<p>And I completely apologize if I seemed snippy earlier, since I called about 7 months ago and I was told that they would consider me if I got some more college credits but called back today and was told that they would only really consider, like you said adult non-traditional students 21 or older when their website clearly elaborates on applications of those who are under 21, so when an advisor told me about the age limitations and said that she thought it said this on the website, of course I was furious since it seemed like she hadnāt looked lately.</p>
<p>Hi Guys!
Anyone know exactly if international students have the same shots to get in UPenn LPS,
since for the US Visa there is that problem of the encessity to take full-time classes,
also they mention that they need a TOEFL exam result,however it is not written which one is the limit to be considered, is 100 ibt enough?or lower scores are acceptable too?
I will be 21 in a few months and I am already transfering to UTexas, however I am still very interested at UPenn LPS.</p>
<p>You can be a full-time student in the LPS program.</p>
<p>What exactly are the average stats of those who are accepted to LPS? I didnāt finish high school due to family medical and financial reasons and these issues also caused a blow to my high school GPA. It took me a few years before I was able to put myself in a position to continue my education. I got my GED and scored a near perfect score before beginning community college. As of December, I will have completed 50 credits at community college with a 4.0 GPA. These courses cover a wide spectrum, such as maths, astronomy, logic, various social sciences, multiple psychology courses, art history, ancient history, composition, brain & behavior (biology and anatomy), three french courses, etc. I feel Iāve taken a fine mix of classes that touch on the various cornerstones of a well-rounded liberal arts education. I havenāt taken the SAT but I am considering doing so. Would that be a waste of time and money on my behalf? Does anybody know how heavily weighed it is in the admissions process? If I were to take it, considering the possibility that the SAT practice tests are even remotely close in difficulty to the actual administered test, I feel I would easily score 2100+ if you asked me to take them on the spot without any studying. However, I wonder if scores of those who have been through years of college are perceived differently than those that come from traditional applicants. Does anybody have any clue to what degree taking the SAT post-high school is useful? </p>
<p>Taking these things into consideration, what is the likelihood of me being accepted into LPS?</p>
<p>LPS is a cash cow for Penn. They spend lots of money to recruit students but relatively little to maintain them (no dorms, activities, etc.). So I think admission is mostly based on your perceived ability to do the work. Acceptance stats would vary, depending on the quality of the applicants.</p>
<p>What do you mean by āno dormsā? Iām aware that LPS students do not have their own dorm, and being a small minority of Penn student body they really shouldnāt. However, I was told that I would be put up in graduate housing, which to me sounds far better than being in undergraduate dorming. To add, does anybody know if LPS is truly āneed-blindā like they claim? If I got in I would qualify for full financial aid and was wondering if this would hurt my chances.</p>
<p>If they said youād have graduate housing, youād get a small room in a high-rise apartment, with or without roommates. Itās expensive. Frankly, you could get more space more cheaply if you go off-campus.</p>
<p>If they said theyāre need-blind, Iād believe them, because there could be legal consequences if they lied about it.</p>
<p>Thank you for your replies. I looked into the graduate housing between the time of my post and now. The housing they provide for LPS students is Samson Place and it is indeed quite expensive. Weāre talking 1,200 per month for a single apartment and 860 per month for sharing PER OCCUPANT. However, this doesnāt really deter me since I am eligible for having this completely covered. I could see how this would be a big issue for a lot of students wishing to attend, though. They also told me if I opt for off-campus housing that they would give financial assistance. Iām not sure how true this is and it is definitely something Iāll have to look into with greater detail. Iāve found some places in University Center for decent prices (600 a month) which I may opt to do because of the possibility of someone I know attending LPS or another Philadelphia school. Splitting the rent + internet doesnāt seem like it would be too big of a deal.</p>
<p>Again, I appreciate the replies. They have motivated me to continue to dig deeper to make sure that Penn LPS is a strong possibility for myself.</p>
<p>I donāt think itās accurate to call LPS a ācash cowā. I am an LPS student, and I received a very generous financial aid offer. I am paying almost no tuition, and cost of living is built into the financial aid package (though some of the cost of living is loans). I live off campus.</p>
<p>Cnote, you should definitely apply, and if your essays and interview are good, you should get in with a 4.0 gpa. With that amount of college work, the SAT is not necessary.</p>
<p>Hey guys, I have a lot to say soā¦buckle up! lol. Iāll provide some key points of what I want to get across, and you may take it as you please:</p>
<p>About Me: 32 year old male. Economics Major, Cognitive Science Minor. Graduated from a community college in Minneapolis with an A.A. in Liberals and an Emphasis in Accounting. Started my first semester Fall '12 as a Freshman. Will be a Sophomore next semester.</p>
<p>GPA:
-I transferred in with a 3.79
-Most of my LPS classmates entered the program ranging from 3.5-4.0
-Apply anyway, even if you feel your GPA is not strong. Iāve heard of a few students being admitted around a 3.0. Rumor has it, there are a few ātraditional studentsā who got in with below a 3.0, but I think they are student athletes.</p>
<p>Financial Aid:
-My package is about 80%-grants & scholarships, 20% Fed. Loans
-LPS doesnāt have the same financial power as Pennās Student Aid due to funding, donors, and endowments, but for the most part, theyāre good at covering your financial needs. Just donāt expect much more.
