How are my chances for Penn ED?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

Major: Biology with a concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology

Demographics: White middle class female from southern New Jersey near Philadelphia. I go to a noncompetitive HS that rarely sends kids to top 20 schools, and we have limited opportunities due to budget cuts (they cut all non-service clubs this year besides DECA)

UW GPA: 95.52/100
Weighted GPA: 105.36/100
Rank: 3/226
ACT: 31 first try no studying, taking again in September, aiming for a 34+
SAT II: Not yet taken but I am going to take Math II, Biology M, and US History most likely. Wont be stopping til I get a 750+ on each test. Registered for August.
AP Scores (expected): AP Bio (expected 3-4), APUSH (expected 4-5), AP Stat (expected 4-5), AP Lang (expected 4-5)

Next year, I am taking:
AP European History
AP Physics 1
AP English Lit
AP Psychology
AP Computer Science
Honors French IV

Taking precalculus over the summer at a community college because there was no room for me in the class this year. Also will eventually get calculus on my schedule also at a community college; school no longer offers AP calculus on the curriculum. Hopefully will also be able to enroll in some biology courses at the CC, especially environmental science

Awards: Lots of DECA awards:

Regional qualifier in Principles of Travel and Tourism sophomore year

Regional qualifier in Hotel and Lodging management(HLM) junior year

1st in South Jersey in HLM testing

1st in New Jersey in HLM testing

3rd overall in New Jersey for HLM

Hotel and Lodging educational institute certified guest service award

National qualifier and competitor for HLM

Johnson and Wales achievement scholarship

Scholar athlete cheerleading award (highest GPA on cheer team for 2 years)

Principal’s list 12x now (straight As all throughout high school)

Renaissance gold card (stellar attendance and achievement for 10 marking periods)

National Honor Society

Selected for World Language Honor Society

Key Club distinguished Vice President

Extracurriculars:

Varsity cheerleader for 3 years, practice squad cheerleader for 1 year, hoping to get either captain or leadership council for the upcoming season

DECA president, 3 year DECA member, school’s only national competitor

4 year Key Club member, 2 years Vice President and 1 year Editor for club, help plan a $3000 fundraiser for local soup kitchen, trying to have an Alzheimer’s fundraiser this upcoming school year

3 year member of school musical, 100 hours dedicated to each performance (a hell of a lot of work)

4 year member of school’s concert choir. We have seasonal performances and each year travel nationwide. Last year we went to Toronto, this year we went to Los Angeles and had the opportunity to work with producers from Disney Performing Arts

Docent/tour guide for a museum. I give tours about a local historical house and site of major Revolutionary War battle

National Honor Society: helping with yearly Operation Blessing toy/food drive, blood drive, and volunteering at graduation and banquets

World Language Honor Society

Action Team Captain through Volunteers of America on behalf of Key Club

Gifted and Talented

A few STEM workshops and competitions like Brain Bee and Exxon Mobil Girls in STEM

This summer:

Long Island University’s Summer Honors Institute for UN and Global Affairs (full tuition and room and board program)

Getting a part time job this summer, trying to work a lot of hours

Taking online courses in biology with coursera or edX

Upcoming:

Hopefully will be the founder of my school’s first STEM club wherein I will help prepare for competitions like Brain Bee and hopefully just get kids in my school excited about science. In the process of starting this club

Trying to work with a teacher in my school to get me an interning opportunity with a biology research lab

Saving up $ to get my scuba diving certificate

Possible hook: Dad works with University of Pennsylvania health system

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31 is on the low side, below the 25th percentile, and you don’t have Sat2 or AP scores. HLM is more relevant to, say, the Cornell School of Hotel Admin or JWU.

So, DECA, cheer, Key, choir, musical, some academic competition, now docent at a historical site. What in there relates to your interest in the environment? Starting a stem club for competitions isn’t it.

Honor society membership varies by hs, some not competitive, so generally not one of the activities a Penn-level college will look for. You have a little vol work through them, anything besides the museum that you do on your own? And/or someting hands-on with the environment or policy/advocating?

