<p>Aside from all the "official" stuff - tours, interviews, sitting in on classes, checking out dorms and cafeterias, fitness facilities, library, etc. and the obvious --- Locust Walk, walking around the area, sampling food trucks, cheesesteaks, hoagies (is Koch's still any good?) -- what are the recommendations to get a real feel for Penn?</p>
<p>Won't be able to schedule an overnight in the dorms, but want to get a true sense of the place, academic and social. Will be there 4 days total -- staying very close to campus.</p>
<p>^ Good to know!
How about connecting with students? Since the university doesn’t put together official overnights until later in the semester, how would one go about checking out the social scenes, particularly parties. Also, will there even be much going on first week of classes?</p>
<p>I’d try and sit in on a class or two[you would have to contact professors yourself, not an admissions thing]. I’ve seen potential students do it before and I’m sure professors would be accommodating.</p>
<p>^ Very much planning on doing that. Apparently there is a list that Penn provides, where you can pretty much drop in on classes, if you approach the prof beforehand.</p>
<p>Look at the registrar’s fall timetable for a list of what courses meet when; you can just show up at lectures that have enrollments of 60+, regardless of whether the prof knows. </p>
<p>As for social happenings, I’m guessing that you don’t know anybody on campus. It makes going out a little more awkward, since first semester is all about frat parties. There will be parties happening at places along Locust, Walnut and Spruce at fraternity houses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The more fun parties start around 11pm and will go as late as 4 or 5am. And you better believe there will be parties that first week… nobody has anything to do yet, so why not party? haha</p>
<p>Exactly. Not really feeling the “girl showing up solo at frat party” experience, but would like to get a sense of the social atmosphere before applying.</p>
<p>im not sure who you’re visiting with, maybe a parent. if so, and your parent is up for it, just walk around the 40th-42nd area on walnut, locust, and spruce streets (they run parallel) at about 11:30pm. you’ll be able to see whats up without actually going in any parties and everyone will be too drunk to care or notice that someone is walking around with their mom. maybe if you’re a guy you could walk around alone and tolerate the 15 minutes of looking creepy. no, no one will remember if you come here next year, and you might actually get a good idea of the social life!</p>
<p>if you’re a girl at nso, its unbelievably easy, you literally just walk in. if you’re a guy, its also pretty easy, but you might need some girls to walk in with to get you in. ids are only necessary for registered parties. nso parties are not registered for the most part (if i remember correctly)</p>
<p>i think the penn social life is great. embrace greek life (i did), and you will never be party-less. my non-greek friends also have no shortage of parties to go to. i have a number of friends that went to traditional state party schools, and my social life at penn is just as active as theirs.</p>
<p>Fraternities will check ID when they find that too many non-Penn students are coming to their late-nights, and by “check ID,” I mean they will check your Penn ID. Registered parties are usually lame, though if you have a lot of friends in the fraternity, they can be very fun!</p>