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45 Percenter · 04-19-2008, 10:14 AM

braaap, try to imagine yourself at either school day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. On that basis, which of the two schools feels like it will give YOU the most satisfying experiences and opportunities--academic and otherwise--both on and off campus? I know this may sound like a loaded question, but it's really not. It's really a matter of personal preference.

FWIW, I think that the two major advantages of Penn are:

1. Penn's "One University" policy, which strongly encouages undergrads to take courses in more than one of the undergrad schools (College, Wharton, SEAS, and Nursing), and in at least 8 of the grad/professional schools (Law School, Annenberg School for Communication, School of Design, School of Social Policy and Practice, Graduate School of Education, etc.), without the need for any kind of special dispensation. It offers the potential for an academic experience of extraordinary variety, breadth, and depth that really is unparalleled, and goes far beyond the traditional undergraduate curriculum.

2. Penn's campus, which is unexcelled in combining the best of both worlds: the campus is unified and self-contained, and includes lovely greens, shaded walkways, interesting and historic architecture, and lots of charm; but it's also only a mile or so from the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia's Center City and its plethora of world-class cultural attractions, historic sites and neighborhoods, dining (e.g., over 200 sidewalk cafes, and the phenomenal Reading Terminal Market), entertainment, and nightlife; and it's not far from Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, one of the largest--if not THE largest--urban parks in the world. Also, all 4 of Penn's undergrad schools and all 12 of its grad/professional schools (e.g., Law, Medical, Dental, Veterinary, Annenberg, Design, etc.) are located within a few blocks of each other on the same relatively compact 280-acre campus, which creates an extraordinarily diverse, stimulating, and exciting intellectual environment and campus "vibe," and unique opportunities for interdisciplinary study and research.

04-19-2008, 10:14 AM	#8
45 Percenter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,253	braaap, try to imagine yourself at either school day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. On that basis, which of the two schools feels like it will give YOU the most satisfying experiences and opportunities--academic and otherwise--both on and off campus? I know this may sound like a loaded question, but it's really not. It's really a matter of personal preference. FWIW, I think that the two major advantages of Penn are: 1. Penn's "One University" policy, which strongly encouages undergrads to take courses in more than one of the undergrad schools (College, Wharton, SEAS, and Nursing), and in at least 8 of the grad/professional schools (Law School, Annenberg School for Communication, School of Design, School of Social Policy and Practice, Graduate School of Education, etc.), without the need for any kind of special dispensation. It offers the potential for an academic experience of extraordinary variety, breadth, and depth that really is unparalleled, and goes far beyond the traditional undergraduate curriculum. 2. Penn's campus, which is unexcelled in combining the best of both worlds: the campus is unified and self-contained, and includes lovely greens, shaded walkways, interesting and historic architecture, and lots of charm; but it's also only a mile or so from the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia's Center City and its plethora of world-class cultural attractions, historic sites and neighborhoods, dining (e.g., over 200 sidewalk cafes, and the phenomenal Reading Terminal Market), entertainment, and nightlife; and it's not far from Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, one of the largest--if not THE largest--urban parks in the world. Also, all 4 of Penn's undergrad schools and all 12 of its grad/professional schools (e.g., Law, Medical, Dental, Veterinary, Annenberg, Design, etc.) are located within a few blocks of each other on the same relatively compact 280-acre campus, which creates an extraordinarily diverse, stimulating, and exciting intellectual environment and campus "vibe," and unique opportunities for interdisciplinary study and research.