Ehh Low GPA, Who Knows?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>Atlanta Public School
African American Male
Less than $30k income ($19,900 to be exact)
GPA: 3.42
Living in Atlanta,GA
ACT: 32
Around top 25%
HUGE UPWARD TREND (Sophomore year dip in grades - death in family, will be explained)</p>

<p>Getting a rec from a Georgetown Professor (should be amazing)</p>

<p>Senior Classes:
AP world
AP Govt
AP econ
AP calculus
AP Satistics
H. World lit</p>

<p>UCLA Transcript:
Biological Threats To Society: B
Sociology: B</p>

<p>A part-time job since Freshman year
President of FBLA
Vice-President/Founder of Psych. Book Club
Chess Club
Treasurer French Club
Cultural Diversity Club
Math Team
100+ hours of volunteer.
Great Rec's & Essays (Including 1 from a known Georgetown Professor)
Regional Award for FBLA competition
Web designer for Megetti Ent.</p>

<p>I'm still debating between CAS, Nursing, or Engineering</p>

2

<p>I'd say you have a fair chance (minority status) but yea the grades really might hurt you</p>

3

<p>Thanks
Anyone else?</p>

4

<p>I actually decided i'm applying to the School of Nursing</p>

5

<p>do you want to be a nurse and have some evidence in your resume? if not they will sniff you out as a backdoor applicant</p>

6

<p>Yes I want to be a nurse, the class I took at UCLA was a life science and I have a few classes I took in highschool that relate with it in a way</p>

7

<p>You are not able to volunteer at a hospital until your 18 around here, so I really don't know how else I could show it.</p>

8

<p>if you can demonstrate well enough that nursing is what you want to do, I think you have a fair to good shot. your minority status (both in terms of race and gender in the case of the nursing school) and good standardized test scores will be great help, but your gpa and underwhelming EC's may hold you back.</p>

9

<p>By demonstrating, you mean in my essays correct?</p>

10

<p>yep (10 char)</p>

11

<p>I actually am old enough, just turned old enough to volunteer at a hospital which is what i'm going to be doing.</p>

12

<p>Funny how "minority status" has changed from being the basis for terrible racial discrimination in America for hundreds of years to suddenly becoming the great door-opener for college admissions. I wonder when that happened?? Oh, I almost forgot - it's that dreaded AA.</p>

13

<p>Do ED and you're in</p>

14

<p>Eh I'm unable to do ED, since my family is extremely low on money, The financial aspect plays a huge role.</p>

<p>If I was to do regular, what do you think?</p>

15

<p>bump =O.....</p>

16

<p>I was once set on applying RD because of financial aid but I went ED after talking to a Penn admissions officer. Of course, I am in much better shape than you so I have a little more flexibility, but if Penn is your first choice look at it further and see if you can talk to someone. In the meantime plan on applying RD however. </p>

<p>As far as your chances go, I'm not quite sure. I would love to see you admitted (good to see another black male trying to better himself). You have a good resume overall, only your GPA is weak (in Penn terms). Really if you are admitted it will come down to how well you sell yourself as a capable student regardless of what your GPA says. Good luck!</p>

<p>(take everything with a grain of salt though, I am applying just like you)</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
Funny how "minority status" has changed from being the basis for terrible racial discrimination in America for hundreds of years to suddenly becoming the great door-opener for college admissions. I wonder when that happened?? Oh, I almost forgot - it's that dreaded AA.

[/quote]
Please, stop there. We don't need another AA bashing thread. We have enough of those to go around.</p>

18

<p>no bashing anyone please :)</p>

<p>So anyone else? :)</p>

19

<p>URM status good and scores mediocre at best, but your grades are just atrocious. Why not apply to less competitive schools?</p>

20

<p>could you explain why you had such a poor GPA?
The cultural pressure of a teenager growing up in a culture where academics are spit on and athletics are praised could be useful. I don't know how this applies to you considering that you don't appear to be too involved in athletics and show 4 years of commitment to academic clubs. Quite baffling really. Don't kid yourself, a 32 coming from a black kid with a net income <20k is quite impressive in itself.</p>