nkatcher
nkatcher,
UPenn
B.S., Economics
Hi! I'm a student in the Huntsman Program for International Studies and Business at UPenn! Go Quakers!
Features Included
16
Essays
11
Schools
13
Scores
1
Advice
4
ECs
0
Sports

Background

Hometown Altoona, Pennsylvania
GenderMale
EthnicityWhite Non-Hispanic
AdmissionRegular Decision
Class of2019
First Gen College StudentNo
English First Language Yes
Other Language(s) Spoken German

Results, Essays, and Advice

Accepted
Waitlisted or Withdrew
Denied
  • University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
  • Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
  • Duke University (Durham, NC)
  • Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
  • Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
  • George Washington University (Washington, DC)
  • New York University (New York, NY)
  • Fordham University (New York, NY)
  • Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA)
Tap/click a school logo above to view essays and advice specific to that school.

University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)

Applied for a B.S. in Economics

Accepted and Enrolled Legacy: No

School Specific Essays

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
Greek mythology tells of the phoenix, a majestic bird that rises from its ancestor’s ashes, which represents renewal and rejuvenation. My phoenix did not come as a bird, but rather as a little brick building on 4th Avenue. As a kid, I spent every New Year’s Eve on my couch watching the ball drop with my grandparents, because my parents would not get home until 2:00 AM. Contrary to what this seemingly infers, they weren’t partying, celebrating or...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
705 Words
In light of your personal interests in language, business, and international affairs, please discuss a current global issue and explain how the Huntsman Program would allow you to explore it in greater depth.
In my ninth grade AP Human Geography class, we had a celebration for “seven day” in March. Ironically, while we were studying population demographics and projections, the world’s population estimate had surpassed seven billion people. From Godwin to Malthus, the drastic consequences of such a swift rate of population growth are regularly hypothesized, but often the repercussions of the inverse are forgotten. In studying the German language and its culture over the past four years, it quickly became clear...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
611 Words
The Admissions Committee would like to learn why you are a good fit for your undergraduate school choice (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, The Wharton School, or Penn Engineering). Please tell us about specific academic, service, and/or research opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania that resonate with your background, interests, and goals.
Was bietet Penn mir an? What does Penn offer me? As technology advances, so does globalization, and it becomes necessary to have an education that can meet the challenges of a rapidly expanding world community. Penn’s campus is physically located in Philadelphia, but its impact is global. Whether in the United States, China, or my beloved Germany, the significance of a University of Pennsylvania degree is internationally recognized and unrivaled by any other. My interest in German culture began...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
565 Words
Why Carnegie Mellon?
Growing up in Central Pennsylvania, I’ve spent more time in Pittsburgh than in any other city. Pittsburgh is a dynamic, connected metropolis with unlimited potential that I’ve grown to love. While an obvious benefit, Carnegie Mellon’s vibrant setting only represents the beginning of the advantages available to every student. While Pittsburgh is one of America’s finest cities, I am ambitious for an education beyond the confines of any one location. A globally connected university like Carnegie...
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Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest
620 Words
Describe two or three of your current intellectual interests and why they are exciting to you. Why will Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences be the right environment in which to pursue your interests?
A 1963 episode of the “Jack Paar Program” featured special guest Richard Nixon. The show discussed everything from politics to family life, but closed with Nixon’s playing of Richard Nixon Piano Concerto #1, a “hinky dinky song” written by the future President. While not the most musically fulfilling piece ever written, that song was a testament to the multifarious talents of successful individuals. 51 years later, I relate to Richard Nixon’s approach to life: while my greatest focus is on serious-natured...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
148 Words
If you are applying to the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences as a first year applicant, please discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is there something particular about Duke that attracts you?
As a prospective economics student, I strive for an internationally recognized education that allows me to expand my intellectual horizons beyond the standard curriculum. With opportunities like the Duke in London: Finance program, Duke University provides the perfect foundation for my desired global education. To supplement my studies, Duke’s Economics Student Union fosters the ideal environment for me to interact with fellow students and professors. However, the unequivocal peak of education at Duke is the opportunity to complete an...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
553 Words
Briefly discuss a current global issue, indicating why you consider it important and what you suggest should be done to deal with it.
In my ninth grade AP Human Geography class, we had a celebration for “seven day” in March. Ironically, while we were studying population demographics and projections, the world’s population estimate had surpassed seven billion people. From Godwin to Malthus, the drastic consequences of such a swift rate of population growth are regularly hypothesized, but often the repercussions of the inverse are forgotten. In studying the German language and its culture over the past four years, it quickly became clear...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Extracurricular activity
149 Words
In the space available discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.
The first speech I gave was for my 8th grade awards ceremony. Today, my high school’s speech team is my second family. Friends had teased me for years about “loving to talk,” so when I reached high school, forensics was a natural choice. My first local meet produced a red, second place ribbon. After one year filled with dedicated hours of practice, I earned the title of Pennsylvania State Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking. Not only do I take great...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
