College of General Studies at UPenn

<p>Hello!
I was wondering if anyone has any additional information about Penn’s College of General Studies that cannot be found on their website. I am curious about recent admissions statistics, general standards of acceptance (such as g.p.a., etc.), under-represented majors, pros and cons of CGS, and if the acceptance rate at the College of Arts and Sciences is factored including or excluding the acceptance rate of CGS. Any additional information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>

<p>i just got accepted, as a transfer student, for the spring 2006 term.</p>

<p>My stats:</p>

<p>3 years working experience in South Korea in the private education industry - several promotions</p>

<p>3.66 GPA at the time of application
3.8 GPA including this semester mid-semester's report card (sent in with the application)</p>

<p>Credit Load:
Spring 2005 17 Credits
Summer 2005 21 Credits
Fall 2005 25 Credits</p>

<p>Hey thanks for the reply! I just got my admission letter today and I'll be starting my first semester this spring! I'll be starting off with some philosophy courses so maybe I'll see you in one of those if you decide to take any.
I Hope you do well at Penn.
Adam</p>

<p>congrats.</p>

<p>i'm still waiting to hear back from a few other schools.</p>

<p>I was hoping you could answer a few questions:</p>

<p>What made you decide on choosing penn over any other school you had applied to? </p>

<p>What kind of financial aid and/or scholarship did penn offer? </p>

<p>How do G.S. graduates compare in the job market and graduate school placement compared to their traditional arts and sciences counterparts?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Jaek99,</p>

<p>In response to your questions:</p>

<p>I chose Penn over a few other schools I could have went to (Indiana University Bloomington, Columbia SGS, and Berkeley) for a few reasons. First of all, Penn offers a really flexible core curriculum with unique interdisciplinary majors, so you can actually take classes you enjoy to fulfill all of your requirements. I have interests in the philosophy of science and cognitive neuroscience, and Penn offers majors closely related to my interests which other schools lack. Columbia is too ‘core’ for me, and to double major there they won’t let you double count any courses, whereas Penn will let you double count up to half your courses for your second major if you plan it out right. I also visited the campus and met with some admissions faculty there and they’re all just really nice people. They really made me feel at home there and I liked that. Also, Penn is right in the heart of Philadelphia which is a booming city financially. There are many big corporations and your opportunities for internship (both in business and biological sciences) are plentiful. Penn is the most highly regarded college in Phili, so you’re definitely not going to have problems getting a job, no matter which of Penn’s 12 schools you graduate from. </p>

<p>I couldn’t apply for scholarships yet because Penn only awards scholarships one time a year, but my advisor did tell me that I should apply for scholarships next semester. I’m pretty sure that all scholarships are only awarded for Fall, but you should check with an advisor just to be sure. I’m still in the process of applying for financial aid through the college, but I’m actually bringing in quite a bit of money in scholarships that I found in Kaplan’s Scholarship book, as well as Petersons. Definitely take some time to flip through those because there really is a scholarship for everyone in there.</p>

<p>In all honesty, CGS students do just as well as traditional students in job placement and graduate school acceptance (from what I hear from faculty). If you think about it, you are earning the same degree (as opposed to Harvard Extension) in the same subject from the same university, and you have the option of taking courses during the day with traditional students with the same teachers. And also, day time faculty do teach the CGS courses too (although I’ve read through some of the threads on this website that they don’t) and if you have any doubts, just check the course syllabus’ on the CGS and SAS websites. If you take a challenging curriculum, you impress your major department’s faculty, and you do well overall in your studies, you’re going to succeed in academia, whether you’re CGS or not. Really, the only people who are worried about being stigmatized as non-traditional students are young kids that still cling to their high school insecurities. But if someone is that obsessed with what other people think, and not going to college to learn and acquire skill to succeed in life, then maybe Penn isn’t the place for them to go anyways. Once you can shake that off though, anyone would easily realize that CGS offers you an unparallel education under a flexible schedule for a fraction of the traditional price. </p>

