<p>Hi All,</p>
<p>My name is Kevin and I am currently a freshman in Electrical Engineering at Penn. If anyone has any questions about any aspect of Penn, please feel free to post them in this thread. I will do my best to answer all of your questions; however, I do not feel qualified to "chance" anyone since I am not an admissions officer, so please do not ask me to. I can only talk about my own experiences and what I have heard from others.</p>
<p>Best,
Kevin</p>
<p>What was your largest class size?
What % of your classes were taught by professors?
What % of your teachers got to know your name?
What % of your teachers were good at teaching?
Did you take frewhman seminars? Did you like them?
How did you enjoy the winter weather? (ignore this if you are from a cold climate)</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>What are the intro engineering courses like?</p>
<p>What is the area around Penn like?</p>
<p>When does a CAS student typically finish fulfilling all the “sector” requirements? Also, is NSO actually fun or just… over-hyped? Lol and sorry, looks like you are being bombarded and I’m just adding to it.</p>
<p>LW Trojan, </p>
<p>if you go past 40th, you might get shot (i’m not even kidding). avoid 40th/market at night at all costs. a lot of things go down there, if you know what i mean.</p>
<p>the area around penn is pretty nice. it has its city vibe but it also has its campus-y vibe. there are a lot of nice but overpriced restaurants (penne, white dog, pod, etc.) and GREAT STORES (urban outfitters, american apparel, etc.)</p>
<p>let me know if you want to know more specifics!</p>
<p>
Thanks CrystalPineapple…you may have just save my life.</p>
<p>no prob! glad to help :)</p>
<p>well 40th and market is not great late at night, but generally speaking locust and spruce are fine up to about 48th</p>
<p>Haha, lots of questions! All right, let’s see here…</p>
<p>@Undclrd Stdnt:<br>
*My largest class size so far has been 160. That was for MATH 104 which is Calculus 1 at Penn (covers same material as Calc BC in high school).<br>
*Almost all of my classes have been taught by professors, with the exception of my Intro to ESE (Electrical Systems Engineering) class (ESE 112), which was taught by a regular lecturer, and my Negotiations class (LGST 206), which is being taught by Richard Shell. Shell isn’t a professor, but he might as well be; he’s such an awesome teacher! Anyway, I guess that would put the percentage at 6/8 so far.<br>
*The teachers that learned my name were really only the ones teaching smaller classes. For example, my Film class last semester (CINE 061), my ESE 112 class, and my American Sign Language class (LING 071) all have less than 30 students, so it’s not hard at all for the teachers to learn your name. However, I feel that you could get any professor to know your name if you just went to their office hours enough and bugged them. Believe it or not, professors love to talk to their students. Well, most of them do anyway. They get sort of lonely. Go say hi.<br>
*Moving on, % of teachers that “were good at teaching.” Well, I think all of my teachers have been excellent. My roommate would argue that our math prof for MATH 104 from last semester, Ackerman, wasn’t very good, but I didn’t think he was that bad. He made a few mistakes at the blackboard and used someone else’s powerpoint notes to teach the class, but otherwise he was okay. If you want the best, though, I have heard Van Erp is awesome. My current Math 114 (Calc 2) professor, Zywina, is reallly really good, so I encourage you to take him if you can. So maybe 7/8?
*I did not take any freshman seminars, but my roommate did. He really liked his, which was a political science seminar. He told me to recommend you take one if you’re interested.
*Oh gosh, the winter weather. Well I came to Penn from Sacramento, CA, so the cold weather is definitely a change of pace for me. I adapted to it I guess. It’s not a lot of fun to walk to class in the freezing cold or to have to dodge icy patches of sidewalk and melting puddles of snow. However, I would still say the weather is worth it for the temperate spring, summer, and fall months. Buy a coat though. A big one.</p>
<p>@dancer16:
*I can only speak for ESE 112 (Intro to Electrical Systems Engineering), which I took last semester and ESE 116 (Programming C), which I am taking this semester. These are the intro classes for electrical engineering and systems engineering. ESE 112 has you learning to program Java while simultaneously learning hands-on things like soldering and robotics. One of the highlights of the class is using Java to program the Edubot robot (google it, it’s pretty neat) to dance to a song of your choice. My group made our robot dance to War (think Rush Hour, the movie with Jackie Chan). Check out a video clip of the dance at [YouTube</a> - EduBot Dances to War by Edwin Starr](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZNdKzODR9w]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZNdKzODR9w). In ESE 116 we’re only learning how to program C in the UNIX environment. Very important stuff to know, but not as hands-on. The professors/lecturers for the classes (Palsetia and Griffin, respectively) are terrific. If you’re heading down the EE or Systems pipeline, I think you’ll love these intro classes.</p>
<p>@LW Trojan:
*CrystalPineapple raises a good point, but I don’t want you to think that Penn is completely dangerous. The Penn Police do an excellent job of patrolling the campus and its surrounding areas. Check out this DP article to see where the Penn Police patrol: [Perspective</a> | Sizing up the Penn Patrol Zone | Interactive feature - News](<a href=“http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2009/02/10/News/Perspective.Sizing.Up.The.Penn.Patrol.Zone.Interactive.Feature-3620929.shtml]Perspective”>http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2009/02/10/News/Perspective.Sizing.Up.The.Penn.Patrol.Zone.Interactive.Feature-3620929.shtml). I feel really safe on campus, but it’s always necessary to use common sense when encountering sketchy situations.</p>
