<p>Hello, I am currently a junior in HS and I've been pretty interested in UPenn's Huntsman Program for a while. I am extremely interested in International Studies and thought that the program sounded like it would be something very beneficial and crucial to me in my future studies. However, looking over FAQ on the Huntsman program website, it seemed as if the ideal student for Huntsman would have to be strong in math. </p>
<p>That's where the problem for me arises. For general acceptance into UPenn, I believe I have a good chance by athletic recruitment (I swim, and I have already met with the swimming coach who has told me that my skills give me a good chance of recruitment) and my grades are fine (I take the IB program and all of my grades are in the 90s). However, math is the exception. I have always been weak at math (I've taken all Honors, but my grade average unweighted hovers around high 80s low 90s). I am currently taking IB HL Math Year I but my grades are horrendous, currently around a mid-high 70 (I know I want to cringe too). I was told that if my grades sunk into a D then the coach would be unable to recruit me, but my school's grading system is different and a D at UPenn would actually be failing for me (and I am not failing). I am hoping that by the end of my junior year I will manage to obtain a grade average of around 80-83 in IB HL Math (still bad I know), and I think I have the potential to do it. I am also planning to take the AP Calculus AB exam as I was told that the IB HL Math year I and AP Calc AB curriculums are similar. </p>
<p>My SATs are pretty low for UPenn (2000 on first try, 680 writing, 670 math, and 650 reading and I took it in unfavorable conditions, have only taken it once) and I fully understand that (of course, I plan on taking the SATs at least 3 times). But even with these stats, I was told by the UPenn coach that I would be alright as the average score for recruited athletes was required to hover around 650 for each subject. I've taken the ACTs but I have not received my score report yet. </p>
<p>But as you can see, I am pretty weak at math. I also know that I have to focus on one language for the program, and for me that would be Chinese. My Chinese grades have always hovered around 98-99s; this year I am taking IB Chinese SL Year 1 and plan on taking the AP exam as well. </p>
<p>I want to do International Studies so badly, and I thought I would be good with it because my history and English grades are often the highest among my classes (recent report card showed my IB grade for IB HL History of the Americas Year I to be at 98), but apparently, math is also crucial. I have taken all honors and AP since freshman year, have a weighted GPA (percent) of 104-ish and an unweighted of 95-ish, ranked 10th in the class currently, and am engaged in ECs like school newspaper and competitive swimming (as stated before, I swim). But if my math is so low...will I really have a chance at the Huntsman program? I was even told by a Huntsman student that math is not even such a huge part of it, one class similar to AP Calculus BC and you're done. I do not think I am so poor at math that I would absolutely fail at it, but I am definitely not strong. </p>
<p>I am really passionate about International Studies and all of my grades I am 100% positive are good for UPenn and Huntsman, except for math. Can anyone evaluate me briefly and let me know if I have at least a good shot? If not, may you also explain why? I want the truth please, criticism is accepted.</p>