-You may need to take outside personal loans
-You are required to have health insurance to attend Penn. What sucks is, Penn is very picky with what insurance you bring in. It basically has to be top notch medical insurance or they wont accept it. I wish I would have known this before I finalized my financial aid package, so I could have planned things better :-/ Penn Ins. is $3,311 a YEAR!!! Itās ridiculous. It does cover A LOT, but it was depressing to see the excess money I had borrowed, as a financial cushion for emergencies, was taken away by my Penn Ins. So, plan accordingly!!!</p>
<p>Housing:
-Graduate dorms are recommended for LPS students. I have a friend who is staying an Sansom East and pays around $850/month. Itās about a 9āx13ā dorm style room, and he shares a bathroom with his neighboring roommate. I didnāt like the feel, because it felt like a jail cell. Maybe itās because Iāve always lived in a more spacious apartment setting and never had to share a bathroom.
-There are some nicer and larger apt style dorms, but youād be easily paying $1,000 - $2,500.
-Iām renting off campus (44th/Walnut), and there are many students who do so. Iām paying about $550/month with rent and utilities. I got REALLY lucky! If you can find a place around $600-$750, you are in good shape.
-Try to stay East of 45th street. Some of the neighborhoods are rough and dangerous (between 33rd St.- 45th St. is recommended). I strongly suggest you visit the area and see for yourself before you secure a lease. Penn campus is beautiful though.</p>
<p>Admission:
-LPS looks for students with various professional and personal backgrounds, with the hunger to succeed in a challenging and rich environment. The more unique and interesting you are, the better your chances.
-I donāt know the acceptance rate so if anyone can share what they know, Iād greatly appreciate it.
-During New Transfer Student Orientation on 8/30/12, LPS accepted 90 students from all over the world, not just the country.
-Itās competitive, but again I donāt know how competitive.
-I met one LPS student during orientation who was 19 years old. So, they do take students under 21. Iām sure it depends on the experience of the applicant though.</p>
<p>Transfer in credits:
-Be ready to not get many of your classes transferred, unless you are coming from a very reputable 4-year college.
-I only received 5.5 CUās (5 classes) from ALL the 20 classes Iāve completed. 
-Wharton School of Business doesnāt take in ANY business classes from community colleges. Even if you donāt plan on taking Wharton classes, all business related courses are evaluated by a dept. at Wharton. I was hoping to get my Accounting & Business classes as electives. NOPE! It was REJECTED!</p>
<p>My Current Experience:
-I truly enjoy the change in environment, culture, and expectations.
-Iām struggling to stay above a 3.0 this first semester. Penn DOES NOT play! Lol. Most classes are very challenging. I took Calc.1 at my Comm. College, and am taking Calc. 1 again at Penn. Itās intense! Most 2 and 4-year colleges would consider Pennās Calc. 1 (Math 104) as Calc 2.
-I enjoy the smaller student to teacher ratio. Most of my classes (seminars) have about 15-20 students.
-LPS classes are diverse, traditional and non-traditional students are all mixed in. So you wont feel segregated from the school.
-Day classes are less diverse. Most are 17-20 year olds. Although, most students at Penn are well composed, intelligent, and thoughtful. I havenāt seen any students who are not ambitious, and not want to be at Penn.
-Students come from all over the world. I speak 3 languages (English, Khmer, Spanish) and thought I was ahead of the game coming into Penn, but I was wrong. Haā¦It seems like 3 is the average numbers of languages spoken by students here. Theyāre mostly great kids, except for the snotty and arrogant rich kids. lol. If you are all about celebrity status; Denzel Washington, Vera Wang, and Donald Trumpās kids are current Penn students 
Thatās just one little interesting fact. </p>
<p>All-in-all, your school experience is exactly what you make of it. If you work hard and smart, youād succeed. That goes for any school. Iām slowly adjusting to the challenging environment and enjoying it. The opportunities are endless here at Penn, but YOU will have to go out and search for them. Itās competitive and nothing is going to be handed to you on a silver platter. Join a club or an intramural sport to help balance your rigorous course load. Iām on Pennās HYPE Dance Team, and theyāve done a great job making me feel like family and welcomed. LPS studentās CANāT participate in Collegiate Sports, but club and intramural sports are up for grabs. I tried to join the Penn Crew(Rowing) Team, and trained with them for one month, and later found out that I didnāt qualify under the NCAA bylaws. :-/ Coach was great about everything though. The Pottruck Fitness Center (one of Pennās Gym) is AWESOME! 
