<p>Did anyone else get invited? Whats it all about? Is it worth it?</p>
<p>I was invited when I was admitted a few years ago, and It's definately worth pursuing. UScholars is a program that is designed to encourage undergrad research (any field) and provides funding for summer research if you submit a proposal to them. Additionally, you are allowed to register for BFS classes but do not have the required number of courses that BFS students do. Most importantly, you get access to the best advising on campus, which helps a great deal in planning you courses, applying to grad schools, applying for fellowships, etc. The only catch is that you must have some form of independent research going by the Spring of your sophomore year in order to remain in the program, but this is usually easy to manage. Only about 60 kids are invited each year (generally about half that number actually end up at Penn), and it serves primarily as an inducement to lure top students to Penn; but it's definately worth it. Students can apply once on campus for admission to the program, but it's immeasurably more difficult to get in and get your funding approved if you do it that way.</p>
<p>For US/BFS I have heard that you receive an application. Are some people weeded out after a review of their essays, or is this primarily to establish interest, and not to cut down on numbers?</p>
<p>Additionally: are you only offered admission to one program or the other, or is it possible to get a choice of both? (Haha, wishful thinking that it would apply to me; just thought that I'd ask.)</p>
<p>I plano n majoring in econ..it would be awesome to get funding to research in this area, anyone have any experience with University scholar funding for econ research?</p>
<p>there's no reason to both,as there are funding sources for BFS as well, it's just not the primary focus, and no, you only get admission to one</p>
<p>I don't understand why you're so intent on stacking up as many programs as you possibly can. If i am remembering correclty 2o_o7, you were planning to be premed; and things like your curriculum are largely irrelevant for this purpose.</p>
<p>I'm not intent on 'stacking up as many programs as i can.' I just want information on as many programs as I am interested in. </p>
<p>I'm not sure what you meant in your second sentence. Why wouldn't these programs be amazing to be in if you are a premed?</p>
<p>because med schools care next to nothing about the courses you take so long as you fill the requirements (which is why Vagelos and BFS don't really help you). Research funding is big though, because it makes getting into a lab to do meaningful work much easier.</p>
<p>if you get a letter inviting you to apply, what are the chances of getting in?</p>
<p>not sure really, but I think the 'application' is more just to gauge your interest, I've never heard of anyone invited being turned down once you wrote the extra essay and sent it in. The UScholars advisors also talk like the number of invites they send out is the number they have coming in potentially, so I don't think they really reject you if you get invited.</p>
<p>whats the difference between BFS and Uscholars?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.upenn.edu/curf/index.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.upenn.edu/curf/index.htm</a></p>
<p>are there a lot more Ben Franklin scholars than University Scholars?</p>
<p>something like 100 vs 60 I believe? Don't quote me on this</p>