First CC Post! sorry its a chance

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
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<p>So I'm a rising senior planning on applying to Penn early decision in the fall. Any chance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated because this truly is where I want to be! Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>ACT: took twice, second time on my birthday, so grades obviously lower:/ can I only submit my first set?
COMPOSITE - 33
English - 33
Math - 35
Reading - 35
Science - 28
Essay - 10</p>

<p>GPA: School does not rank or grade on the 4.0 scale
Weighted GPA only on website: 100.06</p>

<p>Courseload: highest possible
AP's Junior Year (Scores Pending): Spanish Lang, Lang and Comp, U.S. History, Bio
AP's Senior Year (not started yet): Lit and Comp, Calculus BC, Physics C, Chem, Comp Gov</p>

<p>Awards: Principal's Honor Roll 9-11 (99%+ Average)
Illinois High School Association Scholar Award
Honorable Mention on National Spanish Exams Levels 3 and 5, soph and jr year</p>

<p>Now's the fun stuff!
Sports: High School JV Swimming 9-12 Captain for the 2012 Season
Water Polo 11-12 Likely to be on Varsity Next Year
Extra: HUUGE NBA fan:D</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
- School Literary Mag: Sales Editor Soph; Editor-in-Chief Jr-Sr
- Sports Writer for School Newspaper Jr-Sr
- Student Ambassador 9-12 (help with recruitment as I go to a Catholic college prep school)
- National Spanish Honor Society
- National Honor Society</p>

<p>Service:
- raised $609 for Women In Need Growing Stronger (WINGS) by leading a summer block party event (plans for 2012 are in progress!)
- member of my parish's youth ministry leadership team
- usher at Church on Sundays
- teacher assistant at my brother's Montessori school during the summers of my freshman and soph years</p>

<p>Experiences:
- attended the 2012 Future Women in Business Leadership Conference at the University of Illinois
- attended a journalism workshop/conference (unsure of title) at the College of DuPage
- attended the Science Careers in Search of Women Conference at Argon National Lab
- attending the summer quarter at Stanford University (taking Calculus and Mechanics/Heat w Lab)
- summer of 2011 went on my first vacation to Europe..maybe college essay topic?
- random, but I skipped second grade so I'm also considering an essay about the pros and cons of being a year younger than most of my peers</p>

<p>WHOEVER GOT THROUGH THAT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU NOW(:
Again, any suggestions on how to improve my application would be extremely helpful because Penn is definitely where I want to spend those 4 years of college life! THANKS!!</p>

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<p>I think you’ll have a chance if you apply early decision! And really express your passion in the essays cuz it’ll mean a lot. GOOD LUCK :)</p>

3

<p>bumpity bumpity bump</p>

4

<p>I would advise showing a clear passion in your ECs/service (for instance if you want pre-med it would look good if your were an EMT, volunteerd at a nursing home or hospital, etc). Your ECs/service do not show a clear passion but rather just a wide array of extra stuff you did. </p>

<p>Your potential topic essay is a little weak. Its not too uncommon for kids at penn to be a year younger than their grade level, I for one am. If you did something that ties in to your Ecs while in europe, for instance like a journalism seminar or something, then you can demonsrate a passion for journalistic writing in your essay. If you just mention how it was a family trip I dont think the admissions committee will care too much.</p>

<p>all in all you are on the right track, but Penn is for the most part a crap shoot and your ECs dont stick out too much. You should work on those if you want to stand a good shot.</p>

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<p>I volunteered my doctor last summer and shadowed for the latter part of my time there. Would that be something more notable?</p>

<p>And for the Europe thing I wanted to focus on the cultural differences with a health perspective, but only if the prompt asked something of the sort.</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice, maybe I’ll seek more med-related opportunities.</p>

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<p>I wouldn’t write about the skipping a grade idea for your essay… it’s too general and popular. Your grades are good and the 33 ACT is good. Your EC’s are decent. Overall, I would say you’ve got an ehh chance applying RD but a good chance applying ED. Apply ED since you seem so adamant about studying at Penn.
Best of luck and thanks for the chance! :)</p>

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<p>How you write your essay matters a lot more than what you write it about.</p>

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<p>Good point, I guess when I was writing out the resume I just wrote what came to mind haha I have already started working on my common app/UChi essays so hopefully the extra time helps! Thank you</p>