<p>Your comments are appreciated, so long as they're thoughtful. I know that these threads are numerous and exhaustive, so your critique is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>White/Jewish (not sure whether UPenn makes the distinction) male
Terrible, failed, and extremely congested public high school in SW Washington. It's like the Bangladesh of public schools.</p>
<p>SAT: 2130; W:730, M:600, CR: 800 (single sitting, and taken as a junior).
SAT Subject Tests: scores for the literature and US history tests will be available when I apply, and should be high.
GPA: 3.76uw, though it should be approx. 3.8 when I apply. My schools doesn't calculate weighted GPAs which is fine because, as I've heard, most schools disregard them.
At the community college in which I'm enrolled, I have a 4.0 with 67 credits (quarter system).
I've shown a tremendous upward trend in my grades, from 3.4 cum. freshman and sophomore years to a solid 4.0 at Clark College.</p>
<p>My school is disastrous. It has a graduation rate of approx. 60% and less than 20% of graduating seniors actually pursue higher education, at least immediately after high school. The district is woefully underfunded, and sports are deified to the extent that academic distinctions awarded to students basically go unrecognized. Also, and I don't know whether this does or should matter, but a HUGE heroin problem has developed lately, which will probably be the death knell of this moribund "academic" institution.</p>
<p>Anyway, because of all the aforementioned problems, the school offers a very limited number of AP and honors classes, many of which are exclusively for seniors. Owing to this, I participate in the state's Running Start program (dual-enrollment) and will receive my AA by graduation. So basically, I have taken more than a full load of college classes and currently have a 4.0, which probably won't change within the next few months.</p>
<p>ECs:
-23+ regional, national, and international distinctions for music (I'm a pretty accomplished saxophonist, and have been playing with the high school's jazz band since 6th grade).
-Was a member of the Pacific Crest Jazz Orchestra.
-Was a member of the Washington All-State Jazz Band last year.
-Founded and served as president of the BGHS Junior State of America chapter (JSA).
-Founded and served as president of Students for Political Activism Now at my CC.
-Was Pacific Northwest Regional Director of Expansion for JSA.
-Was editor of the opinion section of my high school newspaper.
-Attended both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions recently as a student correspondent for the local newspaper and for JSA.
-Am currently media director for the Portland, OR Amnesty International chapter.
-Am currently a Sunday-school teacher at my local synagogue.
-Am working with the Columbia Land Trust to defend SW Washington from rapid urbanization.
-Studied government at Georgetown University during the summer of 2007.
-Studied music at the Berklee conservatory, Northern Illinois University, and Western Oregon University during the summer of 2006.
-Am currently a member of the debate team at Clark College, which, despite lacking national recognition, is pretty well regarded in forensic circles in the PNW. Although I've only participated for less than a month, I've won several awards and should have a couple more once I apply.
-Was a member of MUN.
-Many more things that I cannot remember right now.</p>
<p>My recommendations should be great; they're being written by a former Columbia University admissions officer (and MFA student) who was my English teacher, and one of my history teachers who's published several articles in history periodicals and authored textbooks.</p>
<p>Also, I don't know whether this carries any significance, but I was invited to a regional Penn admissions conference to which only 12 or so students were invited. Does this mean that perhaps Penn is interested in me?</p>
<p>Thanks for taking the time to look and, hopefully, to comment. I know it's somewhat of a "laundry list," but I really do appreciate your giving me the time to appraise my chances at Penn.
All the best.</p>