<p>Hey I had one more question:
If I'm sure I want to go to Penn, do you think I should still go to to Penn Previews? Though I would be going by myself, which would be cool, the cheapest round trip ticket I could fine was 220, and then the hotels are gonna be another 100+ for 2 nights.</p>
<p>penn previews are nice, but not essential, especially if you are certain you want to come here. It's nice to be able to see the school again, and go on a tour of some of the college houses, but other than that, it's nothing special.. oh, and get you get a nice canvas bag, but I don't know if that warrants spending $300..</p>
<p>Thanks mnasy1122~</p>
<p>Harrison and Harnwell sound interesting, esp. b/c of the "arts" that they seem to promote. Could you tell me a little more about those two? Oh, and why do some dorms say they not have "air-conditioned public spaces/rooms?" I'm scared of the heat, unfortunately. </p>
<p>Also, are supermarkets nearby? I love the idea of having a kitchen in the dorm but also would like to have something to COOK...</p>
<p>And weird question--are yoga classes offered?</p>
<p>inept: honestly, I don't know much about the "arts" they promote..
Also, Harrison has pipes breaking constantly, as does harnwell..Hamilton is the best of the highrises. I'm not sure on the air conditioning situation in the highrises, but I do know hte quad has AC, Hill doesn't (but you really don't need it)</p>
<p>Supermarket is on 40th and walnut (it's right on the corner.. very close from anywhere on campus). </p>
<p>caution on the highrises: there aren't a lot of freshman there, and since it's mostly upperclassmen, everyone kind of has pre-established groups.. add in that there are really aren't common areas (because everyone has living rooms) and you could be in for a little bit of an anti-social experience.. on the plus side though you do get a living room, kitchen and bathroom for your apartment and are closer to the grocery store/the frats and such</p>
<p>which house is best for SEAS students (most SEAS students or closest to classes)? i kinda like ware for the women in technology/women in science residential programs but it looks like hill is very good too.</p>
<p>hey, is there a sports requirement? also, i read about the AP credit policy and am a little confused...what is a 'c.u. credit'? for example, if i got a 5 on US history, would that give me elective credit or fulfill a distributional requirement? what are their distributional requirements? i can't seem to find this info on the site. thank you!</p>
<p>lilchnsgrl: students are absolutely everywhere so there are no stats on where has the "most" students. Hill is certainly closest though to most of hte classes you'll be taking.. Caution on those two residential programs: I have friends in them and they're <em>Very</em> quiet...</p>
<p>caths: there is no sports/PE requirement.
a c.u. is just a credit unit. here at penn we have an incredibly screwed up credit system.. most classes are one credit unit. (with the exception of classes with a lab component.. these are usually 1.5 credits). A 5 on US history will give you credit for History 042.. I know in engineering this gives us a humanities credit, but I don't know what it gives you for the college (someone else is going ot have to take hte question on the distribution requirements cause I have no clue.. yay for SEAS!)</p>
<p>inept - yes, there are plenty of yoga classes in the area! You can take PennRec classes at the gym: <a href="http://www.upenn.edu/recreation/programs/instr_yoga.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.upenn.edu/recreation/programs/instr_yoga.htm</a>
for about $40/semester. There is also a yoga place at 39th and walnut, and yoga classes weekly at the Rotunda (40th and Walnut).</p>
<p>And don't worry too much about the heat! It scared me too a bit, especially as the temperature was about 100 degrees when I came for Penn Previews! If your dorm room isn't air conditioned then just pick up a fan once you get to campus - you can get a window fan for about $20, although there tends to be a bit of a rush during orientation (don't buy the overpriced ones from the bookstore!)</p>
<p>Hey! Thanks so much for all of your help! I have a few questions, too...</p>
<ol>
<li> What's the bio department like?</li>
<li> What's the history department like?</li>
<li> What do you guys do in the afternoons/evenings when you don't have class? What about on weekends?</li>
<li> How much is Indian (as in India..not native American) culture emphasized at Penn?<br></li>
<li> Are the professors accessible?</li>
<li> What size are most of the classes?<br></li>
<li> Does it feel akward to go to a school w/20,000 ppl? Do you ever get lost in the crowd, or do professors actually know your name? Is it hard to develop really close relationships if you're always meeting new people?</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks again! :) and Congrats to all who got in!</p>
<p>How many students do they admit and what sort of gpa are they looking for?</p>
