Quick Advice: arts & sci or engineering?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>If you would be so kind, please review my profile (below) and let me know if I would be more likely to be accepted to Penn engineering or arts & sci. I would major in EE at engineering and econ at arts & sci.</p>

<p>Before any negativity, please note this is all honest information and is not meant to be pretentious if it is. Also, please pardon the jumbled format. Please let me know (if you can) if you think I'm likely, neutral or unlikely to be accepted. Sorry if I provided too much detail. Thank you!</p>

<p>-Rank 1 of 241. Public school.</p>

<p>-Attend magnet school for science and technology as well </p>

<p>-8 ap/college classes junior year, 10 this year. All "A's".</p>

<p>-4.4/4 gpa</p>

<p>-Amazing rec letters</p>

<p>-Really good essays (witty/clever short answers. Very unique and thoughtful supplement main essays.)</p>

<p>-Wrote 2 research papers (one on electromagnetic testing and the other on satellite link quality contour testing)</p>

<p>-3 mentorships. Two at Nasa and one at a military company that works with drones.</p>

<p>-Sat. Crit: 750. Math: 770. Writing: 700. </p>

<p>-Sat subject tests. World hist:790. US hist: 760. Math two: 690. Physics: 670 (yeah...my class didn’t cover 35% of the material and no time to study. It was a really intense class taught by a nuclear physics phd from Taiwan. We did calc based Newtonian and electricity and magnetism. No thermo, waves etc…)</p>

<p>-Three 4s and three 5s on 6 AP exams. (4 on ap physics c e&m. perhaps help negate that 670?) ap scholar with distinction.</p>

<p>-Founded a Government Club and recruited 54 people (work on campaigns. voter registration). President.</p>

<p>-Expanded Model UN to 64 people (from like 30ish). Won best delegate in a 180 person committee. President. </p>

<p>-Founded a sea scout ship and grew it to have $250,000 in assets now. We do competitive sailboat racing.</p>

<p>-400+ volunteer hours aboard tall 17th century sailing ships at a colonial museum. Also a costumed interpreter there. Also hosted a video series for the museum.</p>

<p>-Eagle scout at age 14. Bronze palm. Scout of the year. Senior patrol leader. </p>

<p>-Debate team captain. Went to states in my first season debating. Expanded team from 4 to 10ish</p>

<p>-White, male</p>

<p>-Really good at interviews. </p>

<p>-Extra listed stuff:
Boys state. NASA Hunch program (traveling to houston for "vomit comet" zero-g testing of governor's school project. representing the school at a symposium there). Black belt. Did an engineering project on Biochar for CO2 sequestration (1st junior to get honors seal as a result)</p>

<p>-Want to be an entrepreneur and then run for political office. My recs say I will do those things (teachers strongly hinted that) and I made my intentions clear in my app so its consistent and not out of the blue.</p>

<p>I'm wondering if my subject test score in math 2 and physics would sink me if I applied to penn engineering. Let me know! My essay is written. It's interchangeable between engineering and econ as well (engineering and econ are top majors for entrepreneurs and econ would be good for the political field anyways). Thanks again!</p>

2

<p>You have written your essays and it seems that the only thing left is to just submit!</p>

<p>My advice: See these videos (if you haven’t seen them already!) and try to give your app a theme: (again, if you haven’t done already!)
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1586016-must-see-college-applicants.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1586016-must-see-college-applicants.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Retake SAT IIs in January! Only Math and Physics. You have a very solid application, don’t risk it on these scores…</p>

3

<p>My app has the theme of the incredibly driven entrepreneur.
I could reatake the math 2… but i havent done that kind of stuff in years. I’d have to reteach myself the stuff. For the physics subject test, that’s just unlikely. My course was extremely intense (taught by a phd in nuclear physics. went to dartmouth. from taiwan). we did calculus based mechanics and e&m but didn’t do thermo, waves, optics etc. I wouldn’t have time to teach myself all that stuff and i’ve been way too busy with apps to do so either. Would i probably not get into penn engineering with my current scores? If i apply to arts and sci my phys subject test score doesnt go in.</p>

4

<p>Really hard to tell which college “you” can easier get into.
Your SAT IIs are not TOO low, but if you could improve them just about 30-50 scores each, you would be in mid 50% and that would remove any red flags from your app.</p>

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<p>“Math two: 690. Physics: 670” - too low for SEAS. Apply CAS and take math, physics, chem/cs and economics as a freshman; then change to SEAS if you want to or apply to do dual degrees in EE/Econ.</p>

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<p>I love your plan @rhg3rd thanks!! It’s what i’m going to do.</p>

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<p>Hey fellow gov schooler! I’m in the afternoon and got in ED; you have almost the same stats as me (I took the ACT though and got a 33). I was accepted to the AI program, which is both SEAS and CAS. If you showed your passion, you have a good chance. As far as the subject tests, I can’t really help you since I didn’t submit them.</p>

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<p>What are the chances that my thread was discovered by a fellow Gov Schooler on college confidential? Nice haha Congrats on getting in! Also, it sounds like a cool program. Nice that you found your niche so early on. Most people don’t find one or even have one. Idk how it’ll all turn out. I have safety in numbers for certain though. I just applied to the arts and sci and will do what rhg3rd suggested if I go to penn.</p>