<p>So I just discovered how amazing UPenn is, and I would really love to apply there. Problem is, my stats are far below average. Please give me your honest feedback, but try to be nice.</p>
<p>-Female
-African-American
-Private school on West coast</p>
<p>GPA
3.53 UW
Honors/AP
Upward trend</p>
<p>SAT I
1830</p>
<p>SAT II
Taking Math II and Literature in December</p>
<p>EXTRA-CURRICULARS
Varsity Cheerleading (3 years): Co-Captain; 4 awards; 3 Letters; 65 community service hours. </p>
<p>Red Cross (4 years): 300 hours; 2010 Youth Chairman of the hospital I volunteer at.</p>
<p>Red Cross Club: Founder and Co-president; Currently doing a unique fundraiser that has raised funds to pay for medical assistance for people living in third world countries.</p>
<p>African-American Summit Committee (2 years): Organized a toy-drive for a children's hospital by my school - we raised over 50 toys! Currently organizing the upcoming MLK assembly.</p>
<p>Organizing a Spring break service trip for 30 students at my high-school.</p>
<p>VOLUNTEERING
Service trip: 1 week rebuilding houses; wrote my activity essay on this; published a newspaper article about my trip in my city's newspaper.</p>
<p>Reccomendations: Great
Essays: AMAZING. And I wrote my 'additional information' section of the common app about my difficult transition from a public to private school and how I continued to push through because I love learning so much.
Future plans: English major and pre-med</p>
<p>I mean, you are a URM, so you’ll have SOME chance. Not to be racist or anything, but a white or Asian kid with your stats and ECs would get flat our rejected.</p>
<p>Not to be overly intrusive, but what is your income level? Penn, along with the other top schools, considers applicants in light of their family situations, and if you’re middle-class or higher, I don’t think that an 1830 will be viewed as competitive by them. :-/</p>
<p>If you love the school, you should apply; the worst that can happen is you get a rejection.
Being a URM with an interest in a non-science major can certainly help. So can being from the Left Coast.</p>
<p>Well it depends on exactly how many AP classes you have taken? If you have shown that you have tried to challenge yourself with many APs then they may look over your GPA. Personally, I would advise that you take the ACT and see how well you do. My SAT score was weak but the ACT was easier for me and my score is competitive. Also, the ACT with writing can be used instead of the SAT w/ 2 subject tests so it is a good back up in case your subject tests don’t go as well as you planned. Also, make sure to really boost your grades for this semester so your mid year report looks good. </p>
<p>A side note, people on here will tell you that being a URM will give you huge boost. It can help but don’t completely rely on that. (i’m sure you won’t ;)) It is a big stretch but it never hurts to try. Besides, the Penn admissions counselors only look at test scores briefly and they take into account all the other parts of your application. Make sure that your essays are stellar and that your application helps you stand out as a person.</p>
<p>No, my school doesn’t rank and I am middle/upper-middle class I think? I have taken as many AP and honors classes as possible, although my school does not offer a ton because it is private.</p>
<p>My essays definitely stand out, and I’d rather not get accepted to college as a minority charity case…I think I have a lot to offer as a student and as a person.</p>
<p>Overall, thanks everyone for the responses. :)</p>
<p>If you want to feel as if you’re not an “minority charity case” which I do not feel is true at all (affirm. action =/= “charity case”) you need a 2000 at least. That would at least put you in the 25%.</p>
<p>That being said, as a URM (as much as you hate it), you may just get your foot in the door.</p>
<p>Sorry, “minority charity case” was a little harsh. I can’t retake my SAT since I am taking subject tests in December…so I am most likely not going to apply. :p</p>
<p>I think you should apply. It can’t hurt.
A lot of people on CC honestly will tell you one thing, but they are not admissions officers. Some really unexpected people get in, while some expected people get rejected. Just give it a try. Pour your heart into your essays. Give it everything you got.
The worst you can get is a rejection, right? You’ll always wonder what could’ve been.</p>