<p>The University of Pennsylvania is undoubtedly my first choice school and I will be applying early decision when the time comes (I'm just finishing sophomore year) But I'm currently despairing over my GPA. It is abysmally low, not just for Penn, but for any school. </p>
<p>Freshman Year Final GPA: 3.74
Sophomore Year Final GPA: 3.02 (ugh, ewwwwww) (C in Alg2/Trig and D in Chemistry)</p>
<p>Yikes, right? The drop is due to mental health issues and family problems that worsened in tandem towards the end of freshman year (I had a 3.92 until 3rd semester when things went down) and as of now, are still present in my life. Not to get into ugly specifics, but it involves my parents marriage, bankruptcy on our house, the police, DYFS, and a couple of therapists. I have always dealt with anxiety and depression and all of this made everything worse. I couldn't focus on school, was having panic attacks in class, all that good stuff, right? So now that I've vomited up my life story, I'll get to the point; my cumulative GPA is hovering somewhere around a 3.4 and I have a C and a D on my final transcript in Alg2/Trig and Chemistry (as I said; abysmal). </p>
<p>I'm planning on getting 4.0 through junior and senior years, in addition to studying like crazy for the SAT and keeping up with my ECs. My GPA should be close to a 3.6 by application time. I'm hoping to give some explanation of my personal struggles and/or ask my GC to include something about my situation. </p>
<p>SUMMARY: I have terrible grades, but the rest of my app should be decent-pretty good; should I kiss my Penn dreams goodbye? Will Penn even look at my app if my GPA is under a 3.8 and I have a C and a D on my transcript? Will they be willing to overlook my weakness for my strength? What can I do to showcase my academic potential when my grade are so terrible?</p>
<p>Details about me:</p>
<hr>
<p>-My high school is a decent magnet program in a crappy public school with probably one of the weirdest dynamics in the state/country; all of my classes are Honors, Dual-Enrollment or AP
-Based on practice tests, and the insane amount I'm going to study, I'm expecting a 2300+ on the SAT
-I am VERY involved in extracurriculars, leadership positions, jobs and internships, and I am passionate about everything I do and there's a bigger picture or overarching-theme to them, which leads me to...
-My personal statement/philosophy: I'm into poli-sci, media studies, film, music, my ultimate passion being writing. I know the general idea of what I want to do in life; something along the lines of combining art, politics and media to use as tools to better society and solve problems of intolerance and ignorance. I'd love to be a director, screenwriter and/or work in politics. (Does Penn care about student's having a personal mission statement or clear direction in life or something?)
-As I said, writing is my passion, and my essays should reflect that, at least, I hope so
-I'm close with my guidance counselor and several teachers who I know will give me good recs, along with the local assemblywoman I intern with
-I'll be applying ED
-I think my personality fits Penn? I don't want to sound obnoxiously cocky and I still haven't visited yet, but from everything I've seen and heard online, I FEEL like I would fit in there (I don't just want to go for the prestige)
-I'm a female URM; African-American, Puerto Rican, Cherokee and Italian. First Gen college</p>
Good Luck to you. </p>