<p>Penn is one of the schoold I’m hoping to get into. But I don’t really know where I stand right now. I just completed my freshmen year with a gpa of 3.95 unweighted. Wasted my summer. Going to take the IB program next year. Been studying for the SAT and I think SAT scores will be pretty good, but not sure. Did track and field and couple of clubs. So nothing really special so far. </p>
<p>So for all the Penn students. When you completed you freshmen year where did you stand?? I’m I on track to getting into Penn?? Or do I have to really step it up a lot and make up for a bad freshmen year???</p>
<p>Your freshman year should have still had all advanced classes (and stuff like Advanced Physical Science or Advanced English 9) if you are to be in the IB Program, no? As long as you took the most advanced classes available you'll be fine. I had like two or three clubs freshman year.</p>
<p>^Thanx for the reply</p>
<p>Ya I did. Since ninth grade is still in the junior high building for my school district there was no AP classes. So the hardest was honors there.</p>
<p>The classes I took were</p>
<p>Geometry
Honors Biology
Honors English
Honors Geography
Spanish</p>
<p>Other classes don't really matter so I won't post them</p>
<p>That is fine. As long as you are taking what is offered. You seem good to go. To strengthen your app I'd suggest getting a job or doing something over the summer. Colleges don't like students who just sit around.</p>
<p>Which would be better getting a job or volunteer for the summer.</p>
<p>I would suggest a job because few people I know of volunteer on a consistent basis to make it worthwhile. A job, to me, is more intensive. It would also suggest that you are in some form earning things instead of relying on your parents to pay for everything. They look very favorably on jobs -- I recall reading from a book written by a Dartmouth adcom that "They want to see that you aren't some princess who has never had to lift a finger", so a job will earn you major points here.</p>
<p>doesn't matter, you should do what u want. Colleges just want to see u're committed to something other than school, and not spent ur entire hs career studying.</p>
<p>njchino: Well there is a difference between doing what one wants and doing what one likes doing that also helps in admissions. Sure I don't always like eating certain foods with forks but if I have to then I will O.o Besides, a job gets you money, which can never hurt. </p>
<p>By "doing what you want" this means not having a laundry list of ECs that mean nothing. Instead you should have a few concentrated ECs that show dedication and passion and all that sort of thing.</p>
<p>Should I get a job just during the summer or a part time job, cause you said I should be commited.</p>
<p>During the summer I did full-time, but that was just me. I still had a lot of free time, but I was working for my mom at home so my situation is a little different. Right now I work at a law firm full-time.</p>
<p>But you're a couple of years older...</p>
<p>I think it's fine to volunteer or work, full time or part time. It's all up to you and what you want to do. I think your interests will change a lot over the next few years, so don't limit yourself to anything. Do things that you enjoy...</p>
<p>After freshman year I wasn't thinking about college...I volunteered part-time...</p>
<p>I think there's a lot of misunderstanding about "do things you enjoy". If I followed that guideline I'd be eating and traveling all day O.o</p>
<p>Oh fine just do what you want. You're still a freshman.</p>
<p>Hey, if you have the opportunity to travel in the summer, that'd be a great thing to do, and I don't think that would hurt you in college admissions at all!</p>
<p>What I really meant is part-time during the whole year or full time during the summer. Cause it seems your more committed if you keep a job throughout the year</p>
<p>Oooh, well, I think that usually you would be so busy during the year taking classes, studying and doing ECs that you wouldn't have time to work. I don't know what kind of job you're interested in but not a lot of places will hire you if you can only work an hour or two everyday. Sure it shows commitment and that you can handle a lot, but if you asked me whether it was better to work a few hours at McDonalds everyday during the year or to find yourself a decent internship (even if it's unpaid) in the summer, I'd say go with the internship!</p>
<p>Rubber baby buggy bumpers</p>
<p>What does that have to do with anything?</p>
<p>I edited my post. It was kinda superfluous.</p>
<p>So lets go back to the original questions. Do I have a good chance at Penn at where I stand right now. Or do I have to do a lot more</p>
<p>You look like a perfectly on track freshman. Which is to say...you're just a freshman and it's too early to predict anything. Keep up the grades and do everything that you're doing...and then in two years, you can ask this question and maybe get some valid answers. A lot of schools don't even take into account freshman year grades and activities. But it's good that you care so much and are thinking about it. Just don't get too obsessed and continue being the good student that you are.</p>