Chances for a debater RD?

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>I'm kind of freaking out about college right now, esp. since my safety lost my recs and thus I probably won't get much of a scholarship there. What are my chances for the College? I'm trying to emphasize my policy debate experience. I've been at a highly competitive private school for the past 3 years.</p>

<p>Stats
GPA: 3.9, Top 10% - highly competitive private
SAT: 2360, 12 essay
ACT: 36, 10 essay
SAT IIs: 800 - Math II, Physics, Chemistry, World History, Chinese
APs: 5 - European History, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Calculus BC, Physics C: Mechanics, Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, Chemistry, World History, Human Geography, Chinese (10)
IB:
Physics SL – 7
History SL – 6
May 2008: English HL, Math HL, Chemistry HL, Spanish SL
Current schedule: IB Discrete Math, IB Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, Orchestra, AP Bio, IB Spanish IV, AP/IB English, IB Theory of Knowledge, IB Organic Chem</p>

<p>**
Awards:**
AP National Scholar
1st in state and 10th in nation, TEAMS applied math and science competition
Champion: 06 Wayne State University Debate Tournament, 07 WSU Debate Tournament, 07 West Bloomfield Debate Tournament
Semifinalist, 07 Division I State Debate Tournament
Most Improved, Varsity Track - improved my mile time by 2 mins
AIME Qualifier 2x</p>

<p>Activities
Varsity Debate - Captain
School Orchestra - Concertmaster (11-12)
Varsity Track - Most Improved
Tutoring Service - Tutor Board (11-12)
Newspaper - Columnist (12)
Economics Club - Co-Founder (11-12)</p>

<p>Outside school:
Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra - First Violinist (11-12)
Hospice Volunteering - 70 hours, Student Advisory Committee
Piano</p>

<p>Jobs
Chinese School Teacher - 2hrs/wk
Private Violin Teacher - 1 hr/wk</p>

<p>Misc
Wrote my essay on debate - how I loved 7 weeks of camp this previous summer and want to continue debate in college - it's pretty good.
Recs - mediocre-good</p>

<p>Given that a lot of other highly qualified people from my school are applying RD, how much of a chance do I have?</p>

2

<p>Penn RD is hard to get…but you are one of the best applicants I have ever seen. you are definitly going to get in to a lot of places. what’s your safety, columbia?</p>

3

<p>If this isn’t a joke, you’re probably in.</p>

<p>Why don’t you look at some place called Harvard, too.</p>

<p>How could your recs only be mediocre?</p>

4

<p>well jeydomz, his stats are extremely good but his EC’s are not that spectacular and it shows that he isn’t doing an extraordinary amount with his crazy intelligence.</p>

5

<p>SATmaster: Haha, no, of course not! How can Columbia be a safety? I’m referring to my state school.</p>

6

<p>does penn have policy?</p>

<p>if not, that essay will either make you look:
a) ignorant</p>

<p>or
b) a self-starter</p>

<p>haha I don’t know, but it’s something worth researching I guess</p>

7

<p>“Not that spectacular,” sure, only when compared with the ridiculous overachieving candidates we sometimes see here. I don’t really put as much emphasis on ECs as some people here do, because I think it highly depends on the school you attend: what type of opportunities you are afforded, how far you can get in your extracurricular resume. The best EC students at my school are highly regarded there, but would look like they aren’t doing an “extraordinary amount” here, but in fact they are doing all they can within my high school.</p>

<p>As far as I can see, this candidate is doing all s/he can within the school, being captain or whatnot, and placing high in state/national competitions, in every important thing to her/him, being the first violinist of the local civic orchestra, and teaching on the side.</p>

8

<p>tickytock, you’re right; penn doesn’t have policy
it’s parli there</p>

<p>that was my issue too…i’m a policy debater and wrote an essay about debate, but couldn’t make any promises about continuing the activity at penn. it’s a dilemma, but you (planplus) most definitely should not talk about continuing policy debate at penn, haha. you could talk about making the switch; i don’t know. to each their own on that question.</p>

9

<p>we also have a rather humongous model un club, if you’re interested in that</p>

10

<p>even tho your SAT’s and AP’s are spectacular and you showed commitment in your EC’s…your class rank isn’t high enough…what I mean is that if you come from a medium school in the middle of nowhere, you are definitely in…no doubt…any university in the States…But if you are from a highly competivie private where lots of kids are applying to top school, your chance will be decuced as top schools can’t just admit geniuses all from one school. HOWEVER, as Harvard and Princeton don’t use EA/ED any more, Penn will admit more RD than usual…so I still think you don’t need to worry about getting into Penn College (as long as it is not Wharton)…Cheers!</p>