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Wharton and Penn don’t ONLY take kids from target private/public schools. In fact, diversity is also a big priority in admissions. Coming from a “non-target” school, as you call it, can actually be an advantage. If Wharton or Penn is a student’s unequivocal first choice, then that student certainly should apply ED to increase his/her chances. To recommend otherwise to such a student would be doing him/her a great disservice.</p>