Give me TRUTH

Colleges & Universities University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>I’m African-American, living in the poorest city in the United states (cleveland), attending one of the worst schools nation wide. Is there a chance in hell that I can get into UPENN ED?</p>

<p>ACT- “?” (Taking them in October, I expect to score around 30, hopefully)
GPA- 3.85 weighted
Class rank- top 5 of 250
–Course Load—
3 years of honors. (I got screwed with an easy schedule)
Taking the only AP offered at my school this year, English 4
-3 years science
-3 years history
-4 years english
-4 years math
-4 years JROTC</p>

<p>—EC’s—
-3 years JROTC staff, 1 as Sergeant Major, 1 as Command Sergeant Major, 1 As Battalion Commander
-2 years “Events coordinator” of JROTC
-3 years varsity track and field
-4 years chess, capt 3 years, 1st chair 4 years
-4 years Colorguard, Capt 2 years, co-cpt 1 year
-4 years Exhibition drill team, capt 2 years
-4 years Armed Drill team, capt 2 years
-4 years Unarmed drill team, capt 3 years
-3 years Riflery team, co-capt 1 year, captain 1 year
-1 year Collinwood creations (visual arts and creative writing)
-1 year Editor of the A-TEEM (Anti- tobacco teen group) quarterly newsletter,
-Senior Class vice-president (-wishful thinking. lol- wish me luck)
-Founded an SAT-ACT prep team at my school</p>

<p>–Communtiy service/ Volunteer work–
-60 hours, “Clean up Collinwood”
-180 hours, Middle school track coach
-80 hours, Middle school chess coach
-3 years A-TEEM (African-American Teens Empowered to Eliminate tobacco Mission, vice president- 1 year
-100 hours, Middle school soccer coach
-2 years Big Buddy, little buddy mentoring program
-3 years tutoring mentally impaired middle schoolers
-2 years “Support Collinwood Lemonade Stand” operator</p>

<p>–Awards and other–
-7th Brigade, Eastern Region USACC “Outstanding Leadership Award” recipient.
(Only five cadets recieve this award each year, out of approx. 3000 pre-selected cadets; after a week long Boot Camp simualtion training. It included cadets from all over the midwest United states)
-82nd Airborne Leadership medallion recipient.
-Awarded a Army token from an Army 3-Star General for excellence in leadership.
-Huge graffiti and tattooing enthusiast.
-Seeking to become a published writer within the next few months.</p>

<p>—Essays—
-One on how I feel that it is extremely important to take advantage of every oppurtunity when attending a disadvantaged high school, and why I chose penn.
-The other on why I feel that its important to develop your own sense of individuality before you can lead, or be an effective follower.</p>

<p>–Teacher recs–
-One from a teacher that I had for only one quarter, but I got to know him really well. He graduated from Cornell’s graduate program.
-The other from and Army vet of 28 years that served in Vietnam that is over my school JROTC program, he knows me best and he never sugar coats anything. I think that will be appealing to the admissions officers.</p>

<p>On my app I plan on illustrating that I am an affective and humbled leader and youth advocate within my community. I have overcome many obstacles, and I have experienced many things throughout my life time that has made me a more mature and “determined to succeed” person, while retaining my quirky since of humor and style.</p>

<p>Come on guys, give my the truth on whether or not YOU think that I’m a student that could actually get into UPENN. (This might actually save me an application fee…lol) Tell me the Good, bad, and/or ugly.</p>

<p>–Thanx–</p>

2

<p>Yeah, I think you have a very good chance.
But if you’d like to make sure that you get suitable financial aid (considering that you’re playing up the ‘disadvantaged’ angle), applying ED might not be the best choice (you won’t be able to compare aid offers with other schools).</p>

3

<p>You won’t be able to compare packages with other schools, but you can still get a good package. NEVER be afraid to ask for more financial aid.</p>

<p>I hope you get in!</p>

4

<p>you have a good chance of being admitted, but I’m not sure if this is a good thing: Huge graffiti and tattooing enthusiast.</p>

5

<p>A few people have told me this, but I think that it makes me standout even more. I’ve only done a couple of legal graffiti works, and I have two legal tattoos (tattooing minors is legal in Ohio). They are a part of me, so I’m not ashamed to exploit my personal interest. If honesty is what they want, honesty is what I’ll give.</p>

<p>(How many UPENN bound students do you think have tattoos on either side of their stomach’s; or have done great graffiti works? I think these hobbies are rather rare, making them more valuable.)</p>

6

<p>because you are in one of the worst school
i think you have kinda low chance of getting in
if you are in the worst school you gotta be the best to have possiblility</p>

7

<p>Are all those drill teams seperate activities? Seems like you JROTC covers it</p>

8

<p>Trust me, they are all different.
Different practice hours.
Different advisors.
Different diciplines all together.
JROTC only covers the class</p>

9

<p>There’s always a negative ‘odd-ball’</p>

10

<p>I think you’re fine, and I don’t see a problem with tattooing/graffiti-ing (you’re doing it legally, anyway). I’m sure they’ll look into the “context” of your life and as long as you show that you really want to go to Penn/all that jazz, I believe you have a shot.</p>

<p>Also, if they don’t give you sufficient aid, that is the one thing you can use to break the ED contract. I don’t think they’d be assholish enough not to offer you sufficient aid/not change their package, but just in case, know that you’re not 100% stuck.</p>

11

<p>There’s nothing wrong with tats and graffiti. I have tattoes and so do other Wharton and Penn students. I didn’t say that in my application, but I hope that that wouldn’t be held against you. If they do hold that against you that’s ridiculous.</p>