<p>Dear prospective Quakers stalking this forum:</p>
<p>Yes, SAT scores and GPA matter. However,you are ALL are more than numbers. (I'm sure you've heard these words a thousand times, but have you truly digested their meaning?) You are all special, and you all have something to contribute. Don't think you're ordinary.</p>
<p>I was accepted ED with 3.7 GPA, 2100 SAT. I was a strong applicant, but I wasn't the best out there. I was not your 4.0, 2300+ student. I had no hooks; I'm not a recruited athlete, and I'm not legacy. What made the difference was that through my essays, I truly told Penn WHY I wanted to be there. I shared my dreams, my goals, and my ideas. I showed Penn that I could contribute something special; so can you.</p>
<p>I was extremely fortunate, and I know I'll take full advantage of all that Penn gives me. I know that it can get kind of scary when you see some of the people here on CC..but just know that they are not the norm, and that this is not an accurate reflection of ALL applicants. :p</p>
<p>Give it your all, and give it your best. You're fantastic, and you have something awesome to bring to campus. Show them who you are. Work on your essays. Put your heart and soul into them. Make the words embody your essence. Show Penn you bleed red and blue.
Show them you're more than a page of text and a number gauged on a 4.0 scale. If they say no, their loss. Another college will have gained a wonderful student. In the end, you don't lose anything trying. </p>
<p>In all actuality, the average test scores and GPAs in the ED round are significantly higher than those in the RD round. You also must consider the fact that less students apply for the ED round, while an inflated number apply for RD.</p>
<p>Not all minorities are URMs. My daughter got in ED and she is a minority. Since she is not a URM we didn’t qualify to get a single dime of FA (we knew this when she applied). She is currently in the top 2% of her senior class (in a private catholic high school), high GPA and ACT test scores, and I can go on and on. I think URMs have a chance on getting into Penn (for that fact many other top schools) with slightly lower marks than the general high school top student senior population. My point is not to assume all minorities are URMs. (I’m not saying anybody is saying this either, just a general comment).</p>
<p>Do you really think GPA and SAT are higher? Where is the stats? I wouldn’t think so because people who have high GPA and SAT know that they will have choices so they don’t want to restrict themselves to one school.</p>
<p>I’m not going to post stats but coming from a private school and finishing in the top 2% says enough. When we did campus visits last Spring we visited 4 Ivys and 5 non-Ivys (all on the East coast) and Penn was by far the school she felt she would like the best. That is the reason students apply ED because that is the school they WANT. She got accepted to ALL her EA schools with Notre Dame being the next top school on her list. (BTW, Notre Dame has higher average ACT scores for acceptance than Penn and her scores were well within the range).</p>
<p>As the school reports it, the Early Decision pool is just as competitive. And As gtbguy1 said, people who do ED usually do it because it’s the school they want to go to. </p>
<p>I was also accepted at UChicago EA(though I had withdrawn my application the day after I got into Penn, they sent me an acceptance!)</p>
<p>What I’m trying to say is that college applications is much more than numbers, and that people tend to lose that perspective. What I’m trying to say is that one should really put their soul into their essays and do what they love, not do it for college applications(Part of the reason I got in was because I had great extracurriculars–sorry for the lack of modesty haha)</p>
<p>Yes, numbers “open” the doors–but it’s your talents, your personality, and your contributions that get you “inside”.</p>
<p>And I completely agree with the poster who said that ED and RD are different–they are two different ballgames. However, the essence of the message remains the same. Truly show the school who you are.</p>
<p>I also want to add that some of the points established illustrate my point. College admissions are not a black and white situation, and this is the mentality one should approach them with.</p>
<p>FYI Notre Dame having higher ACT scores than Penn is very misleading .The vast majority of Penn applicants submit the SAT. Penns scores are higher than Notre Dame’s.</p>
<p>Also, a lot of white kids apply to Notre Dame… they don’t accept as many minorities with lower scores (like people who live in the Philadelphia area.) Just being honest.</p>
<p>Does this extend to Wharton? Is it not true that by increasing your scores you also increase your chances? Sometimes we students are not as concerned, it is our parents/peers/relatives who put this pressure on us and do not allow us to pursue anything else until we raise our scores. I am really ambivalent on this issue :/</p>
<p>of course scores are important, and you should try to do as best as you can. However, what I’m trying to say is that this is not a black and white issue.</p>
<p>your acceptance is not a mystery sm2013. URM, ED, and you’re a great writer (as evidenced by your first post- and catchy title). In your case there’s not that much grey.</p>
<p>Withtheflow, scores are important but not everything. Kick ass essays, strong recommendation letters, and great ECs along with decent test scores is the trick for Penn. I believe the admission counselors at Penn can see read an entire application and get a good feel about a possible candidate. These people know what kind of person will do well at Penn over 4 years (or more). After all, once a person graduates from Penn many pursue bigger and better and do very well back in their communities.</p>
<p>Gtbguy1, but what are “decent scores.” People point to different numbers so how would one know what an admissions officer considers a decent score?</p>