<p>Please just let me rant lol. I am just ****ed at myself and upset that my dream school is not going to happen. Just let me vent.</p>
<p>Ok i come from a tiny town in Kansas, where the majority of students don't go to college, the average ACT score is 18 and everybody is ok with that. But UPenn, i mean i absolutely fell in love with this school. I even almost passed out when i walked onto campus. I know i have no shot in hell at getting in at UPenn. I work hard but i dont have the numbers. I have a 27 ACT, which for eldorado is not bad, but in the grand scheme of top-college admission are TERRIBLE. I have taken every honors course offered by my high school , and even have taken several college courses. But i have a 3.79 gpa. I am not even close to the top ten percent. Our school does not have weighted gpa and unfortunately a majority of the top ten percent of my class is specail education students who under school policy automatically make A's in certain classes. </p>
<p>I have worked very hard in my extra curricular activities. I am nationally competitive in Debate, forensics, and violin-solo performances. I teach private lessons for free for students who cant afford them. I also hold the top leadership positions in each of those activities. I have been a varsity cheerleader all through high school and was captain of my squad junior year. Due to schedual conflicts i couldn't cheer on the varsity squad this year, but i am currently the assistant coach for a little league squad. My most proud activity however, is the district wide counseling group i started in honor of my brother who drowned.</p>
<p>Point of the matter is I work HARD. But i will never have the numbers that some of the students who are getting accepted have. You guys are amazing. i read you ec's and numbers and im in awe. I wish that students who have the drive, passion and commitment, but less than stellar numbers had a shot. UPenn is my dream, I just wish it was a realistic dream. Sorry rant over......i just love Penn.</p>
<p>It’s a terrible feeling, isn’t it? I’m in a similar situation, but with different stats. I have 3.56 UW GPA because I screwed around my first two years…bleh…that’s the only downside to my application, but it’s going to destroy me in admissions…</p>
<p>Despite what you’re feeling now, I don’t think you should give up hope yet. It’s clear that you are really passionate about Penn. You balance your grades (will discuss more later) with outstanding ECs. From what you’ve said, you participate actively in a variety of activities, which is all about being a well-rounded student. I’m really impressed with the counseling group you set up; it really sets you apart from everyone. Not only does it show your community activism, but also your compassion for other people.
As for the grades: We always obsess over the numbers, even more than we have to. When colleges review applicants, they will look at your profile compared to other students in YOUR area. For example, a 27 on the ACT scored by a kid who attends a private school in Northern New Jersey may be considered mediocre because he is in a more prestigious environment. But for you, since the average ACT at your school is 18, then a 27 for you is pretty darn good. This same type of “standardizing” applies to GPA as well. UPenn will look into the specific aspects of your school and know that it doesn’t have weighted GPA and the circumstances for special ed students. hey’ll take those factors into consideration as they review your academic performance. It’ll also see in your transcript you’ve taken the honors classes, showing that you are a student who continually challenges herself.
In short, don’t give up yet. You have stronger grades and ECs than you think…maybe I’ll see you at Penn next year.</p>
<p>I feel the exact same way as you. But I always try to remind myself CC is just a small portion of the people applying to Penn. Last time I saw the who’s applying to Penn thread, I saw there was about 70 replies (but many people posted more than once). So even if we assume 50 people from CC and another 50 who did not post apply; that is only a 100. Granted there are more people out in the real world, but remember not everyone will get in. </p>
<p>So my point is don’t get bogged down by CC. There are probably 100 (200 max) on CC applying to Penn and not all will get in.</p>
<p>Sorry about the grammar; I am on my iPod.</p>
<p>free2rhyme is correct. CC is only a very small part out of the whole number of applicants. I am also a student but international. so i feel my application getting accepted would be much difficult than yours. I have a ACT score of 31(27,36,28,33) and my A Level grades are (Chem-a, Phys-a, Maths-a, Eng-c) My TOEFL is 99. I am applying to SEAS. Also my EC’s aren’t that gr8 as yours and not like most of the CC applicants. I do have work experience and community service but still my chances of going in are pretty less. I want to get in Penn and that’s my only aim. I know i would be dissapointed when i wouldn’t get in(that’s practically 95% possible) but I still want to keep my hopes up. Don’t get depressed by the CC members, many are less qualified than most of the CC members. </p>
<p>Sorry for grammatical errors. I am in a bit of a hurry!!!</p>
<p>Hey kristina :P</p>
<p>Schools always take circumstance into account. If you’re from an area that has an average of 18 on the ACT, that helps! And it should help. Colleges want people that make the most of their environment. </p>
<p>Anyways, good luck - hope you get in.<br>
-another penn ED applicant</p>
<p>I think they are also less likely to admit applicants from schools with very few admits in the school’s past but there are uncommon exceptions. So that may not help you, but the stuff you have done “nationally ranked in debate…” will probably set you apart give you a really good chance.</p>
<p>i am so ready for december 15th but i really almost dont want to open that email…even not expecting admission is better than a for-sure denial.</p>
<p>i hope so lol but we will see…are you a student at upenn?</p>
<p>If your last post was directed at me, then the answer is no I am not a student at Penn and I don’t think I will be one and I am fine with that. </p>
