Penn Legacy or Princeton? Chances

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>Hey everyone... here's the issue: I've always loved Princeton (I'm interested in public policy, and the Woodrow Wilson school is obviously the place to go), but I'm a legacy at Penn. I've heard from basically everywhere that applying ED to Penn gives you a HUGE advantage, but if I do that and I get in, I'll never know if I could've gotten into Princeton. I guess I'd be happier at Princeton, but I'd be fine either way (I <3 Philadelphia). Take a look at my stats and let me know where you think I should apply:</p>

<p>Academics:</p>

<p>SAT 2340 (800 M 760 CR 780 W)
SAT II's (haven't taken them yet... expecting high 700's)
GPA: 3.9 Unweighted, 4.4 weighted (I've taken the hardest course load my school has ever offered, and I got 2 B's freshman year... the rest all A's)
AP's: 4 in AP US (I was a freshman, nobody else from my school has ever taken a freshman AP), 5 in Euro, World, Lang and Comp, and Bio
Senior courses: no history ): there's no other history classes for me to take, AP Calc BC, AP Stat, AP German, AP English Lit., and Honors Physics
Rank: No clue, I know I'm in the top decile</p>

<p>EC's:</p>

<p>Founder of 501(c)3 non-profit community organization that focuses on student leadership -- held two (soon to be three) successful conferences with 50+ middle and high school students, started high school chapter within my school and looking for more schools to join on (10th-12th grade)</p>

<p>Diversity -- 9th grade I was selected to be a member of my school's diversity committee, 10th grade I was the diversity day chair, 11th grade and 12th grade i was the diversity committee chair (a position they didn't even have before)... working with a national organization to start similar diversity committees all over the country (we'll see how successful that is... but i'm working on it now)</p>

<p>Voting member on my county's drug and alcohol board... allocate over $3m in state and federal funds to prevention, intervention, and treatment programs. i also do a lot of volunteer work for that kind of thing (11th-12th grade)</p>

<p>Additional passion (I know this doesn't really fit in anywhere else, but it's just something i do) -- editor-in-chief and founder of my school's lit magazine since 10th grade... we grew the club from nothing to over 60 editors with a BIG presence in our school. right now, i'm working with a few other lit mags on producing a literary magazine as part of a pretty active state journalism association (again, we'll see how that works out, but i'm working on it now)</p>

<p>Pretty involved in the Boy Scouts -- I was the head of the county-wide honor society (over 800 members) from 10th to 12th grade, and i'll be an Eagle Scout in just a few weeks (knock on wood!)</p>

<p>Public relations officer for my class 10th and 11th grade -- did a LOT of work -- but unfortunately i lost the election for senior year ): I'll still probably be active and have an "added position" like assistant to the adviser or something like that.</p>

<p>debate (like evryone else in the world) 4 years, my school's not very good but i've been a finalist in extemp for my league for all four years. small league... not a big deal. i'll probably be a captain next year (but basically every senior at my school is a "captain")</p>

<p>Summers:</p>

<p>summer going into 9th grade -- volunteered at boy scout summer camp (overnight) and interned at my state representatives office </p>

<p>summer going into 10th grade -- took African American history and english comp at a comm. college (got two A's, learned a lot)</p>

<p>summer going into 11th grade -- planned first student leadership conference, taught ESL to immigrants and refugees/victims of torture</p>

<p>summer going into 12th grade -- planning second student leadership conference, paid internship at research institute that studies drug and alcohol prevention. i'm writing and will present in a 1-hr seminar to all the doctors and researchers (and perhaps publish) a paper on how student leadership can deter kids from high risk behavior. </p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>nothing major, AP scholar with distinguished honors, national merit semi-finalist (i'll probably be finalist), philly young hero award (not a big deal), boy scout "youth of the year" (again, not as big a deal as it would seem), local creative writing contest, eagle scout, congressional gold medal (both pending but will be done by app time)</p>

<p>Hooks: </p>

<p>just 400+ volunteer hours so really nothing... i'm an upper-middle class white kid from the northeast... </p>

<p>I appreciate everything! Thanks guys!</p>

2

<p>I think we both know you have a better chance at Penn. Not to say you don’t have a good chance at Princeton.</p>

<p>Penn is huge on legacies.</p>

3

<p>In case you’re thinking wow this kid is really scattered and doesn’t seem to have a real passion, here it is: my real passion is positive youth development… making sure kids grow up with strong skills and positive morals (not in like a religious sense per se, but still). student leadership gives kids confidence, self esteem, and the ability to make a difference in the world; diversity and expression (through creative writing) contribute to healthy self esteem and relationships, everything with drugs and alcohol prevention is to keep kids off drugs and alcohol… obviously an important part of child development. I’m really passionate about making sure kids grow up strong not just in the classroom but outside of it, and each project i do tries to make my community’s youth that much stronger.</p>

4

<p>Here’s the thing. If you were going to get into Penn ED, you’ll probably get in regular anyway. Princeton is a reach school for anyone and it’ll be such a disappointment to pass up a chance. I was in the same situation last November and I decided to apply to an EA school instead so I wouldn’t have to commit. You never want to live with that “could have” in your mind. I could have taken a full ride to the University of Alabama but that would have required me to commit in December. And I could not live with that “could have.” I turned it down and eventually got into Princeton so everything worked out!</p>

5

<p>magentaturtle thanks for the input. do u think i have a good shot with penn ED? ik they’re big on legacy, but i don’t know how easy it is to get in.</p>

6

<p>ptontiger… u think i’d get into penn RD with my stats? ik i don’t want to be in that “coulda woulda shoulda” mindset the rest of my life, but i’ve also heard some real horror stories about great kids who reached for HYPSM for EA/ED, got rejected, and then got rejected everywhere else for RD. besides it’s not like i HATE penn… i actually really love the campus and the community… i just think princetons a bit, well, better. also congrats on princeton</p>

