I’m a freshman at a top 25 LAC; I’m transferring because the environment is not for me… more importantly, my college does not offer what I’ve realized I want to major in. My GPA in high school is considered “good” by many standards, but not good enough for freshman admission to the schools I’m applying to and was rejected by last year (UPenn Wharton, Brown). I am applying Penn CAS this year, as my interests have changed
College GPA: 3.85, high enough for dean’s list (took an above average amount of credits and an upper-level course relevant to what I want to major in) A lot of the courses I took directly addressed subjects I struggled with in HS. (IE getting an A in college multivariable calc after getting a B+ in HS single variable calc, getting an A- in college French after consistent B’s in French in HS)
HS GPA: 3.6 UW (No official rank, but based on guidance counselor, probably top 15% in a huge, competitive rigorous public school in NY. Most rigorous course load. My senior year was a straight A year, if that helps)
SAT: 2330 (CR: 800, Math: 780, Writing: 750, 12/12 essay, single sitting first try)
SAT IIs: 800 Math II, 780 Chem
Anti-hooks: ORM, upper-middle class income family, overrepresented state and HS
Here are the ECs I’m considering mentioning:
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Leadership position in a large nonprofit that helps underprivileged inner city youth. Single handedly raised a couple hundred dollars through a bake sale I held at my college.
Small leadership in a small UN-affiliated nonprofit. For my CA essay, I’m mentioning how lobbying national and international representatives and meeting other nonprofit leaders who had experience in the subject I want to major in affected my views of the subject.
Working three paid jobs during school year (8 hours a week). Not because my family financial situation is bad, but because I didn’t want to mooch off of my parents during college as they’re already paying exorbitant tuition costs.
President of a my HS chapter of Human Rights Watch; currently a member of my college’s chapter for HRW.
Creative writing…not sure how much I can emphasize this since I didn’t do anything for it this past semester. But in my high school I was co-Editor in Chief of the creative writing magazine and won a national award and several smaller state awards for my writing. Taking a course for it next semester though!
Model UN President at my HS, smaller MUN officer position at my college
40-hours a week paid summer job?
I also joined swing dancing for fun this past semester, but I don’t know about mentioning it. Overall, I’m just wary of clogging the activities section and filling it up completely since I know it’ll look like a laundry list.
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Oh, I also won a scholarship competition (10 page research paper) against 500 or so other college students of all grade levels across the nation.
I’m confident that no amount of great ECs can make up for a GPA that does not meet their standards; that being said, do you guys think I’ve proven myself well enough academically at least? I participate a lot in every course and go to office hours a lot, so I want to be able to say that my professors love me, but I’m usually terrible at gauging these things. Essays should be good since I know the ins and outs of the programs I want at Penn and Brown. Despite their prestige, I also did choose these schools because their specific programs are perfect for the way I want to approach the subject matter involved with my major.
Tl;dr is a 3.85 with a rigorous course load at a high ranking lac enough to make up for a good but not great HS record?