University of Pennsylvania Top Questions

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Academic; smart workers and hard players.

Academic; smart workers and hard players.

The student body is really diverse so it's hard to pin down a stereotype of all students when I think about UPenn. There are a lot of Jews, if anything, and Asians, but you can't tell apart the frat boys from the nerds because we're all nerds.

The stereotype is that Wharton students are competitive and cutthroat, the Nursing kids have it too easy, the College of Arts and Sciences Kids are too lax, and the engineering kids have it rough and have no lives.

People tend to think that Penn has a lot of rich, snobby white folks. Though there are a number on campus, the majority of students are very nice. Penn is also considered the "social ivy" and that is definitely true. Everyone works hard, but they definitely know how to go out and have fun at the same time.

Our stereotype is that we are preppy rich kids but it is actually not at all true. We have a huge diversity of students and I've never felt looked down upon.

I think most stereotypes, if any, that you'll find at a school like UPenn exists primarily within the Greek community. There are certain fraternities and sororities that have developed reputations and seem to recruit students who fit that mold. For example, Delta Upsilon is often cited as the fraternity with the highest collective GPA on campus, recruiting ITAs (Information Technology Advisors) and Asian nerds. While this may not always be true, there seems to be a "type" of person that typically joins this fraternity. Futhermore, aside from stereotypes, UPenn is organized according to social circles. These circles are developed by people who all share a common interest. Whether its the Penn Democrats or the Latino Coalition, there is a support group for all types of people and a good chance that you'll meet someone just like you. Each circle elects its own leaders and these individuals act as representatives of these communities to higher university officials. This does not mean you are automatically placed within a specific group of people, however. It is very easy to navigate across social environments. There is room for everyone and anyone.

People think that students who attend the University of Pennsylvania are more academically oriented, more competitive, and more presumptuous than the typical college student. Also, there is the notion of our being the party Ivy. Although it is true that students care about studying, there're many other causes and activities to which everyone dedicates their time. As for socializing, there's a healthy does of that.

They work and play hard