So it’s a huge reach for me, but I’m considering applying to uPenn since I’m pretty unhappy with my current university (academics-wise, for the most part). I do have to say, looking through the threads here scares me since, if I was the admissions worker reading over transfer applications, I’d probably accept everyone else over me lol. Nonetheless, I thought I’d shotgun a few reaches in the hopes that I’d get in to a better school.
Applying for Computer Science
College: Low-ranking state school (103rd according to USNews)
Major: Computer Science, but I switched from Mechanical Engineering last semester
Year: Technically a sophomore right now, but I am in freshman standing in my major
GPA: Only a 3.6, but I have a strong upwards trend of a 3.2 to a 3.5 to a 3.93 last semester.
Dean’s List last Spring, Dean’s List w/ Highest Honors last Fall
Credits: 47 completed, 15 in progress, have taken/am taking Calc I & II, Physics I & II, Intro to CS 1 & 2, a proofs class, a stats class, and general elective classes
Activities:
I’m decently involved in research. I spent a semester last year working with my university’s space science center compiling data on coronal mass ejections, and was listed as a co-author on the research professor’s journal article. Last semester I worked with the university’s center for genomics doing lab work and some bioinformatics programming, but had to stop due to classes this year conflicting my work schedule (which really sucks since I really like the job, it was good resume/work experience, and paid really well). I haven’t started research this semester, mostly due to my class schedule.
I started a club at my current university to work on aerospace engineering projects (like rockets, etc.), but had a falling out with the person I co-founded it with (and my interests changed from aerospace engineering to computer science) so I’m no longer part of that.
I also was a member of my university’s Formula SAE racing team my freshman year, where I did mechanical engineering design of the car’s shifter and built an arduino-based data-logging system for the car. Again, since I switched to computer science (and the team culture wasn’t great), I haven’t really had an interest in becoming active with the team again. I’m not sure how to list this and the aerospace club thing in a good light on my application. I certainly don’t want admissions to think I am flaky.
Finally, I am an associate with a competitive student-run angel investing fund at my university. I am extremely devoted to and active in the fund and currently serve as a liaison with one of our legit angel fund partners. The fund is pretty much the only thing making me apprehensive about transferring, but I know that it’s most likely a worthy sacrifice to leave the fund if I can attend a school like uPenn. I am definitely writing in my essay how I want to start a similar fund if I attend uPenn (or at least to become involved in the entrepreneurship environment there). I am looking weaving computer/data science into the fund through doing some big data analysis on prior startup funding rounds/exits/etc. since my university has one of, if not, the premiere venture research centers (whodathunk) and thus access to large amounts of that data.
Not that I think admissions will look at it, but I think I have a decent github going with side projects from personal interest and hackathons.
I was also an extremely devoted member of my high school’s FRC team and took a leadership position my senior year.
Internships:
Worked with an electric bike start-up the summer after my senior year of high school doing wiring and electronics work, and worked at an aerospace startup last summer doing mechanical engineering design and testing, among other stuff. I have applied to over 150 internships and companies in hopes of getting an internship in computer science this year, but my mechanical engineering experience is much more impressive than my computer science experience (which isn’t necessarily to say I am a better mechanical engineering than software engineer) and thus I haven’t heard any good news from any of the applications. However, I have applied, through a provider, for an international internship placement (specifically in London), and I think I’ll have a pretty good chance of getting a computer science internship there for this summer.
High School GPA: 3.46 weighted cumulative, but I also had a strong upward trend going from bouncing around from a 3.1-3.4 until my senior year, where I finished with a 4.20 (nice) GPA my first semester senior year and a 3.8 my second semester. I guess like my first year at uni, I didn’t quite “get” working hard at school, but since I’ve switched to a major I enjoy more than mechanical engineering, I’ve found it way easier (and almost more natural) to work hard for a 4.0
Old SAT: 1900
APs: AP Environmental Science, AP Physics 1, AP Comp. Sci
I know for sure I have one strong recommender, my Physics professor from last year. Every day after class, I would spend time in his office hours doing homework and working with the graduate TAs (he held the office hours in the classroom we worked in, conveniently), and I’ve talked to him about a bunch of stuff as well. Pretty sure he’s an A+ as far as recommenders go. Not so sure who I’ll get as my second though. I might ask the professor who I worked with at the space science center for research, or my freshman english/writing teacher.
Finally, and I hate to admit it but, I suck at essay writing. I think I am pretty analytical writer (I like literary analysis and technical analysis when we do research for the angel fund), but that translates to a pretty bland writing style. I’ve always struggled with personal narrative type essays, so my transfer essay so far really isn’t as good as it could be. I think it does a good job highlighting things I am proud of, but it’s not necessarily the most engaging or vivid essay. It moreso centers around me highlighting myself as a good applicant rather than highlighting a specific story like other strong transfer/college essays that I have read do. I’m basing it off of the transfer essay I wrote for the University of Washington, just changing the school-specific parts over from UW to uPenn obviously. I’ve gotten it reviewed by a good amount of people, and it’s certainly come a LONG way since I first wrote it, but it’s still not great in my eyes.
good luck!! (also lol at your senior year GPA)