Don't sugarcoat it please..

Wowie · April 3, 2010, 2:43pm

Hey everyone,

I am a Southern-California native thinking about going to UPENN. I was recently admitted as long shot, but I'm not so sure it's the school for me now. My first choice was Brown and probably UPENN second. I couldn't believed I was admitted, but now that the initial shock has worn off.. I'm having second thoughts about attending. I was hoping current students/ past students can give me a feel for what UPENN is really like. This board seems to always rant about how great UPENN is, but never seems to list the negatives.

<h2>Why am I afraid of attending Penn?</h2>

<ol>
<li>The Weather- Plain and Simple: I've never lived in the cold and accustomed to beautiful sunshine year round. How hard is it to adjust to the climate change?</li>
<li>Distance- I've never lived away from home and I'd be quite far. Airfare would be expensive and I probably wouldn't be able to go home for all the holidays.</li>
<li>Money- I'm sure I'll get a great financial aid offer, but I feel I won't have as much spending money as my peers. I don't want to appear "poor" because I'm not as wealthy as many of the other students. How hard is it to have fun without $$$? Do people look down upon the less fortunate?</li>
<li>Segregation- I'm mixed of a whole lot of races, but without going into details I'm Cuban and White. I don't speak Spanish and I wasn't really raised as a typical Cuban. I have grown up in a predominantly Caucasian neighborhood and never really had a problem with segregation. Majority of my friends are Caucasian and Asian, but I definitely have friends of other racist. I know this sounds bad I definitely levitate to "white-washed" people. </li>
</ol>

Most people once they know me don't consider me black and scoff if I ever claim people are racist towards me. I have read a lot that PENN has a lot of self-segregation and most minority groups hang out with other minorities. I do not want that and I don't want to be pushed into joining a ton of minority clubs. I am a mix of races and don't want to be just categorized as black or cuban or whatever. I've never really had a problem in Southern California, I'm not sure how I'll be viewed in Philadelphia. I am also worried about being stereotyped.. I know it can happen anywhere, but still.

<ol>
<li>Difficulty of Courseload- I went to a competitive high school, but I wasn't forced to work my ass off. I have only had a handful of classes where I had to put in immense effort. How hard is the course load for the College of Arts and Sciences?</li>
</ol>

And last but not least, "Is it worth it?"

People always say where you attend college doesn't really matter, but it obviously plays some role or people wouldn't work so hard to get into Harvard. I don't want to pass up the opportunity to attend UPENN, but is it really that much better than attending Claremont Mckenna (given 100% need cover, maybe paying 2,000 a year), USC (waiting for aid offer), or Berkeley (kind of expensive).

Oh, I also am completely undecided and have no idea what I want to do. I was thinking entertainment law, but who knows!

All and all, I'm drawn to UPENN because it sounds like it'd be an awesome experience. I want to experience life other than what I've been raised to seen. I love meeting new people and making new friends. I'm pretty easy going and definitely don't appear to be "ivy-league material". Most people were shocked to hear I got into all the university I did, let alone an ivy-league. I somehow feel I might not be the UPENN girl...

Thanks for the help and I hope I didn't come off ignorant/racist/ or any such things in the post. I know I probably did, so I apologize.

FightingQuaker · April 3, 2010, 4:23pm

To get my biases out in the beginning…

I love Penn. I adore Penn. Penn was not my first choice by any means, but it has become my home. So sorry if my answers come off as “sugar-coated,” but they are truly my honest opinion. Also, I’m a freshman, so I’ve only been here since August.

You are likely to get variations of answers depending on who you ask, so take that into consideration.

1) Well this is a sort of relative question, isn’t it? I live in the South where 60 degrees is considered freezing and abnormally cold. Is it different in Philly? Of course. But I have adapted quite well, and in fact I prefer the whether here. I missed the concept of “seasons” back where I live, and I love how the whether changes and surprises you here. I don’t consider the cold such a big deal anymore either. If it’s cold, just put another layer on. I suppose it helps to have an AC/heater in my room, where I keep the temperature at a toasty 80 degrees during the colder seasons.
2) I didn’t like home to much, so it’s actually a huge positive for me that it’s far away. Can’t help you there, but you won’t be the only one who won’t go home for all breaks.
3) There are rich kids that like their position on the pedestal that they created. But they are not in the majority. “Looking down upon the less fortunate” is hardly a problem here, in my eyes at least. 
4) Well the Class of 2014 is 49% non-white, and I love the sort of intellectual diversity that comes with that. Personally, I’m Hispanic (well…half Hispanic) and have participated every now and then with the minority groups on campus (Latino Coalition, La Casa Latina, etc.). You have options here at Penn. If you want to connect with or talk to people of a similar background, you’ll have the resources to do so. If you don’t want to, then you won’t. Nobody will force you to join a minority association, and I certainly don’t feel any pressure to do so. Generally, I find that Penn students are proud from where they come from, but more than happy to interact with the multitude of backgrounds here. Some people self-segregate, but not all, and wherever you go there will be a collection of colors around. Penn is exponentially more tolerant than where I came from.
5) I did come from a high school where I had to work pretty hard to get good grades. I have found the courseload in CAS intensive (though Wharton students, Engineers, and maybe even Nursing students would laugh at me). Last semester I took 4 classes (12 hours a week) and spent a lot of nights working hard. Perhaps its because I took a lot of reading-intensive courses, and I’m an extremely slow reader. This semester I challenged myself and am taking 5 classes (16 hours a week), and it’s that much harder. Time management skills are essential, and you’ll learn what classes you can slack off a bit in and which ones you need to be on your game at all times. It’s definitely doable though, especially if you are a competent reader unlike me.
6) It’s way worth it to me. I love how being at Penn gives me so many opportunities to interact with the surrounding community and city. That’s the reason why I chose Penn over other schools in the first place, and I haven’t been disappointing.
Feel free to PM me if you want.

drnoeyedea · April 3, 2010, 5:03pm

Let me address those points and try to get you better informed.

<ol>
<li>The Weather- Plain and Simple: I’ve never lived in the cold and accustomed to beautiful sunshine year round. How hard is it to adjust to the climate change? </li>
</ol>

I lived in India until I was 9 and came to midatlantic area. I was able to adjust fine. Your first winter might be a little hard, but remember…many students have not adjusted to the cold either and you might end up sharing that in common.

<ol>
<li>Distance- I’ve never lived away from home and I’d be quite far. Airfare would be expensive and I probably wouldn’t be able to go home for all the holidays.</li>
</ol>

** You are in the same boat as more than half of the people here. You will be able to manage it. It is a good life lesson because you might not always be close to home.**

<ol>
<li>Money- I’m sure I’ll get a great financial aid offer, but I feel I won’t have as much spending money as my peers. I don’t want to appear “poor” because I’m not as wealthy as many of the other students. How hard is it to have fun without $$$? Do people look down upon the less fortunate?</li>
</ol>

** I am in the same situation as you. To be brutally honest, there are certain cliques that you might not be able to be a part of, because it is a bunch of stuck-up rich ppl who spend lavishly. You just have to find your niche. and remember, you dont need money to have fun. **

<ol>
<li>Segregation- I’m mixed of a whole lot of races, but without going into details I’m Cuban and White. I don’t speak Spanish and I wasn’t really raised as a typical Cuban. I have grown up in a predominantly Caucasian neighborhood and never really had a problem with segregation. Majority of my friends are Caucasian and Asian, but I definitely have friends of other racist. I know this sounds bad I definitely levitate to “white-washed” people.</li>
</ol>

Most people once they know me don’t consider me black and scoff if I ever claim people are racist towards me. I have read a lot that PENN has a lot of self-segregation and most minority groups hang out with other minorities. I do not want that and I don’t want to be pushed into joining a ton of minority clubs. I am a mix of races and don’t want to be just categorized as black or cuban or whatever. I’ve never really had a problem in Southern California, I’m not sure how I’ll be viewed in Philadelphia. I am also worried about being stereotyped… I know it can happen anywhere, but still.

** Once again, to be honest, there is self-segregation, particularly among the Asians. Just don’t be pressured into joining the minority groups. You can find a ton of student clubs to meet like-minded people.**

<ol>
<li>Difficulty of Courseload- I went to a competitive high school, but I wasn’t forced to work my ass off. I have only had a handful of classes where I had to put in immense effort. How hard is the course load for the College of Arts and Sciences?</li>
</ol>

** Depends on what you major in. If you do a hard science or math, you will most likely be working really really hard. If you are pre-med, you will have a hell of a time. If you double major, the # of courses adds up fast. If you are just a single major, it is easy. This is from personal experience. That being said, getting a high gpa is not easy, no matter what major you are. In the above statement,“easy” means not too much work.**

And last but not least, “Is it worth it?”

People always say where you attend college doesn’t really matter, but it obviously plays some role or people wouldn’t work so hard to get into Harvard. I don’t want to pass up the opportunity to attend UPENN, but is it really that much better than attending Claremont Mckenna (given 100% need cover, maybe paying 2,000 a year), USC (waiting for aid offer), or Berkeley (kind of expensive).

Oh, I also am completely undecided and have no idea what I want to do. I was thinking entertainment law, but who knows!

All and all, I’m drawn to UPENN because it sounds like it’d be an awesome experience. I want to experience life other than what I’ve been raised to seen. I love meeting new people and making new friends. I’m pretty easy going and definitely don’t appear to be “ivy-league material”. Most people were shocked to hear I got into all the university I did, let alone an ivy-league. I somehow feel I might not be the UPENN girl…

** You are among a minority here! Most students are preprofessional and every breath they take is geared towards finding the best job. There are few people who actually are scholars. After taking courses here, you will have a clear idea of what it entails. I didn’t think I was ivy league material either, but once I got here, I knew…**

Best of luck in deciding. If you have questions, feel free

Wowie · April 3, 2010, 5:25pm

Thanks for the replies!

