The University of Pennsylvania, or Penn, was established in 1790 and is one of the oldest universities in America. This prestigious Ivy League school is known for its top-notch research as well as its undergraduate programs that focus on practical applications grounded by a strong liberal arts foundation. Penn accepts both the Common Application or the Coalition Application and requires several supplemental essays as well. Your supplemental essays help the Penn admissions committee form a more holistic view of you as a potential student. Penn states: “We look for students who are inspired to emulate our founder Benjamin Franklin by applying their knowledge in ‘service to society.’” Through your Common Application, the admissions committee is aware of your grades and test scores, and understands the level of rigor in your curriculum within the context of your high school environment. Use the supplemental essays as an opportunity to demonstrate how you are an ideal match for Penn and how Penn will help you to accomplish your life goals. Illustrate how you engage with and think about the world around you. Communicate your thoughts, values, and perspectives so the school can understand what is important to you!
Penn offers a binding Early Decision option, with a November 1 deadline, and a Regular Decision option, with a deadline of January 5. Consider applying Early Decision if Penn is your first choice, because the rate of admission is higher during Early Decision. In addition, if Penn is your first choice and you have alumni ties, Early Decision might be your best approach. In the past, applicants with alumni affiliation received the most consideration during the Early Decision round. Keep in mind, though, that applying to any school via binding Early Decision will limit when and how you can apply to other schools. You are allowed to apply Early Decision to Penn and Early Action to other nonbinding or nonrestrictive Early Action programs. Always check with the specific schools for guidelines.
Before you sit down to begin writing your essays, do your research to learn as much as possible about Penn’s approach to education. Familiarize yourself with the unique character of the school, go through its website, get a sense of the campus and academic atmosphere, visit the campus (if possible), speak with students, and imagine yourself as a student at Penn. In short, identify what makes the school a good fit for you.
Penn is located in the city of Philadelphia and offers an exceptional education in a diverse urban setting on a primarily residential campus. Penn provides many opportunities for students to investigate various areas of interest. The availability of learning hubs is an example of how the school fosters an active and dynamic exploration of ideas. Think about how you might embrace this approach and the overall academic climate at Penn.
It should come as no surprise that Penn is steeped in tradition. Although Penn’s curriculum is flexible, it is grounded in a high-quality liberal arts and science foundation. The four undergraduate schools (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Nursing, and The Wharton School) pride themselves on providing an integrated and functional education.
Ready to get to work on your University of Pennsylvania application? Read on.
Penn application essay tips
Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words, only required for first-year applicants)
First, consider your overall application to Penn, because you want to shed light on something you have not already mentioned elsewhere. The person you write to should be someone who has had a positive impact on you, your life, your way of thinking, your identity, your interests, or in any other significant way. This is a short submission, so use concise language to explain what you are thanking the person for, how what they did (intentionally or not) affected you, and why you are grateful.
How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words)
This prompt is meant to address the interplay of how you might contribute to and benefit from the extracurricular atmosphere at the school. How will you participate in the Penn community and contribute to it in meaningful ways? You have only 200 words with which to express what excites you most about the community at Penn, provide some insight into how you might engage with it, and reveal how you could both enhance and grow from it, based on your individual identity and perspective. Among other things, this prompt provides an opportunity to express your cultural background and unique interests. Consider the school’s diverse population of students and their experiences in light of your own identity and perspectives. Also consider the Penn community within the context of the city of Philadelphia. Remember that Penn’s founder, Ben Franklin, was focused on service to society, and that begins with the dynamic community around you and expands from there. Overlay your individual story with the community at Penn. Your response requires you to look at your identity and perspective and consider ways you mesh with the Penn community, along with how that might affect you and how, in turn, you might affect those around you. What do you bring to the table, based on your life experience? What might you gain through your potential interactions/opportunities/exchanges with those in the Penn community?
The school-specific prompt is unique to the school to which you are applying. (For example, all applicants applying to the College of Arts and Sciences will respond to the prompt under the “College of Arts and Sciences” section). Considering the undergraduate school you have selected for your single-degree option, please respond to your school-specific prompt below.
For students applying to coordinated dual-degree and specialized programs, please answer this question about your single-degree school choice; your interest in the coordinated dual-degree or specialized program may be addressed through the program-specific essay.
