<p>Let me start by saying that my grades are crap for an ivy league applicant. My GPA is a mere 3.5/6, and my SATs, while I plan to retake them are around 2000. Despite that I have spent a summer working on a successful political campaign (I have gotten a letter of recommendation from the office), and another at a high class restaurant. I have a collection of academic awards, and my principal has written a stelar recommendation. The essay is still a WIP, but I think it will turn out good. So, do I have a shot at Penn?</p>
<p>from what you said, i would say no. i know that grades are not everything, but they do need to BE there. it seems you are relying on recommendations. you dont have a lot of extracarriculars either. mostly, though, the grades just are not up to ivy league standards. sorry.</p>
<p>radcos right. grades are first when looking at an app. GPA i would personally say comes after SAT/ACTs. so if you could get like a stellar 2350. you could definitely have a shot. but right now, no.</p>
<p>Looks like you have a good chance then because I think sats barely matter. Altho I agree that grades and gpa is the most important factor</p>
<p>With a GPA that low, you would need to have almost perfect SAT scores or some kind of hook to get into Penn, which you do not. While I wouldn’t discourage you from applying to Penn as a reach school, you should also make sure to apply to other less selective schools to hedge your bets.</p>
<p>@funkmu: The SAT matters quite a bit in admissions…it is almost impossible to get into a top school with a 2000 unless some other part of the application is extremely strong.</p>
<p>I had a 2070 and I got into SEAS at Penn. My GPA was around a 3.9 though.</p>