Chances for Penn?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>I'm not applying to Penn (too far away from my small MA town) but my friend is overly-worried about college, so I'm posting this on her behalf. Penn is her #1 school, but also her biggest reach. I want to get the opinions of other Penn hopefuls or Penn students to reassure her. </p>

<p>Her father is a dentist who went to grad school at Penn and earned his DMD there. Not sure how much weight that carries, but it certainly can't hurt.</p>

<p>She has a 4.0 GPA, straight As, number 2 in the class, and took/is taking 6 AP classes (the maximum that our school offers). She took classes at MIT three summers ago (I don't think they were classes for college credit, just for fun? I'm not sure). She scored 4s on the AP English Language and AP US History exams (taking the other 4 AP exams next May). Her SAT scores: Reading 690, Writing 700, Math 580 (but she is retaking the SATs and I have the utmost confidence that she will bring that math grade up to above a 700.) </p>

<p>In terms of extracurriculars, she is vice-president of the class, secretary of National Honor Society, and vice-president of the Student Council. She's been active in fundraising and class/NHS/stuco activities all 4 years of high school. </p>

<p>Her essay is fantastic (I'm not an admissions officer so I have nothing against which to base it, but I loved it when I read her first draft). Her teacher rec's are also going to be great; she's a favorite of most teachers she's had. </p>

<p>Do you think her stats stack up well against the average Penn student?</p>

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<p>She’s a great candidate. By the way, she is LEGACY, which doubles her admissions chances IF and ONLY IF she applied ED. Encourage her to apply ED and I think her chances are excellent!</p>

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<p>get those sat scores a little higher and she should be fine</p>

4

<p>Her SATs are extremely weak. The idea that a 580 can miraculously become 700+ is folly at best, but she should try to break at least 2000 to be competitive, even as a legacy.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the responses!</p>

<p>About the math grade–I know it seems like it’s crazy to raise a 500-something to a 700-something (I’m worried about just maintaining the scores I got the first time around when I retake them), but I do have confidence in her. A 700 score MUCH more accurately reflects how she does in school…I think it was just SAT anxiety mixed with her hatred of math as a subject. ;)</p>

<p>Is the Penn ED deadline Nov. 1st? Do you think that if she took the Oct.10 SATs, her scores would be in by that deadline? I’m a little confused about that myself; I hope to raise my own scores but I’m applying early into match schools, saving my reach (Brown) for regular decision.</p>

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<p>If she takes the october SAT, her scores would be most definitely considered.</p>

7

<p>hahah “she”</p>