If you’re a US citizen and your parents aren’t divorced, and they don’t own a business or a farm, the result of the NPC is the minimum you can expect to pay. Universities don’t negotiate. Negotiation implies you have some power in the exchange and the truth is that you have none. They do reconsider financial aid packages if a family’s financial aid picture changes drastically or if there’s info. not captured in the financial aid form, but the family appeals and the financial aid office either recalculates or they reject the appeal.
Before you can even contemplate comparing offers from UPenn and its peer schools, you have to clear the first hurdle – acceptance. Until you have multiple offers on the table, I wouldn’t worry about how to coax a better deal out of an Ivy or any other university. And I’d quit asking your friend about his finances. It’s really none of your business and won’t have any affect on the pakages you’re offered anyway.