UPenn and Wharton chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi guys,

This is my first post on CC after being a lurker for over year. I’m a junior in high school and I’m wondering what my chances are applying to UPenn CAS and Upenn Wharton. I feel like I have a decent pattern in my extracurriculars, but I’m not sure whether they are more tailored to an economics major, business major, or something else entirely! Here’s my resume; chance me please!

Objective:
SAT I superscore (breakdown M/CR/W/Essay): 2300 (770/740/800/8) first and only sitting
SAT II (subject, score): Haven’t taken, projected to be 750+
Unweighted/Weighted GPA: 3.9 ish UW
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): School doesn’t rank
AP/IB (place score in parentheses):
Sophomore year:
-APUSH (4)
-AP Lang (4)

Junior year (currently enrolled in)
-AP Government with We The People
-AP Calc AB
-AP Environmental

Common Awards (AP Scholar, honor roll, NM things, etc.):
-(planning to be) AP Scholar with Distinction
-hopefully I’ll make the cut for National Merit
-First place in Yale essay contest and other smaller essay contests
-local high school award in math
-second place in We The People state competition
-outstanding achievement award in Johns Hopkins talent search
-school nominee for NCTE
-a few other random awards such as NHS

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (name, grade levels, leadership, description):
-The Public Speaking Club (founder/president)
-School newspaper (co-editor in chief)
-DECA (co-president)
-Class treasurer
-Black belt
-published author of a fantasy novel
-JV crew
-JV lacrosse

Work/volunteer experience:
-manager/editor/reporter at a startup financial literacy website for young adults
-(projected) summer intern at a local startup or a large corporation such as JP Morgan
-(projected) Yale Young Global Scholars program
-created a tutoring business that has generated several thousands in revenue for local high school tutors
-volunteer tutor for struggling students in middle and high school
-other random volunteer work

Other:
U.S. State/Territory or Country: Highly competitive state
School Type: Large public
Ethnicity: Part white, part asian
Gender: Male
Income Bracket Range: No financial aid
Hooks (URM, first generation, recruited athelete, development): I wish

Notes:
I go to a highly competitive school that sends around 50 kids to ivy or ivy-caliber schools each year. Based on my entire resume I would say I’m in the top 20 students in my class. I’m not a science kid (as you can probably tell), but I’m pretty strong in math and very strong in business and writing.
***Please assume that I will accomplish all my projected achievements

What do you guys think? Any suggestions?

2

I project that you will go to college at either a state school or private.

I can see you place a lot of importance on the name of the school.

My advice for you is to focus on fit and learn what you are passionate about. Learn if you are more at home in a large, medium or small school. City, suburb, or rural. School where you will be towards the top, middle or bottom of the applicant pool.

And learn college is where your dream begins. There is no ribbon for saying you got in. It’s what you do while there, and for the rest of your life.

Hopefully that is a lot to think about.

3

When you are looking at schools that are this prestigious, admissions is very arbitrary. You have great stats and great ECs, but plenty of such people apply and plenty get rejected. Not even the best students can let such schools be considered a match or safety school. This would still be a reach school for you.

4

Thanks. Do you have any suggestions for me so Penn would become more of a target school instead of a reach?

5

As I mentioned, it is impossible to make such schools a target school. The admissions review process is just too arbitrary. Sure, your profile makes you qualified, but most applicants with great qualifications still get rejected.

6

Tell us more about the Yale Essay competition