7

<p>Nice. Of course, keep the descriptions or what fits, maybe be a tad more specific. The pattern does seem to fit public policy interests. Make it all make sense.
Legacy can work both ways- if Princeton isn’t quite convinced by your app, they can assume you’ll be in at Penn- and leave it at that. So be sure to clearly, but appropriately, express your interest in WW. Other than what’s described do you have hands-on vol work that’s “just because” and not necessarily related to your own interests? Keep the Scouts, hero, etc- it’s nice balance. Write a great essay, stay close to your LoR folks. Good Luck.</p>

<p>Yes, you are an Ivy contender.</p>

8

<p>and ptontiger… i’ve heard princeton loves volunteer service. do u think that gives me any boost bc of the non-profit or eagle scout or anything… or is it all basically a giant crap shoot</p>

9

<p>yeah i mean i have my eagle scout project which was a hundred hours or so including the planning (and a lot of hours that i coordinated) and that was hands on work… also some work at a retirement home. u know… the basics</p>

10

<p>Okay, I don’t see a problem with your stats or grades? I think you’d be a competitive applicant even without the legacy status. But one of the reasons why the acceptance rate is so high for early decision is because most of recruited athletes apply and are admitted in that round. The high rate of admission impacts legacies somewhat less. </p>

<p>Also, I was admitted to both UPenn and Princeton. When I compared my financial aid award, Princeton’s was lower - in fact, Princeton gave me the best financial aid package out of every college that accepted me (and they are known for being generous). You may want to consider that since if you apply ED and are accepted, you won’t be able to compare financial aid offers from other colleges. </p>

<p>I definitely wouldn’t want you to live one of those horror stories and the ultimate decision is yours to make.</p>

11

<p>yeah, i know. Really thanks so much for the consideration. Everyone knows that princeton can be a bit of a crap shoot, but a lot of people have told me i’ll get into penn. of course there are those who say i have no shot at either of them so who knows lol. i’ll consider the financial aid package with my parents to see what they think… i think they’re fine with me applying ED to penn if that’s what i really want to do. princeton is the most generous, but i don’t think penn will be too bad, either.</p>

12

<p>Princeton’s definitely a reach for anybody. UPenn had the second highest admission rate of all the Ivies (after Cornell) in my class and that’s one of the reasons people say it’s “easier” to get into. Plus it’s one of the less well-known of the Ivies and people give them crap about it but it’s a fine school nonetheless. Though if you want to go into domestic/foreign policy, Woody Woo is definitely the place to go. They just inducted a new head of the Wilson School who is a former top economic adviser to Obama. Also, UPenn’s more known for its Wharton School for business while Princeton’s known for Woody Woo.</p>

13

<p>could anyone give me like their best guess of chances for the following:</p>

<p>penn ed:
penn rd:
princeton rd:
georgetown rd:
hopkins rd:
brown rd:
harvard rd:
mit rd: (Ik i’m not a math guy, but i LOVE the school haha)</p>

14

<p>oh yeah trust me ik princeton would be like the place for me to go bc i want public policy… penn doesn’t even really have a major for it, and ik people make fun of penn. of course if u go to the princeton 2016 rd site everyone who got in has like AMAZING stats and i feel i fit in better with the penn kids. maybe that’s my self-conscious showing, but that’s why i’m posting this on the internet (:</p>

15

<p>You have the stats, you have the rigor and, unlike so many hs kids- even top kids on CC- you have a mostly focused set of activities with mostly just the right extras, including achievements. </p>

<p>Some top kids blow it through arrogance or a series of missteps in the CA and supps. Or, meaningless ECs, trite essays. Forget the naysayers. The CA is one big self-presentation. Manage it well and you will get far. </p>

<p>An admit to Princeton will hinge on who else comes in close to you, but offers, say, geographic diversity or fills some other need at the U- or if the competition for pp is exceptionally high this year, or if they simply have too many NJ kids or kids from your community, etc. You still stand a great chance at Penn- as both a legacy and a qualified kid.</p>

<p>Whichever addl schools, be sure you have researched their pp programs and opportunities and convey your sense of your fit.</p>

<p>Run the NPCs on the web sites, to get an idea of possible finaid.</p>

16

<p>penn ed: Low reach
penn rd: Mid reach
princeton rd: High reach
georgetown rd: High match
hopkins rd: High match/Low reach
brown rd: High reach
harvard rd: See MIT
mit rd: High high reach </p>

<p>Best of luck. You’re a phenomenal applicant and a seemingly equally great person! :)</p>

17

<p>thanks lookingforward… i really appreciate all the advice. i’ll work hard on the CA and wont rest on my laurels.</p>

18

<p>thanks for the input and kind words and recs hockeydude… i hate how all of these schools are reaches for everyone who’s not an olympic athlete astrophysicist haha</p>

19

<p>I’m sorry, what? brown is a high reach? brown seems more like a high match to me. </p>

<p>I’d definitely recommend spreading the net wider if you apply EA to Princeton. You can never really guarantee you’ll get into a specific school although you can get a pretty good chance that you’ll get into at least one ivy/top school.</p>

20

<p>Any Ivy student could have been admitted to any other Ivy had they applied a different year. I don’t think any of us can tell you how likely you are to be admitted to the schools you listed. It really does come down to the smallest things (that, unless anyone here has worked in admissions, none of us can identify for you). Your best shot, with the scores and involvement you have, is to apply early to the school you MOST want to go to. Disregard the percentages and stop playing the college game - it seems that with your credentials, you are well qualified in any applicant pool. Good luck.</p>