Chance me for UPenn ED Class of 2025

Double Major in Music and Cognitive Science (Pre Med Track)

→ Possible Uncoordinated Dual Degree pursuit at Wharton with a concentration in Health Care Management and Policy

SAT I (breakdown):
ACT: 36 → 35E 35M 36R 36S
SAT II: Math II, Bio M (This Upcoming Fall)
Unweighted GPA: 94.836 = 3.91
Weighted GPA: ~>104 = 4.40
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): N/A (Top 10%)

AP (place score in parenthesis):
AP Statistics-4
AP World History-4
AP Biology-3 (oof)
AP Environmental Science-4
AP English Language and Composition-4
AP United States History-3 (oof)

Senior Year Course Load:
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP Physics 1
AP Comparative Government and Politics
AP English Literature and Composition

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

  • Peer-Reviewed Research Publications found in Journals of Music and Medicine
  • Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award
  • All County Saxophonist
  • Columbus Day Marching Band Parade 1st Place (2x)
  • AP National Scholar with Distinction

Extracurricular Activities:

1.) Professional Soloist, Saxophone 9,10,11,12 - Alto, Tenor, Soprano; Wind, Jazz, Pit, Marching; Solo Events: Classical, Jazz, Pop, Latin, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam Genres: Weddings, Religious Ceremonies, Birthdays, Fundraisers, Conventions; Cities: NYC, Chicago, Philladelphia, Atlanta, Dubai; St. Corona Musical Club of NY & Sangeetham Swanthana → Virtual Concerts held Weekly on Zoom.

2.) Research Mentee, Princeton Neuroscience Institute Computational Memory Lab 12,11
Neuroimaging and computational modeling to investigate the role of music in higher-order cognitive processing such as memory performance.

3.) Music Therapy Research Assistant, The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine & Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Center 11, 12

4.) Youth Ambassador, International Association for Music and Medicine 12

6.) Intern/Leader of the Healthcare Committee/Event Musician, New York State Senator Re-Election Campaign 11, 12

7.) Scholar, Columbia University Science Honors Program 11 - Neuroscience and Human Physiology

8.) Founder/Executive Board Member, HOSA Club 10,11,12

9.) Executive Board Member, Tri M Music Honor Society 10,11,12

10.) Executive Board Member, Peer Leadership Program 12

Teacher Recommendation: AP Environmental Science/Science Research Teacher, Pre Calc/Alg II Teacher, Band/Saxophone Teacher
Counselor Rec: (Strong Relationship)
Additional Rec: Research Mentor, State Senator, and Music Portfolio

State (if domestic applicant): New York
Country (if international applicant): United States of America
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Asian Indian
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: 200K+
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): First to go to Undergrad School in my family

Additional Info: UPenn is my ED school. My GPA is not so great and I am hoping my Test scores are within the 75th Percentile for UPenn. My end goal is going to Med School to become a Physician but in undergrad, I want to purse the artistic aspect of myself through Music and Playing the Sax. I do have some other reach schools + several match and safety schools on my list. I would like to know if my passions in Music, Cogntive Science, and Medicine are truly portrayed in my EC’s and would it make me a unique applicant for a competitive school like UPenn? I would also appreciate any insights on this specific institution Thanks.

Can’t tell you what the impact of Covid on admissions will be next year, but based on my son’s HS (Top NYC Public) your GPA and AP scores would make UPenn ED pretty unlikely.

You might have better success using your early app at a Liberal Arts school, where a combination of music and pre-med would be very feasible.

I think we have done similar extracurriculars. You seem super smart and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I think you should be able to get in. I hear essays are really important, so maybe if you have really good essays you could get in.

I also think that you will get accepted with strong essays.