<p>I have a very, very good connection at Penn (Wharton), and he said there is a good chance he can get me in. </p>
<p>My Numbers are 2070 SAT (first try, it'll probably end up around 2130.)
3.6 UW GPA
3.8 9th and 10th Weighted, 4.3 11th weighed.</p>
<p>Very good EC's.</p>
<p>My concern is this:</p>
<p>While my resume is good and can get me into a good school, it probably is not good enough for Penn, even ED. I feel that if I am to be accepted, it will be because of my connection, hence an illegitimate acceptance.</p>
<p>I'm not sure I'd be happy if I am to be accepted this way, especially if I get in over a good friend of mine who deserves it more than I do.</p>
<p>What would you do in my situation? </p>
<p>a) Get the letter of rec, apply ED, go if I get in. It's Wharton, Stupid!
b) Get the letter rec but apply RD, and see where my conscious leads me (I feel this just delays the problem however).
c) Try to get in on your own accord...that's cheating, jerk!</p>
<p>I need as many responses as possible, I'm really having difficulty with this.</p>
<p>Take the connection and apply ED. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I think you will probably regret it in 10 years or so if you do not jump at it. I wish you the best of luck. </p>
<p>Furthermore, keep in mind that getting into Wharton is only half the battle. You have to stay in and maintain a high GPA if you want to get far. It’s not where you get in, but rather what you do once you get in that determines your future.</p>
<p>I’m probably not as smart as the rest of the people at Wharton, so am i better off going to a less rigorous business school such as Ross and getting better grades?</p>
<p>a) Get the letter of rec, apply ED, go if I get in. It’s Wharton, Stupid!</p>
<p>WITHOUT A DOUBT.</p>
<p>The college selection process really is survival of the fittest and you need to take every opportunity handed to you. Many people get into schools just because of their connections. Why should you be any different? The only real concern, if you were to chose one, would be that you may not be able to handle the coursework at such a competitive college. In my opinion that doesn’t matter because it would be 100% stupid to give up an opportunity at such an amazing education which would be valued anywhere you chose to go after.</p>
<p>Also about ^^ it’s different for everybody but I feel it’s possible that such rigor might make you more motivated to try harder and although your GPA would be lower it may be looked at different than a higher one at Ross.</p>
<p>I also wouldn’t call it illegitimate acceptance… more like an application booster.</p>
<p>You didn’t mention that you were even interested in Penn. Speaking from personal experience, the college search yielded a lot of results that made me reconsider my initial dream schools, which were all well-known and had great resources and all that, but ultimately weren’t good fits for me. I don’t see the problem as cheating -personal connections come in handy for people everyday- but who’s to say that you’ll enjoy college just because you went to Wharton? Can you handle the work and competition? Do you even want to go into business?</p>
<p>Yes. YES YES YES. I am going to have a career in the field of business. Wharton is the holy grail of business schools. So naturally, my interest in Wharton is, well, high would be an understatement.</p>
<p>Well, that changes things. While some people might perceive it as unfair if you were to get in because of your connections, it’s true that the entire process is rather subjective for schools like UPenn. If that’s your major reservation, I don’t think it’s too big of an issue. Still, there’s the question of fit. Yes, you can transfer out if you don’t like it (and it’s certainly easier than transferring in). But I wouldn’t want to go into college not feeling confident about my choice. Why don’t you plan a trip when you can, talk to people there, and take some classes?</p>
<p>Wharton is known for not being very numbers oriented. They tend to go for really well-rounded people. If you have other good reasons to go to Wharton in addition to the connection, use it, and forget whatever ethical dilemmas you have.</p>
<p>Funny…I’d love to have some idea who this connection could be- adcom, staff or senior administration? I have a lot of faculty friends and several coauthors at Wharton.I have friends who are Deans at top b-schools who would not pulls strings for a family ‘friend’ if it came down to it. Methinks it’s a fantasy.</p>
<p>I also doubt that anybody could/would actually pull strings to get a student in who really wasn’t qualified for acceptance. Admissions is done by a committee. So, if you can get in- even with help, it’s a wonderful opportunity and you should give it a try. Do you really want to go there? Or it is prestigious and you think you SHOULD go?</p>
<p>^ Agree with the last two posts. Assuming the connected person is not blowing smoke, I doubt that Penn would admit an unqualified student just on somebody’s say-so. But if this is truly a well-connected person who thinks he can help you get in, it may be that he sees something about you, something of interest to Penn, that you are underestimating. If that is possibly the case, you should go for it. Then cross your fingers and if you do get in, it will be not just because of a “connection” but because someone believed in you. Be grateful, resolve not to disappoint the people who helped you, then move forward.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s cheating or an ethical dilemma, but I have a different perspective. You have but one life to live. It’s a big deal and it belongs to you and you alone. If you don’t take the offer, then you know that everything you will accomplish is based solely on your own merits and you can take a certain unique satisfaction from that. How many people get THAT opportunity. If you do take the offer, the same may be true but you can never go back and will NEVER know what you could have done on your own. What do YOU value? Which way will YOU regret less?</p>
<p>Just my two cents.</p>
<p>Another piece of advice is to wait 24 hours so that you get input from people who actually sleep at 1:30 am :-).</p>
<p>I see your problem. I do not think that I personally could do it because the whole
point of getting into a good school is bc the YOU feel like you deserved it, YOU feel like one of the many people who worked hard to be able to say “this is it. I’ve done it and accomplished my dreams.” That’s the whole reason that I at least want to go to an ivy league school. You CAN still get into Wharton (on your own accord)!!! In 20 years do you want to have to wonder if everything you did, everything you accomplished was based on that one illegitimate move?</p>
<p>I see no harm in leveraging connections. I think, however, that the chances that your connection can truly land you in are likely a lot smaller than you think, unless your family has developmental-admit money lying around.</p>
<p>wish hmom was still around…she would set this one to rest…totally agree with pizzagirl from what we have seen with UPenn, specifically, as of late…</p>