Will ED at CAS help me significantly? Chances please!

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
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<p>I am a junior - Asian American -Indian (great, I know!)</p>

<p>Here's a break down of my stats as of right now:</p>

<p>Rank: 5/ 550 people (Very Competitive)
GPA: 4.7 (out of 4 due to weighting)
Class load: hardest possible no doubt!
ACT: 29 ( I know, I know. This is my WEAKEST point. I am seriously working my butt off this summer. I am studying daily, have resorted to help from a tutor, and hope to raise this score to at least a 31-32 by Sept.) </p>

<p>ECs: (I think this is the stronger portion of my app...Let me know your opinions...)</p>

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<p>Editor-in-chief of School Paper - first junior to become one in a long time, I am absolutely certain that the newspaper advisor will write me a first class recommendation. I am also the first EIC to serve for two years in a row! </p>

<p>Question: Our school paper won a national award from Columbia University (silver crown) during my time this year as EIC, is something I should mention? This award is not directed to me specifically but more to our entire paper. I think it's appealing as it is an award recognizing the top few papers internationally and is from Columbia itself. </p>

<p>Founder and manager of newspaper website </p>

<p>Awarded Outstanding web-designer by IU </p>

<p>Write for other community papers as well, including our cultural one.</p>

<p>Many essay competition awards; won 1st place in state for a newspaper article I wrote. That same article won 4th place *nationally * at another competition (which I will not list here for security reasons as you can easily look me up) </p>

<p>Started "desktop publishing" company - create flyers for local organizations, private groups, freelance editing, video/slideshow editing, creator, freelance writer, press release writer, t-shirt design services, etc. </p>

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<p>History Fair 3rd Place in State/Metro scholarship Winner/ National Qualifier (Alternate) </p>

<p>History Fair Executive Director's award for Superior History </p>

<p>Internship at congressman office summer before junior year </p>

<p>Teen Rep on local Youth Commission - began this system of teen reps to help form better student-community alliances
Attended Illini Girls State</p>

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<p>Founder/President of an Indian community service council for students (we help out at various community festivals, represent the youth, currently planning a cultural show and a trip abroad to India)
***Currently collaborating to make this an "international student" effort meaning students of all cultures create a joint effort. </p>

<p>Created a "Bollywood Dance" Fitness Company for young children to promote cultural awareness in a dominantly Caucasian community and fight obesity.</p>

<p>State Cultural Pageant winner (first runner up) and miss talent </p>

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<p>500+ volunteer service hours through hospital volunteering (the usual lol), tutoring, after school enrichment program helping for younger children, etc. etc. </p>

<p>Math Honor Society President</p>

<p>Founder and manager of MHS website (to submit service hours, updates on events, etc) </p>

<p>National Honor Society </p>

<p>French Honor Society </p>

<p>DECA state winner</p>

<p>I have several other ECs but I feel that these are my main ones and the ones that I am most proud to be involved in! However, as you can see my goal was to essentially divide my interests in three areas: writing/publishing, Politics/History, Indian Culture. Then of course, this is all accompanied by the usual honor societies and community service. </p>

<p>While I am certain I can increase my ACT score by September as I have this asmy biggest commitment for the summer, I would like you to evaluate my chances ED for CAS this fall as of now and whether it would be worth applying or not.</p>

<p>Recommendations – My counselor especially told me I am her “top junior” and will receive a “stellar” recommendation, and I am certain that the same will apply to my Newspaper Advisor/English teacher who has seen megrow extensively since freshman year. Also, would it be advisable to receive some sort of letter confirming the legitimacy of my internship at the Congressman’s office? I don’t want to give off any sort of impression that it was received through connections and whatnot since it most certainly was not! </p>

