The University of Pennsylvania

“I looked at my admissions fileJul 04 2015Physics
I looked at my admissions file. I had top ratings for everything except how well I'd "fit" in at Penn. Lots of extracurriculars, 14 AP tests, high grades. None of it matters if you're Asian (excluding the Philippines). I'm guessing none of it matters if you're any ethnicity. Admissions is like a random number generator, except it tends to pick the irresponsible, the wealthy, and the irresponsibly wealthy. Good luck.
SAT: 2370 Male

“I applied early decision and did a lot ofDec 24 2010Engineering Department
I applied early decision and did a lot of work in high school to give my application and resume some substance. I was top of my class and participated and held leadership positions in a bunch of clubs and varsity sports. I played up my sense of humor in my essays which I'm sure couldn't have hurt. I'd recommend making your application stand out and if you're set on Penn like I was, go early decision.
SAT: 2160 Male

“Although I did not do well on my SAT'sOct 15 2009Nursing
Although I did not do well on my SAT's as other classmates of mine, I had a strong gpa in school (3.8, weighted was around 4.1) and a diverese list of extracurricular activities that showed artistic ability, leadership skills, and altruism.
SAT: 1190 Female

“I visited the campus and attended recruitment events asDec 12 2006Communications
I visited the campus and attended recruitment events as often as possible-- and made sure the admissions office knew it. I put a LOT of effort into my admissions essays. I worked hard in high school: got great grades, took difficult and interesting courses, won awards, held leadership roles in extracurricular activities.
ACT: 34 SAT: 1540 Female

“Penn looks for people who have really stood outOct 07 2006Undecided
Penn looks for people who have really stood out in their communities. at convocation, the president told us that the main reason we are here and what we all have in common is 'passionate intensity'. top notch grades and SAT scores are important but do not guarantee admission here. penn seeks students that are well-rounded and have had balanced and productive lives in high school. the impression i have got here is that the university would much rather take someone with strong leadership, well-developed extracurriculars, great essays and good academics than "Mr. 2400, 4.0" with no life. In the end, your essays, extracurriculars and class rank (should be atleast in top 10%) are what are going to make the difference.
I was President of my high school, have published a book, conducted extensive economic research for a firm, wrote for school newspaper, model UN delegate etc....SAT was 2190 (decent but not great)...grades were mostly A's some B's and a few C's sprinkled about...graduated top 5% of my class...and am now enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences. Just make sure you've really stood out wherever you can, remember it's not important to be perfect (and no applicant is), just come off as genuine and unless you apply from an area from where penn recieves a large no. of applications you should get in. there are a lot of ppl here with lower stats than mine, and probably an equal no. with better...penn is really looking for a geographically and individually diverse class and hence you never know who is going to get in and who's not. if i were to leave you with TWO pieces of advice on getting into penn, they would be:
1. Stand out in your community, do something different and make sure this is CONVEYED WELL in your application.
2. If you REALLY want penn, apply early decision--you're facing a 28% admit rate ED as opposed to 13% RD....penn fills 49% of its class early decision....applying RD is so intense no matter how qualified you are it's a coin-toss, whereas a very strong applicant early decision is IN.
SAT: 2190 Male