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[quote=Anonymous]Penn (from reddit):

Major: Undecided (applied for political science)

Applicant: Domestic NY

GPA: 3.6 UW (9 Bs throughout hs, one P in a senior year course Calculus II)

SAT: 1570

Alongside my file, Penn sent me a key that helped explained some of the abbreviations I saw.

M/A: (scale of 1-4, 4 is highest) Match and Alignment -- Student's developed interest in Penn, fit with Penn programs, and talent within academic priorities

E: (scale of 1-6, 6 is highest) Excellence of Mind -- Student's pursuit of academic interests and achievements within school/community context

I: (scale of 1-6, 6 is highest) Impact in your space -- Student as a catalyst for impact/involvement with school/community context

AI: Academic index, a calculated value combining GPA and ACT/SAT

Portfolio rating: (1-9) only for applicants to architecture, DMD, fine arts, and music

Based on the above, it's safe to assume Penn prioritizes fit, stats, and community impact.

Now, with that in mind, these were my following scores:

M/A: 3/4 -- this is my highest rating. i think it makes sense, i did my research for the supplemental essays

E: 3/6 -- pretty dang low for a penn admit I'd assume.

I: 4/6 -- makes sense, most of my ECs were community-centric but nothing insane + most of my essays centered community

AI: 234 -- i believe this score is out of 240. I guess it's an easy way to compare me with other applicants, especially since I was a waitlist admit.

---

In addition to the abbreviations, Penn also notes "indicators" on the file. They are:

FG (first generation)

Legacy (specifically parent, stepparent, guardian, or grandparent who graduated from penn)

F/S (child of faculty or staff)

SE (student coming from potentially lower socioeconomic environment)

LGBTQA (member of the LGBTQA community)

ACA/PROB (disciplinary action or misdemeanor/felony)

PHL (philadelphia resident)

Sibling Applying (indication that a sibling has applied in the same application cycle)

QB-FM (Questbridge finalist matched with Penn)

I personally only had FG and LGBTQA (Penn has a specific question for LGBTQA relation, so that's how they know). I was kind of surprised to see LGBTQA and PHL here, as well as SE being distinct from FG. I can't say that Penn prioritizes LGBTQA folks or Philadelphia applicants, but it's definitely noted. Also neat to have a specific definition of legacy -- turns out my little brother isn't getting that boost </3

Overall, kind of underwhelming. It's not entirely clear why they admitted me off the waitlist -- in fact it's possibly more confusing. The omission of comments means there's nothing specifically pertaining to my essays, LOCI, or LORs, but it's entirely possible that those were the make-or-break for me due to my not particularly outstanding scores as listed above -- I've read my LORs as my recommenders slightly reworked them for other programs I needed LORs for and I know they're great. My essays were some of my favorite, and my LOCI had to have played some role in getting me in, I'd assume.

I hope this serves as something interesting, maybe insightful, as we head into ED deadlines next week! If there's any advice I'd give, it's to focus on what you can change -- stop dwelling on your GPA, test scores, ECs, awards, etc. and work your ass off to present what you have in a way that'd wow those AOs!

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/ydb2pb

Admissions Criteria:

The factors Penn considers very important are: course rigor, GPA, standardized test scores, application essay, recommendations, and character. Other important factors are: class rank, interview, extracurriculars, and talent.

An index rating of 1-9 is assigned for two criteria, GPA and standardized test scores. GPA is turned into an unweighted 4-point scale for ease of comparison. This scale includes pluses and minuses, and grades from all classes in 4 years of high school. Penn superscores SAT and ACT scores, and has no preference between the two.

Letters of recommendation are used to sort students with perfect scores who are not intellectually vibrant from those who are curious and contribute positively to the classroom. While interviews are not mandatory, the vast majority of applicants are granted one, and they can influence the decision.

What is Penn Looking For?

What Penn is looking for most is students who will fit into their cultural climate, and be able to succeed and thrive on their campus. That means first that they want students who are academically prepared for the academic work the school will expect them to do, and second students who will fit into the high-energy and academically curious student body.

Applications to each of the schools at Penn are treated separately, and the schools are looking for different things in the students they admit. Students should make sure they are applying to the school they are best suited and prepared for.

For Wharton, students should demonstrate a deep passion for and interest in business, along with displaying leadership qualities. These should be reflected in their extracurriculars. They are expected to have a high degree of math preparation, including calculus.

The School of Engineering focuses on the applied and practical side of sciences, while the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is more theoretical in its approach. Students should determine which of these approaches they are best suited for when applying. Engineering further expects a high level of preparation in both math and science courses, and signs the student has involved themselves in the practical side of the sciences.

The School of Nursing is looking most of all for students who are truly passionate about helping others, and the field of nursing itself. Students with no clear idea why they are interested in nursing or what the school is about are discouraged from applying.

The dual-degree programs are even more competitive, and require the highest degree of preparation. Students need to show that they would be able to succeed at two of Penn’s schools simultaneously, and that they have the drive and background to back up that claim. Penn looks for evidence of a student’s drive and ability to work in a self-directed manner. [/quote]

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