Question for Penn students regarding social life

<p>Hello,
I was just admitted to Penn RD this year and went to visit Penn at the Penn preview day yesterday. When I was walking around the campus, I was struck by the large number of sorority/frat boy types. The student body seemed exactly like the kind you would find at a high school or a large party school. Are there a large number of students who arent sorority/frat boys/crazy partiers who simply weren’t out and about, or was my impression that the distribution of kids at Penn is much like a typical high school correct? Please don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with people who are like this, it simply isn’t what I personally am looking for in a student body. I know that Penn is considered the “social ivy,” I just want to make sure that this description and what I saw yesterday isn’t giving me an incorrect view of the student body. I have nothing against going out and partying once in a while, I’m just the kind of person who finds more joy in sitting on a couch with a cup of hot chocolate watching a movie or reading a book then getting drunk every night. Sorry if this post offends anyone or comes off as obnoxious, it isn’t meant like that at all. I’m just really stressed about college decisions and want to make sure that I chose the right college for myself :-&lt;/p>

<p>Perhaps you mistake chosen style of fashion? Penn is certainly not a total Greek Campus.</p>

<p>Most of your tour probably centered around Locust Walk, where several frats have houses. That could be a reason.</p>

<p>I'd say Penn has its fair share of frat boys, but they are not a plurality.</p>

<p>Other than the fact that I think your impression is incorrect....what other schools are you choosing in this decision of yours? Adding those might help folks to give you information. Maybe your decision is more a lesser than type of thing. Where did you stay while on your revisit?</p>

<p>Per the latest Penn stats in US News, only 24% of male undergrads are fraternity members, and only 17% of female undergrads are sorority members.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drlife_3378_brief.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drlife_3378_brief.php&lt;/a>
[see "QuickFacts"]</p>

<p>add the knowledge that few Greeks at Penn live in Greek Housing for three years.</p>

<p>rightyho, I think you definitely got a biased sample of the Penn student population. There are indeed frats in Locust Walk, and usually a lot of frat boys get together to do something, so that may be it. I am like you (like to talk, sit on a coach, read, rather than get drunk), and I can ell you there are plenty of people on campus who are like this.</p>

<p>I think I know of the incident in question - some people sitting out on college green playing croquet with couches and so forth. Most of the time, stuff like that is not going on, and just because those people were very visible yesterday doesn't mean they in any form or way represent a majority of the Penn population.</p>

<p>thanks everyone for all of your feedback! I know that I definately get way to easily influenced by what I see, so I'm glad to hear that my first impressions were skewed.</p>

<p>Oh, wait--this was about the croquet playing? Well in that case then, YES, everyone at Penn DEFINITELY plays croquet--CONSTANTLY.</p>

<p>Of course, if you're not into croquet, there's always the SHUFFLEBOARD. :D</p>

<p>I keep hearing how Penn is like a continuation of high school. I've never been on campus, so I'm wondering what the social atmosphere is actually like... Obviously not everyone is the same, but in terms of the majority...</p>

<p>Continuation of high school? Hmmmm At the high school where I went there were way more rules about adult behaviors. Penn is way better than HS for many things. Of course most Frosh are directly from HS....hehehe.</p>

<p>Realize that you only saw a small % of the students who were out & about. The rest of us were sitting inside on couches drinking hot chocolate and watching movies. :D</p>

<p>If it's croquet, (and if they were in suits) it sounds like mask and wig - which is pretty much a frat plus skirts.</p>