<p>Hello!</p>
<p>I plan to apply Early Decision to Wharton this fall. Could you give me some admit/defer/deny chances? Also, should I seriously consider a switch to Regular Decision, in light of my tough senior courses? And if I took some courses at a community college this summer, do you think those courses would help?</p>
<p>GPA (may drop to ~3.90 after this semester): 3.927 UW
SAT (first time): 2190 (680M, 710W, 800CR)
PSAT: 213 (top 50,000 so far)
AP: WH (5), Calc (?), USH (?)
Honors: LA1, LA2, LA3, Biology
Will have 4 years each of LA/Math/Science/Japanese
Senior courses: AP English, AP Physics, AP Statistics, (AP Biology?), a business course (required), college-extension Japanese
By the end of my senior year, I will have taken basically every AP course my school has offered, if not every course.
School not usually represented at Ivies, although three students from my school will matriculate into UPenn Class of 2013
EC (with senior year included): 3 years FBLA (State officer, Chapter President, a first place State event finish), 3 years Key Club (Division Lieutenant Governor, Club officer), NHS (2 years), DECA (1 or 2 years, but it depends on my schedule next year)
Background: White male, no legacy, parents went to college</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I hate to be the bad guy, but someone has to tell it like it is. I think your chances are low. Don’t get me wrong, apply and who knows what might happen. If you check my location, you’ll see that miracles can happen. However, I just don’t see anything that is going to make you stand out. I would recommend a community college class (in business or perhaps whatever the next level of japanese might be?). As a white male, the japanese thing distinguishes you most, so I would play that as far as possible. Somehow display your passion there and possibly write somewhere about how you would like to do international business or business within Japan, idk. But good luck to you.</p>
<p>I’m going to have to agree with guynamedad.</p>
<p>It’s not that you’re not capable–I’m sure you’re a smart guy; it’s more that you don’t look like you have any reason to go into business.</p>
<p>(1) The 680 on SAT I math will not fly at Wharton. I understand where you’re coming from because I got a 720, but I also have a 800 SAT II math score to prove that the 720 is rubbish. You need to do something similar–getting a 5 on AP Calc is a start.</p>
<p>(2) Your ECs are where you run into serious trouble. Whartonites are unique, and they tend to have cross-cutting passions. The problem with your application is that from what you have written, I cannot detect a passion. FBLA, DECA, Key Club, and NHS mean nothing at Wharton. Nothing. You need to distinguish yourself from the pack. I would agree with guynamedad that if you are truly interested in Japanese, pursue it in depth. That is your only shot–a long-shot.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to be so brusque, but it’s the world of business.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice you guys. It does appear to be a pretty "hook"less profile. I would consider myself extremely passionate about Key Club, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to much for a prestigious business school.</p>
<p>To bring this up, I do plan to take the SAT a few more times and get MUCH MUCH MUCH higher scores on Math. We’ll have to see how SAT ST Math 2 (which I took this month) holds up when I get my scores.</p>
<p>With all this in mind, I will certainly try to find some difference or real passion behind everything. Sounds kind of obscure, I know.</p>
<p>But, in short, should I focus much more highly on a lesser school that is more viable?</p>
<p>If you don’t apply, you most certainly won’t get in. Give it a shot–it’s not like your scores and ECs are so horrendous that you won’t even be looked at.</p>
<p>IRJunkie is right of course, but yes, I would certainly look into some other very good business schools.</p>