I just finished my junior year… going into senior year. I want to go to upenn really badly. My gpa is really low. However, I was a Siemens finalist this year, if that counts for anything
GPA: 3.5
ACT: 36
Volunteer at local hospital, currently have 500 hours.
State: Mass.
White
President of Debate, Model U.N., and Student Council
Chances??? also, can u guys tell me what schools i might be able to get into as well??? Thanks soooo much guys
GPA is just one piece of the puzzle, and a flat number doesn’t tell the whole story. Your ACT and Siemens award suggests that it is not reflective of your ability. What was the rigor of your curriculum, and what is the trend of your grades? A lowish GPA with an upward trend and a hard schedule may be discounted somewhat, especially given other offsetting elements.
I’d look at the whole picture, and work really hard to keep your senior grades up to show a positive trend. Any other strong test scores would help suggest that the GPA is an outlier. Strong recs and essays will be a must, as you already have one question mark area. Your extracurriculars and award look good, but how does it all fit in to your interests and who you are as a person?
@Upenn2020pleez, my guess is that schools will look at your GPA in the context of your course load. That’s a challenging course load for anyone. Many schools like to see smart kids push themselves and take risks, which often comes at the expense of more perfect numbers. I’d emphasize the fact (in interviews or essays if the occasion arises, or by asking your GC or teacher recs to address it) that your schedule was challenging, and that you are someone who pushes themselves and takes risks. Keep your senior grades up, back up your ACT with subject tests/APs, write good essays and get good letters, tie your award in to your message about who you are and what you want to do (assuming that it relates), and you should be ok given your extracurriculars and award. There’s never any guarantee at any one school, but you have a competitive and even strong record in all other respects.
Yeah, your GPA will be ameliorated somewhat by that great strength of schedule. Siemens finalist is awesome, as is your ACT. You have a good shot at Penn, but your essays & rec letters (SSR included) had better not even remotely suggest that you’re a smart underachiever coasting on your existing knowledge and intelligence. You’d also better get A’s senior fall. Best of luck!
@renaissancedad … Thank you for your advice! Thing is, with that schedule I was able to earn a 4.0UW… It was my fresh and soph grades that are coming back to bite me :/… think that is an issue? Will i come off as lazy or something?
@Upenn2020pleez, if your GPA is dragged down by fresh and soph grades and you aced that junior year schedule, I think you’re in pretty good shape assuming you continue to do well this year. Schools love strength of schedule and an upward trend in grades. They are going to care much more about your performance as a junior and senior than as a freshman and sophomore.
Don’t restrict yourself to Penn by any means, but because that school is so strongly in your sights right now, take a look at what they claim to look for and think about how you fit this profile, and how best to present yourself within this context:
Developing your own “authentic voice” is good advice for all applicants to top schools. In your case, you have the test scores, a strong curriculum with an upward grade trend, the Siemens award, extensive community service, and leadership in debate/model UN/student council. What I don’t understand is how these all fit together, what your “voice” is, what matters most to you, and what path you see all this leading you on. Fleshing out that vision coherently will be important, for Penn and for other top schools.