<p>Sell me the school please. Here’s some info about me:</p>
<li>I don’t drink, and I’m not going to drink.</li>
<li>I’m a devout Evangelical Christian.</li>
<li>I’m a politically active conservative, but I went to a very liberal boarding school so I get along with liberals as long as they get along with me.</li>
<li>I’m looking to do a lot of undergrad research in the social sciences (particularly sociology.)</li>
<li>I’m planning to major in Sociology and Economics, but I might change to English, History or something else in the humanities.</li>
<li>One of my best friends is going to Penn. Another is going to Dickinson.</li>
<li>I grew up in the south and get along better with southerners.</li>
<li>I like small classes.</li>
<li>I love opera, theater, museums etc.</li>
<li>I don’t really care about prestige. I just want the best education for my needs with the best friends.</li>
<li>I already know I have a job after college.</li>
<li>I can be really unobservant and uncareful sometimes. I didn’t apply to Columbia because I thought I’d get physically hurt by accidentally not paying attention.</li>
<li>I love the FOCUS program.</li>
<li>I’m worried about being treated as a second class citizen at Penn because I’m into the College, not Wharton.</li>
<li>Community is really important to me. I want to get to know a lot of people well. Penn was the biggest school I applied to.</li>
<li>I’m worried that there’s not enough to do in Durham.</li>
<li>My Penn tour guide was my favorite tour guide of all schools.</li>
<li>I really want the opportunity to sing in college.</li>
<li>I love debating and theorizing and generally being intellectual (very different from being smart; I’m definitely not saying I’m smart.)</li>
<li>I hate cold weather and I have seasonal depression.</li>
<li>I have a car that I can bring to campus if the school allows it.</li>
</ol>
<p>Please ask any other questions that you feel might impact my decision. I really really appreciate this. I can’t visit because my father thinks all colleges are the same and thus it is a waste of money to visit one or the other.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I don't drink, and I'm not going to drink.
That's fine. I don't drink, don't plan to, and I still have a great time at parties, etc. People aren't going to question why you don't drink.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm a devout Evangelical Christian.
That's fine. One of my close friends is a strict Christian and there are groups like Campus Crusade for Christ to cater for your needs.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm a politically active conservative, but I went to a very liberal boarding school so I get along with liberals as long as they get along with me.
Penn's not that politically charged (although it leans slightly left). Students do not discriminate others based on politics, and Penn Republicans is a pretty large group.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm looking to do a lot of undergrad research in the social sciences (particularly sociology.)
Penn has a great sociology and criminology department, which also allows you to submatriculate into the Master's program here--getting a BA and MA in 4 years total. (I know somebody who did) We also do a lot of work with Philadelphia agencies in this field so there's a lot of applied research going on.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm planning to major in Sociology and Economics, but I might change to English, History or something else in the humanities.
Penn's flexible, and all the departments that you mentioned are top-quality, you don't need to declare your major through sophomore year.</p></li>
<li><p>One of my best friends is going to Penn. Another is going to Dickinson.
Penn, but of course you'll make loads of other friends here.</p></li>
<li><p>I grew up in the south and get along better with southerners.
Penn has growing influence in the South and West, and our top states also include Texas, Florida, and Virginia.</p></li>
<li><p>I like small classes.
The departments you mentioned all offer seminars which are very interactive, with the best professors in the field.</p></li>
<li><p>I love opera, theater, museums etc.
Penn's dorms will subsidize tickets to many cultural events in Philadelphia, and our own student arts groups are AMAZING.</p></li>
<li><p>I don't really care about prestige. I just want the best education for my needs with the best friends.
You want to have fun. Penn is fun. You'll also make tons of friends. We are the social ivy.</p></li>
<li><p>I already know I have a job after college.
Great--but if you change your mind, Penn will definitely open doors.</p></li>
<li><p>I can be really unobservant and uncareful sometimes. I didn't apply to Columbia because I thought I'd get physically hurt by accidentally not paying attention.
I'm a klutz and I survive.</p></li>
<li><p>I love the FOCUS program.
Eh?</p></li>
<li><p>I'm worried about being treated as a second class citizen at Penn because I'm into the College, not Wharton.
