<p>I thought I would restart the top reasons to go to Penn thread. Please contribute!</p>
<ol>
<li>One University Policy. Where else could I take Law School classes as an undergrad? True legitness.</li>
<li>A world class education, and you can enjoy the college experience too. Penn is "The Social Ivy."</li>
<li>Southernmost/warmest Ivy </li>
<li>Red and Blue are the best school colors</li>
<li>Spring Fling</li>
<li>Locust Walk</li>
<li>Located in a world class city! Philly is great.</li>
<li> 1 hour and 15 minute train to NYC!</li>
<li> Founded by Benjamin Franklin</li>
<li>Founded in 1740</li>
<li>The Quad</li>
<li>Wharton</li>
<li>Liberal Arts and Sciences are awesome an nationally ranked</li>
<li>Plush suburban park in the middle of a city</li>
<li>Hands on experience at SEAS. Engineering keeps climbing the rankings</li>
<li>Franklin Field, oldest football field in america</li>
<li>#1 in Nursing!</li>
<li>John Legend</li>
<li>The unique compass</li>
<li>Founded in 1740</li>
<li>Penn International Affairs Association</li>
<li>Founded in 1740</li>
<li>Awesome alumni network</li>
<li>Fighting Quakers (best/most ironic/oxymoronic name ever)</li>
<li>Top recruiting opportunities in financial industry</li>
<li>Amazing Greek life!</li>
<li>3rd Ranked medical schoolJeremy Siegel, the "Wizard of Wharton" teaches at PENN</li>
<li>Warren Buffett went here.</li>
<li>The Button XD</li>
<li>Management and Technology Program (M & T)</li>
<li>World's first collegiate business school (1881)!</li>
<li>Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowhips (CURF)--terrific resource and clearing-house for the hundreds of research positions available to Penn undergrads at any given time.</li>
<li>Travel Abroad</li>
<li>Career services </li>
<li>Best dining scene within a 10-minute walk of campus of any Ivy (yes, including Columbia) (Penn Gazette | The Omnivore?s New Dilemma (Which exotic University City restaurant should we try tonight?))</li>
<li>Vagelos MLS Yeah!</li>
<li>Only city in the nation where it is "Always Sunny"</li>
<li>Huntsman</li>
<li>Kelly Writers House (unparalleled center for creative writing and writers of all sorts)</li>
<li>Platt Student Performing Arts House (amazing resource for Penn's diverse and vibrant student performing arts community)</li>
<li>Under the button ;D</li>
<li>Lots of nationally top-ranked liberal arts departments (e.g., English, History, Anthropology, Linguistics, Art History, Religion, Music, Economics, etc.)</li>
<li>One of the largest and most diverse undergraduate liberal-arts schools in the Ivy League (and the only one that also allows--and encourages--liberal-arts undergrads to take courses in Wharton, Engineering, Nursing, the Law School, the School of Design, the Annenberg School for Communication, the Graduate School of Education, the School of Social Policy and Practice, . . . .)</li>
<li>Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowhips (CURF)--terrific resource and clearing-house for the hundreds of research positions available to Penn undergrads at any given time.</li>
<li>Throwing TOAST</li>
<li>Penn Electric Racing!</li>
<li>Hey Day</li>
<li>Penn Humanities Forum</li>
<li>The Button XD</li>
<li>Opportunities to interact with and volunteer in the surrounding community</li>
<li>Food Trucks</li>
</ol>
<p>I always find it a bit frustrating when Penn or its officials refer to its having been “founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740.” It was either founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1749, or founded in 1740 (using the Trustees’ reasoning in 1899 about the 1740 charity school building and trust subsequently acquired by Franklin and the Academy of Philadelphia), but it wasn’t founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740. ;)</p>
<p>I understand this story and as usual, you are correct 45 percenter. </p>
<p>I just decided to leave it as 1740 on the list because saying it was founded in 1740 and also saying that it was founded by Ben Franklin seems to be the official Penn answer, and it is mainly high school applicants that look at these reason lists, so I think saying something different that the admissions people say would just confuse them.</p>
<p>Plus, it must be true, and official because I see it on tee shirts. ;)</p>
<p>^ Well, the truth is that the founding dates used by many schools (including other Ivies) have little to do with when they actually started operating as full-fledged colleges, but what complicates it for Penn is the desire to also claim Ben Franklin as its founder which, as I indicated, is a bit inconsistent with a founding year of 1740.</p>
<p>But I agree: the “official” founding year is 1740, so that’s our story and and we’re sticking with it. ;)</p>
<ol>
<li>One University Policy. Where else could I take Law School classes as an undergrad? True legitness.</li>
<li>A world class education, and you can enjoy the college experience too. Penn is “The Social Ivy.”</li>
<li>Southernmost/warmest Ivy</li>
<li>College with the best balance of theoretical education and practical, hands-on education</li>
<li>Spring Fling</li>
<li>Locust Walk</li>
<li>Located in a world class city! Philly is great.</li>
<li>1 hour and 15 minute train to NYC!</li>
<li>Founded by Benjamin Franklin</li>
<li>Founded in 1740</li>
<li>The Quad</li>
<li>Wharton</li>
<li>Liberal Arts and Sciences are awesome and nationally ranked</li>
<li>Plush suburban park in the middle of a city</li>
<li>Hands on experience at SEAS. Engineering keeps climbing the rankings</li>
<li>Penn girls are awesome! </li>
<li>#1 in Nursing!</li>
<li>John Legend</li>
<li>More clubs and activities opportunities than you can possibly do</li>
<li>Career Services</li>