<p>@Sugar Magnolia
*Being a SEAS student, I do not really know when CAS students finish fulfilling their sector requirements. I imagine not until their sophomore or junior year, unless they mix up their schedules with free electives along the way. EDIT: My roommate confirmed this and wanted me to mention that it’s really up to you and how you schedule your classes and whether or not you definitely know your major when you come into Penn.</p>
<p>Great questions, guys! Keep 'em coming!</p>
<p>Thank you very much kevinkirbykevin!!! You really know how to answer questions thoroughly.</p>
<p>No problem! :)</p>
<p>Dear Kevin,</p>
<p>I am extremely interested in the Huntsman program at Penn of International Affairs and Economics. I was wondering if you knew the rigor of that program and maybe some of the people currently going through it. Also, how do you like Philadelphia overall? Is there time to enjoy the city or do you spend most of your time on campus? Also, how are the dorm rooms at Penn? Unfortunately I do not have the means to visit Penn before applying. What would you suggest I do to become more familiar with Penn, other than visit the web site?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your advise!</p>
<p>Hey FLGirlie,</p>
<p>Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with the rigor of the Huntsman program, as well as any people who are in it. I asked around today to see if any of my friends knew anyone, and they didn’t really know anyone either. I believe this resonates with Huntsman’s website ([Huntsman</a> Program in International Studies & Business](<a href=“The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business - The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business”>The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business - The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business)), which states that only 45 people are admitted into the program each year. I believe it’s extremely competitive, even more so perhaps than the Management & Technology (M & T) Program (which admits 50 people each year). That being said, I think you should definitely apply if you are as interested as you say you are.</p>
<p>My only advice about the program is that I know that Huntsman kids have to live in King’s Court College House for your first year (after your first year you can live wherever you want). Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; I know many kids who are very happy in KC. However, I personally do not like the house. I visited it during Penn Preview Days, and I thought it was very run down and unattractive. The rooms are of reasonable size, though, and it is very close to the David Rittenhouse Laboratory (DRL), where freshman have most of their classes. All rooms also come with a sink. It also has its own dining hall built in to the house, which can be very attractive when it’s cold outside and you’re hungry. I would take a look at [KCECH</a> - Kings Court English College House](<a href=“http://kcech.house.upenn.edu/]KCECH”>http://kcech.house.upenn.edu/) and check out the picture gallery for an “idea” of what the house looks like. However, notice that it only shows the picture of one room, and does not show you what the hallways look like. Anyway, please don’t be discouraged from applying to Huntsman based on where you’ll have to live. If you’re really interested in Huntsman, go for it.</p>
<p>I love Philadelphia! It’s a great city and there’s always something going on. Since it’s an old city, there’s a lot of history here. There’s many great museums and historic sights to see (Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, etc). There are a great variety of restaurants so there’s always a place to eat (you’ll have to have a Philly Cheese Steak if you come to Penn). Regarding concerts, tons of big name bands come to Philly to play at the Trocadero or the Theater of Living Arts (both just a short trolly/subway ride from campus). If you’re more into classical music, Philly always has operas and symphonies playing at the Kimmel Center/Curtis Opera Theater. Basically, I would say Philly has something for everyone.</p>
<p>There’s definitely time to enjoy the city. I spend a lot of my time on campus, but I usually go out about twice a month into the city to eat at a restaurant, see a show, or just walk around and visit shops.</p>
<p>The dorm rooms at Penn are diverse and you will have a lot of different options to choose from. If you do Huntsman, you’ll be restricted to King’s Court College House for your freshman year, but after that you’ll be able to live anywhere. Here’s a quick rundown of my opinions of the dorms:</p>
<p>*Stouffer/Mayer: This is where I live! It’s the best dorm on campus. I know I’m probably biased, but believe me, Stouffer is Penn’s best kept secret. Stouffer consists of two buildings: Stouffer Hall and Mayer Hall. If you live in Mayer Hall, you’ll have the best dorm room on campus. You get two roommates and you have a bathroom, a bedroom, a huge living room, and a kitchenette (with fridge, sink, and oven/stove). Stouffer hall is nice too, but it mostly consists of singles and you have to share a bathroom with the people in your section. Stouffer has the best community on campus. There’s tons of house events every week like study breaks, movies, and game nights. For everyone looking for info on dorms, don’t settle for the Quad (see section below). Don’t worry about getting the “Freshman Experience.” You’ll have a great experience as a freshman no matter what. You might as well live somewhere with a great room and a great community. Stouffer also wins the College House Cup every year (think Harry Potter House Cup, basically the same deal except with intramural sports). Check it out!: [Stouffer</a> College House - Main Page](<a href=“http://stouffer.house.upenn.edu/]Stouffer”>http://stouffer.house.upenn.edu/).</p>