For this response, you will address the school-specific prompt (School of Nursing, College of Arts and Sciences, The Wharton School, or The School of Engineering and Applied Science) in 150-200 words.
Although each prompt is slightly different based on the school to which you are applying, the underlying question is the same: how does Penn support your intellectual and academic interests, and how do your goals align with the specific mission of the school? Do your research on your school of choice. How will it prepare you to achieve your goals? You must demonstrate an understanding of yourself by articulating your personal connection to the program’s mission. Consider why you are a good fit for the undergraduate school (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, The Wharton School, or The School of Engineering and Applied Science). What specific academic, service, and/or research opportunities (available at Penn) might enhance your journey and help you accomplish your goals? Include examples of how your personal experiences make the program at Penn a good fit for you. How will the opportunities at Penn expand, nurture, and support your interests and aspirations? In closing, remember to address why you are driven to attend the program at Penn and how a Penn education will help you to effect change in the world.
Students applying to dual-degree and specialized programs should address the prompts above in terms of the single-degree school choice in your response. Your interest in the coordinated or specialized program can be addressed in your program-specific essay (400-650 words).
Note that additional essays are required if you are applying to one of the coordinated dual degree or specialized programs offered at Penn. These responses have limits that range from 400 to 650 words. Although these individual prompts are not addressed in detail here, keep in mind that each one asks you to share specific examples and experiences that demonstrate your potential for success, along with your enthusiasm for and attraction to the particular program. These programs are a significant commitment, and you need to convey your genuine dedication. The admissions committee uses your essays to determine whether you will be a good match for the particular dual degree or specialized program to which you seek admission.
This is a competitive application process, and you are up against an increasingly strong group of applicants. Although Penn is not requiring the submission of standardized test scores for the 2024-2025 application cycle, we can look at the middle 50% score ranges submitted by students in the school’s Class of 2028: 1510-1560 for the SAT, and 34-36 for the ACT. Here are a few more numbers to consider. For the Class of 2028, Penn received a total of 65,236 applications. Of those, 3,508 students were admitted. The overall acceptance rate was 5.4%. Of note, more than 8,500 students applied via Early Decision, and although Penn did not immediately disclose the acceptance rate, it looks to be around 20% (based on Penn’s admissions website reporting that 51% of the incoming class was accepted via Early Decision). Effectively communicating the intangibles of your candidacy through your essays is the best way to differentiate yourself in this prestigious crowd. Make certain that your essay content addresses what each essay prompt asks for. Use your essay responses to discuss what is meaningful to you, project the value you might add to the campus community, and convey how Penn is the ideal place for you to achieve your dreams for the future.
Take a deep breath, and try not to be intimidated by this process. Start early to allow yourself enough time to thoroughly research, prepare, and complete all aspects of your application. All the components must come together in a compelling way to present you as a highly competitive applicant. Penn is interested in your personal stories, life experiences, hopes, and aspirations. It seeks to attract and foster great thinkers and future leaders who will play constructive roles in society. Take the time and invest the energy necessary to reveal your best self!
Penn application deadlines
| Early Decision | November 1, 2024 |
| Regular Decision | January 5, 2025 |
Source: Penn website.
***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with the University of Pennsylvania directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***
Penn class profile
Here is a look at Penn’s first-year students for its Class of 2028 (data taken from the Penn website):
Total applications: 65,236
Admitted Early Decision: 51%
Enrolled students: 2,396
Test scores
- ACT: 34-36
- SAT: 1510-1560
Nations represented: 92
International students (home addresses outside the United States): 15%
States represented: 47
Students from Philadelphia: 149 (6%)
First-generation college students: 19%
Identify as students of color: 57%
Underrepresented races and ethnicities: 23%
Identify as female: 53%
Identify as male: 46%
Identify as transgender, nonbinary, and/or gender questioning: 1%
You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are. Now that you’re ready for your next achievement, make sure you know how to present yourself to maximum advantage in your Yale application. In a hotly competitive season, you’ll want a member of Team Accepted in your corner, guiding you with expertise tailored specifically for you. Schedule a free consultation today.
Marie Todd has been involved in college admissions for more than 20 years. Marie has both counseled applicants to top colleges and evaluated more than 5,000 applications for the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; College of Engineering; School of Kinesiology; School of Nursing; and Taubman College of Architecture. Want Marie to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch.
Related Resources: