I would appreciate it if anyone would speak to their experiences at UPenn for a Computer Science degree. Also, is it really possible to register for classes across different schools without being closed out? (even within Wharton?)
I would love to hear from anyone who is doing a double major across schools.
Hi there-
It is really possibly to register for classes across different schools without being closed out. And that’s true in Engineering as well as the College, Wharton and Nursing (and Penn’s graduate/professional schools). Some schools even set aside seats specifically for students from other schools to ensure that they’re made available. For example, the law school will often have a certain number of seats reserved for undergrads in courses that are open to them to ensure that students aren’t blocked out from accessing them. In all of my time at Penn I don’t think I was ever closed out of a class. I do have friends, however, that didn’t get their first choice every semester and thus they made alternative selections for that semester and simply signed up for the course they were closed out of the next semester or next year, depending on when it was offered. Plus, if you are locked out of a course that you really want to take, you can talk to the professor about making an exception and adding you to the class if you have a good reason. Between the College and Engineering, it’s actually even easier because both schools have opened up their majors to students in the other school, ensuring that kids can double major between schools without having to complete the other school’s general education requirements. But it’s still very simple to cross register between Engineering and Wharton-- all you have to do is register for the course on you course portal and you’ll be set!
Thank you. If you don’t mind my asking, how has your overall experience been at Penn? Are you in the Engineering school?
My overall experience at Penn was honestly outstanding. You should check out some of the other posts I’ve made on CC to get more specifics or if you have any particular questions I’m happy to answer them. Generally, I chose Penn over many other great colleges (primarily over Yale and Columbia which appealed to me most after Penn) because I felt it was going to provide me with the best liberal arts education in the context of a powerhouse research university, I loved the beautiful, spacious yet compact, green campus that has all of Penn’s undergrad and graduate schools on it, and i loved the access we had to the city of Philadelphia without the feeling that I ever HAD to go into philly to have a good time. Penn’s one university policy allowed me to explore broadly and take classes across disciplinary boundaries while the strength of the liberal arts programs provided me with an outstanding education that will serve me well for the rest of my life. I was in the college, not engineering, but most Penn students really love their experience. Engineers enjoy the same benefits with regard to accessing the whole university’s resources as students in the other undergrad schools and the engineering faculty and students are all great. Going to Penn was a truly wonderful decision and I’m grateful every day I made the choice. I don’t think Yale or Columbia could have provided me with the opportunities I valued most at Penn despite clearly offering comparably wonderful liberal arts educations. But at this level of schools, it’s essential to consider where you fit and what resources you believe will contribute to your individual success.
Thank you for taking the time out to answer. I have looked at some of your previous posts and found your insight helpful. Application season is definitely a stressful time.