Wharton ED without a hook is a lottery - long shot of getting picked
I have bee an alumni interviewer for 17 years and have interviewed about 400 applicants.
Up front - I have found that all the Admissions people I have met at training, at recruiting sessions, at social events, and the like are extremely close mouthed. So unlike a number of people who post on this forum, I have absolutely no idea how the process works. How others have gotten their info is totally beyond my comprehension and experience.
In case some of what I write seems contrary to what you believe so be it. But I have been a researcher at MIT and Harvard, have several published papers in juried journals, and was a faculty wife to boot (my late husband graduated and taught at MIT.) So at least I am not the dumbest interviewer.
With that said here are my thoughts and some observations:
- I have interviewed a number of legacies - NONE were accepted 2.Unlike what some poster said, NO ONE (including the area chairs) outside of Admissions know who the likelies are until the likelies get their letters. I have had an academic likely every year since that practice started. I was randomly assigned them - not because I am a good interviewer (although I like to think I am)..
- Unlike most of Penn's interviewers, I interview all 4 undergraduate colleges and a great many majors. I have not seen any differences in the applicants for any one major or any one college. I therefore have come to believe that the standards are the same for all four colleges and all majors. And that not one college or major has smarter kids than the others.
- About 1/2 the kids I interview (by choice) are first generation college bound, minorities, kids from poor schools, and kids who qualify for full rides. The ones that get accepted are no less qualified or less interesting than the other kids I interview. Some are, I suspect, undocumented. One young lady (I loved her!!!!) came from El Salvador. She lived with an older sister who worked as a cashier in a gas station. Her parents were in El Salvador and the applicant was homesick and missed her parents. A big price to pay to get safety and a life. (She is at Berkeley.) I have interviewed 2 known homeless kids: 1 is a Sr. at Penn the other a Jr.at MIT. Sorry, but these kids are at a disadvantage. No books in the home, no study areas, no stability, etc. Their hard work, dedication, optimism, and fortitude constantly amaze me.
- I know a lot of you hate the word; but I truly believe that the process is holistic.
- I know that the Chinese American kids in my area believe they are experiencing discrimination . I hope that this is not true. Asian make up about 8 % of the general population but are in over 32-34% of the student population at Penn. Unlike whites who are what about 78% of the population and are about 46 % of the student population at Penn. Seems unlikely to me that the Chinese Americans are seeing discrimination but I could be wrong. BTW I do believe no one race, color, etc. owns smart. Or dumb.
- Sadly I have interviewed only 4 African/Americans. They just do not seem to apply to Penn or I just do not get any to interview.. 1 was accepted, 1 waitlisted, and 2 rejected. Sadly, I have never interviewed a Native American. If you as a reader belong to either of these groups, please, if you think you might have a chance, APPLY!!!!!!
- Yes Penn even admits EA is easier to get in. Smaller number of applicants, more focused, more interested etc.
- There is no limit to how many kids from 1 HS can get in.
- Not all HS are equal. Your school sends in a form to Admissions giving info about your school so that they can evaluate you fairly..Admissions visits various schools yearly so that they understand the HS and it weaknesses/strengths. I also cannot believe that they do not have some sort of records defining each school in the First Reader's area.
- I am a bit disturbed by the number of Chinese who come here in their Sr. year of HS on a student visa, cannot speak English, and apply to an Ivy. Really? Is this arrogance, naiveté? I am not sure what safeguards the TOEFL people have but last year at least one kid I interviewed had much better English than she had when I spoke to her on the phone. Hmmm.
- BTW where did you as applicants learn grammar. At least 2 kids a year start sentences by "Me is...." ??? Really do you think you can get into an Ivy with that kind of grammar?
- Some posters call the process a lottery. NO. We do not know the process so it seems unfathomable, but there is a process and it is not random!!!!! For those of you who have interviewed for a job or interviewed a job seeker, seems to me the process has some similarities.
Oops. Should have mentioned that high school counselors probably have some insight into the selection process.
I have come to despise that word… ‘hollistic’
someone CHANCE ME at Wharton ED I’ll do you back!!!
I’m a little confused on doing the Penn financial aid, so I fill out the CSS profile by november 1st and when i submit my app i get the financial aid form from my PennPortal, and that’s it? What about FAFSA?
I really love UPenn and it has been my dream schools for years. Could anyone please look at my stat and evaluate my chances? (though i don’t think i got some flashy stuff to impress…)
- SAT I: 2200 (May 2015, still waiting for Oct score) / CR680 M740 W780
- SAT II: Math2: 800 Chem:780 Physics: 760
- Unweighted GPA: 93.7/100 (no weighted GPA offered)
- Rank/Percentile: top 10% in 780 ( TOP school in my province, lots of competition and pressure....)
- AP: our school don't have AP courses.....
Extracurricular (place leadership in parenthesis):
- Model United Nations Club - 3 years
- President of school MUN club
- Secretary of National MUN Conference (leading the academic branch and organising branch)
- Secretary of School MUN Conference
- Award of Hong Kong Joint Institution MUN in CUHK
- Photography Club - 5 years (since my middle school)
- Founder & President of photography club in my middle school - 3 years
- President of photography club in my high school - 2 years
- Got some awards in national, regional and city photography contest
- Student Union (President)
- Engineering Club
- Chemistry Club
- Programming Team
- Volunteering Group
- Student Activity Organizing
- Fund Raising: selling my self-made postcards and other product, raised over $500
- Running Group
Job/Work Experience: None
Volunteer/Community service:
- Library Service (though don’t have any record in my hand)
- Community Service
- International Volunteer in Cambodia: over 50 hr
Summer School: None
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Male
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): None
BTW: Does my ECs seem like a little unfocused and messy? What can I do to impress AO?
