YIKES!!!! New twist in S's decision process...Jami?! Or anyone familiar with UPenn?

Parents Forum
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<p>Berurah,
If your son and mine both decide on Penn they can swap stories about those 10 year old sisters of theirs!</p>

<p>Congratulations on all the options your son has before him. While Penn is an urban campus, it has a sense of completeness and boundaries to it. The area around it (1-2 block perimeter) is completely rebuilt and nice to walk around as well. I lived there for 4 years in the late 70's and early 80's and it has been completely transformed. It is more like JHU than Yale, certainly, but it has a sense of community during the school year- the main walk is littered with tables of kids for every imaginable cause...</p>

<p>Penn has a fantastic medical community-- as rich as that at JHU...and biochem research can easily be accomodated at the various affiliated programs on campus. The JHU medical campus, by contrast, is located separate from the main campus.</p>

<p>Look, your son can't go wrong, can he!!! The guaranteed (relatively) money at JHU is hard to pass up for a roughly comparable school in terms of quality, but I think the lifestyle and student population at Penn are different than JHU...for one thing they have a pretty darn good basketball team!!</p>

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<p>Huzzah and hurray, again (and again and again!)...Congrats from your S's "cyber-home" in the Wash DC area (only 2 short hours from Penn!!!)...</p>

<p>As for the "guarantee" of JHU vs the "maybe" of Penn...the kind of opportunities for paid research work at any of these elite science honors programs takes a lot of the worry about choosing the non-guarantee...so so so many of these kids can earn enough money in internships/research programs that financing the last two years of Penn wouldn't necessarily "kill the deal" should the scholarship not happen...</p>

<p>Altho surely a talk w/the powers that be at Penn about the scholarship parameters makes sense...</p>

<p>Penn is an Ivy...prestige shouldn't (and doesn't) matter "for real"...but w/grad school now part of the equation--it's hard to dismiss that Penn offer...Philadelphia is also an exciting, wonderful city w/so much opportunity for enrichment outside the science labs...I for one would find it near-impossible to resist the Penn offer (assuming your further inquiries result in the kinds of answers you need...gotta look at the "fine print," of course)--</p>

<p>Anyway--you still can't make a "bad choice"...we're celebrating you--and cheering loudly on the sidelines!!</p>

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<p>Berurah, WOW!!!! Best case scenario--I can drive the two of you from Philadelphia to Baltimore or vice versa. Amtrak follows that route too. This is WAY COOL!!!!</p>

<p>And yes, call the regular Admissions Office at JHU--they would most likely have a travel budget for prospective students.</p>

<p>Overanxious mother, I'm in the D.C. area too, with a daughter who will be going to college in the Phillie area, so you're going to have to share Berurah's son with me. :)</p>

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<p>searchingavalon and berurah: Why don't we all share each other and each other's kids? My son is probably headed to Ithaca (he hasn't decided yet, but he's definitely leaning toward Cornell)...I love Phila...and here are two cyber-families in DC for Berurah & son (and for each other,too!)...where are you, searchingavalon? We're in northern VA (Falls Church)....but I also have an apt on Cap Hill...we could have ourselves one terrific "family reunion!"</p>

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<p>Wow Berurah!!! Wow. Congrats to your son!! My son goes to Swarthmore, near Philly, so I visit often. We could possibly meet there too if your son decides to go to UPenn.</p>

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<p>berurah..........congratulations. I am too dumb to learn those colourful fonts. Simple congratulations is all I can offer.</p>

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<p>berurah - I hadn't read all of the other posts until now, but a lot of them echo my thoughts of this program, especially as far as the specialization aspect. But, as far as visiting Penn, it is very easy to take the train from Baltimore right to Philadelphia, and Penn is very close to the train station. It would be more time, but not too much more money, to visit Penn if you are visiting JHU.</p>

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<p>Berurah:</p>

<p>Wow! What a difference a day makes. Now your son has yet another fabulous option. I do not agree with overranxiousmother that Penn's Ivy membership will make any difference to graduate admissions. It's the individual preparation and the strength of the program that will. On these grounds, it's a hard choice between Penn and JHU, so I would suggest going for the best financial package and the best personal fit, and not worry about the impact on graduate admissions down the road. Your son cannot go wrong at either place (nor would he at Duke, if it's still in the running--I would contact Duke and let them know of these two great offers if you have not done so already). Congrats again!</p>

