<p>I plan on applying to UPenn SEAS ED. Could these grades hurt me? I'm still in the top 12 in my class, so I'm not entirely sure if they could. I also posted my senior year schedule if it helped.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Freshman Year:
Honors English I 5 Credits | A
Journalism 5 Credits | A
Basic Public Speaking 2.5 Credits | A
World History & Culture 5 Credits | A
Honors Geometry 5 Credits | A
Honors Biology 6 Credits | A
CP French II 5 Credits | A
Physical Education I 3 Credits | A
Health Lab I 1 Credits | A+</p>
<p>Sophomore Year:
Honors English II 5 Credits | A
Yearbook Journalism & Design 5 Credits | A
Honors US I 5 Credits | A
Honors Algebra II 5 Credits | A
Honors Chemistry 6 Credits | A
CP French III 5 Credits | A
Spreadsheets & Database Mgt. 2.5 Credits | A+
Radio Broadcasting 2.5 Credits | A
Physical Education II 3 Credits | A+
Health Lab III 1 Credits | B+</p>
<p>Junior Year:
Honors Math Analysis 5 Credits | B
Physical Education III 3 Credits | A+
Health Lab III 1 Credits | A+
AP English Language & Composition 5 Credits | B
AP Psychology 5 Credits | B
Honors French IV 5 Credits | B+
AP US History 5 Credits | A
AP Chemistry 6 Credits | A
Yearbook Journalism & Design 5 Credits | A</p>
<p>GPA So Far: 3.83 UW, 4.235 W</p>
<p>Senior Year:
AP Biology 10 Credits
AP English Literature/Composition 5 Credits
AP Calculus BC 5 Credits
AP Computer Science 5 Credits
Physical Education IV 3.75 Credits
Health Lab IV 1.25 Credits
Yearbook Journalism & Design 5 Credits
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Sounds like you go to an AWESOME high school. I think you'll be fine with those grades, especially since youll have taken a total of 8 APs. Just make sure to have a couple of safety schools (theres tons of good ones in Pennsylvania) and don't think its the end of the world if you dont go to Penn.</p>
<p>Most of my schools are safeties or matches apart from the four Ivies that I'm interested in. Then, I have three safeties and three matches.</p>
<p>Yeah, these are hard classes. Sophomore year to junior year was like a death sentence. I learned a lot, stuff that I actually enjoyed learning, but the grades matter more to colleges than they do to me. I did really well on my AP exams, all 4s and 5s, so that could out some of those grades.</p>
<p>My other issue is that another girl from my class is applying to UPenn SAS. She has a higher class rank than me and a higher unweighted GPA, but she has taken less APs than me. I think she might have taken 3 APs this year. Her GPA is higher than mine because she takes Honors Orchestra and the teacher just hands out A+s, which given the weights is a GPA booster. I'm worried about this because at the info session the admissions officer leading it said that they compare you to where you're coming from. I really don't want to be compared to her. In the end, academically she has done better (despite AP test scores and all), but outside that realm, I've done better, you know with ECs and leadership positions and such. </p>
<p>Should I really worry about my grades? Would I be competing with her if I'm applying to SEAS and she's applying to SAS?</p>
<p>All of those electives will not be counted in the GPA Penn will recalculate so I don't think you'll have to worry about her orchesture grade.</p>
<p>You are not just competing ith kids from your school but also from your state and geographic area. Mid atlantic being the worst place to apply from. With 4 Bs junior year in core classes, even without knowing SATs, Penn will be difficult.</p>
<p>My school stresses chemistry and biology. It does not stress physics. In fact, our AP Physics class just got canceled. And, thanks for pointing that out to me. I plan on taking physics at my local community college this fall. I wanted to take it in school, but it wouldn't fit in my senior year schedule. I'd have to trade off AP Biology and AP Computer Science for Honors or regular Physics, and I think that would be too much.</p>
<p>I live in central Jersey if that changes things at all. We haven't had significant applications to Penn for the past two years. My AP scores are all 5s and 4s, and I qualify for some sort of award. My SAT II scores are in the low-700s. I'm taking the SAT in October. I'm shooting for a 2300 (800M/750CR/750W). I think I can make it. And, my history teacher writes amazing recommendations and I think my yearbook teacher/adviser does too. I've got some pretty nice essay topics laid out, and ECs are pretty good. Several leadership positions and such.</p>
<p>That's a summary of my vita. Anybody else, suggestions and such?</p>
<p>I would like to mention some of the reasons for the Bs, but I can't on the application. The AP English and AP Psychology teachers cap their grades at B+, and even earning that takes a miracle.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You are not just competing ith kids from your school but also from your state and geographic area. Mid atlantic being the worst place to apply from. With 4 Bs junior year in core classes, even without knowing SATs, Penn will be difficult.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is exactly the opposite of what the regional admissions officer leading the UPenn tour said at the info session this past Friday. He specifically said that you'll be compared to where you're coming from. I think with the SAT, SAT IIs, and APs they can compare across the board, but specifically for rank and GPA, you'll be compared with only those in your school.</p>
<p>Oh, uh huh, sure!!! Look, they will only take so many from your school, your state, your ethnicity and your income group. There is a quota for everything, and guess what, adcoms never mention it.</p>
<p>You are from NJ, applying with sub par grades in junior year APs and honors. Kiss the ivies goodbye. Sorry.</p>
<p>^thats a stupid way of thinking of it
its not like she's getting bad grades or something, the Bs were in advanced classes and you never know what can happen. with the right ECs, good essays and reccomendations, there is definitely a chance. Plus, the OP said they were in the top 12...
but is that percent or rank?</p>
<p>That's rank. So, at the lowest, my rank is a 12/~400.</p>
<p>I do know because I read the CDSs. No top school is accepting a kid with 4 core Bs junior year even from Exeter.</p>
<p>I get the feeling the OPs school ranks including all the journalism and other gut electives. Again, even at most very top high schools, you would not be in the top 12 (unless it was a class of 40) with 4 Bs in high level classes.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I do know because I read the CDSs. No top school is accepting a kid with 4 core Bs junior year even from Exeter.</p>
<p>I get the feeling the OPs school ranks including all the journalism and other gut electives. Again, even at most very top high schools, you would not be in the top 12 (unless it was a class of 40) with 4 Bs in high level classes.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The school ranks with all classes, but everyone on top has A+s in their electives, rather than As like I do. I honestly don't understand what you say because if you look at the RD/ED threads in the Penn forum, all sorts of people with different GPAs and test scores are being accepted.</p>