Not at all (unless you see yourself that way).</p></li>
<li><p>Community is really important to me. I want to get to know a lot of people well. Penn was the biggest school I applied to.
Penn has a great sense of community, since freshman housing is across all 13 college houses, and you'll bond really quickly. Locust Walk links up everything up really nicely.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm worried that there's not enough to do in Durham.
We're in Philadelphia, and that's definitely way better than Durham, N.C.</p></li>
<li><p>My Penn tour guide was my favorite tour guide of all schools.
Great, want to be one when you're a freshman?</p></li>
<li><p>I really want the opportunity to sing in college.
Have you been to the many performances on campus? We have a great number of acapella groups, theater groups, musical groups...</p></li>
<li><p>I love debating and theorizing and generally being intellectual (very different from being smart; I'm definitely not saying I'm smart.)
Penn's an intellectual place, but not frigidly academic. Everyone here is smart, and will carry intelligent conversations, but we'll never pride ourselves on the number of hours we study (but we do, I promise)</p></li>
<li><p>I hate cold weather and I have seasonal depression.
I'm from the subtropics, and I got used to it pretty quickly. Seasonal depression is easily cured by being with friends all the time.</p></li>
<li><p>I have a car that I can bring to campus if the school allows it.
Having a car is possible, but you'll need to pay for a parking space, and you won't really use it.</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>Penn is better if you don't want to drink because we have a whole city full of alternate activities at our disposal</li>
<li>We've got plenty of those</li>
<li>Plenty of those too</li>
<li>see #1</li>
<li>Ummmm</li>
<li>That's a myth</li>
<li>You should be</li>
<li>we have more singing groups than you can shake a stick at</li>
<li>You'll love Penn's philomathean society</li>
<li>now that's a problem</li>
<li>You can bring a car but it is expensive and unnecessary. I myself live off phillycarshare.org</li>
</ol>
<p>Haha, I'm also Penn v. Duke, but I am wondering about the relative "prestige" of each school. Can you rank one over the other, or is it primarily a regional thing?</p>
<p>My perception is that Penn, Duke, Columbia and Dartmouth generally have the same ranking and the same level of prestige. Columbia has additional prestige outside of the United States. Penn seems to be known for Wharton. I think that when it comes to the ivys that Harvard, Yale and Princeton are in their own elite group and the other ives are a step below.</p>
<p>well i got into Penn Engineering + Liberal Arts</p>
<p>However i was also accepted into Rice/Duke/Harvey Mudd but i cant seem to decide where i wanna go. Right now its between Duke and Penn! What should i do? Im an international whose really confused! And i wanna try to get into wharton year 2</p>
<p>mboyle: Well...sort of, yeah. I'm finding it very hard to decide between several schools. I'm interested in medical school, and if the the "name brand" card might become a factor for me, then I think it is something I should consider. Not necessarily make up my find for me, but I am thinking about it along with the many other (more important) aspects of each school.</p>
<p>Duke and Penn split admitted applicants, so there's general parity. Wharton is highly regarded for undergraduate business opportunities but is a bit of "trade school" by reputation. </p>
<p>Generally, the decision comes down to whether you prefer an urban feel and access to the northeast corridor (Penn) or more of a traditional college experience (Duke).</p>
<p>Congratulations on your choice -- I would ask each school to put you in touch with their international students to hear it directly from them</p>
<p>Why should we sell you Penn? - it really sounds like you're leaning toward Duke/Rice. Duke is almost equal to Penn in prestige. Rice is under-rated and is only a hair below Penn, espec. if you plan to stay in Texas. If you don't take the spot at Penn, it will go to someone on the waitlist who is dying to get in.</p>
<p>Penn is 40% minority and maybe 30% Jewish, so white Christians are a distinct minority. Now if you grew up in a big US coastal city this will not feel any different than what you are used to, but if you are from small town in Mississippi or something, it will be a real mind bending experience. It might be a GOOD experience if you are open to it (you will gain an understanding of what it means to be a "minority" which will help you to understand other "minorities" your whole life), but it's much easier and more comfortable to live in a setting where your basic assumptions are shared by most other people. It's not just religion and politics - even your assumption that a car is useful will be challenged. </p>