How important is Why Penn essay after being deferred?

Colleges & Universities University of Pennsylvania
1

<p>Ok well I contacted the admissions office, they told me I could do 3 things:

  1. Improve/maintain grades : I’ll work really hard, shouldn’t be too hard
  2. Take Jan SAT: Not happening with the number of apps I have to do and exams during that time. Plus my SAT is pretty decent so not really worth it (not many of my other unis accept Jan SAT)
  3. Send a letter to your regional director to express why Penn is your first choice.</p>

<p>Ok I know this has to be brilliant to tip it in my balance. Anyone have any idea how many people send this essay in? Are u basically discarded if you don’t (I’m going to do it, but just trying to figure out my chances of getting accepted)? How many people get deferred just because of legacy status or something along the lines of that (does this even happen? kind of contentious, heard it from some people though). So if 20-30% don’t submit the letter and I manage to write the essay of my life I’m hoping my chances rise from 10% to 50-50. I’m an international unhooked student applying to wharton so the odds were completely stacked against me, but i’d really love to go to penn so gonna work hard now.</p>

2

<p>I’m in the same situation as you man. I really want to go to Penn and got defered :confused: and everyone at my school got into their ED/EA schools so I feel like a moron…
Anyway, I’m taking the ACTs again this saturday ( my exam last weekend got rescheduled) and sending in the letter also, but who do we send it to? the regional director? how do we get in contact with them?</p>

3

<p>I feel that sending the letter will help. I don’t think that a large majority of students will send a letter, but that is just my opinion. I plan on sending a letter (I’m applying RD) about how my grades might not be Penn’s standards, but how I can be a huge asset to Penn. The letter is by far your best option, besides keeping your grades high. The SAT is basically pointless unless you have a score lower than the average.</p>