Hi! I am a rising senior who visited Penn recently and loved it. I feel like I am a well rounded applicant, however my testing is slightly low and I was wondering how this would affect my chances. Here are my stats:
I go to a competitive public high school in the northeast. Usually sends 10ish kids to Ivies and a dozen more to top 20 schools.
GPA: UW 97.8/100, W 99.9
Rank: 8/539
Courseload: Most rigorous (1exception- took ap physics 1 instead of combined ap physics 1&2, if this matters). All honors fresh and sophomore and AP world as a sophomore (1st one allowed to take- got a 4)
This year took Physics 1, English Language and Composition, US History. I got a 4 on all three. Also took pre Calc honors, spanish 4 honors, Latin 4 university and chamber orchestra.
Senior Year courseload: AP Lit, AP macroeconomics, AP Calc BC, AP Bio, Latin 5 honors and chamber orchestra. I’ll have 1 more class but I don’t know what it will be yet because I had scheduling conflicts
Self-studying AP Psychology.
SAT: 2050 superscored. Considering enrolling in prep scholar to bring up 200 points. Taking subject tests in November.
Awards: (nothing big but some good ones maybe)
-Published in local newspaper for article about accountability, honored by county board for article and given scholarship
-Selected for Area all-state Orchestra festivals 2013&2014, principal violist 2014
-Selected for All-County Orchestra 2010-2015, principal all years
-Harvard and Brandeis Book Awards
-English&music class awards 2013, social studies award 2014, music award 2015
-respect award 2013-2015
Extracurriculars:
-Yearbook Editor-in-Chief (12,11 staff member 9-10)
-Violist in highly regarded Youth Orchestra in my state- (performed in Carnegie, performing abroad next year, huge televised cancer fundraiser, other community performances) (10-12)
-Weekly volunteer at Physical therapy office, help around the clinic and shadow the therapists as well(have 350 hours, will continue until graduation) (10-12)
-Girl Scout since kindergarten- completed silver award and going for Gold- big big project, don’t want to go into it too much here
-Highly involved in Church- on music ministry (10-12), selected as youth representative on Parish Council (1 of 2 selected) (11-12), confirmation retreat organizer (12), possibly co-religious Ed instructor (12)
-Fiddle Club- president 12, vp 11, treasurer 10, member 9- toured abroad this year in Ireland, lots of community gigs and performances every year
-Recycling Club- vice president (hopefully) 12, vp 11, secretary 10, member 9
- Rec Soccer- spring & fall, k-12
Summers:
2014- Attended NSLC health care and medicine conference; church camp counselor, also self-employed street musician to fundraise for trips abroad
2015- taking for credit online Harvard course in Neurobiology, church camp counselor, street musician again
Other:
Essays: already started, should be great
Recs: guidance counselor will be outstanding, latin teacher who had me all 4 years even more outstanding, other teacher probably an 8/10. Also submitting additional Rec from a physical therapist I shadow, should be pretty great too.
I will submit a music supplement at most schools. I play viola so while this probably isn’t a hook at penn it is possibly at other schools, because I’m willing to double major.
I want to be Biological Basis of Behavior major and music minor.
No hooks (unless Viola counts…)
Also another note, my parents have gone through a really messy divorce over the last 5 years which involved me getting a legal advisor and going to court. I might mention this in the family section on common app BRIEFLY, also im sure my guidance counselor will touch on it a little in her letter of rec.
Feel free to chance me for my other schools! Northeastern EA, Georgetown EA, Tufts, Brandeis, American, Ithaca College and SUNY Stony Brook.
Sorry if there are any mistakes because I’m on mobile. If you made it through this lengthy post I appreciate it so much. I will chance you back! Just leave me a link.
Thank you!!