So I really want to go to Penn!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>I am a junior and I really want to go to Penn for biomedical engineering. I am a female hispanic from new york and my mom went to Penn for undergrad and med school and my dad went to Penn for med school. I plan on applying ED</p>

<p>GPA: 3.9 unweighted, 5.0 weighted
Rank: top 15 out of 350, do not know exactly what it is yet
SAT: 2220- 740 reading, 780 math, 700 writing, I am going to take it again in June
Just took APs in US History and English Literature
SAT II- Chemistry 780, I am taking Physics in June</p>

<p>I am in IB and going to take tests for SL Math, SL Psychology, SL Chem, HL English, HL Spanish, and HL Physics</p>

<p>ECs/Volunteering
Field Hockey 4 years
Swimming 4 years, I am the captain next year
Habitat for Humanity, I am president next year
Orchestra 4 years, vice president next year
Science League 4 years, we have placed second last year in a regional tournament
Relay for Life 4 years, captain of a team for 3 years and a committee member for 2
I volunteer as a teacher's aide for my church's religious education program (100+ hours)
I volunteer at a local hospital for physically disabled kids (100+)
National Honors Society
National Spanish Honors Society</p>

<p>Awards:
National Merit Scholar, National Hispanic Scholar</p>

<p>Summer activities:
Spanish immersion program run by Dartmouth, I took 2 precollege courses at Boston University, volunteering, a community orchestra, a computer course at a local college, job at Rita's italian ice.</p>

<p>Do you think I can get in? Also, if you have any advice as to how I could improve my chances that would be great. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>There are no guarantees, of course, but I would be extremely surprised if you did not get accepted, ESPECIALLY if you apply ED (when legacy status really counts).</p>

3

<p>Ya…id say u are as close to a sure admit as one can be. Being an Hispanic legacy with great stats really does work in your favor. I do have one question for you. Do you realize youre basically in at AT LEAST one HYPS school? I would not apply ED here because it, if nothing else, robs you of the opportunity to see a HYPS acceptance letter and use their superior financial aid against Penn SFS. Its ur call, but I’d go about it that way if I was you.</p>

4

<p>Very well rounded, URM and legacy, good SAT’s. Work hard on your essay, ace the interview and you’re a lock. My son was accepted with a 2220, no hooks at all.</p>

5

<p>Rtgrove123, given that both of her parents are doctors (and Penn Med School grads), I doubt that financial aid is an issue. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.</p>

<p>And if she is absolutely sure that Penn is her first choice, I wouldn’t recommend forgoing the potential benefit of ED just to try to collect a HYPS trophy.</p>

6

<p>Call me crazy, but I think Penn can match HYPS in terms of anything the OP would want to study, and especially for biomed engineering (top-5 program).</p>

7

<p>I think you are crazy Muertapueblo (LOL it was a layup I don’t think you are crazy). I go to Brown and we both know that there’s much more to a school than how high ranked some major is. Overall reputation matters and HYPS a slightly stronger than the non-HYP Ivies in this regard.</p>

8

<p>Right, and going to HYP instead of Berkeley or NYU is a no-brainer. But is it really going to change someone’s life to attend Stanford instead of Brown and Penn? I remember being affected by this difference in high school, but now I really don’t feel a difference. Perhaps I’m getting old and apathetic, or meeting far too many boring, unimpressive HYPS alums (in comparison to their peers at Brown/Penn/Columbia/Dartmouth, I mean).</p>

9

<p>You know, I would argue that for just about all top 10 schools. The fit is what matters the most, not choosing something by name or mere couple digits of difference in rank.</p>