<p>Hi - could you please let me know if i have a decent shot RD at UPenn? My standardized test scores are fairly high but I have lackluster ECs.</p>
<p>Female/caucasian, very competitive public math/sci school in nyc</p>
<p>SATI</p>
<p>800 Verbal
760 Math</p>
<p>SATII</p>
<p>740 Writing
740 US History
720 Spanish
(Also 720 Bio, 700 Math IIC, 690 World Hist but i guess those dont count…)</p>
<p>AP:</p>
<p>US History 5
World History (Self-Studied) 5
Spanish Lang 4
Comparative Govt 4</p>
<p>This year:</p>
<p>AB Calc
AP Stat
AP Micro
AP Macro
AP Spanish Lit
AP US Government (Self-study)
AP Human Geography (Self Study)</p>
<p>GPA : 93.9/100 unweighted - school doesnt rank</p>
<p>ECs:</p>
<p>National Merit Commended Student
Participated in National Spanish Examination (Twice)
Spanish Honors Society (one year)
Writer on school newspaper, 2 years
President/Founder Classic Rock Club, 4 years
Led fundraisers for Classic Rock Club
Mentoring program, 1 year</p>
<p>Out of school:</p>
<p>Cambridge College Programme - 2 college credits - summer 03</p>
<p>Columbia Summer Program-US Economy + Globalization class - summer 04</p>
<p>1 year - volunteer work editing non-profit music newsletter
2 years - paid part-time bookkeeping/accounting for small business</p>
<p>That’s bout it</p>
<p>Also if anyone can recommend other schools for me that would be really really helpful - I intend to major in international relations, and the only schools i already have down are George Washington, Georgetown, and UPenn. I prefer urban settings having always been in/loved NYC.</p>
<p>With all that math and economics I thought you'd definitely be applying to Wharton. Your stats are obviously solid, but you are right when you say you're ec's are lackluster. You have a decent shot...just make sure you wow them with your essays.</p>
<p>... it also has a very strong international relations program. </p>
<p>You should also be able to search by major at petersons.com -- at least you will have a pretty comprehensive list to begin from.</p>
<p>See which schools have graduate programs in what you are interested. I would think this would yield the stronger schools in the preferred area. Then start eliminating those that aren't in urban settings or otherwise seem weaker than your strong credentials would warrant. Finally, go to the web sites of the possibilities and read about their international relations departments. See what special programs there are, the qualifications of their faculty, how many courses they offer, and the like. </p>
<p>My first thought was "geez, I'm glad I'm applying early cuz there's NO way I'd get in over someone like this assuming this is reflective of the regular pool."
But then again, you're from NYC, where all the kids are crazy smart like that
It's a tough call
I'd say they're your real competition and you match up pretty well, though I agree with choco. I've seen much stronger ECs posted here by students in your area</p>
<p>haha not all nyc kids are "crazy smart" but i'd rather that rep than "all those nyc kids on all those drugs and in gangs" so thanks i guess :P</p>
<p>i really regret not getting into any one thing in high school - its not the typical "i was so focused on my grades" story - ive just always been kinda all over the place in things and never really stuck to anything - my biggest skill is probably cooking but i havent exactly entered any competitions. and tho the classic rock club looks like b.s., i actually was really dedicated to it and worked hard on it, it wasnt just some random club i didnt do anything with. anyway - im not trying to be defensive, i just feel like there should be a better way to get a grasp on what kind of a person someone is than to look at a list of "ECs". anyhow...</p>
<p>thanks for ur input again, good luck with ur early app.</p>
<p>separate question - someone mentioned they thought i would be applying to Wharton and i'd love to go there but would i stand any chance at all? i thought it was too much of a risk to apply - but then again, would they look less at ECs and more at school stuff? i dont really know much about what they look for in candidates.</p>
<p>yeah 60 bucks is annoying/gets expensive after a few applications...</p>
<p>but the real reason i said "risk" was b/c my ultra-competitive school only allows us 7 applications, which means if i apply to too many "reach"/"dream" schools i can screw myself over.</p>
<p>so any opinions as to whether Wharton is too much of a stretch?</p>
<p>To better your chances, I think you should retake math2c, and are you taking AP Calculus BC? Wharton is a math-driven program, and the international Deans of Admissions said that they require students to excel in math especially by taking higher level math courses like Calculus BC. </p>
<p>I personally do not think your ECs are weak. From your list, President/founder of Classic Rock Club stands out, and that same international Deans of Admissions told my counselor that leadership is a big thing at Wharton. </p>
<p>Hm..but then again, I'm not so sure. Colleges make choices that are sometimes confusing and baffling.</p>
<p>yeah my high school is really strict about it too - they can't handle all the paperwork from 800+ kids applying to more than 7 colleges each.</p>
<p>anyhow, thanks for your input</p>
<p>i hadnt thought of retaking IIC....maybe i will. and i'm taking AB calc, not BC. the thing is that i'm not a GREAT math student - i mean i manage, but i'm not particularly wonderful at it. so maybe wharton wouldnt be that great a pick for me....i think i might stay with my original decision to apply to major in int'l relations.</p>
<p>any other advice about upenn in general is always welcome</p>