<p>*Hill: No air conditioning. It gets hot during the summer and for a while in the fall. Because of the heat, Hill’s residents form a tight community and often venture out together. The rooms are small, though. Hill has its own dining hall built in (like KC) and I eat there often. </p>
<p>*High Rises (Rodin, Harrison, Harnwell): Nice rooms similar to Mayer Hall, but seeing as how it is a high rise, you’ll live on a high-number floor and have to take the elevator everyday. I can imagine the elevator can get old. And if the elevators break down…eek…you’ll have to take the stairs. I’ve also heard the community is almost non-existent in the high rises. Many people are reserved and stay in their rooms.</p>
<p>*The Quad: Okay, the Quad is beautiful. Anyone who visits Penn will tell you that. Well, the outside is beautiful. On the inside, you have really small rooms and communal bathrooms (not my favorite personally). The Quad has some community, but I’ve heard a lot of people aren’t active and just stay in their rooms. Also note: many room doors can easily be broken into. The Quad needs to replace the locks on all of the room doors soon. I would take this into consideration if you ever want to live there.</p>
<p>*King’s Court/English House: Please see my comments in the paragraphs above. Also check out KCEH’s website at [KCECH</a> - Kings Court English College House](<a href=“http://kcech.house.upenn.edu/]KCECH”>http://kcech.house.upenn.edu/). A quick google search will let you find the websites for the other houses I’ve mentioned above. </p>
<p>*Gregory: Another very nice college house. I do not have too much info on Gregory, but please check out their website at [Gregory</a> College House](<a href=“http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/default.aspx]Gregory”>http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/default.aspx).</p>
<p>*Du Bois: This house is largely African American. Other than that, I cannot say much about it. For more info check out [W.E.B</a>. Du Bois College House](<a href=“http://dubois.house.upenn.edu/]W.E.B”>http://dubois.house.upenn.edu/).</p>
<p>As for becoming more familiar with Penn without visiting the campus, unfortunately there’s not a whole lot you can do other than visit websites. The websites for the departments, college houses, and resources can be a great way to get a perspective. Google searches can produce the websites for pretty much anything at Penn, but if there’s something you’re looking for that you can’t find, please let me know and I will help you find it. Other than that, if you have a facebook account, do a search on people going to Penn who are in Huntsman or are in a major that you are interested in and send them a message. They will love to tell you about their experiences and help you learn more about Penn.</p>
<p>I know this is a really long response, but hopefully this post will answer a lot of questions people might have about Penn and Philly. Anyway, I hope I was able to help you out, FLgirlie. Please let me know if you have any more questions. I hope to see you at Penn soon!</p>
<p>Best,
Kevin</p>
<p>What are the average SAT scores for admitted students at Penn…</p>
<p>Thanks for answering my question from before, but I’m gonna be a CBE major most likely. However, I do have another question! I was admitted ED, so all I’ve gotten so far from Penn is my acceptance letter and Financial Aid stuff. When do the fun things start to come like the housing app, a PennKey, an email, etc?? I’ve been waiting for almost 4 months haha</p>
<p>@lilklumsy15: This website has the range of SAT scores that Penn admitted for the class of 2012, along with a bunch of other cool demographics: [Penn</a> Admissions: Incoming Class Profile](<a href=“http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/profile/]Penn”>http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/profile/)</p>
<p>@dancer16: Unfortunately there is not a set time when you get your Penn Key setup code in the mail (which you will use to make your Penn Key). Mine came about 3-4 weeks after I was admitted on April 1, but then again I applied RD. And, unfortunately, you can’t do anything (housing app, create an email address, choose a meal plan, etc.) without your Penn Key. Just hang in there, though. You’ll get your setup code soon enough. EDIT: A friend told me everyone gets their Penn Key setup codes at the same time. So start looking for it in a couple of weeks.</p>
<p>Hey, i applied intially for the mnt programme and was accepted to engineering. I couldnt find anything on the website that states i was rejected for the jerome fisher programme though. is that just assumed? and how hard is it to transfer into it? What do you like best about engineering at penn?</p>
<p>Hi Kevin,</p>
<p>Your responses are awesome! Thanks!
Well, I just got accepted into Penn, and I was also invited to the “Benjamin Franklin Scholar” program. Do you know what that is? Is it worth accepting/getting into?</p>
<p>Also, when you said that Stouffer is a great dorm, even for freshman, does that mean that there are enough freshman in the dorm such that new students can make friends easily? Or is it better to survive the sucky rooms at the quad if that means we can easily meet other freshmen. I often become better friends with people I live near. </p>
<p>Also, I’m chosing UPenn over Carnegie Mellon and Georgetown, and I’m gonna be an economics major. Do you think this is a good decision? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi is there any facebook group for Upenn 2013 accepts?</p>