University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania ( Penn) – The oldest university in the United States, founded by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania is a classic research university with a consistently high reputation. Today, students from hundreds of countries around the world study at Penn, and they continue to conduct advanced research and discoveries within the walls of the university.

History of the University of Pennsylvania

The educational institution was established in 1740, first as the Charity School in Philadelphia, then it became a college, later a university. The diplomat and inventor Benjamin Franklin became the first president of the educational institution. From the first years of the founding of the university, they have taken a course on an interdisciplinary approach to education and science.

In 1765, a medical school was opened here – the first university school of this profile in the United States. In 1850, a law school was established, and two years later, a school of engineering and applied sciences. The Wharton School of Business, founded in 1881, is considered the first in the United States and one of the strongest in the world; the first academic programs were written by Wharton himself, a successful entrepreneur who founded the educational institution.

From the very first years, this educational institution was considered prestigious and strong; future politicians and economists studied within these walls, including the 9th US President William Henry Harrison. During the Second World War, large funds were invested in university research, which made it possible to realize many scientific projects.

The university provides a classical fundamental education, at the same time it is a research university. Most of the achievements and discoveries of Penn belong to the fields of medicine, physics and economics. Over the past two decades, four Nobel Prize winners and five Pulitzer Prize winners have been associated with Penn.

Building the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, a multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan city, the former capital of the United Colonies. Today it is a major student and cultural center, where unique monuments of colonial America coexist with skyscrapers of business centers. The campus is located in the city center and is easily accessible by bus, metro or bicycle.

Most of the university buildings were designed by Cope and Stewardson, masters of the Collegiate Gothic style. Today, the campus covers over 279 acres of land. Bachelor’s programs are taught in four schools and colleges of the University of Pennsylvania, master’s – in a dozen. All 12 schools and colleges, as well as six training centers, research institutes are within walking distance from each other. In the vicinity of the campus there are restaurants and pubs, a grocery store and a cinema. The campus has libraries, museums, sports centers, student residences are located here.

The University of Pennsylvania campus is adjacent to Drexel University and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. The major cancer research institute Wistar is also located on campus. With these institutions, Penn has close scientific ties. The campus houses the Institute of Contemporary Art, which operates as a museum.

Scientific achievements of the University of Pennsylvania

• It was within the walls of Penn that ENIAC (ENIAC) appeared – the first electronic digital computer, which was developed as part of a top-secret US project.
• The University of Pennsylvania has identified a region of the brain responsible for tobacco cravings.
• Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered the tomb of Pharaoh Sebekhotep, who lived about 3,800 years ago.
• Within the walls of the educational institution, superstrong threads of the “diamond polymer” were synthesized. These filaments are hundreds of thousands of times thinner than fiber optics. At the same time, they may turn out to be the strongest of the potential materials.
• Here they proposed a new method for the treatment of chronic renal failure.
• The university has proven that learning a second language improves brain function and changes its structure.
• Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have confirmed the link between toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia.
• The university has compiled a daily schedule for the work of genes. The researchers studied the change in the activity of several thousand genes during the day in a dozen organs. Thanks to the study, it became clear why drugs act differently depending on the time of administration.
• Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered water clouds in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf outside the solar system.
• University medical school bioengineers have learned how to turn human fibroblasts into melanocytes – they were able to do this by directly reprogramming cells.
• The University of Pennsylvania is one of only two US institutions with a Restoring Active Memory (RAM) science program. As part of the program, a neuroprosthesis is being created that should help to cope with memory loss in the military, who were injured, as well as people with various neurodegenerative diseases.

Why should you go to the University of Pennsylvania?

• Philadelphia is a very cozy historic US city with magnificent architecture and a mild climate. More than 100 museums are concentrated in it, students can visit performances of the world famous Philadelphia Orchestra, opera, ballet, and performances.
• Philadelphia and its educational institutions attract immigrants from all over the world. This region has one of the highest concentrations of colleges and universities in the country, which is why students from all over the world flock here.
• The university is affiliated with 142 research centers and institutes.
• Students at the University of Pennsylvania are involved in active volunteer work. In 2014, 14,000 students and employees of the university were in such organizations.
• The endowment (target capital) of the University of Pennsylvania is $ 9.58 billion (data from the end of 2014). This is one of the largest endowments in the world.
• The University of Pennsylvania Library is considered one of the largest academic libraries in the United States, with over 4 million books and other publications.

Scholarships and Grants at the University of Pennsylvania

The university provides financial assistance to students (Penn Grant) on the basis of the necessary documents, the amount of financial assistance is calculated individually. Named scholarships (University Named Scholarships) are provided based on academic performance.

Most students participate in external scholarship competition programs. For example, in the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship program: it is provided to students conducting their research projects. The Pennsylvania Engineering Foundation Faber Scholarship is awarded for research in this field to second-year students and above. NACA (NACA East Coast Higher Education Research Scholarship) Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students for promising projects, ideas and research.

Features of admission to the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a selective university with about 10 percent of applicants enrolled.

Foreign students must apply and provide a certificate/diploma with a transcript. The application can be submitted online through the Common Application http://www.commonapp.org .

International students are required to pass a general SAT test and two subject tests (SAT Subject Tests) or an ACT exam with a written part (ACT + writing). There are no minimum requirements, but the average scores of applicants are known: for SAT Reading they are 730, for SAT Math – 750, for SAT Writing – 750. For admission to master’s programs, GMAT test results are required .

Foreign students must have a good command of English, for admission to the University of Pennsylvania, the results of a successfully passed TOEFL test are required .

