College Overview: Penn

Penn: The Best College in the World
The biggest piece of advice I can give to a high school student is to work really hard. Penn is not easy to get in to (if you're applying to wharton or the college) and its admissions rate is artificially high because it is the average of all four of its undergraduate institutions (of which nursing has about a 20% acceptance rate-- that really hurts the average). I chose Penn because it was the only Ivy that had a real social life. I knew it was competitive and that the academics were challengin...

Penn: Penn Is What It Is
I would say if you are considering someplace like Penn obviously do well in your high school academically and make the most of the resources you have available to you. It is a tough place to get into without a doubt. I applied ED to Penn because of the location (in Philly but also close to NYC and DC), the academic reputation, the diversity, and the school culture -- most notably its preprofessional and practical emphasis. I honestly felt that I would have probably fit in better at someplace lik...

Penn: The Fun Ivy!
Penn's four undergrad schools are amazing. We are without a doubt the most fun Ivy League school. Students are so involved and passionate but also know how to have fun and manage a huge workload. If you don't like working hard and playing hard, you should pretty much stay away. During New Student Orientation, expect to be pampered with elaborate University run parties. Don't expect to remember anything- especially the names of the 20 billion people you introduced yourself to. Get rea...