Hello, I was just curious about what my chances were for making University of Penn State University Park. I am currently a Junior, going into senior year next year.
My GPA
freshman year - 3.14
Sophomore - 2.85
Junior - 3.42
Cumulative - 3.13
I know my GPA freshman and Sophomore year were not very good, but Junior year I was able to pick it up a little. Freshman year, I got a C in my engineering class. Sophomore year, I got a B, and Junior year I got an A. I plan on majoring in engineering, so hopefully colleges can see the upward trend. I took slightly rigorous classes such as Honors Bio, Honors Chem, Calculus. My senior year, I plan on taking harder classes such as AP Stats, AP Environmental Science, and Honors Chinese. I took the SAT my highest score was a 1280. Scoring a 670 in math and a 610 in reading. I took another one recently and I’m hoping I can increase my score to over 1300. I have decent EC’s such as club soccer for 9 years. I made the school Freshman A team freshman year, and Junior Varsity Sophomore and Junior year. I was also on the school’s varsity Track team Junior year. This summer, my friend and I are going to China and helping the homeless kids. We will be teaching them about America, English, sports, painting a school for them, and raising money (all this was planned and organized by my friend and I).
The current middle 50% gpa for U Penn University park is 3.55-3.97. Do you think colleges can understand my freshman and sophomore years. If I am able to get possibly a 3.8-3.9 senior year?
The current middle 50% SAT for U Penn University is 1250-1430. As I said earlier, I have a 1280 right now, hopefully over 1300 when I get my new scores back.
Thank you to everyone for the feedback. Have a good day.
Penn State considers GPA two-thirds of the decision. Make sure to put a branch campus as a backup. I’d guess the odds of main campus are much less than 50/50.
Low. Penn State looks primarily at GPA for freshman through junior years. ECs are rarely considered.
Both your GPA and SAT scores are low for admission to engineering at Penn State’s main campus. I’d suggest that you post to the Penn State subforum for additional responses.
Engineering is one of the most competitive colleges so your odds are basically nil.
Would you be willing to consider Earth and mineral Science (they offer some sort of engineering), College of Agriculture engineering majors, or an IST major? Look those up carefully.
If you’re unwilling to look at these majors, plan to attend a branch campus and list it immediately on your application as putting university park engineering is likely to result in a denial.
What grade did you get in chemistry? Calculus? If you’ve taken physics, what grade did you get?
Also, you’d be better off with AP calculus BC than with AP stats. Have you taken honors physics or AP physics 1 OR 2? If not, take that in addition to APES.
If you add up all honors and AP classes taken what result do you get?
I’d put your chances at less than 5% if you plan on applying to Engineering at UP with a 3.1 GPA. Engineering and Smeal are the two most competitive majors at Penn State. The middle 50% averages that you quote are for ALL majors. The middle 50% for Engineering would be much, much higher.
Penn State is a numbers game. Almost strictly. GPA is 2/3 of the decision. They don’t “understand” about GPA’s less than where they want them unless there is a very involved extenuating circumstance that is something very very out of the ordinary - because they’ve heard every reason under the sun by now.
I wouldn’t apply directly to engineering. I’d pick another major in a less competitive school such as DUS. I’d add that you’d be willing to start in the summer (if you are and you can afford the extra summer cost)…and I’d put a commonwealth campus as a back up. The first two increase your odds at UP, the last gives you a back up if you are denied for both summer and fall.
Penn State is hard to get into and it is especially hard for Engineering.