PENN Hopeful for ED: Chances?

<p>Hey guys, I’m new to CC, so I thought I would start off by posting this thread…</p>

<p>I was hoping you guys could give some input on my college app stuff:</p>

<p>Ethnicity: White Male
School: Public School in Cleveland, OH suburbs
GPA: 4.6w, 3.93u
Rank: 7/350 (2%)
The reason I’m so far back in rank is because the people in front of me don’t take electives that bring down their gpa’s</p>

<p>SAT: 680M, 670V, 800W (12 essay)- 2150
ACT: 32</p>

<p>AP: Statistics 4 (This is the only one I could take junior year)
Senior Year:
AP Government
AP Chemistry
AP Calculus BC
AP Physics
AP English
AP Spanish</p>

<p>Awards
-Principal’s List
-National Honor Society
-Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League All Academic Team
-Mayfield High School Scholar Athlete
-Leo & Lucille Schwartz Torah Reader Award
-Most Improved Player-Varsity Ice Hockey
-Varsity Letters<br>
Ice Hockey<br>
Cross Country
-Academic Booster Club Award
-Model UN Superior and Excellent Delegate Awards</p>

<p>Extracirricular Activities
-Music<br>
Piano-Independent Study for 10 years<br>
Saxophone-Playing for 10yrs; Play in School Wind Ensemble (1st chair)<br>
Tuba- Play in Marching Band since 9th Grade
-Men’s Varsity Cross Country
3 yrs-Captain
-Men’s Varsity Ice Hockey
4 yrs-Captain
-Men’s Varsity Track & Field
4 yrs-Captain
-P.R.I.D.E. (People Recognizing International Diversity Enthusiastically)
4 yrs-Club President
-The Pride of Mayfield Marching Band
4 yrs
-World Affairs Club (Model UN)
3 yrs<br>
-Maurice Saltzman Youth Panel (SYP)
Community Service Panel that met several times during the to discuss how to appropriate $50,000 to local charities
-Ambassadors for Unity (AFU)
Community Organization that did many service projects in Cleveland as well as a trip to Israel to do community work in a low socioeconomical environment</p>

<p>Community Service
-Since 7th grade I have taught students hebrew every week at Sunday school, I have taught in grades 3-6 (100hrs/yr)
-Various smaller things with the clubs, especially PRIDE, for which I coordinate most things
-By the time I graduate, I will have logged somewhere between 500-600 hours</p>

<p>Work Experience
-Funded this summer by Cleveland Clinic (3rd ranked hospital in USNews, so its like the Yale of Hospitals) to conduct my own epidemiological research on Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in the Congestive Heart Failure Center, the Clinic published this report
-Worked two summers at a Sports Camp
-I co-founded my own business called KH Video Productions, we have been working for 5 yrs now and do event videography for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and local businesses
-Spanish Tutor over the summer</p>

<p>Teacher Recs: I spent all of junior year building good reports w/ the two teachers I am getting recs from so they should be good
Counselor Rec: She likes me, so I believe it will help me
Essays: My “Why penn essay” is good, I think its something original but who can tell these days; One about working at the Cleveland Clinic, and one about spending a month in Israel w/ a family that couldn’t speak english and how we formed a bond that “transcended the barriers of the spoken word”. My english teacher says my strength is writing.</p>

<p>Hook: Unfortunately none, I’m just a kid trying to get to college</p>

<p>Schools:
UPenn ED- I LOVE PENN (Reach)
Princeton- To see what kind of aid they toss my way (Reach)
Brown- PLME program (Reach)
Cornell- I like the campus and their Biology cirriculum (Reach)
Northwestern- Had to do a top tier Midwest school (Reach)
WashU- " "
UMich- The public Ivy in my opinion, and it’s only 3 hrs from my house (Match)
Ohio State- I needed an in state school, and Case is too close (Match)
Penn State- Both my parents went there, nuf said (Match)</p>

<p>I don’t want you guys to think I’m trying too hard or that I’m window dressing my application with a lot of EC’s but I can honestly say I devote my life to snd my activities. I have a lot of passions, and I like to spend my free time doing them.</p>

<p>So I would really like to hear your thoughts: Penn students, Penn applicants, or any other procrastinators-Thanks in advance</p>

<p>You have as good and as bad of a chance as anyone with a good chance.</p>

<p>you are not a procrastinator if you are thinking about colleges in August. The ED deadline is November 1st so you have plenty of time.</p>

<p>Just out of curiousity, what year did you win the most improved award in hockey?</p>

<p>actually, it was my sophomore year, I had a super slow start performance wise, then ended up leading the team in assists. Do you think I should put that down on my app?</p>

<p>bump, if you guys don't mind?</p>

<p>are you using the penn app or common app? if you're using the penn app, i thought that had 2 questions, unless i missed something.</p>

<p>there is an optional third essay, as I am very interested in Penn, I think it will send a stronger message if I do everything they ask</p>

<p>oh really? i thought it was the why penn + one of three 3 choices (autobiography etc). what's the optional one?</p>

<p>I'll give you the link, check it out yourself:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/incoming.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/incoming.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Oh, I see what you are saying, I have three essays:
Common App
Why Penn
Optional Third</p>

<p>I didn't realize you were refering just to the penn part, sorry my bad</p>

<p>oh, i'm using the penn app, not the common app, so i got confused.</p>

<p>and i know this thread is for chances. i've never actually commented on anyone's chances but yours look good to me. your EC's are solid and a lot better than mine. who knows, is 2150 considered low for Penn? that's the only part i might question. anyway sorry, i can't help much.</p>

<p>They added the writing section on the SAT because no offense but college kids suck at writing. Well, if you have an 800 in writing, that's really...neat..right? Those who do well in writing passed that obstacle. Did any of you guys take SAT prep courses, and if so, did it help? I went to SAT prep since i was an 8th grader!!! Please tell me if it works because i'd like to have some money left over for college.</p>

<p>i didn't go to an SAT class. i did fine on my SAT's. got an 11 and 12 on my essay the 2 times i took them. unless you actually don't understand questions on the SAT's (as in you don't understand a lot of math concepts or grammar rules), then just do practice tests. i used the big blue book for SAT questions, studied for a few months, and i've never regretted not going to a class.</p>

<p>just curious, halopeno2, which school in penn are you applying to? regardless, though, i would say your chances are excellent.</p>

<p>ooh maybe i'll take a break then because i feel like the teacher is just repeating stuff. Thanks a million. Phew!</p>

<p>the college</p>

<p>bumpity bump bump bump, if you don't mind</p>