<p>Oh, Wharton transfers again. Well, since the demand for transfer into Wharton is sooo high (which brings to question whether some of these applicants know what they were doing when they were applying), the GPA requirement is pretty high. Changes year to year, but apparently this year, being one of the most competitive, the minimum GPA was around a 3.8-ish? Usually, it's around the 3.6-3.7 range. Also, there are certain classes you need to take if you want to transfer. Check with academic advisors (when you get there in the fall) or course requirements on Penn site to find out more about these.</p>
<p>ahahha i love it. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Oh, Wharton transfers again. Well, since the demand for transfer into Wharton is sooo high (which brings to question whether some of these applicants know what they were doing when they were applying)...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>any info on
ENTREPRENEURS' RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM
Ware College House
other than what is on the site?</p>
<ol>
<li>What do you guys do in the afternoons/evenings when you don't have class? What about on weekends?</li>
</ol>
<p>People do a wide range of things..from watching TV to being actively involved in clubs, student govt, a cappella groups, bands, varsity sports teams, IM sports, frats/sororities. One of the best things about college is that you can be involved in stuff informally--just wander around your hall see who else doesn't have class/isn't studying and do something--whether its a pickup bball game or just sitting around talking and getting to know them. Just balance your time, use some free afternoons to get your work done so that you'll have more time on certain evenings, weekends etc.</p>
<ol>
<li>How much is Indian (as in India..not native American) culture emphasized at Penn? </li>
</ol>
<p>Lots of indians at Penn, you can certainly meet them in class esp. if your classes are in Bio, engineering, or wharton. It may be kind of wierd though just to go up and talk to someone cause they're Indian, so I think the best way to meet Indians is to go to the first few South Asian Society meetings [they'll be advertised on Locust Walk]; that way you meet people, find out what cultural things will be going on that semester etc. Generally theres 1-2 cultural shows each semester, as well as a few parties.</p>
<ol>
<li>Are the professors accessible?</li>
</ol>
<p>Usually. All profs have office hrs when you can go in to ask questions. Sometimes you'll get profs who care more about their research than about teaching but that happens everywhere and there isn't much you can do.</p>
<ol>
<li>What size are most of the classes? </li>
</ol>
<p>Depends on the type of classes. Intro Bio, Calc, Econ etc. classes are huge with 100s of people; however classes like that have recitations with TAs meeting once a week with 15-20 students. There are lots of small classes too--15 person art history classes, sociology classes etc. As a general rule classes get smaller as you get beyond the intro level.</p>
<ol>
<li>Does it feel akward to go to a school w/20,000 ppl? Do you ever get lost in the crowd, or do professors actually know your name? Is it hard to develop really close relationships if you're always meeting new people?</li>
</ol>
<p>Personally it wasn't awkward at all, its nice to be a little bit lost in the crowd, so that you can go to class, take notes, come home and do what you need to do to get the A's. It isn't high school with teachers knowing you personally and checking your HW and students having opinions on everything you do. That being said, you do get to know your profs if you make an effort. That doesn't mean that you have to go to office hours daily. But profs do get to know students who take their classes seriously, are always prepared, try to participate once in a while. Thus, even at a big school it isn't hard to be known by the profs, esp. in the department you're majoring in. I'd advise you to get to know 2-3 profs during your time at Penn because it helps not only to have a mentor but also if you need recs for grad/professional school.</p>
<p>As for developing close relationships, it is crucial to get to know people during orientation and the first few weeks. This is a time when everyone is looking to make friends; there are no well established cliques so everyone is pretty accepting. As the months go by, it gets harder because people already have their groups to eat with/go out with etc. Thats not to say that your social group won't change over time, it will BUT you may feel awkward tagging along with people when they seemingly have an established group. So when you're at orientation and you walk into the dining hall and only recognize a face or 2, go sit with them--its the only time when its considered acceptable to just grab a seat next to someone cause you met them earlier for 2 minutes. The people who have the hardest time socially frosh yr are those who separate themselves early on--spend time on IM with HS friends, on the phone w/ fam, or spend every moment of the first few weeks missing HS and how their life used to be when they knew everyone etc.</p>
