<p>Academic:
Sats:
Math - 740
Verbal - 670
Writing - 640
Subject Tests:
Chem - 790
Math II - 650 (I think not having any calc really killed me there)</p>
<p>APs:
Lang - 5
Chem - 4
Taking Macro, Lit, Comp Sci, Phys B, Gov, and Calc AB next year (my school doesn’t have BC =/)</p>
<p>Unweighted GPA: I actually don’t know exactly how to do this, but I think it would be a 4.0 (3.9 at the lowest)
Rank: 3/272</p>
<p>EC:
NHS
4 year participant in indoor and outdoor track, 3 year letterman in each
I don’t know if it matters, but from summer-January of 10 and 11 I also had a job.</p>
<p>Right now I would think my biggest downfall would be my test scores, but I think I can get them up a bit, and I’ll be taking them again in October. Any suggestions on what else I should improve?</p>
<p>Also, I want to do chemical engineering.</p>
<p>Very low chance, nothing stands out and your scores for the most part are too low.</p>
<p>I mean, I do have some other things to my name, but I am working on putting everything together with the help of my guidance counselor so everything doesn’t seem so generic. Have anything in mind specifically that I should go out of my way to mention? I have done a ton of leadership program things as well as a few hundred hours of community service. I suppose that is still rather standard, but I’m sure I’m omitting a few things and all, and as I said am putting things together.</p>
<p>As for the scores, I really only think my math II score is “too” low. When I take the SAT Is again I’m hoping to bring the cr and writing up to 700 each.</p>
<p>Any other suggestions? I shouldn’t have really made this a chance me as I am also looking for a lot of constructive criticism. I know there is no secret formula to be accepted to an Ivy, but at the same time I’d like to at least have the right direction. Thanks!</p>
<p>Be well rounded, write awesome essays, and really want to go to the school you apply (it will show in your essays).</p>
<p>@plerrius: Paid leadership “programs” don’t count as leadership. College apps usually see leadership in the form of actions taken, activities planned, actual positions (president, captain, etc.), and rec. letters. Paying money for programs (ex. NYLSC, NYLC, etc.) don’t count.</p>
<p>Oh no, I’m not talking about anything I paid for. Just some stuff I was nominated by my school for. Only one or two or notable, but I suppose they are worth a mention. The biggest one recall was where in like, 9th grade I believe, there was something where each school sent one kid to work with county executives to plan things. I’m sure I have specifics of it somewhere. I never went to any of those “conferences”, they always seemed stupid to me. My school also has this thing called a “leadership assistant”, where you essentially take the role of a student teacher for a period every day. They give official documentation of that. Probably something I’d want to include. That encompasses tutoring as well.</p>
<p>I suppose the biggest reflection I can make is that I need to better organize my would-be application. I was planning on working on that with my guidance counselor, but time just went by. Heh, looks like it’s down to me on that one. How important are rec. letters? Is it good to get as many sincere ones as possible, or only like 2-3?</p>
<p>Oh, and like 500 hour of community service since freshman year. I don’t know, it just seems every time I try to mention something, it just comes off as arrogant. I suppose most people would be in similar situations as me in that regard, should I simply ignore that feeling?</p>
<p>For the common app you need letters of rec from your counselor and from two teachers (one should be math/science and the other should be humanities). Don’t get additional letters of rec unless they really add to your application.</p>
<p>@superman: I heard that it doesn’t have to be one math/science and one humanities. It just had to be two teachers who can write you outstanding letters, according to Penn Admissions. </p>
<p>@OP: Good to hear that your leadership came from real actions/activities, not those fake programs. Good luck to you!</p>
<p>How do the majority of schools calculate GPA on a 4.0 scale? Is it A=4.0, 95+=4.0, or what? I’ve seen it vary between schools. Is there something universal that each school uses, or just Penn specifically even?</p>
<p>I’m sure that some schools might use the + or - in their calcs, but I remember at some financial aid seminars that they told audience (parents and students) that for many colleges an A- is the same as an A (4), and a B+ is the same as a B (3)…so try to get those B+ up to an A-.</p>
<p>Actually my school weights based on percentages (IE A-, A, A+) so I have generally been trying to keep up in the 97 range (which is an A+, which obviously yields the higher GPA - more for rank purposes), but so far I have actually gotten through high school without any B’s, and have had a rather high rigor. But yeah, separating myself and improving test scores seems to be a top priority at this point. On that note: how important is the writing portion of the SAT in regards to the other two?</p>
<p>@plerrius: Penn takes the CR, Math, and Writing scores equally. It’s Cornell and Princeton that take CR + Math with extra weight over Writing, up to my knowledge, at least. Also, Penn takes GPA at face value but mentioned that the transcript is more important. Ex. If your GPA is a little less than another applicant from your school (say, you have a 4.59 and a peer has a 4.63) but you have A+/A record while they have an A- record, then that looks better (the A+/A record).</p>
<p>May someone clarify for me whether the recs must be necessarily one from a maths/science teacher and another form humanities? I check many sources and it doesnt really come up, just saying 2 recs from ‘those who know you the best’?</p>
<p>And must you have a counselor or smt? I am not even sure my school has this kind of thing…</p>
<p>@coffeeaddict92: The only school I’ve directly heard requires 1 math/science teacher and 1 humanities is MIT…regardless of what major you apply as. Let me know what the verdict is!</p>