Do I have any chance for UPenn?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

UW 3.79 W 4.18

SAT 2020 (Will retake and hopefully get 2250+)

AP Scores:
AP Chinese 5
AP Music Theory 4
AP World History 4
AP Environmental Science 4
AP Psychology 3

I know my stats are pretty low for these schools but here is the reason why: I moved to USA three years ago from China and technically speaking I’m still an English learner.

I took some of the most rigorous courses at my school, include AP sciences,'AP world history, and honors European literature. Those classes are really hard for me and no matter how hard I study I can only get B+ in some of the courses. I don’t know if colleges will understand I worked really hard for that 3.79, but since my school is really competitive and everyone has good grade, I’m afraid I will be compared with other students from my school.

Senior course load: Calculus, AP Physics, AP Government, H-Economics, AP Art History, English IV, Chorus, Yoga

School type: Public high school in CA (Ranked top 10)

Will major in East Asian Studies.

Honors and Awards:
AP Scholar with Distinction
Principal’s Honor Roll
Piano Level 10 certificate
CPR Certificate

EC:
Chorus for four years.
Volunteer at Disocvery Science Center for three years.
Community Service commissioner and Publicity of Asian Education Project.
Tutor at Chinese School.
Participated in a multi-cultural film festival and modeled for Qipao (traditional Chinese dress) show.
Published book about Ancient Chinese mythologies.
Write journals for an online website to introduce my school to newcomers.
Fundraising for a local orphanage in China.
Took Sociology and Psychology at CC.
Self-studied Japanese, Cultural Anthropology, personal finance, East Asian Architecture.

Attended Cornell Summer College and took Social Psychology. Will get a letter of rec from my Psychology professor at Cornell.

I know none of my grades and scores stand out, and that UPenn is probably a reach school for everyone, but I just wanna know should I even bother to apply? Do I have any chance at all??

2

Of course everyone has a chance! I think your chances for any of the Ivy League and Top 20 schools are low, but is it high for anyone, really? The only way to have zero chance is to not apply at all. Having said that, you should realize that your GPA, your SAT scores, your class rank, and perhaps even your course rigor are all below the typical applicant accepted at these top-notch universities. I’m not even sure that your guidance counselor will check the “most demanding” box with regards to your class schedule? You should ask your GC if your high school schedule qualifies for “most demanding” or “very demanding”. If s/he says, they will likely check the “very demanding” box, then your chances will be even lower that the low chance I am already predicting…

But who am I anyway? I never worked as an admissions officer, and all I know are statistics that you also know or can search online by yourself. You should not have people like me discourage you from applying to your dream school. Go for it! As long as you also realize that you need to apply to a handful of safety and match schools where you will be (almost) just as happy if you get in there; and you do not have the “UPenn or bust” mentality. Should you decide to apply to the very top schools, make yourself as unique as possible. Show them that you are worth the investment–you just never know…be hopeful but also be realistic.

3

@ohiopop Thank you so much for your genuine input! In term of class rigor, I would say first of it’s impossible for me to take a bunch of honors and ap classes in 9th and 10th grade, giving the fact that my English is not even fluent…I did take all the hard classes I possibly can in 11th and 12th grade since my school doesn’t offer that many APs. I know I probably (most likely) won’t get in, and that I will be really happy with some top UCs like UCSD and UCI. I guess I just can’t get over with those “what if” thinkings, and I’m sure I will regret if I don’t apply at all.

Do you think my international background and my ecs will me a little bit more unique among other applicants?

4

International background if your an Asian actually works against you most of the time.

5

@jarrett211 I guess that makes sense…thank you for ur input though

6

I think you actually have a pretty good chance in my opinion since you are trying for Asian Studies and you have the EC’s to back that up. Your grades will hurt you but I think there is still a decent shot since you are not trying for anything impacted.

7

@nishau thank you for your input. Do you think a solid 1st semester senior grade will improve my chance a little?

8

bump

9

As a fluent Chinese speaker why did you take the AP test for Chinese?

10

@sgopal2 I need to take AP and SAT II Chinese to show my proficiency in a foreign language so that I don’t need to take another language at school.

11

Chinese is not a foreign language to you. English is. So would another language like Spanish, French, German. It will seem to admissions committee that you opted for the Easy “A”.

12

@sgopal2 I didn’t take actual Chinese class so there’s no “easy A” on my transcript. But yeah, AP Chinese is an easy 5…I took Japanese online though, since it’s more East Asian related.

13

Ok mention it somewhere about the Japanese. Good luck

14

@sgopal2 thank you! Do you think I will have any chance at all?

15

Unfortunately you will be compared with others from your school. Worse you SAT scores will be low compared to other top students. I honestly think it’s a long shot for you.

Consider expanding to other less competitive schools.

16

@sgopal2 I think Penn is really a shot in the dark to me. Do you think NYU and UCSD are target schools for me?