<p>Caths - Yes, you can use AP credit to fill distributional requirements, if the credit is for a class that's actually taught at Penn. (e.g., you can't use AP science credits)</p>
<p>LAgal - answers to some of your questions:
1. I like the biology department a lot. I toyed with doing a bio major or minor, but I've basically settled on just taking a bunch of bio classes. All the profs I've had (bar one) have been really good teachers, very approachable and just kind of nice! I also kind of like the bio building (well, Leidy anyway) for some unknown reason. It has a certain charm...They're also building a new life sciences building which will hopefully bring together people from BBB and Psych also. The first phase will supposedly be finished by the fall. Sometimes it can be so pre-med it hurts (especially for a non pre-med) but the competition isn't too cut-throat. First semester intro classes are apparently graded pretty harshly to try and weed out some of the pre-meds, so skip the first semester with AP credit if that's not your scene. None of the bio classes I've taken have had a punitive curve.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>You can do pretty much anything in your free time - you probably won't end up studying all the time, that's for sure. I guess most people will spend time hanging out with their friend and hallmates, or doing EC stuff. My freshman year I spent a lot of time with people in my college house, because we did a lot of residential program stuff. I worked for 10-15 hours a week, had a radio show and would go out to see shows or get dinner and stuff. There's plenty to do.</p></li>
<li><p>This is a link from the Asian-American Community page: <a href="http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/paach/Resources/resource_guide.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/paach/Resources/resource_guide.php</a>
There is much less of an emphasis on Indian cultures than I am used to, but my high school had about a 40% Indian population. There are groups out there for almost every culture though, so I'm sure you could find one that suits you.</p></li>
<li><p>Most professors are accessible, through office hours, e-mail or after classes.</p></li>
<li><p>Class size really varies a lot - I've had classes with six people in and classes with two hundred people. I guess most of them hover around the 20-30 mark. Science classes do tend to be bigger though.</p></li>
<li><p>I've never found it terribly awkward. It's definitely easy to get lost in the crowd, but if you do then it's by choice. No one wants to see you struggle, and in my experience, almost all faculty and staff members are more than willing to help, if you ask. You do have to be pro-active about it though.
As for meeting people, it was never much of a problem in freshman year. If you're worried about it, I would recommend applying for a pre-frosh program like Pennquest, and think about applying to a residential program or a college house with a strong community (probably not the high rises.)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>OK, so that was everything but the history, which I really know almost nothing about.</p>
<p>OK so I'll answer the above questions to give you my own opinions as well. Always good to have more than one view on things!</p>
<p>Hey! Thanks so much for all of your help! I have a few questions, too...</p>
<ol>
<li>What's the bio department like?</li>
</ol>
<p>The professors in the biology department have a strong reputation as being very close with their students. Most of them seem extremely nice and willing to help out. I personally will have bio next semester, but know several friends in bio who absolutely love it. </p>
<ol>
<li>What's the history department like?</li>
</ol>
<p>I'm an engineering major so I can't personally answer this, but from what I hear the history profs LOVE what they do. I have heard several conversations about how they get really into their lectures.</p>
<ol>
<li>What do you guys do in the afternoons/evenings when you don't have class? What about on weekends?</li>
</ol>
<p>As for myself, I typically have classes from 10-5 or 6, but on the occasional day when an afternoon is free, it's always nice to catch up on everything that is due in the coming days. As for nights, I have two work-study positions, attend rehearsals for the band and choir, and work on the neverending assignments/labs that are due. Weekends? Everyone needs a break. There's so much to do on weekends, from sporting events to a capella shows to orchestra performances to parties. Everyone has their own preference. A lot of times it's also nice to just chill in the dorms...play ping pong, watch a movie, etc. Oh, and the homework rush Sunday nights :)</p>
<ol>
<li>How much is Indian (as in India..not native American) culture emphasized at Penn?</li>
</ol>
<p>There are a ton of Indian students here, as well as many Indian restaurants nearby.
