Sorry this is sooo late, but better late than never!
Decision: Accepted - Life Science and Management Program (LSM) - Wharton and CAS
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown w/ score choice): Overall (2100) – CR(670) M(710) W(720)
ACT (breakdown): Overall (33) – English (34), Math (31), Reading (32), Science (33), Writing (8)
SAT II: Biology (700) Math 2 (740)
Unweighted GPA (out of 100): unw. 93.58, w. 95.32
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 10 percent, maybe top 5.
AP (place score in parenthesis): didn’t send
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP BC Calc, AP Chemistry, Fiction Writing (English Sem. 2), Heroes in Literature (English Sem. 1), Macroeconomics/Microeconomics, Chinese Level 4, Sustainability Seminar (Minor).
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): The Wellesley College Book Award Recipient: awarded to a student nominated by the faculty for her outstanding contributions to her school in leadership, citizenship, and scholastic achievement.
Subjective:
Extracurriculars:
Job/Work Experience: Neuroimaging Internship at Harvard Med School - I studied the brains of patients with the genetic disorder to study their chances of developing schizophrenia because of changes in their brains.
Volunteer/Community service: Tutored students, spent some time with senior citizens or worked in local food pantries - during the time of the winter sports season (that’s the only time I could do it after class)
Summer Activities (most recent first):
Harvard University: Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Course
MIT: Ocean Engineering Experience Program
New York University: Stock Market Trading Workshop
MIT: Crew Camp
Columbia University School for Continuing Education: Media and Politics Course
Fashion Institute of Technology: Public Relations Workshop
During the Academic Year:
School Newspaper - Co-Editor in Chief Senior Year (10, 11, 12)
Global Citizens in Action: Afghanistan (10)
Math Club - Co-Head Senior Year (10, 11, 12)
Model UN - Head Senior Year (10, 11, 12)
Created a non-profit organization with my classmates to bring sustainable electricity to schools in Afghanistan (11 and on)
Student Diversity Club - Discussion Leader (10, 11, 12)
Student Diversity Leadership Conference (11)
Sustainability Group (11, 12)
Essays: CommonApp one was about I learned separate traits on my own from my parents after their divorce and how it relates to who I am today, WhyPenn was about all the things I want to do at Penn, specifically in the CAS (it was my backup choice if I didn’t get into LSM), WhyLSM was about how I have always been aware of the connection between business and science (through many life experiences I’ve definitely established why the connection is important to me) and why I feel that LSM will give me the best tools possible for when I go into the workforce.
Teacher Recommendation: One from my AP Biology Teacher (did well in her class and she also helped me get the neuroimaging internship) and one from my English Teacher (also did really well in his class - best I’d ever done in English before - and he seems to really like me as a person and a student)
Counselor Rec: From my college counselor and we have a good relationship!
Additional Rec: from the person I worked with at the neuroimaging internship and they liked me so hopefully good.
Interview: The interviewer and I really got a long well. I actually ended up being way more honest about myself than I expected to be, but that ended up being great because my interviewer completely identified with me because he had the same notions about himself! He also worked at a non-profit which was so great because I hope to run my own non-profit one day (either the one I helped create a couple years ago or another one that I make on my own!)
Applied for Financial Aid?: No
Intended Major: finance and biology
State (if domestic applicant): MA
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Private Boarding School
Ethnicity: Indian, american-raised
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: not sure
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): first-generation american but admissions-wise, none.
Reflection:
Strengths:
What you tried to focus on in your application - any hooks you tried to make for yourself: I ultimately want to change the world for the better and at Penn I will be surrounded by people who also want to do that!
Weaknesses: test scores could have been higher and I didn’t do too much in terms of biology until the last year or so before I applied.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/deferred/rejected: I think Penn and I are a good match!
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/deferred/rejected: nowhere else! Penn was the one and only school I heard back from! I sent an application to BU, but had to rescind it.
The most unique thing in your application: probably my work with girls in Afghanistan and my efforts to help them do better in school - It’s really important to me!
Good luck to all who are reading this! I hope this helps future applicants! 