So I applied to Penn Early Decision and I plan on applying to Princeton and Vanderbilt Regular Decision. I’m planning on applying to ten schools total but these three are the “highly selective” ones. Please let me know what you think my chances are because there’s a voice in my head telling me that I’m ridiculous for even trying for these schools. Thanks!
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 720 CR/ 800 Math/ 780 Writing (2 sittings)
ACT (breakdown): Did not take
SAT II: Math 2 800 Physics 800 Literature 730
Unweighted GPA: 3.83/4
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 45 out of 690
AP (place score in parenthesis): I took 10 AP classes, but only 5 AP tests, scores are 4s and 5s.
IB (place score in parenthesis): Did not take (school doesn’t offer)
Senior Year Course Load: Advanced Calc (class after Calc BC), English, Microeconomics, Statistics, Physics C
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): Intel ISEF finalist my sophomore year, a few smaller math awards (local)
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Lots of journalism-related ECs and Model UN (long-term)…I filled out all 10 activities on the Common App but my jobs/volunteering took up half the spots
Job/Work Experience: I work 2 part-time jobs (total about 18 hours a week)
Volunteer/Community service: 2 of my activities are volunteer-related and I have minor leadership roles
Summer Activities: Pretty much just worked
Essays: Common App essay was pretty generic and it was about what inspired me to help patients at a hospital, but the penn supplement essay was good and very specific
Teacher Recommendation: Above average, history teacher and biology/chemistry teacher
Counselor Rec: Average
Additional Rec: Above average, it was from a grad student I worked with on a project
Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Chemical Engineering
State (if domestic applicant): Tennessee
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: 100-120K
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): nope