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<p>berurah -- I am a relatively new poster and have been following your
DS's journey and am thrilled for his latest results -- congrats. My DH
graduated Penn undergrad (centuries ago!) and graduated Penn Medical School. He received a wonderful education at both and this has opened many doors for him. Plus the Alumni network is incredible. In addition, we met at Penn so we have a special place in our hearts for Penn. Again, the urban setting is not for everyone so be sure to check it out. Good luck in your decision.</p>

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<p>CONGRATS</p>

<p>What an endorsement of your son's capabilities and potential. You both really deserved this.And to think you even had to call UM and "ask" for him to be in the Honors program. As for Yale, they blew it, didn't they. They probably realized that he would get far better offers than they could ever come up with....</p>

<p>Don't know much about the Penn V-scholars, berurah, but if its just a promise to consider S after 2 years to be 1 of 5 for the $$$, .......I am sure you will get a clearer picture after calling them, and then put all chips on the table. Good luck with the decision. Sounds like a fun weekend ahead:)</p>

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<p>"I do not agree with overranxiousmother that Penn's Ivy membership will make any difference to graduate admissions"</p>

<p>I agree w/your disagreement w/me! I'm sorry if I left a misimpression in my post...I thought Berurah had described the Penn program as one that included graduating w/a master's as well as a bachelor's at its conclusion (I might be wrong; I do tend to get confused as I go back and forth among multiple threads!)...</p>

<p>But you are so correct in your opinion (or at least I fully agree w/it, so it might be right, right? Grin!) that a bachelor's from JHU or one from Penn are both very strong "first steps" toward post-graduate work...</p>

<p>Sorry if I left a wrong impression...</p>

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<p>I just can't resist checking in to CC to catch up on your newest posts, berurah. </p>

<p>I love it when good things happen to good people! </p>

<p>Congratulations to all of you!</p>

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<p>Berurah:</p>

<p>Wherever you son goes, he will make a difference. With this note I congratulate you and your son, as I am not qualified to give you any honest opinion about how to select the school. I am also thrilled that with this kind of news I have a hope that future kids who work really hard and are intelligent enough will have a chance despite lacking dough to polish their resume. Bravo</p>

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<p>B-- congrats again.</p>

<p>I have no particular insights into this program but want to give a quick cautionary tale on picking a school for the major...</p>

<p>Our son was only interested in Physics. There were tons of great schools which he wouldn't look at- based on the depth of their departments, the opportunity to do grad level work as an undergrad, etc.</p>

<p>He ended up at MIT, a place that he really loves and he has thrived there. However, after completing the two semesters of required physics he announced that he would never again take a physics class. He even did reasonably well-- but not as well as in high school when he was clearly the top of the heap, and he realized that the subject wasn't as interesting as other things that he was studying.</p>

<p>Unless your son is at an unusually high powered high school in the sciences, I think he really has no idea what college classes in molecular biology and chemistry will involve. We feel lucky that the environment at MIT was such a good fit for our kid, since abandoning physics meant that he had a plethora of great options in other disciplines... of which he's taken full advantage, but make sure you're not shoe-horning your kid into a program which will require a four year commitment if he loves the school but doesn't love his classes.</p>

<p>He can love infectious diseases but discover that he loves Russian Literature even more.... and if the only way to make the finances at Penn work is to keep him committed to the Vagelos program, he may decide he doesn't want to stay with it for four year.</p>

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<p>"He can love infectious diseases but discover that he loves Russian Literature even more.... and if the only way to make the finances at Penn work is to keep him committed to the Vagelos program, he may decide he doesn't want to stay with it for four year."</p>

<p>Blossom makes an excellent point. After almost a year of college, most of my son's circle of friends have changed their minds about what they thought they might want to major in from when they started last fall.</p>

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<p>Wow, Berurah, congrats again. Told you I'd be singing that refrain again and again and again. But I'm happy to do so. What happy choices to make.</p>

