ACT Super Score:34
Breakdown: English - 32, Math 34, Reading 35, Science - 36
Unweighted GPA: 3.965
AP Classes - APUSH, AP Physics 1, AP Calc AB, AP Seminar, AP Physics C E&M, AP Calc BC.
Senior Class APs - AP Psychology, AP Macroeconomics, AP Research, and AP Statistics
*Note - I passed all my APs with a 4/5 except for APUSH
I also have taken at least one business/finance related class per semester since my sophmore year
Subjective:
Extracurriculars
DECA State champ in Roleplay - Personal Financial Literacy
Tennis Captain (for my junior and senior season, varsity since 8th grade)
In top band and drumline as percussionist (since my freshman year)
Top 20 Pianist in state (played for 12 years now)
In Key Club
In student council
In NHS
I’m also a link crew member which means I help introduce new students/parents to my school
Writing
Why Penn: 6/10 kind of vague, I expressed how my interest in finance stemmed from DECA and how I wanted to pursue the best program possible as well as meet an intellectual community (it’s bad I know)
Commonapp Essay: a more detailed look into my self growth as well as my DECA experience.
Intended major: Finance
Interview - I believe I nailed the interview. I don’t want to necessarily expand on that, but suffice it to say that I’ve always been a lot more confident in my interview skills. I tried to expand on a lot of things that I couldn’t really articulate well in my essay and I introduced a lot of my personal philosophies on finance and life experience.
I’m an Asian male from Minnesota.
I don’t expect too much from Upenn, it is my first choice as I applied ED there. I’ve never been a wonderful writer but I truly have a passion for Finance, it’s kind of stupid crazy and I feel like my coursework, my activities and my interview encompass my passions and my personal views. What do you guys think? Be honest! If you shoot me down now it’ll make me less sad if I get a rejection letter.
They are only looking for people at the absolute top. Top 20 piano player is not sufficient to their standards. They usually ask their applicants to have at least 11 APs. Your extracurriculars are overall rather weak. You need to get more involved especially if you want to stand out.
@Tuneup366 They ask for the most rigorous curriculum, and to take AP or IB courses in whatever major subject areas the schools ask for. It looks like you have that covered, IMO.
Top 20 Piano doesn’t look as good as top, or top 20 nationally, but it’s still a pretty impressive achievement. Where you’re weakest is in that you don’t have ECs that point towards “this person really likes finance”.
You’re good, but it’s a reach for anybody, and you are neither legacy nor athlete, so your benefit from the ED boost will not be as high as it would be expected, based on UPenn’s published stats. You are also otherwise lacking any other “hook”, which also counts against you.
I would say “low, but not impossible”.
So think long and hard whether you want to use your ED on moving Wharton to “almost certainly not” to “possible”, or look at another college for which ED will move you from “reach” to “low reach/high match”. If there is no other such college, and your choices are “ED UPenn” and “No ED at all”, go for it.
BTW - have you figured out your finances if you are actually accepted?
PS. Never take admissions advice from somebody who calls themselves “Ivy Councilor”.
@MWolf Thanks for your input it affirms what I thought my chances were. And I’m sure I want to use it on Wharton as I’ve already been accepted to a number of other colleges/universities that I like. I would only really use ED on Cornell if I didn’t use it on UPenn and my chances at Cornell are exponentially worse. And yes I have applied for financial aid and I believe my household income qualifies for substantial aid from UPenn. It will however land me in roughly 12 thousand - 20 thousand in debt but I believe it will be worth the experience and education. I’m hoping that being a first gen Asian American might help me out but I think that a lot of students will apply under that same demographic.
@Tuneup366 So it seems that you’ve done your homework and calculations, and have your safeties and alternatives lined up as well. So go for it and good luck!
@Tuneup366 I’m a current junior with similar circumstances as yours; I was just curious how you did in the early rounds/any advice or changes you would suggest