<p>I am a member of Penn 2018. I saw all the crazy posts (OH NO!!! You ONLY got a 2370!!!!). I am a normal kid whose parents went to state universities. I am not low income or an underrepresented minority, and I am in like the 4th or 5th generation to go to college in my family. I had good grades, true, but my scores were between mid-low and very low when compared with Penn's averages (and even the lowest 25th percentile). I also have not done anything noteworthy enough to go on a TV talk show or have an article written about me in the local paper. Penn rejects valedictorians and perfects scorers all the time. They care about everything!!!! 1/4 of the class has students with below SAT 2100's!!! Don't be intimidated; show your passion for Penn (they care about fit more than a lot of other things); BREATHE!!! Best of luck! You can do it regardless of what a number might say. </p>
<p>-A normal public high school graduate going to an ivy league who knows MANY who can say the same </p>
<p>Hey! Thank you so much…breathing a bit now
On a serious note, I’m just an ordinary kid who doesn’t have a great SAT score. 800 in SAT math and physics. Planning to take SAT chemistry soon. I moved to India 2 years ago and the move was kinda hard on me because I was so used to the American Education system. And everything in India is just so different. I was an amazing student back there, honors program and everything but then I kinda dropped when I came here. (do you think I should mention these things in my essays? )Anyways, my grades are decent. Although… I did mess up 11th grade because of this phase I was going through ( I know, stupid me.) I’m part of the IB curriculum andd I plan to get 40+ / 45 (hopefully!) My extracurriculars are nothing amazing, started a NGO here, I have a photography page, play tennis, teach kids Abacus, and that’s about it.
I have like 6 months left to apply.
What do you recommend I do? I REALLY want to get into UPENN. I miss PA so much!
Oh also, I’m a US citizen and I lived in PA before moving to India. Would I be considered an international applicant or what? Any idea?
Thank you so much! :)</p>
<p>@qwerty76 Congrats on your admit. Be encouraging to others but don’t foster improbables. The fact is your app had some great features that you yourself may not be aware of. For most others, they will not have those features. </p>
<p>One other point however, CC frowns on the “come to this thread and I will answer your questions” type of posts. You’re free to reply when you read questions you can answer. Otherwise your thread will be locked.</p>
<p>@poiuyt16 you will not be considered an international applicant if you are a US citizen. Your move to India will be your hook as it will add something different to your application. However since all admissions seem to be so random, its always wise not to fixate too much on any one school but have a mix of reach, fit and safeties that you feel good about.</p>
<p>I got a 2080… so not crazy low! I’m just saying that you don’t need to be perfect. Of course Penn has standards. If you don’t fall within the norm of admitted applicants, chances are you won’t make it: <a href=“http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/apply/incoming-class-profile”>http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/apply/incoming-class-profile</a>
I definitely felt like I had the skills to succeed at Penn and to take advantage of all of Penn’s opportunities. They admitted 7% of kids in RD… so scores at a certain point aren’t important (when you reach a certain high standard, even on the low end of that standard ie 2050+). </p>
<p>For majors: Don’t apply to one you think is easy to get in for. Apply to one that you are strongly passionate about-- you will have a better chance of being admitted. Undecided is fine too, just show the subjects you are passionate about. I applied to a very popular major.</p>
<p>Completely depends on your major and the classes you take as well as your personality. Some people spend very little on homework, some people basically are studying/doing academic activities all the time. I am a very bookish/academic person (starting my doctorate in the fall) and took a lot of grad classes in my major so I spent more time on work than most. I did go out sometimes but not as much in the later years.</p>
<p>Believe me it does. It tries to encourage top PA students to apply to Penn, especially those who have been chosen to attend Governor’s School summer programs.</p>
<p>
Every region has somewhat of a quota. The school wants diverse representation. You have a better chance for admissions from Alaska than from tri-state area with the same stats.</p>
