Wow Op - congratulations. What remarkable offers.
@publisher is 100 correct.
But just to correct some of the nonsense that surrounds these issues.
Emory is a renowned university. It’s elite and it’s well known by those who matter for your career aspirations.
Sophisticated employers and academia.
Penn is fantastic of course. It’s a brand that has value. But I always find it interesting to look at the CVs of the most brilliant and accomplished people at the school.
The professors.
The scholars actually doing the research and teaching the classes at any school.
So I took a look at Penn’s poli sci profs - the PhDs who are doing the research at Penn, the school most people will tell you is the best.
And doing the actual work you seem to be interested in pursuing.
Here’s what can be found only going to the letter K. Maybe 10 or so.
Below is a list of the Undergrad BA or BS for the standing academics at UPenn college of arts and science - political science department. Letters A through K only.
Emory
Florida State
Amherst
Wesleyan
University of Tel Aviv
University of Buenos Aires
Yale -2
Penn -2 (1 was from a commuter program)
As you can see. The hoopla here on cc and among one’s high school friends focuses on all of this as a chase, a race. It’s really the only the first lap. And it’s a much longer race than people think.
Take the long view.
I would be interested if you asked the professors listed above what they would do in your case.
A Woodruff scholar at Emory and 300k for other academic pursuits. Or Penn full pay.
Don’t ask me. Ask them.
8 out 10 didn’t go to Penn and they are the academics Penn has representing them to the world.
If you choose penn no one would second guess you and it’s wonderful!
But don’t buy the hype. Do the research.
Many here and around the high school world thinks actual research means what
-they chose
-what their kid decided
-confirmed by ranking created to sell magazines not outcomes.
Like usnwr and niche. All subjective and superficial .
Good luck and I hope your first step I this process leads you to wonderful things in life.