Some background: I’m currently a junior in IB who has a 3.84/4.00 UW and a 4.52/5.00 W GPA, which is barely about top 5% of my class of ~560. My course rigor is at the highest level possible in my school. I’m unhooked (no legacy, URM, athlete, etc.)
Also, let’s assume I have considerably respectable EC’s (nothing insane, but definitely above average) and essays, and my ACT (which I’ll be retaking soon) is just slightly above the middle 50%, so 34-35 ish.
I’d like to apply to Penn (Wharton) ED, where the average UW GPA is around ~3.9+ (I think 3.93, to be exact). How much will having a slightly lower GPA and class rank than the average (since most kids who get in are top 1-2%) hurt me? I know my application won’t be thrown in the trash bin or anything, but is my chance hurt significantly, looking alone at my GPA stats? Will I be a competitive candidate with these given stats? (I know Wharton is slightly more competitive than Nursing/SEAS/CAS). I at least want to have a good, fighting chance versus the other highly qualified applicants. Do you guys think it’s worth using Penn as my one ED single choice school? (I know they changed their policy on ED…)
Thanks! 
Apologies, posted twice. Someone please lock this - thanks!!
If I were you, I wouldn’t use your ED on Wharton because its going to be a little difficult to get in with that. If I were you, I would try ED at Cornell or Dartmouth. Both are super good schools and Cornell has a top 10 undergrad business school (since you mentioned wharton). Thats what I would do in your position.
If you really have your heart set on Wharton though, give it a shot. You will want your ACT score to be at least a 35 though.
@cooperismydog, I thought about those schools too, but I don’t like the overpowering and dominant liberal arts curriculum that they have. I also don’t necessarily like the idea of a BA.
On a side note, do you think there’s a significant different between a 34, 35, and 36 in the admissions process at Wharton? I’m an Asian male btw (I know… lucky me… 
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If Wharton is your top choice then I’d use your ED and hope for the best – if you don’t you might always wonder “what if?” I’m not big on using ED unless a school is your top choice – but if you’d rather play the odds then you might look at schools like Cornell (Dyson) or NYU (Stern) both of which are very selective as well.
@happy1 thanks for the input, but I hear NYU Stern has a huge price tag… do you think it’ll pay itself off like Wharton? I know its not Wharton-level, but it’s up there… what are your thoughts?
A few comments.
– If you need to compare financial offers then applying anywhere ED probably isn’t a great idea.
–In general I think getting into a tremendous amount of debt for any college is not a great idea as it will handcuff your life choices for years and years to come.
–The base price for NYU and Penn are probably similar but in general Penn is known to give more generous need based aid.
–There is no guarantee that any school, including Wharton will “pay itself off.” Success after undergrad will depend on many factors. The schools you attend is only one piece of the puzzle. Other things like (but not limited to): major, coursework, GPA, internships, involvement on campus, interview skills etc. will also play a large part in defining the types of jobs one might get after graduation. And long term success will largely depend on one’s ability to excel in the workplace.
In answer to your question: “How much will having a slightly lower GPA and class rank than the average (since most kids who get in are top 1-2%) hurt me?” Most definitely not the difference between accepted and rejected. I speak on behalf of experience, I applied this last year ED to Wharton with an unweighted GPA of 3.866. A few hundredths of decimals does not matter to admissions committees in my opinion. I think the fact that you took a rigorous course load means a lot more to them as it shows that you like to challenge yourself. With test scores above average, you definitely have a good shot! Don’t get discouraged if parts of your application aren’t perfect as no one’s is. Admission committees know and understand that you’re 17 or 18 years old and they’re not expecting perfect human beings (ask anyone who gets in- we’re not perfect). If Penn is your dream, I say go for it and best of luck to you