5. Are the professors accessible?</p>
<p>Absolutely. All professors hold office hours and encourage attendance. This is a great opportunity to get to know your professors more and learn the material better. Take advantage!</p>
<ol>
<li>What size are most of the classes?</li>
</ol>
<p>For intro classes, the size can be somewhere around 100 students. As you progress, classes get smaller and smaller. For example, my Chem 101 class had about 80 kids whereas my Chem 102 class now has roughly 30. I also have a writing class w/ about 12 kids in it. </p>
<ol>
<li>Does it feel akward to go to a school w/20,000 ppl? Do you ever get lost in the crowd, or do professors actually know your name? Is it hard to develop really close relationships if you're always meeting new people?</li>
</ol>
<p>Get involved. This is my simple answer to this question. It's the best way to develop friendships because everyone shares your interests. I attended a religious retreat on campus before orientation and joined the band in the first week on campus. Thus, I never felt lost or awkward. Penn is a fun place, take advantage of all the opportunities!</p>
<p>Did any of the Penn students on this board turn down Brown, Harvard, Williams, Berkeley, Yale, or any comparable institution to attend Penn? If so, can you tell me what you based your decision on?</p>
<p>Fantastic question! :)</p>
<p>I've visited philly plenty of times to know my way around. My sister lives like two blocks from the upenn campus and her house, while huge and pretty on the inside, sounds and looks (from the outside) like it's about to crumble. There isn't one spot where u won't hear some osrt of noise from the floorboards. In my acceptance package there are tons of pictures of their dorms and they all look really new, pretty, clean, and colorful. Are these pictures telling the truth, OR are most of the dorms at Penn horrible? (Ex. leaking water, creaking floors, no AC....stuff like that)
Also, if the dorms are like what I described, do you think dorms at other colleges are most likely the same way?
Also, is housing guaranteed for freshman and sophs, but not for upperclassmen?</p>
<p>Also, how did you guys fare when winter came around? i.e. Did you skip some of ur classes? Did you still go out to parties? Does the campus become dead during the winter b/c no one wants to go outside....OR do people still go out in the freezing cold?</p>
<p>Also, how is the grade deflation in your opinion? Are there seriously people who sabotage other so that they can get the better grade? Is a 95% really equated to a B minus? (This is just stuff I heard....wanted to know if people were just pulling my leg)</p>
<p>Also, in your opinion how is the diversity at upenn? Do people get into "racial cliques"? Have you heard of any hate crimes?</p>
<p>How many hours do you, or other students, spend studying, partying, working...etc.?</p>
<p>In your honest opinion is Princeton generally better than upenn? Is Princeton your school rival? Did you ever do a "toast" at one of your schools football games against Princeton?</p>
<p>Thnaks for your help by the way :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Did any of the Penn students on this board turn down Brown, Harvard, Williams, Berkeley, Yale, or any comparable institution to attend Penn? If so, can you tell me what you based your decision on?
[/quote]
When I went to visit Penn many of the people I talked to (including the guy i stayed with, who's going to major in BBB) turned down harvard, yale, etc...</p>