  1. You need something related to environ, to show it matters to you, that you tested this interest and pursued it. This shouldn't be hard to acquire in southern NJ. This is separate from helping a prof inside.
  2. When you have the further test results, let us know.
3

@lookingforward In what way are the environmental opportunities easy to come by in southern NJ? I’m in the part of NJ that is closest to Philadelphia so nothing strikes me as being too local. Wondering what you have in mind. Organizing a cleanup? I am capable of doing that, but let me know what else you might have in mind.

Also, I am (painfully) aware that most of my activities don’t relate to my major of choice. My school only offers 3 or 4 clubs and none of them really relate to anything I like. I wanted to use the STEM club as a hub to sort of promote all kinds of science opportunities in my HS because we don’t really have any way of promoting STEM education.

4

Your gpa and rank are great, but if your high school is truly a ‘non-competitive’ school, you are likely going to have to show higher test scores to have a chance for UPENN. If you do end up with a 3 on the AP, do not submit that.

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Lol, not organizing a few hours of clean-up.

Working with an existing organization, volunteering longer term, working with a group surveying marshes, coastline or whatever. Etc.

I’ve seen numerous kids who claim nothing is available. Penn will want to see what you did do, something with responsibility and some impact…not just x hours. They want the sort of thinking that goes past “what my school offers.” Or doesn’t offer. They like that sort of expanded vision and perspective.

It’s not up to you to “promote stem education” when your own resume needs some more self-serving actions. Think about it.

You or some teacher or local civic person my know orgs out there. If not, I’d call the Sierra Club, as a start, ask them what committed work orgs they know of (not their own trail maintenance.) Or call an environmental engineering firm in your area and ask what non-profit or advocacy groups they may know of. Or call the closest college’s enviro dept and ask.

6

I found a website (https://njedl.rutgers.edu/environmental_organizations) that lists every single environmental organization in NJ and I just contacted every single organization in Salem, Gloucester and Camden county (the only counties within a drive-able distance). There aren’t that many, but I tried nonetheless. Most are available in North Jersey and coastal counties (Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May), which I cannot drive to because I have to work this summer + both my parents work full time. If you have any other ideas besides this, please let me know. Thank you for the help.

EDIT: If I should get involved with “volunteering long term,” would perhaps volunteering every Saturday/Sunday work? I can drive somewhat far on weekends (30 minutes) and volunteer once or twice a week in that case. Wondering if this would be enough commitment to show on college apps.

7

Good effort!
Hint: you really don’t even need to vol every weekend. Just a regular effort.

Not sure what you said to them in your contact, but you can also try calling. Let them know you want to get some hands on experience, see what comes up. In my area, various orgs also show up in the newspaper, when they have projects that need vols. (I said it isn’t organizing a random clean-up, but showing up one Saturday may be a way to get yourself under their noses.) You’re thinking now and that’s super. Keep us posted.

ps, if you’re still also interested in poli sci, that’s another way to get involved. Their offices generally need help. In this case, anything that puts you in the milieu is an advantage. Or some advocacy group.

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@lookingforward I’ve reached out to a few organizations and gotten responses since your last comment. I now will be working 4 hours a week at a wildlife preserve on Saturdays. Also may be helping with landscaping and setting up a garden with my school. Are these the kind of activities that you had in mind for demonstrating some interest in the environment and biology?

Also just got a job interview offer, and I believe having a summer job definitely helps demonstrate some positive traits on an application. On top of these things and the things I previously mentioned (biological research internship starting this fall, already have worked with my activities coordinator to start a STEM Club) I feel like I definitely have showed my interest in biology and have added a decent amount of stuff in a short period of time, but I’m excited to get involved with all of this because it genuinely interests me.

Also, I wanted to update about my APs - 5s on APUSH and English language, 4s on biology and statistics. I’m happy with the results.

Let me know if you have any additional suggestions. Very thankful for your help.

9

What’s so great is how you really picked up this ball and ran with it. Super! It shows a lot about you.

You may be very busy this summer, so keep an eye on managing your time. And have fun with it all. The AP scores are great. In this very short time, ten days, I’d guess you learned more about yourself, what you can do. All good.

Stay in touch. :slight_smile:

10

@katnissjul excellent news!

Perhaps an experience you have during the volunteer work will be good fodder for your Common App essay? It’s great when genuine interests lead to essay topics - they essays tend to be more authentic and more “you.”