As an undergrad student, you pay for it with student feesā¦so use it! </p>
<p>I was accepted to 5 other Universities and 3 of them offered me decent scholarships. Penn ended up offering me the best aid package of them all, so it was a no brainer for me. The only downfall was the time lost from practically starting fresh again. I have to be in school an extra year because of the limited amount of transferred credits. Iām confident that my time spent here will be well worth it at the end. Iām keeping my fingers crossed. haha. One major reason that convinced me to come to Penn was the Bachelors Degree. At the end of the day, once I graduate, my diploma will say āBachelors of Arts from the University of Pennsylvaniaā. Just the name alone will separate myself from other schools/job applicants. I know it doesnāt apply to all jobs, but most corporations and larger businesses are attracted to the Ivy League brand name.</p>
<p>Remember, this is my personal experience. I hope this helps, and I wish the best of luck to you!</p>
1 Like
<p>What a great summation of your experience Hhou0701!</p>
<p>Thanks for taking the time!</p>
1 Like
<p>Hhou0701, I agree with almost everything in your post, but this is ridiculous:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>West Philly does not get rough or dangerous until ~52nd street. A lot of blocks around 46th-48th honestly feel suburban (gardens and lawn furniture).</p>
<p>Penn transit goes as far west as 50th, so I would recommend 51st or 50th as your western border. There are hip restaurants on 50th. Itās not rough at all!</p>
<p>New to the forum, but I figured Iād offer my āstatsā as I was just accepted to LPS last week.</p>
<p>African American Male
3.76 GPA
Community College in Florida
Honors Institute (Most of my classes have the Honors designation)
Phi Theta Kappa
50 Credit Hours
Navy Veteran
Work full-time at a bank.
Minimal volunteer work when I can.</p>
<p>UPENN LPS fishes in the same pool as Columbia GS applicants, so it makes sense that the advantage of LPS is their application process is far more streamlined than Columbia GS.From start to finish I would say the process took approximately 3 weeks. I still have not heard back from GS and I could really care less at this point. So my recommendations is, donāt stress yourself out worrying about the fear of rejection. If LPS is for youā¦ Then it is for you. Take a chance. </p>
<p>Iād love to connect with anyone who is attending PENN this Spring. So feel free to message me!</p>
<p>Hello Everyone
Being a West Philadelphia Native, Penn has always been my dream school. Iām currently going through the application process for the LPS department. I spoke to a recruiter at a walk-in-Wednesday event, but she wasnāt much help answering my specific questions. Iām curious to Know how do I measure up agains the other applicants.</p>
<p>Iām 21, I have a small child
3.5 GPA
President of My current college Black Student Union
Active Community Advocate and Volunteer
Have studied abroad in Ghana</p>
<p>Iām concerned because I had to withdraw from my spring 2011 semester due to medical complications. </p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU THINK GUYS?
@fontaine317 @whatisinevidence @Hhou0701</p>
<p>Iām glad I found this thread as I am currently applying to LPS for the fall 2013. I found many helpful information!
I am an international student, and I realize UPenn is need-aware for traditional international student applications. My question is, how about LPS for nontraditional international applicants?</p>
<p>Also would like to know my chances for LPS</p>
<p>25 years old, I am originally from Japan, but have lived in Costa Rica for 11 years until high school graduation. Went to a good school for college but due to personal reasons, graduated with not so great gpa (2.73 with a significant upward trend starting spring semester junior year).
Iām now attending a community college with a 3.89 gpa taking mostly sciences with labs. The sciences I have taken are A&P I and II, Gen Chem I and II, Gen Physics I and II, and Orgo I. Iāll be taking Gen Bio I and Orgo II this spring semester.I got Aās in all except Gen Physics I i got an A-. I took Calculus IB last semester and got a B. Trying for a career in health care (either physical therapy or dentistry) and would be applying as a second bachelorās degree candidate for several schools.
I know Spanish, English, and Japanese fluently
Phi Theta Kappa member, as well as Gamma Beta Phi honor society
I participate in volunteer activities through my honor societies. I also did volunteer activities during my first college, as well as joined student clubs. It was in a small rural area so i found it difficult to find things to do.</p>
<p>This is my first time posting my own stats, so feel free to pm me if i missed something!</p>
<p>Sorry to bump, but I am so glad to see this thread, I got scouted by UPennās LPS program and wanted to know more. Thanks for all the contributions!</p>
<p>@SirZac- Hi! I recieved an email from Penn LPS as well. Do you know anything about stats?</p>
<p>I would like to hear more from those who are looking to attend or who are currently attending Penn LPS. I am considering applying. How is admissions process different from Columbia GS?</p>
<p>Hi guys,
Same question.</p>
<p>International, great essays.
Im 25. veteran from elite unit.
SATs 1930, GPA 3.6 (3.8 if you take out musics).
Majored French and Music in high school.
taking sat for french and math.
work as requirement designer in IT firm.</p>
<p>What do you think? worth a shot?</p>
<p>thanks guys, see you at Phili ;)</p>
hello so the LPS is the same as GS? or GS is more formal?
Thank you