Applying to Wharton - Chance me please?

Colleges & Universities University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>Hey, I am a white male attending a college-prep Catholic high school near Cleveland Ohio and am looking for my chances of getting into Penn (Wharton) - focusing on finance/accounting. I’d appreciate anybody’s feedback re: my chances of getting in </p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

<p>GPA: ~3.95 unweighted / 4.392 weighted (as of June '09) expected to be 4.45 at graduation
Rank: top 5% in class of ~220
Classes: I have taken all honors/AP except 1 required theology course every year
Senior schedule: AP English Lit, AP Gov, H. physics, required theology, Multivariable Calculus (through Ohio State University), Independent Study Computer Science</p>

<p>SAT: 1340/2080 (it’s low, I know)
SAT II’s: Math II=700 / Chem=760 / US History=740
ACT: 30 composite / 10 writing
ACT #2: 31 composite / 10 writing
AP’s: Calc BC = 5 / Chem = 5 / US History=5
(retaking both SAT and ACT again in October, aiming for 2200+ and 32+, respectively)</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
[Grades / activity]

  • 11-12 / Editor of Newspaper (I played a key role in a total overhaul of the program, result was being 1 of 20 finalists for a national award in 2009)
  • 11-12 / Spanish Academic Challenge
  • 10 / Academic Challenge
  • 10-12 / Business/Finance club - president of club in senior year, growing program and bringing in alumni to produce weekly speaker series for students as an intro to financial topics
  • 10-12 / National Honor Society
  • 10 / Concert Band
  • 9-12 / Digital media club
  • 10-12 / School Ambassador
  • 11-12 / Quill & Scroll member
  • 11-12 / Model UN - won an award (top 3 or honorable mention) at all events I participated in</p>

<p>Unique things:

  • Started a marine services business in 2005
  • Started a web design company in early 2008
  • Started a web-based software company in late 2008, launching our services in early 2010
  • Job (not an internship) with a local NASA/Dept. of Defense contractor as an IT Specialist (fast-growing, medium-sized company)
  • Won several investing/finance awards (see next section)</p>

<p>Awards/Honors:

  • Placed 2nd in a large stock market game in fall 2008 when markets collapsed (my portfolio had a 255% gain in 3 months), featured on front page of Cleveland’s largest newspaper
  • Placed 2nd in Cleveland CFA Society’s 2009 Investment Challenge
  • Placed 1st in Ashland University’s StockTrak game
  • 2009 National Financial Literacy Award Medal granted by the US Treasury Department - 1 of 362 students in the nation to receive award for perfect or near-perfect scores on a financial literacy exam - 75,000 total participants
  • Rochester Institute of Technology Computing Medal
  • Student-of-the-year (awarded by high school): H. English II, World History, Spanish 1, H. Chemistry, Theology 2
  • High-honors roll all 4 years
  • AP Scholar
  • National Merit Commended Scholar</p>
2

<p>I can’t see you getting in with an SAT score like that. Math II is also pretty low for Wharton. Since you’re so good at finance, shouldn’t you be scoring higher in math? =P</p>

3

<p>Yes I know my SATs are low - however my ACT falls in the middle 50% range. Assuming I can get my SAT up to 1450/2200 and ACT 32+, what are my chances?</p>

4

<p>Well, I am not really one to judge, but if it makes you feel any better your profile is strikingly similar to mine in terms of ECs, grades, and ACT score…so hopefully those scores don’t count against us!</p>

<p>I think we’d both be fine if we had better scores…but eh, let’s cross our fingers and hope for the best. Also, if you submit your ACT scores, penn does not require any SAT II’s so it may be to your benefit to simply retake the ACT one last time this month! </p>

<p>I am applying ED to CAS and Huntsman! Best of luck…hopefully we get good news come december!</p>