Please Chance Me ED to Penn Engineering

<p>Thanks a lot!</p>

<p>Information:</p>

<p>Eth: Indian
Sex: Male
State: NJ
Grad Year: 2009
Major: Biomedical Sciences (probably w/ premed focus)
School: Very Competitive (I am submerged in a sea of Asian nerds daily...it's awful)
Courseload: Counselor has told me she will indicate "most rigorous" on app.
Grading System: (frosh/soph) A- = 90-95%; A = 95%+ :(
(junior/senior) A - = 90-92%; A = 93%+ :)
*GPA is a combo of the two scales so kinda skewed</p>

<p>*Frosh/Soph/Junior GPA: *</p>

<ul>
<li>UW - 3.85; W - 4.19</li>
</ul>

<p>Soph/Junior GPA:</p>

<ul>
<li>UW - 3.84; W - 4.31</li>
</ul>

<p>GPA Summary:</p>

<ul>
<li>A mixture of A’s and A-‘s with two career B+’s (one in AP English and one in Alg II Honors (the most horrendous teacher I have ever had, end of story)). My GPA, however, is still relatively competitive in my school, thankfully.<br></li>
</ul>

<p>Rank:</p>

<ul>
<li>School doesn't submit rank to colleges. Pretty sure, however, that I’m in the top 5% of ~700 students.</li>
</ul>

<p>AP's (Total of 11):</p>

<ul>
<li>Physics B (4)</li>
<li>Chemistry (5)</li>
<li>Calculus BC (5)</li>
<li>English Language and Composition (4)</li>
<li>Computer Science A (4)</li>
<li>Biology (taking)</li>
<li>Art History (taking)</li>
<li>Economics (taking)</li>
<li>Statistics (taking)</li>
<li>English Literature (taking)</li>
<li>Computer Science AB (taking)</li>
</ul>

<p>*All other courses = Honors (except 2 yrs of Foreign Lang, PE, and 2 yrs of computer-related electives)</p>

<p>Scores:</p>

<p>SAT: M - 800; CR - 740; W - 800; T - 2340 (1540)
SAT IIs: Chem – 800; Math II – 800; Possibly one more in October</p>

<p>Recs:
Counselor - Awesome; She knows me very well
Teachers - One good from Eng more about personality (not the highest eng grade in class unfortunately (B+), but it is considered one of our school's toughest classes). One likely awesome rec from AP Chem teacher.
Supplemental - Possibly JSA advisor (who is very fond of me). Definitely prof from Rutgers who was my research mentor.</p>

<p>EC's:</p>

<p>NJ Science League
- Partipant 10th
- Competitive Testing in Chem I
- Qualifying Test followed by Regional Test each month from Jan. - Apr.
- Qualified last year in Chem I, but not in Chem II this year </p>

<p>NJ Chemistry Olympics
- Competition in chemistry entered in year of AP Chem (11th)
- Club meets every week from Jan. to competition day in May
- Participated in Research Competition</p>

<p>Medical Careers Club
- Member 10th - 11th
- 12th Co-VP</p>

<p>Science Competitor's Club
- Member 10th - 11th
- Officer 11th; Co-Prez 12th</p>

<p>Junior Statesmen of America
- Member 9th - 10th
- Club Officer 11th and 12th (I write our weekly resolutions, occasionally moderate debates, and speak frequently)
- New Jersey Region Cabinet Member 11th (write debates on state level for regional conventions)
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Director in 12th (responsible for multi-state conventions)
- Significant involvement in politics/oratory = my other passion besides science. </p>

<p>March of Dimes
- Member 10th - 12th
- Volunteer hours and fundraising
- Tedious but rewarding process = soliciting funds; selling tickets; organizing large-scale cultural show. </p>

<p>Genetics Research
- Summer of 2007 and 2008
- 8 hrs/day, 5 days/wk for ~6-8 wks
- Research conducted with drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies); focused on determining the use of RNAi in restricting cancerous overgrowth caused by genetic mutations last summer.
- Worked on identifying mutations for restricting cellular overgrowth; related to leukemia in humans. </p>

<p>Community Service
- ~ 300 hrs
- Local hospital (oncology), senior center, and March of Dimes</p>

<p>Robert Wood Johnson Mini-Medical Program
- Participated in a several week long program at RWJ Medical School consisting of 2 hr Wednesday seminars to talk w/ doctors, students, etc. Nothing big, but it's demonstrated interest right?</p>

<p>Leadership Summary:</p>

<ul>
<li>Junior: JSA (Chapter and State), Science Competitor's Club</li>
<li>This Year: JSA (Chapter and Region), Science Competitor's Club (Prez), Med Careers (Co-VP). </li>
</ul>

<p>Honors, Recognitions, Awards (Kinda Weak, Not Really Sure?):</p>

<p>NJ Science League
- Recognition in 10th grade for qualifying to states.</p>

<p>Commendation from Governor/NJ State Legislature
- For our entire chapter which set up a March of Dimes fundraiser that raised thousands of $'s.</p>

<p>JSA Best Speaker Awards
- Several in recognition of various debate performances.</p>

<p>National Latin Exam
- Silver Medal in 9th; Gold Medal in 10th; Gold Medal 11th</p>

<p>National Honors Society/National Latin Honors Society
- 11th </p>

<p>National Merit Semifinalist
- PSAT: 226</p>

<p>AP Scholar w/ Distinction
- Preceding College Apps. </p>

<p>NJ Chemistry Olympiad
- Didn’t make semifinalist but scored high on the regional test. </p>

<p>NJ Chemistry Olympics
- Silver Medal at NJ State Level for performing experiments related to environmental chemistry, writing a lengthy report, and presenting the findings (two-person team though, and forgive my lack of modesty, it felt more like a one-man job).</p>

<p>*My AP Chem teacher is going to mention all the chem-related achievements/activities in his rec. </p>

<p>Thanks again and I'm sorry this got so lengthy!</p>

<p>You are a very strong candidate.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

<p>Any other comments?</p>

<p>Any more responses?</p>

<p>Please respond!</p>

<p>Hmm...dead forum?</p>

<p>wow that is ridiculous. you put everyone else to shame</p>

<p>oh wow, you're new so you have no idea what's out there on this website...I'm really quite inferior compared to a lot of applicants. Anyway, thanks for commenting.</p>

<p>Other comments?</p>

<p>Would appreciate some more comments...</p>

<p>If you apply ED, I think you have a really good chance of getting in.</p>

<p>I think your chances of RD are great let alone ED</p>

<p>Thank you! I appreciate the responses!</p>

<p>nice your much better than me and im apping ED SEAS</p>

<p>Hopefully we'll both get in! Thanks for the comment!</p>

<p>So...I just visited the MIT thread and, after reviewing the stats of their '08 acceptees (and even their rejectees and deferees which were even more shocking, quite frankly), I'm feeling kind of intimidated. So, any more comments?</p>

<p>how many times have you asked for chances? you know you have a good shot. just chill for a while and you'll know for sure soon haha</p>

<p>haha I'm practically neurotic about this thing...you're right though, I NEED to chill...I guess I'll do that once it's all done.</p>

<p>I don't think that anyone on this website can affect your chances, and no one here has any special knowledge about Penn admissions. If I had replaced this post with "you have a 65% chance of getting in," would you have taken me seriously?</p>

<p>Looking for external sources of validation isn't very healthy. I am also applying to Penn SEAS Early Decision. I haven't really felt much anxiety about this process, but I guess I can relate. Good luck.</p>