<p>First of all, I just copied my long post from the UPenn forum. I think nothing changed over these 3 days, so info is same.</p>
<p>I would like to ask couple of questions and I would highly appreciate honest answers.</p>
<p>Right now I am a junior male. I have chosen probably top10 business schools, which I will apply to. Either next year, or will take a gap year and apply once more in 2 years time.</p>
<p>Possible schools:</p>
<p>UPenn Wharton ED ( top choice ED)
Princeton
Stanford
MIT Sloan
NYU Sloan
UC Berkeley
UT Austin
Carnegie Mellon
UM Ann Arbor
Cornell</p>
<p>I am an international student, Russian with Jewish roots, however immigrated 5 years ago to Czech Republic. Attending private international school which is highly, very highly competetive . We are 5 year gymnasium(year 5 is senior year), where year 2 and 3 are IGCSE years, we take IGCSE exams at the end of year 3. We don't have a term "highschool". Years 1-2-3 is lower school and years 4-5 is upper school. We do not have neither GPA or class ranks. However, in years 4-5 everyone must do IB Diploma program mandatory, this is our usual curriculum. Classes consist of about 60 people(for 1 year). Every year, school sends top students(usually 5) almost always to British Oxbridge universities(Cambridge,Oxford..). What I try to say is that our school is really competetive. My first language is Russian, however English is fluent and I am doing IB A1(as first language) HL. </p>
<p>I have not yet taken any SAT test, however I think, scoring 2200+/750+(On SATII) will not be problematic. </p>
<p>1) Will they consider the fact that in years 2 and 3 most of preparation went for the IGCSE, and not for usual end-of-year exams? Will this play a role? Another question, would they still suggest me as a candidate if my average grades from year 3 improved significantly to very good(IB 40-42) in years 5 and 6? I am very afraid that my B's and 3 or 4 C's from year 3 would not give me a chance.</p>
<p>I got a bit above average results on IGCSE's, will retake this year, planning on getting all A's.
English A1 HL
Russian A1 SL
Economics HL
Mathematics HL
Physics SL( plan to take HL)
History SL</p>
<p>Those subjects I do on IB.
Also I plan to take 7th subject Further Maths SL in my senior grade. So would 40-42 predicted play a good role and be enough? Would it compensate my bad year 3 grades? </p>
<p>2) Since top schools are looking for candidates who show genuine interest in business, would they consider the fact that I created a successful business which brought me financial independence since I was 15? I am paying for my school since this year, about 15'500$ annually and my business showed over 50'000$ profit since February of this year. I could possibly explain my bad grades in year 3 because I really, really spent a lot of time on business, about 80-120 hours every month, couldn't I? I really left the business now to pursue my studies and improve my grades significantly, so I can have a chance for my dream college. Could I sound reasonable writing about this in my essay?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. Also, would a proof from a highly respected organisation, such as Mensa foundation, of my IQ, be a plus? I did a lot of tests and scored 140 consistently.</p>
<p>I am really planning to go to UPenn this spring of my junior year, ask the questions etc.</p>
<p>Also I would like to ask if the fact I know 3 languages very well(almost as my mother tongue, Russian, English, Czech) be a plus? I am also an intermediate at Spanish, but I plan to improve it by taking 7th IB course in senior year. </p>
<p>What would a best spent summer? Internship, maybe have internship in Spanish, where I could master my spanish?</p>
<p>Also, I have considered a gap year to improve my EC's and to gain more work experience. Also I would take my IB November retakes no matter what I get, just to try and get higher score.</p>
<p>Thanks a TON for all the answers, I really appreciate that.</p>
<p>So basically, need some advices :)</p>
I’m from Israel!</p>