UPenn Selectivity

PerriH · 11-07-2009, 10:07 PM

We live in NJ. My son who is a Sr in HS recently got a letter from UPenn asking him to apply. He and I didn't think he even has remote chance given his SAT score of 2170 (690 Reading, 740 Math and 730 writing). We had not sent his SAT scores to UPenn. So I am not sure why they sent this letter and what their mailing list is based on. Don't get me wrong, I really would love for him to get in at Upenn. My son refuses to apply because he doesn' think there is even a slim chance of getting in.
BTW, he wants to undergraduate business degree and is applying to Michigan and NYU, BC etc.
Looking for some advice.

itry · 11-07-2009, 10:11 PM

a 2170 isnt bad

ChoklitRain · 11-07-2009, 10:18 PM

If he's interested in applying to Penn as a business major, he will have to apply to the Wharton School. Regular decision admission at Wharton is as competitive as Harvard admission.

With that said, I don't really see his SAT score keeping him out of Penn's College of Arts and Sciences. All of his three sections are within Penn's score middle 50% ranges. If he's deemed academically unqualified, it will be because of his school transcript, not because of his scores.

limabeans · 11-07-2009, 10:20 PM

I'm guessing your son checked something on his collegeboard profile (business maybe?) and UPenn picked up on that. I'm guessing the 2170 also fits their criteria. But, right now, colleges are trying to solicit many applications, and one way they do that is to invite via a letter or an email. Remember, right now colleges WANT lots of applications. It improves their stats. Whether he gets in depends much more than just his test scores.

ChoklitRain · 11-07-2009, 10:23 PM

And for reference, here are some results from last year.
University of Pennsylvania Class of 2013 Official RD Thread!

PerriH · 11-07-2009, 10:25 PM

Thanks for your prompt reply. His GPA is 3.91 weighted, so that's the other reason he doesn't think he can get in to UPenn since a lot of his friends have much higher GPA and have higher SAT and are applying to Upenn. He has already applied to Michigan EA and NYU D but boy, Wharton would have been so cool to ED on.

jasonInNy · 11-07-2009, 10:28 PM

Thats ridiculous. If he wants to do business, reality is eventually going to catch up to him. Wharton is IMHO the most selective school in the US because of its strict Business affiliations (no business EC, no admission). I mean, you are not gonna get in with Science and reading awards. Thus it is the most selective.

At places like Harvard, all awards (science, math, language, watever) are accepted. At Wharton, no one cares about your National Science Olympiad or Cum Laude.

PerriH · 11-07-2009, 10:42 PM

Thank Jason. I guess you confirmed my son's point of view. His busines EC is that he started his lawn-mowing business and now runs a lawn-mowing service with a dozen customers. What are some examples of good business ECs?

PerriH · 11-07-2009, 10:45 PM

Thanks Jason. I guess you confirmed my son's point of view. His busines EC is that he started his lawn-mowing business and now runs a lawn-mowing service with a dozen customers. What are some examples of good business ECs?

hmom5 · 11-07-2009, 11:03 PM

Penn, like almost every other college, spends big bucks to get as many kids to apply as possible so they can keep their selectivity rating up. Getting a letter asking you to apply does not mean much.

That said, if his class rank is high and he has a lot going for him, a 2170 probably won't keep him out.