Hi all!
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| Philadelphia, as seen from Penn Park |
I am currently sitting in
one of my favorite coffee chains, Saxby’s. If you ever stumble across one, run
inside and buy yourself an iced coffee or a Groothie. You will not regret it!
Anyway, this coffee shop happens to be on the campus of University of
Pennsylvania – today’s institutional spotlight.
In a previous post, I
have written about my experience taking classes at Bryn Mawr, Haverford and
Penn, but I will try to provide some insight on what Penn is like specifically.
I am aiming to write about Penn in an informal way that conveys aspects of the
Penn experience that cannot be found in Google searches. A brief background on
Penn is that it is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; is the nation’s first
university; and is a member of the prestigious Ivy League. From experience in
classes and with friends who attend Penn, the college is filled with young,
involved go-getters. This high achieving culture unites the four undergraduate
colleges: College of Arts and Sciences, Penn Engineering, School of Nursing,
The Wharton School. Penn’s nursing school and business school top their
respective rankings. And, Penn is ranked as the numer 8 undergraduate school by
US News and World Reports.
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Allison Jegla (right) JIF '10, UPenn '16,
JIF VP for Program Development |
Penn has much more to
offer than a great formal education, though. Students have the opportunity to
engage with hundreds of clubs – some of which have competitive admissions. From
my seat in Saxby’s, there is hazy view of Locust Walk, a pedestrian path that
is the heart of campus. Here, clubs pass out fliers for upcoming events or
maybe entice students to join their group with a dance from a past performance.
Penn is not a place to be bored. Center City Philadelphia is a quick Uber or
subway ride away – or mildly long walk away. In addition, the campus is always
hosting a variety of events. The percent of students in Greek life is difficult
to find online, but Greek life undoubtingly has a large presence on
campus.
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| Penn College Hall |
In some ways, Penn can be
intimidating. When I visited in high school, tall buildings and new faces
surrounded me. Also, I had in the back of my mind that Penn was an ultra social
place. And when the tour finished, I had
no interest in attending. But first impressions can be wrong; Penn is a
brilliant and supportive institution, full of caring professors and students. Yes,
Penn is in the Ivy League and is made up of a lively community, which in a way only
conveys the diversity of the Penn experience. Penn offers a great education,
extracurriculars, location, and preparation for the graduate school/workforce. There
is plenty of space for outgoing and introverted people alike. Do not be
intimidated. Penn would be lucky to have any JIF woman.
Please reach out to me if
you have any questions! Or want to know anything else.
Best,
Brette
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