Howdy folks! I’m curious as to how you think I’ll fare in the upcoming admissions cycle for Penn. I’m a triple-legacy, so the familial pressure is super real! Honestly, any opinions on my chances would be incredible. I sincerely thank you for any contributions!
White Male, MN Resident
Big, Suburban High School
Triple Penn Legacy (Mom/Dad/2 sisters/2 Grandparents)
GPA UW: 4.00 (Rank 1/716)
GPA W: 4.927 (Rank 1/716)
ACT: 35 (36E, 35R, 36M, 33S)
SAT: 1560
SAT Subject Tests: Math II (800), World History (760)
AP’s: APUSH (5), AP Eng. Lit (5), AP Euro (5), AP Bio (4), AP Chem (5), AP Psych (5), AP Stats (5), AP CS (5), AP Calc AB (5), AP Spanish (3…oops ), AP Physics (TBD), AP Calc BC (TBD), AP Micro (TBD), AP Gov. (TBD)
Completion of Harvard CS50 Web Programming Cert (CS/JS/Python); 2020; approx. 10 ~hrs/ week for six months
NHS (Junior-Senior)
AP Stats/Spanish/Math Tutor (~5 hrs/week)
… and that’s all I’ve got. Lacking in EC’s, but honestly, I’m constantly busy so I think quality would suffer if I had any more. I’m torn between CIS and Wharton, but I don’t plan on applying to Wharton up front.
You are not lacking in EC. You have a job and you are a leader in a sport. They want to see that you have engaged deeply into an area. Maybe you suggested something at Target, merchandising wise that they tried and worked. Or maybe you took the team aside, held a team member only meeting, motivated you team and they won the league title.
You have slim odds. That’s because everyone has slim odds. On paper you are wonderful but so is every valedictorian in America and they And other top kids are also applying. So apply but make sure you have solid match schools…I’d say from a UMN or Macalester staying in MN. If you want to stay mid size a Case Western, Rochester or Wake Forest.
What’s your major ?
I read that legacy matters only for ED. One note …you, not your parents and grandparents, have to spend four years there. So don’t apply ED if you don’t want to go there. Explain to them that it’s not the right place and explain why. Also ED has a monetary risk as you are bound. You say you are applying ED. Have you been there ? Do you love it ? Legacy is no reason for you to go if it’s not the right place.
In any normal universe, you should be a “no brainer” for Penn, especially with triple legacy and your stats.
But your chances are slim, as is everyone who applies to these “top” schools. By ALL means, please apply to Penn. But make sure you apply to several other strategically considered schools. And if you get in, don’t go there because your family did. Go there (or elsewhere) because it’s the right school for YOU, and no one else.
Penn is great, but no one will care where you went to school, including your family. College is a stepping stone, albeit an important one, to your career. It will not define you.
It’s important to be realistic and manage expectations (and to make absolutely certain that Penn is the right fit for you), but imo your chances are better than “slim”. Penn reportedly accepts ~33% of legacies; that presumably includes some number of applicants who are uncompetitive long shots and some who don’t apply ED.
I think that you will compare very favorably with other legacy applicants from your cohort and that your odds are much closer to a coin flip than “slim,” but all of us are just guessing. Have a healthy and happy summer and senior year and good luck.
I think you would have a much better than average chance even if you were not legacy. But isn’t this obvious with your stats? And if you apply early decision, I would actually be surprised if you didn’t get in.
No guarantees of course, so be ready with back-ups and safeties…
You’ve got a very good chance to get into Penn. I count 6x legacy, not just triple. Make sure you apply ED. Spend time on your essay, avoid coming across as entitled because of the legacy status.