386 Words
NYU is global, urban, inspired, smart, connected, and bold. What can NYU offer you, and what can you offer NYU?
Growing up in a rural area of Central Pennsylvania, one of the biggest challenges facing any student is remembering there are places farther east than Philadelphia, and farther west than Pittsburgh. In New York City, every person is engulfed in culture and diversity at any given moment, and with NYU, possibilities extend far beyond Washington Square. With the dynamic Business and Political Economy program, NYU’s Stern School of Business provides the ideal setting for a student like myself, who...
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Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay
303 Words
What are the unique qualities of Northwestern – and of the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying – that make you want to attend the university? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?
As the legendary philosopher SpongeBob SquarePants once said, “It’s not just a boulder, it’s a rock...it’s a big, beautiful, old rock.” When I first laid eyes on the renowned Rock on Northwestern’s campus, it was painted to celebrate the wedding anniversary of a couple who had met while attending the university. It was a loving gesture, but to me, the meaning ran much deeper than a romantic celebration. It showcased the Wildcat alumni’s passion...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
545 Words
Using a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title and author at the beginning of the quotation.
The ever-sardonic protagonist and narrator of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, intimates to the reader, “I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot.” This comically paradoxical statement is used by Holden not to describe a literal inability to read, but rather the intellectual inadequacy he feels at a private school that surrounds him with people who have far stronger academic records. While I can also proudly attest to not being illiterate, I am...
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Supplemental Essay: Extracurricular activity
149 Words
Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences that was particularly meaningful to you.
The first speech I gave was for my 8th grade awards ceremony. Today, my high school’s speech team is my second family. Friends had teased me for years about “loving to talk,” so when I reached high school, forensics was a natural choice. My first local meet produced a red, second place ribbon. After one year filled with dedicated hours of practice, I earned the title of Pennsylvania State Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking. Not only do I take great...
Read more...
Supplemental Essay: Other
150 Words
Please tell us how you have spent the last two summers (or vacations between school years), including any jobs you have held.
Since a young age, the word summer has been synonymous with music in my household. Summertime music study begins with the fundamental basis of all music performance: practice. I am proud to have been a leader within a nationally ranked marching band program for my entire high school career. With such standards comes a rigorous “band camp”: four hours a day of marching, playing and performing, starting four weeks before school is back in session. For my personal study, I...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
247 Words
You are invited to dinner with George Washington during which you will have the opportunity to discuss any topic. What questions will you ask him and what do you hope to learn?
In George Washington’s renowned Farewell Address he warned against those who “put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party.” As a nation who respects its founder, the United States has followed the vast majority of the advice provided by George Washington as to how to maintain a healthy democracy, yet this vital piece of guidance seems to have been overlooked today. If offered the distinct honor of dining with George Washington,...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
483 Words
GW offers an education and college experience with a truly unique impact and once-in-a-lifetime moments. What is it about GW's Honors Program that attracts your interest?
I subscribe to the theory that there is a significant amount of psychology involved in any field of study. Regardless of discipline, understanding the human condition and structure of human thinking is vital to finding success in life. The George Washington University Honors Program recognizes the necessity of furthering human understanding by beginning every student’s curriculum, regardless of field of interest, with Origins and Evolutions of Modern Thought. While individuality is necessary to stimulate intellectual thought, it is also...
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Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school
465 Words
Please describe an instance when you took ownership of your intellectual growth and molded your education to meet your own goals. What did you learn about yourself through the process?
A teacher is responsible for tailoring an educational experience to best suit the students within a class. Especially in high level courses, this directed education often benefits a large majority of students, producing the best possible results. Unfortunately, on occasion, this approach creates situations where a few individuals are not receiving instruction that is best suited for their educational needs. As an educational experiment, my junior high school was offering its first ever AP course for 9th grade students (who...
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School Specific Advice

More Essays

These essays haven't been tagged by school. Click school logos above to see tagged essays.

General Admissions Advice

What set me apart from other applicants
64 Words
I believe it is vital that you demonstrate a passion for your future. Regardless of the passion, it must...
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High School Performance

GPA
3.86
(no specification of weighting)
Rank
Top 1%
 
High School TypePublic
Academic Performance in High School Steady
Explanation of Low Grades

Test Scores

Highest ACT
34
 
ACT Score Details
 
Other ACT Scores
ACT Prep
Highest SAT
1560
on 1600 scale
Highest SAT
2300
 
SAT Score Details
 
Original SAT Score2300
Other SAT Scores
SAT Prep
PSAT Scores

AP / IB Classes and Scores

Details8 classes and scores

Sports

Extracurriculars

ActivitiesDebate Club/Team, School Jazz / Orchestra, School Band, Theater/Drama
Elaborate on Extracurriculars or Work

Experience & Awards

How Spent Summers
Volunteer Experiences
Awards Received
Application Additional Materials

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