ACT: 30
GPA: 3.6 unweighted
APs: 10
Class Rank: 32 (top 7%)
Ecs: Band: Drum Major, Band Captain, Section leader, accepted into various Honor Bands, All-State musician, Competition Trophies for Drum Major, “Most Outstanding” Superlative for three years
Science Olympiad: Club President, Team Captain, Club Founder
Future Business Leaders of America: Competition Team 2016, Community Service and Event Planning Committee
Beta Club (requires 90% average)
Student Leadership and Ethics Development Club
I honestly don’t think I can get in, but my parents want me to apply. Do you guys think it’s a waste of time? I’m also a minority and immigrant if that helps.
Your GPA and ACT are both below the 25th percentile. Unless you’re a hooked applicant (URM, legacy, recruited athlete, child of major donors, etc) your odds are not great.
Even among the hooks, the only ones I can see giving you an above-average chance are athletics or major donor/internationally known parents.
If your parents want you to apply just because it’s UPenn, don’t. You should apply to schools you’ve chosen yourself, with certain constraints (cost being the main one) set by your parents.
I agree with @notverysmart - I will go further though…unless you are a recruited athlete or some other MAJOR hook (and URM doesn’t do it here), you will be denied admission with your credentials. Have your parents read this - you have zero chance of getting in there, and it is a waste of your time and money to apply there. No shame in that. Go kick college butt somewhere else.