UPenn just feels right due to the preprofessional environment and the programming and mission statement of Huntsman. I don’t feel like I am falling to peer pressure. No one on the outside is trying to persuade me into going to an Ivy League and few of my friends are looking to go down that path. I would say my SAT score and the amount of APs I have taken are the weakest parts of my application. My extracurriculars and awards are what I think will make up for some of those lower numbers. Other than that, I have a great deal of experience working with the school district, city, and state so I will attempt to play that up. Majority of my extracurriculars are outside of my school and are apart of the city or district- all in which I have an active role in. I think the connotation that UPenn gives- the we know what we want to do and we have a vision for our future- is fitting. That’s why I am drawn. I am focusing on the other options, as well, granted that UPenn is indeed extremely selective. But, because I am curious about applying early, I am focused a bit more on that since it’s quite a major decision.
In addition, I attended NSLI-Y, which is an intense language immersion program through the Department of State. It was quite competitive, so having done that process and being selected has given me a more “YOLO” perspective on competitive programs. Since there is no formula, I believe that if I am drawn to Huntsman, I should just give it a shot.