<p>Penn is such an awesome school and no one should worry about being non-traditional or not. If some kid think CGS is worse because it’s for adults, so what? If you do well there you will be opening up doors to more job opportunities and to a more enriched life; and in the end that’s all that really matters.</p>

<p>thanks for the in-depth reply.</p>

<p>I'm now deciding between UVA and UPENN....</p>

<p>Oh - in regards to the scholarships, i didn't realize so many were available for transfer students. I will definately look into that this week. I'm probably late for applying for any scholarships for the spring term, but maybe i can get something together for the coming fall.</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

<p>post,</p>

<p>Thanks for the candid advice - could you answer a few more questions?</p>

<p>how many years do you have left at penn? and what are your career plans after graduation? and lastly, have you partcipated in any on campus recruiting?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>How was the aid package from UPenn?</p>

<p>The Aid is awesome at Penn. I was awarded a Pell and Penn grant which covered all of my tuition, but I ended up taking out a loan (for $2,000) to help pay my rent (since I live off campus), buy a dog, etc. I kind of wish I didn't take out that loan last semester because Penn is now offering additional grants instead of loans for middle-class students (less than $50k a year income). If only I would have waited one more semester... Anyhow, everything about Penn is awesome, not just the aid. Come to Penn if you get the chance!</p>

<p>a_posterion:</p>

<p>Thank you for the info. I'm in the process of scheduling a visit sometime this May, so I can get a better feel for the University. </p>

<p>Trying not to get too pumped, but it's hard not to, you know?! Did not realze I would be as excited as I am (can be a smidge grumpy at times).</p>

<p>Again, thanks for the info.
IB.</p>

<p>BTW, what kind of dog??</p>

<p>What's the primary difference between CGS and lets say CAS then?</p>

<p>The biggest difference is that CGS tuition is $1548 per course and CAS is $4097. </p>

<p>Relatively minor issues are:</p>

<p>For your "non-major" courses you'll be taking classes in the evening for the most (or paying the higher tuition rate). </p>

<p>Major courses come in under the CGS tuition rate but you have to get your department advisor to sign a form when you register to get the lower rate. (Its no big deal)</p>

<p>Since most CGS students are working adults, the level of sophistication in the evening classes runs pretty high simply because the students have more life experienc. I've found I have to lay back a little even in 3XX level classes in my major just because I've sometimes seen the material years before. </p>

<p>Sometimes you have to be patient and/or flexible in terms of scheduling your "core" courses since there aren't that many CGS sections.</p>

<p>Another thing about being a CGS student is that you can't officially play sports for the school, but then again, who really cares about that.</p>

<p>Just so you know, if you are a full-time CGS student, you shouldn't worry too much about paying the day-time rate if you want to take day-time classes. I know technically it's three times more $, but if you are a full-time student you will just get that much more aid in grants. I'm taking day classes that aren't for my major and my aid package covered all of it. But then again, the aid also depends on your income, so it pays off to be poor like me :)</p>

<p>LOL.</p>

<p>Good to know. I like the idea of taking day or night classes. I like the latter a little bit better because I can do other things during the day. Oh well. It's good to have the option and know that financial aid, if needed, will cover the added expense.</p>

<p>Hi, I am a student at Columbia GS that is looking to transfer to Penn CGS this fall. Could you answer a few questions for me please.</p>

<p>1) Are CGS students eligible for the "Penn financial aid to needy families"?</p>

<p>2) The Personal statement for the application at CGS. Does it have to be 4 pages total or is it 4 pages each for the 3 questions?</p>

<p>3) How is the grading at CGS? Is it stiff or a bit relaxed?</p>

<p>4) How is the workload? Approximately how many pages to read per class per week and how many papers do you write per semester?</p>

<p>5) What is the average age of students at CGS?</p>

<p>6) And most importantly, do you think a CGS student with stellar grades has a shot getting accepted into the UPENN business, law and medical programs?</p>

