<p>so i moved to the US from england since my dad got a job at upenn
In england i went to a private high school where i got very good grades (probably top 10 in school).
I had no idea what to expect when i moved (i didnt know the system) so im only taking 1 honor and 1 ap class (im in the 10th grade). at the start i got a couple of Cs but now mostly As and Bs (btw my school is ridiculously competitive and its public).
so i wanna go to penn here are the positive facts:
ive had education in england, where i got very good grades and did many clubs
im getting mostly as and bs
im working very hard for the SATs (im taking tutoring, ect.)
ive started taking flying lessons to increase my extracurricular activities i will probably get my private license in a few years (i dont do any clubs at school)
my dad is part of the alumni
i taking 4 APs next year and 1 honors and im hoping to do very good in them
im also taking a summer course at penn this year and probably next year
im volunteering at the hospital for summer</p>
<p>Im not the smartest person and the American system of schooling has been really tough for me but im really determined about going to upenn. So what are my chances? Please be frank. Am i way over my head?</p>
<p>your chances, as of now, are on the lower end. get more involved in your school and try to bring your grades up to all A’s. also, take the most challenging classes that are available to you. you need to be very good at everything and also do something that sticks out to them - youre on the right track with flying lessons</p>
<p>Actually since your dad works at Penn and went to Penn, your chances are increased considerably. Continue getting good grades, good scores on SAT, and write good essays and I think you have a great chance. Also apply ED and your chances will be boosted even more because of your legacy status.</p>
<p>You have an ok chance but ok isn’t good enough. There needs to be more improvement. Why not get involved with even more extracurricular activities today? When I applied to UPenn years ago, I was very lucky that I landed an interview. I wouldn’t say that I was naturally gifted either; I was an all A student but not a good test-taker so sadly my SAT scores reflected that. However, I was involved in 11 clubs (holding positions in a couple of them) and performed a lot of volunteer work. I took all IB classes (diploma candidate) and was top 4 in my class with a high GPA when I graduated. I also wrote a very compelling essay (big one, in my opinion, and contrary to the belief that SAT scores hold a huge amount of weight). In retrospect, what killed me was the interview. I lacked social and leadership skills at the time and performed horribly. Even though I had the passion, drive, and determination, I was very nervous and just wasn’t very articulate. My advice would be to boost up your extracurriculars, take more difficult courses, and to showcase your strengths, passion, confidence, leadership, individuality and creativity on paper and during the interview. Let these qualities shine through and you shouldn’t have a problem getting in. I believe they are seeking well-rounded applicants; they don’t just base applicants purely on scores. Good Luck!!!</p>