<p>Just a suggestion: you should start looking into other schools. I think once you start looking into other schools, you can see that Penn might be one of many colleges that may be ideal for you (i know this advice has been given before, but it’s correct). The other day I was actually watching “Disturbia” (it set my priorities straight) and considering my future career goals, and now I am not as attached to Penn. I would totally be cool with going to Penn State.</p>
<p>So yeah that might be a bit of too much information, but whatever works! Good luck and hope you succeed where ever you go!</p>
<p>I think I have found a soul mate in you kristina coz I feel EXACTLY THE same and I’m in the EXACT same situation( SAT scores low here) 
But Penn’s been my ONLY interest for the past 1 year I dunno how to tell this to the admissions committee. I hope my essay says it :(</p>
<p>Oh yeah and another thing. This might seem hard at first but if you think about it more and more it will probably soften the blow of rejection/deferral (hopefully you will not get it, but if you do). Think about the cons of going to Penn.</p>
<p>I think this thread is starting to become more of a “who doesn’t think they are getting into Penn thread”.</p>
<p>Just an FYI they don’t take into consideration what the average score for your area is. Because its a nationalized standard all applicants in reality have equal opportunity and chance. Because in reality if you work hard with little you can still achieve high scores, prep courses aren’t needed. I had a friend who went from a low 2000 to 2380 just from self studying- therefore Penn might be a place where you wouldn’t be happy not being able to handle the coursework anyway</p>
<p>My daughter, a freshman at Penn, felt the same way as you last year; she was accepted ED. I’d keep the following in mind:</p>
<p>Admissions decisions are kind of a crapshoot, so have realistic options
MANY kids are accepted without the stats seen and sweated over on CC
The decision is now beyond your control so don’t spend hours obsessing</p>
<p>@berniemadoff - i appreciate your response…but i dont think you can make that assumption nobody knows what is considered in college admission and what is not…i do not expect to get accepted at all but i actually no for a fact that low average school average with a higher individual score helps at barnard. my aunt, an admissions counselor at barnard, says they do take into account low school averages. But niether of us can make an assumption as to whether or not UPenn does. My test scores are so far below Penns average i know it is not a realistic shot, but i know i can handle the course work. I am graduating high school with an honors degree from a community college, and i am currently taking a graduate level developmental biology course from University of Kansas’s Medical School. I can handle upenn. I also disagree with your statement that with hard work any one can achieve high test scores. I have an sat/act tutor that i meet for three hours a week, and i spend many hours studying, i just cant raise my score. No Penn is not a realistic option for me, and no i am not a genius, but i know i could handle the work.
I do have other options, Rutgers and Case western are my backup, and other reach schools like NYU, Michigan, Smith, and cornell. I just have a feeling i will end up at rutgers, not to discount the fact that it is an amazing school, it just feels like i could have done so much less to get into rutgers, that is my only reservation.</p>
<p>Kristina: I have only one piece of advice. If you really want to go to Penn, apply ED. My son had higher stats than yours and lots of great ECs (granted, he applied to Wharton) and did not get in. We live in suburban Kansas City, where his high school is full of high achievers, and no one got into Penn. One of his best friends, who lives in Minnesota, did get in, but he was No.1 in his private school class (did not apply to Wharton), was a state ranked athlete and, finally, applied ED. My husband checked the stats and private colleges give a significant preference to ED applicants. My son just wasn’t committed enough to Penn to apply ED and is very happy at Michigan. You just need to consider other options and there are many great schools out there. Good luck!</p>
<p>You definitely should not give up hope for UPenn. You are obviously passionate about what you do, and you sound like a hard worker, so if you can just show that to UPenn, I’m sure that would greatly help you.<br>
Anyway, you shouldn’t compare yourself to students from other parts of the nation. Colleges evaluate how you adapt and react to your environment. Definitely don’t give up, because I think you’ve done very well for someone in that kind of educational environment. Good luck! :-)</p>
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<p>If you only worked hard in high school to go to college, maybe you should reconsider your future plans. Work hard for yourself – because you want to learn, because you are genuinely curious, because it’s what you want to do. Don’t do it for a bunch of people sitting around a table whose decision ultimately doesn’t matter, and don’t do it for the grade. Penn may be a school you can handle academically, but is your reason for wanting to go the right one?</p>
<p>The above should be something EVERYONE needs to consider. College is not the end all, be all for success. Doing what you love is going to reward you satisfaction; taking hard classes and getting good grades FOR SOMEONE ELSE is not. If that is your primary motivation, I’d find something you truly love doing – you’ll end up in a better place. Those who go to Penn certainly love to learn and work hard to do just that and not for the sole reason of impressing admissions officers (I sure hope so at least).</p>
<p>i completely understand what you are saying…i do love to learn and i did it for myself…my comment was more of a warrant as to why it would be upsetting not to get into a school that I love. I know rutgers is an AMAZING school, it is just not my number 1…almost everyone is happy with the school they go to but NOBODY is content with getting denied from all of their top choice schools, and having to go to their safety.</p>
<p>Understandable, but you should not feel upset about working hard, but rather that you weren’t what they were looking for at the time, or even that you were just unlucky.</p>