Two references from former teachers are required .

The University of Pennsylvania is interested in learning about an applicant’s non-academic interests. Therefore, prospective students are advised to attach certificates of personal achievements to the main package of documents.

Documents for financial assistance are submitted together with the main package of documents.

Average rates of successful applicants in 2014

University of Pennsylvania Application Deadlines

Applications are submitted in 2 rounds:

• Early applicationsmust be submitted by November 1st. The enrollment results are known until December 15th.
• Applications in generalare submitted before January 1, information on enrolled candidates is known at the end of March.

Admission statistics in 2014

International cooperation and exchange programs at the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania has exchange programs with 60 major prestigious educational institutions in the USA, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand (International Guest Student Program). It is possible to study at partner universities for a year or a semester. Partners include University of Sydney (Australia), University of York (UK), Technical University Dortmund (Germany), University of Bologna (Italy), Kyoto University (Japan), National University of Singapore and other leading colleges and universities.

Interesting facts about the University of Pennsylvania

• University researchers have proven that family conflicts lead to dental problems.
• There is an interesting tradition in the MBA master’s program: in the fall, business school students go to one of the central streets of the city, wearing shirts, business suits, ties and … underpants. Pants are real and future businessmen do not wear. The lingerie parade is annual and a lot of fun. Another procession is called Hey Day, only freshmen participate in it. Of the mandatory attributes – a straw hat, a red shirt and a cane. You need to pace around the campus with dignity, not paying attention to the grins of undergraduates.
• Penn produced the largest number of billionaires among graduates – 25 people (data from the beginning of 2015).
• In 1873, Penn’s first graduating class planted ivy on campus, and the Ivy Day tradition slowly spread to other colleges and universities. It is believed that this is how the concept of the “Ivy League” (Ivy League) was born, which today includes the oldest and most eminent higher educational institutions in the country.
• At night, during the session, the windows in student residences are open: at exactly midnight, heart-rending cries are heard from them. This tradition exists in other universities and colleges, which are famous for their strong training. Yelling and yelling helps to cope with stress during exams.
• One of the first publications in the university library appeared thanks to Louis XVI, who donated books to the educational institution.

Notable Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania

• The University of Pennsylvania has been called “the university for billionaires”. This university is the alma mater for many successful entrepreneurs. Among the graduates of Penn University is Warren Buffett – one of the richest people on the planet, as well as the largest philanthropist in the history of mankind. Indian billionaire Anil Ambani also studied at the University of Pennsylvania.
• “Founder of the junk bond market,” billionaire Michael Milken studied at Penn. Another graduate is Peter Lynch, a successful financier and author of books on investing.
• American producer Wendy Finerman graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, she is one of the producers of the film “Forrest Gump” (Forrest Gump).
• Famous American poets Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams are alumni of the university.
• Twelve heads of state and government graduated from Penn, including the 9th President of the United States, William Henry Harrison, and the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump.
• Singer John Legend graduated from the university.

The process of admission to the University of Pennsylvania

The application to the University of Pennsylvania includes an impressive list of documents and is associated with high competition and, accordingly, high requirements, which are getting higher and higher every year. Undoubtedly, excellent grades in studies are a mandatory requirement, however, it is your well-written application documents that will affect the final decision of the selection committee. In them, you should describe your achievements and tell why the University of Pennsylvania should choose you.

Every year, the university admissions committee receives thousands of such applications, and your documents must be, to put it mildly, in perfect condition and stand out from the background of thousands of other applications, not to mention the absence of lexical and grammatical errors.

Each applicant chooses for himself how to enter the university: on his own, studying all the intricacies of paperwork and the admission process, or contacting specialists. At the same time, it is important to consider that this choice is made once in a lifetime and can affect your entire future.

If you are not 100% sure that you can cope on your own and reach the victorious end, then we can offer our professional help :

• We will help you to collect the required package of documents, which has the maximum chance
• We will check and correct your documents
• Increase your chances of getting financial aid from the university
• We will save your time, which you can devote to studying, preparing for exams and moving abroad
• Reduce the risk of failure due to formal errors

Summer Schools at the University of Pennsylvania

Summer schools at the University of Pennsylvania are distinguished by a very wide variety of programs. Each program is designed for a specific category of students. If the Pennsylvania Summer Training Program and the Summer Academies program involve students from the age of 14, then the other two programs offer training at a more complex level.

Varieties of summer schools at the University of Pennsylvania

Regardless of the chosen program, summer school participants are provided with accommodation in comfortable rooms in student residences, separated from the places of residence of university students. Rooms are designed for one, two or three people. In all cases, professional curators live on the same floor with students. Three meals a day in the university canteen are provided from Monday to Friday, but two meals a day on weekends. Extra-curricular activities include evening trips to Philadelphia , weekend trips to Washington , New York , the coast, or shopping malls. In addition, summer school participants have the opportunity to attend additional open lectures and workshops, if they do not overlap with the main classes.

University of Pennsylvania Summer School Admission Process

1. Choosing the right program;
2. Passing the required language exams TOEFL iBT or IELTS and obtaining the appropriate certificate;
3. Preparation of documents from the school: an extract on school performance for the last three years, calculation of the GPA score for compiling an explanation for the extract, one recommendation;
4. Essay writing in English;
5. Preparing an online application, paying the entry fee and submitting the application. Waiting for the response of the selection committee will be about three weeks, and the response of the selection committee comes by e-mail;
6. Request Form I-20 for Student Visa Preparation;
7. Issuance of an F-1 student visa, or a B-1 or B-2 category visa;
8. Pay the full cost of the course.