<p>Thank you in advance for your time and response. :)</p>

<p>I chose Penn over a few other schools I could have went to (Indiana University Bloomington, Columbia SGS, and Berkeley) for a few reasons. First of all, Penn offers a really flexible core curriculum with unique interdisciplinary majors, so you can actually take classes you enjoy to fulfill all of your requirements. I have interests in the philosophy of science and cognitive neuroscience, and Penn offers majors closely related to my interests which other schools lack. Columbia is too ‘core’ for me, and to double major there they won’t let you double count any courses, whereas Penn will let you double count up to half your courses for your second major if you plan it out right. I also visited the campus and met with some admissions faculty there and they’re all just really nice people. They really made me feel at home there and I liked that. Also, Penn is right in the heart of Philadelphia which is a booming city financially. There are many big corporations and your opportunities for internship (both in business and biological sciences) are plentiful. Penn is the most highly regarded college in Phili, so you’re definitely not going to have problems getting a job, no matter which of Penn’s 12 schools you graduate from. </p>

<p>I couldn’t apply for scholarships yet because Penn only awards scholarships one time a year, but my advisor did tell me that I should apply for scholarships next semester. I’m pretty sure that all scholarships are only awarded for Fall, but you should check with an advisor just to be sure. I’m still in the process of applying for financial aid through the college, but I’m actually bringing in quite a bit of money in scholarships that I found in Kaplan’s Scholarship book, as well as Petersons. Definitely take some time to flip through those because there really is a scholarship for everyone in there.</p>

<p>In all honesty, CGS students do just as well as traditional students in job placement and graduate school acceptance (from what I hear from faculty). If you think about it, you are earning the same degree (as opposed to Harvard Extension) in the same subject from the same university, and you have the option of taking courses during the day with traditional students with the same teachers. And also, day time faculty do teach the CGS courses too (although I’ve read through some of the threads on this website that they don’t) and if you have any doubts, just check the course syllabus’ on the CGS and SAS websites. If you take a challenging curriculum, you impress your major department’s faculty, and you do well overall in your studies, you’re going to succeed in academia, whether you’re CGS or not. Really, the only people who are worried about being stigmatized as non-traditional students are young kids that still cling to their high school insecurities. But if someone is that obsessed with what other people think, and not going to college to learn and acquire skill to succeed in life, then maybe Penn isn’t the place for them to go anyways. Once you can shake that off though, anyone would easily realize that CGS offers you an unparallel education under a flexible schedule for a fraction of the traditional price. </p>

<p>Penn is such an awesome school and no one should worry about being non-traditional or not. If some kid think CGS is worse because it’s for adults, so what? If you do well there you will be opening up doors to more job opportunities and to a more enriched life; and in the end that’s all that really matters.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Hey Khorsani,</p>

<p>In response to your questions:</p>

<p>1) Yes, but I believe that it is only for full-time students. I’m a full-time student and my Penn grant matched my tuition, my Pell grant covered my health insurance (which you have to purchase if you’re a full-time student), and I got about three hundred and twenty dollars back from my financial aid package. I guess you could say that I ‘got paid’ to go to Penn this semester :) But of course, I had to take a loan out to help pay for my rent, etc., since I chose to live off campus. Now if you are only a part-time student, you’re not going to get as much financial aid, so going full-time might be to your benefit. Another thing your financial aid will be based on, obviously, is going to be your Family’s Expected Contribution amount. If you’re an older student, that’s probably not going to effect you too much since you will be going to school full-time and not making very much money to contribute to your education.</p>

<p>2) 4 pages total. I used one page for each question, but two pages for the one I felt I could answer best.</p>

<p>3) Hmmm. That’s a tough one. I would say that it depends more on the teacher you have than anything else. For example, this semester I’m taking both day and night classes, and the day course I’m taking with the younger kids (Life in the Universe) is actually easier than one of the night classes I’m taking (History of Ancient Philosophy). And it’s not because the subject is harder (I’m a philosophy major, so I actually enjoy the Phil class more), it’s because my philosophy instructor just grades harder. So the grading I would say is entirely up to the teacher you get, and not based on whether or not it’s a CGS class.
One good thing about Penn though, is that when you become a student you can log onto “Penn InTouch,” the student site, and access what is called the “Course Review.” It is pretty much a survey of all the classes taught by all the teachers at Penn and will have a ranking system that will help you find out which classes are ‘harder’ than others. </p>