What do you mean by you are a minority here and very people are actually “scholars”? Could you please elaborate! Thanks :)!

scribbler91 · April 3, 2010, 6:04pm

Wowie, dreyenoeyedea probably meant by ‘few people are actually scholars’ is that the fact that we have engineering, wharton, and nursing means a lot of people are here to get an education to get a job. Not just to get an education.

This can sometimes be an issue in a small way–for example, I’m in Wharton but I don’t think I’m the stereotypical wharton type (yeah I’d like to make money but I want to enjoy what I do and learn different things), and I honestly think I would be happier in CAS studing random stuff than business. However, when I try to get advice, the fact that I’m in Wharton and “Wharton is Wharton and it’ll get me a job so I shouldn’t transfer” comes up all the time, making the decision much harder.

Also, I know fightingquaker said people not in CAS might laugh at him for saying he has a hard courseload, but I disagree…I’m in Wharton and do so little work…most of my work is for my CAS classes. CAS is much more legit than people make it out to be. That could just be me though.

On the money issue, yeah people go to clubs/downtown a lot, and that’s expensive, but you should be able to make a friend group that doesn’t do that…I rarely go down, mostly because I don’t like spending money if I can have fun on campus, and because the person I hang out the most with also has very little money. You’ll notice it but it shouldn’t affect you too much.

Also, I’ve met multiple people who didn’t work at all in high school and then came here and worked a ton/did awesome. So don’t worry about that too much.

Also, just to give my 2 cents: I love Penn. The campus is awesome, the different clubs you have access to are awesome, the people are awesome, and I’ve just been really happy with my decision.
Also, I highly recommend living in Harrison’s Freshman Experience if you can. (FightingQuaker and I do). Living where I am has definitely been a huge part of my experience.

drnoeyedea · April 3, 2010, 6:15pm

Regarding difficulty of courses, I can say that Wharton courses are mostly a breeze in terms of material and tough in terms of the curve. ie, for BPUB 250, I scored way above the mean and still didn’t get an A.

College courses are interesting and depending on which course you take, the curve can be generous. I actually learned quite a bit in those courses.

Engineering is hands down the most difficult in all of Penn. For computer science, I was working 50 hrs a week on homework. The material is difficult, and they try hard to deflate grades.

Wowie · April 3, 2010, 6:30pm

I’m going into the CAS. Are a lot of people intellectuals there or are they just all career driven? Also, I was hearing that I should try to get housing in the Quad. They reconmended Riepe or Ware. Is Harrison in the quad?

chrisw · April 3, 2010, 6:59pm

There is a lot of diversity in the college. Relatively few people have a big interest in pursuing academia as a career, but with that said, people can be both intellectuals and career driven. If you look at the social sciences, you’ll see a lot of this. Philosophy majors have to be intellectuals, but they still get jobs.

The Quad: Fisher Hassenfeld, Ware, Riepe
High Rises: Harrison, Harnwell, Rodin
Stouffer: Stouffer and Mayer
The rest: Hill, KCEH, Gregory, Du Bois, and then Sansom East and Sansom West (upperclassmen/graduate students)

Wowie · April 3, 2010, 7:05pm

Where would you recommend a freshman to dorm at?

I also want to go visit, but my dad is adamant that I don’t visit until I get my FA offer… which won’t be for awhile, speaking they keep requesting forms.

chrisw · April 3, 2010, 7:12pm

In order of what I think is most desirable for a freshman: Quad houses, Stouffer, then a toss up between the high rises and Hill or KCEH. I really know nothing about Gregory or Du Bois.

SusieBra · April 4, 2010, 12:21am

<ol>
<li>Brown is colder than Penn.</li>
<li>Penn would be far, but be assured that we have tons of students from California (and much further from California) who come here. I think given the fact that ultimately the experience would only make you stronger. Plus, kids from Penn are frequently reluctant to go home. I had two friends from Hill who literally did not want to go home for the winter holidays because they didn’t want to leave Penn. I have another friend from Africa who has not been able to go home ONCE this year, but the education is worth it to her.</li>
<li>Most of us are on financial aid, so it’s not a problem. I, for example, am on tons of financial aid, but I’ve never had a problem. In fact, I came to school with absolutely no spending money, and I was fine. We have dining dollars, which you can use around campus.</li>
<li>A lot of my closest friends here are African American and I’m whiter than white. Enough said.
5/6. It’s tough. I’m not going to lie, but it wouldn’t be worth it if it weren’t. You learn a ton and, in general, if you put the effort in, I’ve found that you will succeed. This has been an amazing experience so far, and I’m jealous of all of you that you have one more year here than I do. It is, in other words, 100% worth it. </li>
</ol>

Best of luck! Hope to see you on Locust Walk next year!

SusieBra · April 4, 2010, 12:31am

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