<p>Hi.
So I go to a really good private school in nyc which is recognized as being like extremely hard and such. Like this year, out of a class of 102, we sent like 21 kids to HYPS. People in the middle(B - B+) of that class got sent to like Hopkins, Emory etc. And everybody got into college.
And I just got back my jr year grades, and my gpa(we dont actually have GPAs but i calculated it) was a 3.57. It had been a little bit lower freshman and sophomore years(like a B/B+).</p>
<p>My sats were 2210 - 750 CR, 720 W, 740 M.
Sat IIs - 710Math I, 750 US history.</p>
<p>The highlights of my extras are
1.) 3 sport varsity athlete
Baseball, varsity since freshman year.
Cross Country - 1 year varsity.
Indoor track - 2 years varsity.
2.) Newspaper sectional editor.
3.) Paid internship with a neurologist.
4.) Alumni Affairs club co-president (legit club that makes money for the school)
and a good amount of community service and such.</p>
<p>Also, I will have good recs.</p>
<p>Finally (the only reason i might have a shot) my dad went to Penn law school, but i don't really know if this matters.</p>
<p>So with all of this, any chance? Be honest. I know its a big reach, how big is what im wondering.
Also, i will chance back.</p>
<ol>
<li>I would try to take more SATIIs to compensate for the low GPA.</li>
<li>penn law is a wonderful school and penn knows that, but, unfortunately, that doesn’t make you a legacy. </li>
<li>why don’t you visit penn this summer and do some research? if you like it, you should apply ED to give yourself a better shot.</li>
<li>it’s impossible to chance you. no one knows what the admissions officers will think, but if you decide that you do like penn, go for it. it’s a great place, but you’ll have to decide that for yourself.</li>
</ol>
<p>honestly, your chances suck. your gpa is not good, sat scores are average, and you have no clear academic interest it seems. legacy from law school doesn’t really count… perhaps apply early decision to the nursing school?</p>
<p>^
Graduate school legacy DOES count at Penn. Take a look at the supplement before speaking.</p>
<p>freddywashere, the best thing you can do is ask your guidance counselor to show you the Naviance data, which will show the average gpa/SAT of kids accepted to Penn from your school. If the average gpa is a 3.4 or 3.5, then you could have a decent shot at CAS, assuming interesting/entertaining essays.</p>
<p>freddy - which private school do you attend? I went to one of the hill schools in the Bronx (you know, HM/Riverdale/Fieldston, I don’t want to say anything too specific) and although we don’t have official GPAs mine was about a 3.27. Your extracurriculars are fine, maybe slightly less impressive than mine were. However, my SATs were better and my recs were all great. I got in regular decision (didn’t apply ED). </p>
<p>Kids from top NY prep schools have a much better chance with a low GPA than students from elsewhere, except maybe the top boarding schools. I’d say give it a shot, but make your essays great.</p>
<p>The guy who said your chances suck is an idiot. I don’t think he understands that the way colleges view your GPA depends on the school you come from, and you only gave the highlights of your ECs, we don’t know how interested you are in your activities or how much time you devote to them. I think you have a decent shot. Definitely log in to naviance and see what kind of GPAs and SAT scores UPenn generally accepts from your school. Then put a lot of effort into your essays. Your chances definitely do not “suck”.</p>
<p>Don’t try to get down on yourself (and your chances) about going to UPenn. In all honesty, I was never the best student at my school (didn’t have a 4.0 GPA nor was even close to being val/sal), nor had the best standardized test scores (it was around 2000), nor had the best extracurriculars (I was secretary in two clubs and volunteered 100 hours or so). If you absolutely, without a doubt want to go to Penn, I’m sure that you will express that in your essays and the admissions officers will see that passion and hopefully they will accept you. Best of luck with your decisions and your essays!</p>
<p>Freddie, first of all, realize that you ARE a legacy applicant. Your dad is a Penn law school grad = LEGACY STATUS. Legacies received a boost in the Early Decision round. Over 40% of legacies were accepted in the ED round. That’s DOUBLE the acceptance rate of regular decision candidates. Your test scores are above 50th percentile, your grades are a tad low, but your ECs are very good. I really think going Penn ED with your legacy status is key! Good luck with your essays and get ready for that acceptance in December!</p>
<p>you are a legacy according to this site: [Penn</a> Alumni: Alumni Council on Admissions](<a href=“http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/legadm.html]Penn”>http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/aca/legadm.html)</p>
<p>your legacy status will only play a factor in the admissions process if you apply ED. i’d say that if you put together a strong application you would definitely be in the running for admission at least.</p>