Please chance an average asian girl from Hawaii?

Colleges & Universities Penn State
1

<p>-female
-japanese american
-somewhat challenging private highschool</p>

<p>3.2 UW GPA
3.37 W GPA
Rank: 55th percentile</p>

<p>estimates
freshman year: 2.9
sophomore year: 3.3
junior year: 3.5
senior (first quarter): 3.9</p>

<p>AP Lit - 3</p>

<p>1 AP and 2 IB (to those unfamiliar with IB, it’s the European equivalent of AP’s)</p>

<p>Volunteer work:
Built a community theater for an fishing village in Riau, Indonesia
Drywalled homes in Columbia, Pennsylvania under Habitat for Humanity
Book attendant at local book fairs
(also take into account the community service hours that go under the various clubs i participate in) </p>

<p>ECS:
JV and recreational volleyball (9-12)
Spanish Club (10-12)
Pacific Asian Affairs Club (11-12)
Habitat for Humanity(10-12)
Nature Club(11-12)
Yearbook Sports Photographer
Secretary of the Business Club (helped start it in 12th grade)
6th place overall in Academic Worldquest Competition (75+ teams competing statewide)
1 year of dance
This is pretty random…but i danced on a float in the Chingay Parade (a very celebrated event in Singapore that is aired in 10+ countries) </p>

<p>Leadership:
President of Pacific Asian Affairs Club
President of Habitat for Humanity
Senior Sports Editor of the school newspaper</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule:
IB English Literature
Journalism
Spanish III
Statistics
IB 20th Century History
Advanced Digital Photography</p>

<p>ACT:
Composite: 27
Math: 24
Science: 24
English: 27
Reading: 32</p>

<p>My GPA is awfully low because of very poor freshman/sophomore years, it was between these two years that i made the move from Singapore to Hawaii. My previous school was an international school, so i have the whole “living abroad” thing to separate me from other Hawaii students. My school in Hawaii prides itself in being one of the only IB schools in the state. The IB program is more challenging than AP, but it is looked upon as equal. My first quarter senior year GPA is 3.9, which is a dramatic change from my previous year. I’m hoping they will recognize a rising trend in my GPA.</p>

2

<p>I know that Penn State bases 2/3 of their decision on GPA…and i know mine is very very low. Is there even a slight chance at this point that i could get in?</p>

3

<p>your chances are rather low =/</p>

4

<p>Well, you might as well apply, because you never know. I had a 3.38 GPA and I got in. You should probably avoid making these kinds of threads, because they’re not really going to help you. Your numbers fall into range sorta, so there’s always a possiblity. Use collegeboard and the school’s website to figure out whether to apply. Just work hard on your application, and you might want to explain that you had to transition from living in Singapore, so that they know that those later grades you earned are more reflective of what you’re capable of. Good luck with everything.</p>

5

<p>I realize it’s not going to help me get into college…its just nice to know what other people think. My college counselor isn’t much of a great help because nobody from hawaii really applies to schools like this, so this whole discussion board is an excellent resource for me.</p>

6

<p>You have good EC’s and you’ve demonstrated an upward trend in grades since your freshman year, which colleges always like to see. I wouldn’t completely count you out; I think you have a chance.</p>

7

<p>i’d suggest applying now, before the priority deadline (nov 30) to maximize your chances of admissions. it really cant hurt to try.</p>

<p>try to write a good personal statement, but more importantly, i think you should send a letter to admissions with your penn state ID on top explaining your situation. try to convey a true passion for the school and explain your unique circumstances, without coming across as whiny or making excuses. you could also try for some personal contact with the admissions director…they may cut you some slack.</p>