<p>I have heard some complaints that the general focus at Penn is pre-professionalism (preparing for a specific line of work as opposed to fueling intellectual curiosity), more so than at other top schools. How much truth is there to this?</p>
<p>more than other top schools -true. We are the only Ivy school to sport a business school at the undergraduate level and it’s one of the finest bschools in the world.</p>
<p>if you’re more intellectually curious than pre-professional, you’re in large company on Penn campus. Just because we are “more” pre-professional than other schools, doesn’t mean we don’t have our fair share of intellectuals.</p>
<p>One girl I met at Penn preview who is majoring in a humanities subject said that she doesn’t think that pre-professionalism at Penn detracts from the intellectual environment but rather that it helps students who are more “intellectual” to discover ways in which to apply their interests in the future. This is something I really like about Penn. I can pursue intellectual topics but I can also think about what I want to do in the future that would allow me to learn more about my interests.</p>
<p>Ok it sounds fine then! Thanks</p>
<p>Also, I think you have to look at Penn as being everything. If you want a pre-professional experience, that’s great, you’ve got it. If you want an amazing, stimulating liberal arts education, you’ve got it as well. You can have whichever you prefer, or both. My friend used to go to the Opera with her former professor every month because that was her passion. She and I would go to book talks in Philadelphia and lectures on topics of mutual intellectual interest. Penn truly has it all!</p>