UPenn SEAS ED Chance

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
1

Hey everyone, I am a rising senior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have been interested in UPenn for a long time because of my family’s involvement with the university, and for this reason along with various others, I have decided that I will apply early decision to the School of Engineering and Applied Science. I am considering a major in either biomedical or chemical engineering, but am still undecided at the moment. All of my information is listed below, and I would really appreciate if you guys could give me some of your thoughts. All comments are welcome and best of luck to everyone else!

Personal Info:
Gender: M
Ethnicity: White
School Type: Private, competitive, typically sends 4-5 students to UPenn each year (transferred here as a sophomore)

GPA (unweighted): 3.89
SAT: Did not take
ACT: 33 (34 E, 32 M, 35 R, 30 S)
SAT II: Math 2-760, US History-740, (will take physics this October)
Class Rank: N/A
AP Scores: My school does not follow the AP Curriculum, so I self-studied for the following:
Calc AB (5)
US History (5)
Senior Year Course Load: These are the only classes worth mentioning - Multivariable Calc, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Physics 2-Calculus, AP Spanish 5

Extra Curricular Activities:
Prep Ice Hockey Team - Alternate Captain, Grades 10-12 (Big time commitment - 30+ hours per week & miss a considerable amount of school for travel and away games)
Untucked Committee Member - Grade 11 (student lead organization that hosts a benefit concert for a local charity)
Math Peer Tutor - Grades 11-12
Admissions Ambassador - Grades 11-12 (Selected juniors and seniors give tours to prospective families and assist with admissions open houses and events)
Community Unity Pride (C.U.P) Captain - Grade 12
Discipline Committee Member - Grade 12 (Selected seniors hear disciplinary cases and decide on an appropriate response together with faculty members)
Volunteer at the Lighthouse Foundation (local outreach organization) and the First Tee of Pittsburgh
Participated in the Envision National Youth Leadership Forum: Engineering & Technology at Georgia Tech (July 2016)

Clubs:
Political Science
Entrepreneurship & Finance
Cancer Awareness (Vice President)
Pre-Engineering (President & Founder)

Major Awards:
Highest GPA on hockey team - Grades 10-11
First Place for Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project at Engineering & Technology program
A few other minor awards from school

Additional Info/Hooks: Legacy - my dad and brother graduated from UPenn

2

I’m not a really a big fan of chance threads, but I’d say that your credentials make you a viable applicant. Legacy will definitely help you in ED, as Penn directly states this on their admissions page. My only advice to you at this point is to just focus on your essays, as they will be what tip you over into acceptance. When writing your Why Penn essay, don’t just focus on what makes Penn appealing to you; remember to show the admissions committee how you will contribute as an individual to the School of Engineering and Penn’s class of 2021.

Also, some parting advice from a graduated senior/rising college freshman: don’t stress out too much! So many things are out of your hands during the admissions process. Don’t let college admissions rule over your head; it’ll ruin your entire senior year. Enjoy this last year you have with all of your friends and family! It’s so easy to get swept up in the college craze, especially as deadlines approach or decisions start coming out. Be happy for your friends who get into their top schools, but don’t forget that there are many others who received not so good news as well. I fell victim to the stress and pressure surrounding senior year, and looking back on it now, it was really foolish of me; I would have enjoyed myself a lot more if I had just put college out of mind as soon as I hit the submit button. One of my alumni interviewers (I think it was actually my Penn interviewer!) gave me the best, albeit cliched, piece of advice: everything will truly work out in the end. Although getting rejected/waitlisted from your dream school may seem like the end of the world, you will ultimately end up where you will be happy.