University of Pennsylvania
An Ivy-league school located in the heart of urban Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania has a historical tradition and has been rapidly expanding in recent years. Dating back to 1740, Penn is one of the oldest private Universities in the Country. Penn was founded by Benjamin Franklin to establish an institution where students could get the education they needed to contribute to business and public service. The first students were admitted to Penn in 1741.
The school has over 20,000 students and an active research base with large grants from the National Institutes of Health and several large foundations. The student body at the University is made up of 10,275 full-time undergraduate students and 9,853 graduate/professional students. An additional 3,979 people study at Penn on a part-time basis. More than 10 percent of undergrads are international students. The University employs 4,049 faculty members.
Penn has been expanding the school’s urban campus from its current 280 acres by developing areas in the city near the campus. The school has four undergraduate colleges with focuses on Applied Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Nursing and Business, and is best known for the Wharton School of Business.
A larger focus on professional school can be seen through the many Graduate programs ranging from a well known Law School to a School of Design as well as several medical colleges ranging from Nursing to Veterinary Medicine.
Degree Programs at Penn
Undergraduate students at Penn are enrolled in one of the University’s schools: The College (Arts and Sciences), School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Nursing, and Wharton (Business). Graduate students can continue their education in one of the following Schools at Penn:
• Annenberg School for Communication
• Graduate School of Education
• Law School
• School of Arts and Sciences
• School of Dental Medicine
• School of Design
• School of Engineering and Applied Science
• School of Medicine
• School of Nursing
• School of Social Policy & Practice
• School of Veterinary Medicine
Admission Requirements
Freshman applicants must complete the SAT Reasoning Test, as well as two Subject tests. The ACT with Writing may be used instead of the SAT tests. Applicants to the School of Nursing will be interviewed on campus as part of the selection process.
If you want to be considered under Penn’s Early Decision system, your application must be received by November 1. Decisions are posted online on December 12 and confirming letters are mailed out. Regular Decision applications are due by January 1, and decision letters are mailed out by March 31. School of Nursing applicants are notified from February 1-March 31. Those people accepted to Penn have until May 1 to advise whether they will be attending.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2008-2009 school year were $37,526. Room and board costs were an additional $10,622. Penn is known for being generous with financial aid for students; the average amount of financial aid given to freshman students in 2008 was $32,737.
Sports at Penn
Male athletes from this Ivy-League University compete at the intercollegiate level in 17 sports, including basketball, football, golf, rowing, swimming, track and field, and wrestling. Female athletes compete in cross country, field hockey, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and more. Athletics are also offered at the intramural level, which had teams participating in 12 sports. Students can also join one of 39 sports clubs while attending Penn.
Online Programs
Penn offers English Language courses online. This certificate program can be completed from any location with an Internet connection. Students can improve their written English skills for business and academic purposes.
Penn Reviews & Rankings
Ranked as one of the top schools in the country, Penn continues to build on a proud academic tradition in the sciences and humanities alike. The reviews of Penn tend to rave about it’s quality of education and the quality of life it provides it’s students with a beautiful, historic campus with all the amenities of city life.