<p>@RedPhoenix: Check out this link and read the excerpt from the FAQ below: [Student</a> Health : SHS Insurance Requirements](<a href=“http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/shs/inreq.php]Student”>http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/shs/inreq.php). The system is totally online, so you’ll fill out an online form with info about your current coverage, immunization dates, etc. Then if they need anything else you might have to go to Student Health once you’re at Penn. Telling them that you already have coverage is known as “waiving” the Penn Student Insurance plan.</p>
<p>*How do I enroll or waive the Penn Student Insurance plan?</p>
<pre><code>* Before you submit your selection, be sure to secure a PennKey and Password.
- If you want to waive PSIP, be sure to have all of the information about your alternative coverage at hand
- You must submit your selection through the Penn Portal
o The url for the Penn Portal is Students - PennPortal
o Under the Health and Welfare heading, click on the second link Appointments (417-WELL), immunizations, health insurance, clinical fee and more…"
o Click on Student Health Insurance (Enrollment and Waiver)
o Follow the directions and be sure to complete the process.
o Once you submit your selection, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with confirmation number. Be sure to keep confirmation number as this is your proof that you have completed the on-line waiver/enrollment process.
o If you experience any problems with the on-line process, please contact Student Health Insurance at 215 573-3523 or 3524 (215 746 3535 after July 1, 2008).*
</code></pre>
<p>In case tenebrousfire hasn’t already answered your question about the budget plan, you’ll get a monthly bill no matter which option you pick. The advantage of the Penn Monthly Budget Plan is that you won’t have to pay the bill in full each month (which you do if you’re not doing the Penn Monthly Budget Plan, unless you want to incur late fees) but instead you’ll pay in smaller increments. Since these bills can often be several hundred dollars because of fees and meal plans, the Budget Plan is definitely attractive if you’re unsure of how much your financial aid will be able to help you when it comes to paying for Penn.</p>
<p>@laserzone5: If you haven’t already, check out this link for the credits you can get for AP tests: [Penn</a> Admissions: Advanced Placement Policy](<a href=“http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/advanced.php]Penn”>http://www.admissionsug.upenn.edu/applying/advanced.php). You’re right, you won’t get anything for any Govt. tests. If you score a 5 on Chem and Physics you won’t have to take the lecture component of those classes at Penn. You’ll still have to take the 0.5 C.U. lab components, though. This is extremely useful, as the Chem and Physics lecture classes (where the midterms and finals apply) at Penn are tough! Also, check out [Penn</a> Engineering > Undergraduate Student Handbook > Dual Degrees](<a href=“Student Handbook”>Student Handbook) to make sure you know all the implications of pursuing a dual degree while you’re in SEAS. It doesn’t look too bad, but you’ll have to wait until you’ve completed at least 8 C.U. to apply to pursue a dual-degree with Wharton (which is 1 year). So you’ll need to make sure you pick classes for your freshman year that will count towards the dual-degree if that’s really what you want to do. As far as English goes, yes, it can count as an elective towards your dual-degree.</p>
<p>@Claris: I encourage you to check out the career surveys filled out by Penn SEAS grads: [Career</a> Services, University of Pennsylvania](<a href=“http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/seas/surveys.html]Career”>http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/seas/surveys.html). For the class of 2008, Penn received 302 responses to the survey out of the 318 undergrad degrees they awarded (95% response rate). Of those responses, over 97% were offered employment before graduation. I’ll let you check out the link for which companies and which industries gave the offers, but I personally think the job placement here at Penn is great. I feel completely confident that I will be able to find a job after graduation (although I’m also thinking of submatriculating into Penn’s EE Master’s program, but that should only help my chances). Internships are tough to find as a freshman (although I was able to snag an interview with Microsoft, really rare for a freshman, but I was not invited to the second round of interviews), but it gets a lot easier once you’re a sophomore. There are tons of research opportunities for engineers at Penn. Just walk into the labs and start asking people about what they’re doing and offer your help. The SEAS professors at Penn are really cool and are always looking for undergrad research assistants. Anyway, I guess it’s true that less pure engineering companies recruit at Penn, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a job with those companies. On the other hand, there are tons of Engineering/Business firms that consistently come to Penn (because of Wharton), and often they offer more lucrative jobs than the pure engineering employers.</p>
<p>@hcvops: Check out [Dual</a> Degree](<a href=“http://www.college.upenn.edu/degree/dual.php]Dual”>http://www.college.upenn.edu/degree/dual.php) for most of the answer to your question. Check out [Policies</a> Governing Dual Degree](<a href=“http://www.college.upenn.edu/degree/dual_policies.php]Policies”>http://www.college.upenn.edu/degree/dual_policies.php) for the rest. It depends on what dual-degree you’re going for (what other school: SEAS, Nursing, or Wharton). You’ll apply after your freshman year, and the requirements for each school are at the second link I gave you. You’ll apply by speaking with your advisor and getting the necessary application from them.</p>
<p>@Gameaholic: Ahh, I was wondering when this question would be asked. 
I’ll try to answer this carefully as to not offend anyone: I would rate the average Penn girl, in terms of attractiveness, a 7. I personally believe the girls at Penn are very attractive. That being said, it depends on where you look. The more wealthy frats and secret societies attract more beautiful girls than say, the library. But that doesn’t mean you won’t find girls on either end of the “rating scale” at either location. I noticed on Chen’s thread you also asked about the dating scene, so I’ll briefly mention that as well. When I was browsing CC before I came to Penn, I found a thread about this topic and the person answering the question said dating at Penn is either “random hook-ups” or “serious dating/pre-marriage”. After almost a year at Penn, I would say that is true for the most part. However, I have several friends who are “casually” dating. They don’t know if their relationship will result in marriage, but their relationships are definitely more serious than a “random hook-up.” Also, I just want to add that I think that most relationships spark at the semester switch. I don’t have any data to support this, but it seemed like by the start of second semester everyone I knew was dating.</p>