The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is one of the prestigious eight Ivy League schools, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
2018 U.S. News National University Ranking: #8
Notable alumni: Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Donald Trump
As a top 10 private university in the U.S., UPenn is a founding member of the Association of American Universities, an alliance of leading North American research institutions. Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740, it is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and the first American university to combine scientific technology with liberal arts education. UPenn boasts one of the world's most powerful alumni networks, including dozens of winners of top awards in their fields (such as Nobel and Turing awards) and many members of U.S. national academies.
Campus Environment
One of UPenn's most iconic landmarks is the red LOVE sculpture, where many students and visitors pose for photos.
UPenn is situated in the historic city of Philadelphia, spanning 299 acres with 215 buildings outside the hospital—truly a large campus.
The main campus is built around three streets: Spruce Street, Locust Walk, and Walnut Street. On the lawn above the map (in front of Van Pelt Library) stands a sculpture of a giant button broken in two. There's a story behind it: in his later years, Franklin became quite stout and once burst a button off his shirt. Hence, the broken button sculpture symbolizes that burst button. Opposite this sculpture sits a statue of Franklin, and it's said that the statue's clothing is missing a button—the very one that popped off.
Philadelphia lies in the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania, with New Jersey just across the river to the east. The river on the left has a beautiful Chinese name "思故河" (actually the Schuylkill River), and UPenn is located on its west bank, close to the waterfront.
During leisure time between classes, students can relax on the riverside lawn, enjoy the sunrise or sunset, take a walk, or go for a run—so relaxing!
Academic Excellence
When people think of UPenn, Wharton School often comes to mind first. But a single school alone doesn't make UPenn a top-tier U.S. private university. Every school at UPenn makes outstanding contributions in its own field. UPenn students describe their alma mater as "Work Hard, Play Hard, Dynamic, Diverse, Well-rounded, Intellectual, Eclectic."
UPenn has 12 schools:
School of Arts and Sciences
School of Medicine
Law School
School of Engineering and Applied Science
School of Dental Medicine
Wharton School
School of Veterinary Medicine
School of Design
Graduate School of Education
School of Nursing
School of Social Policy and Practice
Annenberg School for Communication
Each school offers well-defined specializations, a well-designed curriculum, and professors with strong academic backgrounds who are highly dedicated to teaching. Studying at such a university, you naturally pick up its fast pace and progress rapidly. UPenn also places great emphasis on master's and PhD education, ensuring that students here lead very fulfilling lives.
Which Programs Have Higher Admission Rates?
Graduate School of Education
This school is relatively easier to get into, offering many programs such as Intercultural Communication, Leadership in Science Education, and more. Specific programs and application deadlines are as follows, most with rolling admissions, providing many opportunities to apply.
This school has no minimum TOEFL score requirement, and the official website states that IELTS scores can be submitted, though submitting TOEFL is still recommended. No GRE is required.
Master's of Systems Engineering
UPenn's Master of Systems Engineering program also has a relatively high admission rate.
Let's look at the requirements on the official website:
Applicants need to provide GRE scores; it is also a program with a relatively high admission rate. No minimum GRE score is required. TOEFL requirement is 100, or IELTS 7.5.
Safety
Philadelphia is a major U.S. city with a significant African American population and a rich history. However, as nearby New York has grown more prosperous and attracted more resources, Philadelphia has been experiencing decline. The city center remains vibrant, but surrounding neighborhoods vary, with some impoverished and rundown areas adding a sense of insecurity, while there are also affluent, scenic neighborhoods. The university district, especially around UPenn, is relatively safe due to the school deploying numerous campus police officers patrolling 24/7. Still, it's not advisable to walk alone late at night.
Toast-Throwing Tradition
Although the academic pace at UPenn is fast, there are plenty of fun activities. Embracing the "Work Hard, Play Hard" philosophy, sports and recreational activities are abundant, including the famous and fun Toast-Throwing Tradition.
If you have the chance to visit Franklin Field for a home football game at UPenn, you'll experience the tradition of fans throwing toast onto the field during the break between the 3rd and 4th quarters. Not just toast—sometimes bagels, muffins, and pumpernickel are thrown too.
Because alcohol is banned in the stadium, and the word "toast" means both "toasted bread" and "a tribute or salutation," many believe that throwing toast onto the field is a way of "toasting dear old Penn." That's why this unique scene unfolds during games. There's even a line in Penn's fight song: "Here's a toast to dear old Penn." However, the cleaning crew might have mixed feelings when they have to pick up all the bread slices after the game.
