I am a rising senior and feel like Penn would be very much a long shot for me, but hey, you never know unless you try.
I plan on studying biology with a molecular biology concentration then want to continue on to get my PhD in genetics to eventually conduct research or become a professor.
I live in West Michigan, and I’m a half East Asian (Taiwanese) and half Caucasian female. I have no legacy, and I come from an average, middle of the middle class family. If I get admitted, my family’s income will qualify me for grants that pay a great deal of tuition as well as room and board, which is what draws me to Ivy League schools because I am frankly not sure how I will afford college. Other schools I am considering include the University of Michigan (a realistic dream), the University of Chicago (another long shot), then Michigan State (an easy in-state safety). I am also drawn to Penn because it is located in the diverse, vibrant city of Philadelphia. Diversity and culture are not always easy to come by in an environment where your peers are predominantly upper-middle class and Caucasian.
GPA (Unweighted): 4.0
GPA (Weighted): 4.221
(My weighted GPA will go up after my third trimester grades come in.)
ACT Composite: 33
English: 34
Reading: 35
Math: 30
Science: 31
(I have two other ACTs that are both scores of 32, and I just took it one last time and am waiting on that score.)
SAT Total: 1380
English: 730
Math: 650
Class Rank: 9 of 313 (Also subject to rise due to my GPA- because of performing arts I was not afforded the space in my school schedule to take an AP class my freshman year. My class rank has consistently risen each year due to members above me falling because of B or A- grades, even in AP classes.)
AP courses I will have taken: US Government and Politics, Language and Composition, Literature and Composition, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Biology, Chemistry, Studio Art
Activities/Interests/Extracurriculars:
National Honor Society (Junior and senior year)
Marching band all four years (Drumline)
Concert band all four years (Percussion- I have been in Wind Ensemble, the highest group, since I was a freshman)
Orchestra Winds for three years, starting sophomore year (Percussion and piano- this is a voluntary extracurricular group by invite that performs with the Chamber Orchestra to form the Symphony Orchestra at my school)
Classical piano- I have been classically trained for ten years.
Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp- this is an arts camp in my state. I attended for classical piano for three years and was placed in higher level ensembles each year.
Volunteer experience- I have volunteered at food pantries, free community breakfasts (waiting on tables, serving drinks), and I have been a camp counselor for a group of 6th graders at a school sponsored science camp. My responsibilities there included supervising the kids as well as doing activities with them and educational demonstrations.
Job- since 2015, I have worked as a substitute pianist at a church in my town. I play hymns as well as tunes for the prelude, offertory, and postlude.
Awards/Recognitions:
Winner of the Ruth Robinson Essay Contest in the Arts and Humanities- the community foundation of my town holds a contest that gives out scholarships for school writings- I won 3rd place and $1,000.
Artwork featured in regional art competition
Winner of local piano awards recital (first place)
Consistent superior ratings in Solo & Ensemble at the district and state level (Basically, this is a performance that is adjudicated. I have gotten the highest possible ratings for years now.)
Winner of West Michigan Student Showcase- I was in a marimba trio and won first place in the group division.
I feel like my interests and accomplishments do not align with what I am looking to study, and I am not sure if that will hurt me. I am a very logical, left-brained person while my passions lie in the arts. I perform highly in difficult English courses. My ACT is average for the caliber of most schools I am considering and my SAT is not ideal. I am told by my high school counselor and parents that I am overly humble but put into a mix of the highest achievers, I feel overwhelmingly average. I am also not too overly concerned over giving my essays voice and personality, as my AP Lang teacher almost always praised me on this quality. I would greatly appreciate it if any insight or feedback could be given on my chances.