I’m really excited to apply ED to Penn for Wharton but I’m afraid that I don’t have enough business extracurriculars… Track Team and part time job take up a lot of my time along with Boy Scouts so I hope they recognize that. Do I have any glaring weaknesses that I’m just not seeing? If anyone could comment on whether I’m just being silly or if I have as good a shot as anyone else on this board, it would be greatly appreciated.
ACT 34 (E 34, M 35, R 34, S 32)
- SAT II: Math2: 800 Bio M:790 Physics: 760
- Unweighted GPA: 4.1/4.33
-Weighted GPA: 7.2 - Rank/Percentile: 8/310
- AP: Statistics 5, Physics C Mechanics 5, Microeconomics 5, Macroeconomics 5, Biology 4, Lang 4
Senior Year Courses(all APs): APUSH, Calc BC, Chemistry, Spanish Lang, Enviro, Lit and Comp, Physics C Electricity and Magnetism
Awards:
AP Scholar With Distinction, Johns Hopkins Book Award, Eagle Scout with Bronze Palm
Extracurricular (place leadership in parenthesis):
-Eagle Scout (Assistant Senior Patrol Leader
-Varsity Track Team 4 years( Captain 2 years)
-Physics Olympics( Captain 2 years)
- Grade School Track Coach (4 years)
- Private Tutoring Business in all subjects
-Ping Pong Club( Captain 3 years)
-Basketball Team
-FBLA - NHS, world language honor society, history honors society, math honor society, English honor society
- Salsa Dancing Club
Job/Work Experience:
-Dishwasher at Pizza shop in 10th grade ~10 hrs/wk
-Acme Cashier in 11th grade ~15-20 hrs/wk
-current waiter at a retirement community ~15 hrs/wk
Volunteer/Community service:
- Eagle Scout Project- 500 hours
- NHS community service- 50 hrs
-Grade School Track Coach- 200 hrs
Duel Enrollment: A in chemistry course at local college
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Gender: Male
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM
Income: ~160,000
I believe Penn does recognize that those who have part time jobs have less time for ECs. I have heard Admissions make that point during recruiting sessions. Also, as many of the kids I interview fall into that category I have not seen anything that indicates the opposite. Don’t worry. Good luck!
does anyone have their penn portal account? i cant find the PFAS on it…or any links really 
@amanivy is correct. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that because you have work or have to take care of your family member than you won’t be considered. When admissions officers say something is holistic they really mean it, as long as you can prove that you are doing something fruitful with your time then don;t worry about it!
I just applied ED to LSM/ CAS!
Let me know what you think! Super nervous!
Asian btw
Academics:
•35 ACT w/ 10 Essay
•SAT - 2220
•SAT IIs - Bio (700), MathII (720), Lit (720)
•GPA: 4.49 W/3.99 UW (Ranked 4th in a class of 375) Red flag here- I have 2 Bs (AP Calc AB/AP Chem)
Classes: (most rigorous at school with a science focus)
Freshman:
•Hon. English 9, Spanish II, Hon. Alg II, Hon. Biology, World Studies, Orchestra, Public Speaking, Sports Medicine (Alg I and Hon.Geo 7th/8th grade)
Sophomore:
•Hon. English 10, Hon. Chemistry, AP Biology (4), APUSH (4), Hon. Pre Calc, Human Anatomy, Spanish III
Junior: (very few at my school take all AP- extreme rigor)
•AP Lang (4), AP Chem, AP Calc AB (3), AP Stats (4), AP Euro (4), AP Spanish 4.
Senior:
•AP Lit, AP Spanish 5, AP Psych, AP Calc BC, AP Physics, AP Gov
ECs:
-4 Year Tennis
-Founder and President of JSA club
-Founder and President of Dance club
-Officer of a leadership club at my school (Jaguar Ambassadors)
-Chairperson of Pennies for Patients (raised $5,000 for cancer patients with financial needs)
-400+ Volunteer Hours at Local Hospital, Temple, Library, Nursing Home
-Research Internship at local hospital (did very well at science fairs using the research I did here; currently working on 2 papers for publication in medical journal and won state level awards)
-Raised a couple thousand dollars to help build a school in an Indian village and helped set up curriculum- big project
-Shadowing a surgeon here as well as in India (when I visited)
-Teach Sunday school classes at local temple relating to a foreign language and religion
-Tutor a lot with ACT and classes
Awards:
A few minor writing and public speaking awards
AP Scholar w/ Distinction
-National Merit Semifinalist (223)
Other notes:
-The Dr I do my internship likes me a lot and I probably got an amazing recommendation
Recs from teachers and counselor should be good too
Btw when would someone contact me for an interview?
VaishS
As a non-Hodgkin’s survivor thank you for working with Pennies for Patients. Hooray for you.
@amanivy
Im sorry you have had to go through that!
Im not saying that it made a world of difference just that every little step counts and that being a chairperson for the school campaign gave me valuable leadership skills… didn’t mean to offend anyone
Alumni interviewers reach out to Early Decision applicants between mid-October and the last week of November, according to the webstite. http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/apply/whatpennlooksfor/interviews
Has anybody who submitted an app received an interview? I got an email from Penn saying that they received my app and I’d be contacted soon by an interviewer if I wasn’t contacted already, but that was over a week ago. Any updates??
@ComputerAge I got contacted a little over a week after I submitted my app, I think you should just wait it out cuz some take a while to write to you
I got an email from Penn after submitting my app, but it didn’t say anything about an interview
There seems to be a number of threads about this topic. Take a peek at some toher threads and you will get an answer…
Good luck.