<p>4) That’s another tough question to answer. I mean, it varies at different times and depends on what kind of student you are. There are going to be moments when it seems like there is almost no work, and you will have the choice to study or not. But then there will be other times when it gets ridiculously intense. I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me if my philosophy instructor gave me 400 pages to read for the week with a paper due. But it also wouldn’t surprise me if he gave me no homework at all for weeks. It’s really unpredictable at times and all you can do is be ready to stay up late nights when the surge finally comes. But then again, I’m sure it’s just like Columbia. Ivy League schools are there to give you a rigorous education.</p>

<p>5) First of all, there is no specific and separate ‘school’ for CGS students. So there is really no way for anyone to know that answer. I mean, all you see is different people going to different classes and there’s no way to tell how old someone is exactly or what ‘school’ they belong to. In my day class, there is a guy who looks like he is about sixty-five or seventy. In my night class there is a seventeen year-old girl who is in some special program for exceptional high school students. Everyone just takes whatever classes are convenient for their schedule, and that pretty much goes both ways for the ‘traditional’ and ‘non-traditional’ students. </p>

<p>6) I definitely think so, and here is why. First of all, being a CGS student will not prevent you from taking any day classes if you want. So you have access to all of the same professors as anyone else at Penn. Since you have access to these same professors, there is no reason why you cannot receive letters of recommendations from these professors, and if you are a stellar student I’m sure they will be happy to write you a letter. Having a letter of recommendation from Penn’s faculty is strong in its own right, and I’m sure it can boost your chances of getting into any type of program you choose to apply to.
Also, SAS and CGS students are allowed to take up to four classes in a ‘school’ other than their own. What this means is that you can take four classes at Wharton, or Engineering, or whatever, and get recommendations from the faculty of the exact program you want to apply to. Now you will have to choose these four courses carefully, because all you get is four. Additionally, you can get a joint minor from Wharton (or the other schools) as a CGS student if you want. Penn SAS (and by SAS, I am including CGS) offers some joint minors such as Biological Basis of Behavior and Health Care Management, where your health care management classes would be taken at Wharton (but must be done within the four course restriction I just told you about).
Anyways, having a joint-minor from Wharton (for example), taking classes at Wharton, and getting letters of recommendation from Wharton faculty should definitely increase your chances of getting into a Wharton grad program if that's what you decide to do.</p>

<p>Also remember, there is no restrictions on how many day courses you take at Penn, so you could take all 'SAS' classes if you want to.</p>

<p>Anyways, I love Penn. Hopefully, I have been of some help to you and others.</p>

<p>Awsoem info about both a_posteriori!</p>

<p>Hi, Thanks for the information. I'm really looking forward to filling out the transfer application. You wouldn't know if Penn accepts credits from a community college readily do you?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>Actually, Penn is pretty bad about accepting transfer credits. Usually, they will only accept transfer credits for introduction to sociology, introduction to psychology, and introduction to political science. Credit for anything else is going to be pretty tough to negotiate, but you might be able to transfer a few others if you're really determined (I think intro to philosophy and intro to ethics may transfer too, but I forget). You will just have to talk to the chair of each department to see if he or she will let you transfer those credits. I hate to give you bad news, but just be prepared to loose credits in the transfer.
Remember though, that there are some classes that you can place into if you are already proficient, such as a foreign language, math, biology, chemistry, etc. Even if you might not receive credit for these classes, you can take the placement test for these subjects and 1) place out of them if you are advanced enough, or 2) just get placed into a higher level. That could be one way of helping you satisfy Penn's general requirements in a more timely fashion.
Anyways, good luck with transfering your credits. It's difficult, but maybe you'll be more lucky than others have been.</p>

<p>I'm CAS and I like CGS courses..I was in one course on contemporary Korean society and one of the people in the class was a real Korean War vet! That definitely made things more interesting.</p>