<p>Thanks for your advice!</p>

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<p>I am a non-believe of this whole “ED inceases one’s chances ‘substantially’” gimmick, which, mind you, many a person on CC (and from other places) seem to champion whole-heartedly. With that said, it boils down to the question: Are you ready to apply ED? i.e. are your grades high up there, with little to no room for improvement? Are your teachers willing to write you recommendations that early into your senior year? etc. If you are ready (and I am assuming Penn is without a doubt your top choice), then I see no reason to not do ED. Conversely, if your answers to the above questions are negative, I personally do not believe it will do great harm to apply RD.</p>

<p>You already know the strengths and weaknesses of your application package, so I will not comment on them. One thing though: The EC list which you supposedly had shortened striked me as a bit too much. Nothing wrong there – cram them into commonapp as you fancy, but make sure to focus on one EC per essay should you choose to write about your ECs at all.</p>

<p>I would say even with an average standarized test score (not your current 29 though), you have an application package to be proud of.</p>

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<p>I sincerely appreciate your advice DSI. And you know, I have done a ton of research on UPenn lately…speaking to past students, watching tours of the campus on youtube, listening to sample lectures provided on youtube - now all that’s left is visiting, and I guess that will ultimately make or break my decision to apply ED. </p>

<p>You’ve given me a new perspective on myapplication, and I thank you very much for that!!</p>

<p>Other opinion welcome as well! Thanks CC!</p>

4

<p>Bump it pleaseeee!</p>

5

<p>How many AP/IBs are you taking to have a weighted of 4.7? Are you talking about cumulative or for this year?</p>

<p>Act does seem kinda low, you could always a few SATs to see if they suit you better. Bring this up a bit and you seem in good shape. ECs are decent and grades are decent as well. I’d suggest you write about one of your main ECs in your essay or at least mention it so it doesn’t seem too much like a laundry list. Show them what’s important to you!</p>

6

<p>Yes, I will graduate with 8-9 AP classes and the rest being honors (at least all of those that I could possibly take as honors because some classes will inevitably be regular like health and french i and ii, etc.) . i have the one of the most rigorous courseloads at our school. My cumulative GPA is 4.7 including all years in high school. This year my average was 4.84 (with a perfect 5.0 one semester and 4.67 the next) </p>

<p>ANd yes, I plan to focus one of my essays on my passion for writing and how that developed (interesting story as my grandfather used to be a reporter during the partition of 1947 in India and I want to live up to his legacy)</p>

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<p>Good essay topic. Make sure you make it absolutely clear that you took the most rigorous courses offered at your school. I like to do it in the commonapp essay.</p>

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<p>Thanks, DSI. but exactly where and how do I make it clear that I have taken the hardest possible courseload at my school on the commonapp? Isn’t that my advisor’s responsibility? I am almost certain that she will comment on that.</p>

<p>ANy other opinions?</p>

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<p>Just mention how motivated you are somewhere and use it as an example.</p>

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<p>Well your commonapp should be more of the “generic, one-thing-fits-all” kind of essay. I like to talk about my academic interests in that one. So, say, I might write an experience I had which propelled me to embrace knowledge, and I will wind it up by saying “…thus as a venue to satisfy my endless pursuit of knowledge I have taken one of the most rigorous combination of classes offered at our high school,'” or something of that nature. Do not list all the courses, and it is not necessary to devote more than one sentence to saying how rigorous your courses are.</p>

<p>The essay about your passion for writing can be used in your Why-Penn essay, or, if you so choose (and for your situation I would recommend), to use it in one of the optional essays (“You have just finished a 300-page autobiography about yourself, turn to page 217 and tell us what is written”). The key is to make sure it looks and sounds like one page out of an autobiography, so diction and style are important. To give it more of a genuine “feel” you can start and end the page in mid-sentences and write <em>no more than one page</em>. It is not necessary <em>at all</em> to mention anything Penn related in that essay.</p>

<p>That is the way I would do it. Further questions feel free to ask away.</p>

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<p>Although, that essay is truly optional so if you’re short on time, you CAN skip it and get in (alot of people have, including me) to get your common app, why penn etc up…</p>

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<p>BUMP IT pleaseeeee!</p>