2006 Rank: 9
2008 Rank: 19
Matriculation Rate of African Americans: 89%
Average High School GPA: 3.8
Total Enrollment: 10,138
African American Enrollment: 695
Number of Applications: 22,646
Acceptance Rate: 16%
*Average SAT Score: Reading 650-750; Math 680-770; Writing 660-750
Black Student Group(s): Black Student League, Caribbean American Student Association
Application Deadline(s): Regular Decision: Jan. 1; Early Decision: Nov. 1
Acceptance Letters Sent Out: Early Decision: Dec. 15; Regular Decision: April 1
Financial Aid/Deadline(s): Feb. 15
Costs: Tuition & Fees: $37,526; Room & Board: $6,640; Books & Supplies: $1,050
Greek Organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Sigma Gamma Rho, Zeta Phi Beta
*25th Percentile-75th Percentile
ADMISSIONS Q&A
What are you looking for in a student?
Penn seeks students who are committed to academic excellence. We look for those students who have challenged themselves academically in high school and who have performed at the top of their class and have, through their school and community activities, demonstrated depth of interest.
What advice do you have for students who might fall short of minimum requirements, but still want to attend?
Penn is a highly selective university. The best advice for students is to prepare well in high school by taking challenging classes and doing well in them. Each year Penn admits a very select group of transfer students. Some students who are not admitted to Penn will spend a year or two at another college or university, make excellent grades, and then reapply successfully for admission to Penn.
What kind of opportunities do you have for international, students?
International students comprise approximately 14% of the incoming freshman class at Penn, making it one of the most internationally diverse among Ivy League universities. Penn normally enrolls 100-200 transfer students each year. The College of General Studies is a part of the School of Arts and Sciences at Penn and works with students who want to begin or resume college after a number of years.
How does the university weigh GPA, SAT scores, extracurricular activities, college essay, and recommendations during the application process?
The GPA and curriculum, class rank, if available, the standardized testing (either the SAT and two SAT Subject Tests or the ACT), activities, essays, and teacher recommendations all carry great weight. All are carefully considered by the admissions committee when making admissions decisions. The leading indicator for Penn is academic performance since ninth grade and the level of the curriculum.
What is the student-teacher ratio?
Penn has an enviable student to faculty ratio of 6 to 1. Perhaps equally important is our average class size, which is approximately 27 students per class with freshman seminars capped at no more than 16.
What is the university’s housing situation like? Is it difficult for freshman/sophomores to get housing?
More than 99% of freshmen live in one of Penn’s 11 college houses. Approximately two-thirds of all undergraduates live on campus. Students who live off campus frequently live in apartments and houses in Penn’s West Philadelphia neighborhood, within walking distance of the university.
How active is the college in helping students find internships and full-time jobs?
Penn has a wonderful Career Services office. Typically, there are far more internships and jobs than there are students seeking them. The advisers in Career Services assist students in determining which internships and jobs are the most appropriate for them and their career goals. Career Services also provides advising for pre-medicine, pre-law, and other pre-professional students.