<li>Endless research opportunities</li>
<li>Outstanding fitness facilities </li>
<li>Awesome alumni network</li>
<li>Fighting Quakers (best/most ironic/oxymoronic name ever)</li>
<li>Top recruiting opportunities in financial industry</li>
<li>Amazing Greek life!</li>
<li>3rd Ranked medical school</li>
<li>Warren Buffett went here.</li>
<li>It is fun here!</li>
<li>Management and Technology Program (M & T)</li>
<li>World’s first collegiate business school (1881)!</li>
<li>Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowhips (CURF)–terrific resource and clearing-house for the hundreds of research positions available to Penn undergrads at any given time.</li>
<li>Travel Abroad</li>
<li>Franklin Field. Oldest football field in America.</li>
<li>Best dining scene within a 10-minute walk of campus of any Ivy (yes, including Columbia) (Penn Gazette | The Omnivore?s New Dilemma (Which exotic University City restaurant should we try tonight?))</li>
<li>Vagelos MLS Yeah!</li>
<li>Only city in the nation where it is “Always Sunny”</li>
<li>Huntsman</li>
<li>Kelly Writers House (unparalleled center for creative writing and writers of all sorts)</li>
<li>Platt Student Performing Arts House (amazing resource for Penn’s diverse and vibrant student performing arts community)</li>
<li>Under the button ;D</li>
<li>Lots of nationally top-ranked liberal arts departments (e.g., English, History, Anthropology, Linguistics, Art History, Religion, Music, Economics, etc.)</li>
<li>One of the largest and most diverse undergraduate liberal-arts schools in the Ivy League (and the only one that also allows–and encourages–liberal-arts undergrads to take courses in Wharton, Engineering, Nursing, the Law School, the School of Design, the Annenberg School for Communication, the Graduate School of Education, the School of Social Policy and Practice, . . . .)</li>
<li>Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowhips (CURF)–terrific resource and clearing-house for the hundreds of research positions available to Penn undergrads at any given time.</li>
<li>Throwing TOAST</li>
<li>Penn Electric Racing!</li>
<li>Hey Day</li>
<li>Penn Humanities Forum</li>
<li>The Button XD</li>
<li>Opportunities to interact with and volunteer in the surrounding community</li>
<li>Food Trucks</li>
<li>The unique compass</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>One University Policy. Where else could I take Law School classes as an undergrad? True legitness.</li>
<li>A world class education, and you can enjoy the college experience too. Penn is “The Social Ivy.”</li>
<li>Southernmost/warmest Ivy</li>
<li>College with the best balance of theoretical education and practical, hands-on education</li>
<li>Spring Fling</li>
<li>Locust Walk</li>
<li>Located in a world class city! Philly is great.</li>
<li>1 hour and 15 minute train to NYC!</li>
<li>Founded by Benjamin Franklin</li>
<li>Founded in 1740</li>
<li>The Quad</li>
<li>Wharton</li>
<li>Liberal Arts and Sciences are awesome and nationally ranked</li>
<li>Plush suburban park in the middle of a city</li>
<li>Hands on experience at SEAS. Engineering keeps climbing the rankings</li>
<li>Penn girls are awesome!</li>
<li>#1 in Nursing!</li>
<li>John Legend</li>
<li>More clubs and activities opportunities than you can possibly do</li>
<li>Career Services</li>
<li>Endless research opportunities</li>
<li>Outstanding fitness facilities</li>
<li>Awesome alumni network</li>
<li>Fighting Quakers (best/most ironic/oxymoronic name ever)</li>
<li>Top recruiting opportunities in financial industry</li>
<li>Amazing Greek life!</li>
<li>3rd Ranked medical school</li>
<li>Warren Buffett went here.</li>
<li>It is fun here!</li>
<li>Management and Technology Program (M & T)</li>
<li>World’s first collegiate business school (1881)!</li>
<li>Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowhips (CURF)–terrific resource and clearing-house for the hundreds of research positions available to Penn undergrads at any given time.</li>
<li>Travel Abroad</li>
<li>Franklin Field. Oldest football field in America.</li>
<li>Best dining scene within a 10-minute walk of campus of any Ivy (yes, including Columbia) (Penn Gazette | The Omnivore?s New Dilemma (Which exotic University City restaurant should we try tonight?))</li>
<li>Vagelos MLS Yeah!</li>
<li>Only city in the nation where it is “Always Sunny”</li>
<li>Huntsman</li>
<li>Kelly Writers House (unparalleled center for creative writing and writers of all sorts)</li>
<li>Platt Student Performing Arts House (amazing resource for Penn’s diverse and vibrant student performing arts community)</li>
<li>Under the button ;D</li>
<li>Lots of nationally top-ranked liberal arts departments (e.g., English, History, Anthropology, Linguistics, Art History, Religion, Music, Economics, etc.)</li>
<li>One of the largest and most diverse undergraduate liberal-arts schools in the Ivy League (and the only one that also allows–and encourages–liberal-arts undergrads to take courses in Wharton, Engineering, Nursing, the Law School, the School of Design, the Annenberg School for Communication, the Graduate School of Education, the School of Social Policy and Practice, . . . .)</li>
<li>Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowhips (CURF)–terrific resource and clearing-house for the hundreds of research positions available to Penn undergrads at any given time.</li>
<li>Throwing TOAST</li>
<li>Penn Electric Racing!</li>
<li>Hey Day</li>
<li>Penn Humanities Forum</li>
<li>The Button XD</li>
<li>Opportunities to interact with and volunteer in the surrounding community</li>
<li>Food Trucks</li>
<li>The unique compass</li>
<li>Awesome and encouraging professors</li>
<li>Cheesesteaks!</li>
</ol>