University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

The amount of diversity Penn has, the strength of Wharton, its business school, and the location. I came into the application process knowing I wanted to attend an undergraduate business program so Wharton was at the top of the list. But Penn really comes together because it is right in the heart of the city, which really adds to the experience at the school.

Compared to other schools I considered as well as my own upbringing, Penn's urban environment was unique. I had never lived in a large city before, and I did not take full advantage of the opportunities to get involved with the community outside of Penn as much as I had hoped to.

There are loads of opportunities for students coming in in different groups. Also, it is nice that there is some emphasis on the Greek scene, but you definitely dont need to be a part to benefit from what they do. Our school is very competitive but in some way that actually brings you closer to people. I can guarantee that my best friends here are easily going to be lifelong friends. There is even a statistic that something like 45{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of alumni found their spouse at Penn, not a bad statistic!

Penn has two world-class hospitals on its campus (HUP and CHoP: Hospital of University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia). This doesn't affect the lives of most Penn students, but for those of us who live with chronic health conditions it makes a huge difference to have help literally at our doorstep. I was diagnosed with a major condition during my second year at Penn. Thanks to HUP, I had top medical care and though I could have taken a leave of absence, having HUP on campus meant I could get the help I needed without missing a semester. The College worked with me to rearrange my course-load and contacted my professors to get extensions of deadlines and explain my absence from class. I graduated on time with honors and distinction in my major. Without HUP on campus and helpful administrators, I might not have survived, much less thrived academically and socially.

My school has all of its academic departments, graduate and undergraduate, in one campus setting. This enables me, as an undergraduate, to have walking distance access to all of the various graduate and undergraduate departments and classes, without taking a shuttle or commuter vehicle to certain departments such as the School of Medicine. My campus is extremely diverse, with numerous international students, and even a residential program called Living Cultures in my college house. Also, my school has numerous opportunities to acquire preprofessional experience, through schools such as Wharton and the Nursing school.

The cultural diversity and support for research and independent projects are unparalleled. They say having a Penn degree allows you to do anything in this world, and it's because Penn will allow you to do anything as an undergraduate. They really provide any resources or funding you could ever need to accomplish anything-see the world, start your own non-profit, etc.

The history. The University of Pennsylvania has decades of history on most colleges. You can sense this in the feel of the campus environment, in the silly traditions Penn supports, in the aging fraternity houses in the middle of campus, in the world's first computer, in the close proximity to downtown historic Philadelphia, and in the multitude of alumni who return for events and sporting games. At Penn you feel a part of a bigger path of intellectual studies and you recognize the significance of the college you are attending.

Even though Penn has a pretty big undergraduate program (about 2500 kids in my freshman class), it is still a surprisingly warm environment. Both the teachers and the students are friendly, welcoming, and generally happy to be in Penn.

Social aspect of a state school mixed with an ivy league education

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