Thank you very much for your time, I will try to keep this as brief as possible. I would just like to know if I am heading in the right direction of being accepted into Wharton (or if there is anything I need to do in addition).
Academics:
-SAT 1: 2210 (800M, 770W, 640CR (yikes))
-ACT: 35 (36M, 36S, 36E, 32R)
-SAT 2: Math II (N/A)
-GPA UN-W/W: 3.9/5.0
-Class Rank: Top 10%
Extra-Curriculars:
-Key Club (4yrs - President)
-Academic Games (4yrs - President)
-Academic Decathlon (2yrs - VP-President)
-SADD, Interact Club
-PFEW (CEO) (Business Summer Camp)
-200+ Volunteer Hours
Awards:
-2nd Overall Individual Academic Decathlete in PA
-2nd Place Company in Finance at PFEW
Special Circumstances:
-LGBT (not sure if this helps or hinders?)
-NOT a legacy - no business connections
Not sure where this places me as an applicant or if there is more I need to do. Please be honest in response.
Also- should I apply early decision this fall?
Penn is a good school to apply early to, since they accept ~half their class in the early round. Your academics/ECs put you in range. What would be the alternative option for you?
I have looked at U Chicago, CMU, and Penn State as well. (I’m from Pennsylvania if that makes more sense)… I definitely have some safe schools in addition to the ones above; I just didn’t know if I should even apply to UPenn. Thank you very much for your response! It helps a lot!!
You def want to be sure if you’re applying ED (obviously). The vast majority of Wharton students take on finance or management consulting jobs once they graduate, so the environment will be geared towards those professions a LOT more than the schools you’ve mentioned.
I really don’t understand why so many HS students think that their sexual orientation has anything to do with college applications (not counting religious colleges whose ethos makes it problematic). No, it is not ‘special circumstances’ and it neither helps nor hinders. Tbh, I’d be willing to bet that most AdComms people couldn’t care less.
Before you finalize your ED choice be sure that you have visited / sat in on classes / done an overnight. Wharton (and Chicago and CMU) have pretty strong cultures, and you want to be sure that they feel comfortable to you in practice, not just in theory.
You are obviously numerate enough to be able to figure out where you are stats-wise, so why what is your doubt about whether or not to apply at all?
@collegemom3717 I don’t think it’s as irrelevant as you think. A priority for adcoms is to build a diverse student body, and sexual orientation is certainly a consideration in that regard.
Well color me intrigued. So AdComms “certainly” consider sexuality as part of their diversity metric, and consciously select LGBT students for that? I would be genuinely interested in your information source.
@collegemom3717 completely agree. It’s not like there’s a box to check for sexuality on the app.
OP, honestly, your EC’s are a little weak for Wharton. But, if it’s your top choice, I would absolutely ED, since your scores are at a point where you’re competitive. The strength of your essays/how the adcom is feeling that day is really what will determine your app. Good luck, and keep us updated.