ED @ Penn chance

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>I go to a top private school in Boston. It's crazy competitive (most teachers think giving out a B+ or A- is a very good grade), so my GPA is pretty low, but I've had an upward trend since freshman year and got mosty As, a few A- my junior year (most rigorous course load available).
GPA: ~3.73 UW
SAT: 2350
Sat II: Latin 790, Math I 800, Chem 770</p>

<p>ECs: Lit Mag 4 years (Editor-in-chief), newspaper 4 yrs (section editor), piano 11 years + school orchestra, I tutor middle schoolers twice a week (4 years), started creative writing club and community service program teaching underprivileged kids to write creatively (president + founder), interned at a lit mag + a newspaper, published in 3 lit mags + multiple times in a newspaper, independent physics research, physics lab internship @ MIT for a summer, some random community service clubs</p>

<p>Summers: internships, cty, ivy summer programs (including Penn's physics academy)</p>

<p>Race: White
Gender: Male</p>

<p>I know I'm not a competitive applicant in terms of ECs + academics, but I'm wondering if you think I have any shot at all (ED or RD)? I want to major in english and minor in physics. I love this school to infinity but I don't want to apply if it's a lost cause and I would fare better at a less prestigious school. Do you think there's any way the 3.7 thing can be amended?</p>

2

<p>What’s your ranking?</p>

3

<p>Looks decent. Does your school offer AP courses? If so, how did you do on the AP Tests?</p>

4

<p>my school doesn’t offer APs becuz it doesn’t want to teach to the test. I studied independenty for two three though and got 5s. My school also does not do ranking.</p>

5

<p>The top schools really pay attention to letters of recommendation from your teachers. We were just at a UPENN info session and the admissions person said that after the transcript the letters from teachers are the most important element ahead of all other aspects (essay, test stats, extra curriculars, etc.) You can still influence those letters by having a frank discussion with your teachers and by “selling” yourself to them and by really letting them know exactly why you want to attend Penn more than any other place. My assumption is that this is really the case and it isn’t because it’s “the easiest Ivy to get into” for instance which it clearly isn’t for you (“I love this school to infinity”) but they need to know that loud and clear.</p>

6

<p>Yes, but we need to know your rank. If you’re ranked <10%, then you’re in trouble. Unless, of course, your school doesn’t rank.</p>

7

<p>If you’re passionate about writing, contact the Kelly Writers House. I’ve heard (on here) that they recruit writers.</p>

8

<p>I think you have a pretty good chance. Then again I tell that to everyone. I don’t what an admin. con. is looking for on a particular day.</p>