<p>I don't know anything about the program but it does sound impressive and warrents investigation. Maybe Penn can spring for a visit?? Then maybe you can drive to Baltimore which is only a couple of hours away via train or car and look there too. There is a a lot of overlap in Penn and JHU applicants, and you will find kids at either school that picked in over the other for any number of reasons. It is a personal preference as to which is the more desirable environment too. Though I like the Homewood Campus better than Penn's campus, the housing situation is more certain at Penn and though the neighborhood is a bit seedy, it has more shops and restaraunts and stuff like that whereas Homewood Campus is really in a city residential area. Academically, as you know, both school are excellent, and with Penn you get the ivy lustre. </p>

<p>To me the decision should come in a combination of the fit of the environment to your son, the feel, so to speak, which is why a visit is important. Also the financial issue with other kids in the picture is important too. I would not hold my breath for the tuition waiver down the road. A bird in hand.... But if the financial aid package is generous and doable at schools, they should definitely be in consideration. The other issue is research opportunities. With the Hodson, he will be one of the first in line for a plum research position. And he is basically paid for it. With Penn, it appears that he will also be in preferential position, but the pay is yet to be decided, and may not pan out. Hopkins, too, has possible future tuition waivers for programs like the combined MD/PHD and other graduate programs that are intertwined with the undergraduate that he will learn about if he goes there. But they are all possibilities and who know if he will be selected for them. But they are there. At Duke and whereever else, he is another face in the crowd that will have to scramble as a freshman to work his way into the research fabric of the school as he is not one of the annointed ones there. And there is stiff competition. None of these schools are cake walks.</p>

<p>Given the great variance in the reception of your son's application which I assume was similar from school to school, I would say that there are schools that had no idea of your son's passion and depth of research, schools that said "hmm, sounds interesting with possibilities" and Hopkins and Penss that said, "wow, we want him working here now". Hopkins does not give out those awards easily to those in the science research field as it well knows what is trivial and what is meaningful in the works the kids are doing. I will admit upon reading your son's resume, that was a key area where I reserved judgement because I had no idea what the quality of the work was. Yale and Stanford skimmed it over, Hopkins and Penn gave it a serious read in my book. One less obstacle for son to get where he wants in doing thing. I do not lightly recommend Hopkins to kids, especially from outlying areas where they may not have gotten the full rigor in academic programs as the competition there is stiff. And coming from Kansas, I would hesitate, except I do know what goes into the selection of a Hodson recipient. Particularly in that field. That for me is the tipping point. I think like some of the Smith women who are now in reseach in scholarship programs, you son will have a good starting point there with a lot of help and attention in getting started instead of having to compete and try to work his way through the bureaucratic maze of any college, since they will be waiting for him with ideas on the table since they are not about to let that money go to waste with him spinning wheels. </p>

<p>Again I have refrained from commenting on the Penn deal because I simply do not know anything about it, and it could well be a windfall. I don't know anyone who ever got one of those. You and son will have to research that alternative. </p>

<p>Congrats, again, Berurah and son, and I am interested in learning which way you go. Such great choices!</p>

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<p>Not only did Brown miss the boat, but what the heck was Cornell thinking? </p>

<p>Congratulations again - everyone around here LOVES Penn but no specifics on the program. I'd love to hear more about it as you do though.</p>

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<p>While the programs which indicate "special qualities" at many of these schools are fabulous (especially when there is money with them)...I think it is key to recognize that whatever it is about the student that these programs are recognizing are what will help the same student to differentiate themself on ANY Campus, even when they are not part of a selective program. Sure, it might be easier to do so with a leg up, why not take it??? If the dream is another school, if the environment is wrong (Penn and JHU are not the same as Duke)...etc... The money, not the program,might be the decision point- and therefore what Blossom has to say about the money being explicitly tied to the program is very important.</p>

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<p>overanxious mother, you've had a wonderful ideal!! Let's do it!! I'm in Montgomery County, Maryland, so we have all the local jurisdictions covered.</p>

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<p>Hey Berurah--a quick hello and congrats! What an exciting time for your S!</p>