – I’m sure they will then just look at your SAT.</p>