For current students/recent grads: How cutthroat is Penn?

[bluecow219]

<p>I'm a senior right now and still finalizing which schools to apply to [It's November okay I know, I know] but anyway was wondering: how cutthroat is Penn? I've heard that the competition is pretty intense there, someone even saying that students wouldn't answer each others' questions. I know it can't be THAT bad, but am pretty nervous - I'm in the applicant range for Penn, but just at the very bottom, so I'm preparing to work hard but I don't think I could handle it if the atmosphere was extremely intense. </p>

<p>In short: How hard are classes at Penn, compared to high school? How much time per day do you spend working on academics, outside of class? How's the general student environment: friendly and supportive?</p>

[tenebrousfire]

<p>1) relative class difficulty depends on the caliber of your high school, and therefore cannot be generalized (though as you'd expect, relatively speaking, intro curriculum for the college is easier than for engineering or wharton)</p>

<p>2) time per day depends on classes taken / major program / ability to concentrate; it can be as little as no time at all (if you're awesome like that) or as much as every free moment (if you have something to finish, or an exam)</p>

<p>3) environment also depends on classes taken, but in the many classes i've taken (36 so far), i've never felt an unfriendly vibe - i've never been unable to get help or work on things together</p>