Social Atmoshpere of Penn?

nash3 · 07-29-2009, 11:36 PM

I recently visited Penn and took a campus tour as well as listening to an information session. When I arrived on campus I was hoping that Penn would live up to my dreams/ high expectations. I was sure that Wharton business school was going to be my dream school and that i would be dying to go to Penn after visiting for the day.

However, after spending time on campus and listening to the presenters, i was uncertain that Penn is still the right school for me. The people on Campus seemed to lack the enthusiasm about their school that every other college had whenever i visited. Our tour guide (who was a student), seemed like such a boring person that i would never want to be around. She lacked the dynamic nature that most other tour guides had at the other schools. I am just afraid that if i get into Wharton and attend, that I would be unhappy and not fit into the social aspects of the college. This is heart wrenching to say considering Penn's academic prestige, and especially Wharton.

If anyone could offer their opinions/comments/thoughts on the matter, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if any current or former students could address the social scene at Penn so i could get an idea of what to expect. Thanks so much for your time and help

Neviar · 07-31-2009, 06:34 PM

I can understand how you're feeling. Many Penn students are ignorant, obnoxious, boring automatons who only know how to study, get wasted, and be loud. A lot of them get in by legacy and choose a major as a side dish to their party lifestyle. That's a solid portion of the student body for sure. However, there are a lot of people at Penn [20,000, 10,000 of whom are undergrads]. For every 5 idiots is an interesting person worth befriending and getting to know better. What makes things hard is that these people are concealed among the masses, so it's easy to automatically group them with the rest. I can assure you that with some effort, you will find friends with whom you can bond. I can't promise they will be in Wharton, as I find that Wharton has the highest proportion of superficial people.

I'm not sure why you question the school spirit, though. Penn students are pretty proud to be at Penn, so that's one point on which I don't agree.

This is a pretty cynical post, yes, but I too was profoundly disappointed that so many students are so damned uninteresting at Penn.

nash3 · 08-02-2009, 12:44 AM

I didn't mean any disrespect to Penn or the school spirit by any means. Sorry if i came across like that. Thanks for the insight though, it sort of confirmed some of what i was thinking about the uninteresting portion of the student body. But it is reassuring to hear that you feel i would be able to meet friends and fit in eventually.

Right now i am torn on whether or not to apply ED to Penn. As described above, i was rather disappointed with my visit and feel uncertain if i want to commit to ED. I am pretty sure that my only way of gaining admissions would be through ED, so that's why i am feeling pressure on whether or not to commit.

Your thoughts on committing to ED? I know that a Wharton degree will open doors unlike any other college so that's why i feel i should at least try to give myself the best opportunity of getting in by applying ED. On the contrary, i am not quite convinced that i would be able to fit in at Penn and be happy during my 4 years.

SusieBra · 08-02-2009, 03:00 PM

nash3: It's so good that you're being open and posting here. I think I might be able to help you a little. I recently made a trip down to campus; I just wanted to walk around. I had been there several times at the end of the year when the student life was still vibrant and classes were still well underway. What I discovered by going down over the summer was that summer at Penn is very different from life at Penn, and you’re certainly not going to get the school pride when so few undergrads are there. There are tons of grad students and high school students there over the summer. The only undergrads I encountered were those who were working. Most people utilize the summer for work to contribute to their resume by outside internships etc. so you really can't just the entire, large student body by those who had to stay at Penn over the summer.

During the year you'll find tons of people on Locust Walk, and you'll be surprised that even though there are so many students, you'll recognize a few. (I even did, and I hadn't even matriculated).

The good thing about Penn is that you'll find everything. It's kind of like a melting pot. You won't have such a limited selection as you might find at other schools with fewer students. (I saw that both Stanford and Princeton were on your list and that's one thing that you have to be careful of there: a lot of space and a few students doesn't make for a great social life).

By any case, you'll also meet tons of people through your residential college and through 6 days of NSO, during which time you'll come to bond with your hall mates a lot more.

I've done a lot of research into colleges and had to make some difficult decisions, but I can tell you with the utmost sincerity that if you have to pick a place to spend these four years that will define you, alter you, mold you and ultimately form you, I can't imagine a better place than Penn.

Hope this helps.
Good luck!!!

nash3 · 08-04-2009, 11:04 AM

Thanks for your advice Susie, it really makes a lot of sense and is making me reconsider my initial reaction to Penn. I think that i am going to visit Penn sometime during the fall when classes are in session and i am hoping that i get a different impression of the school. In retrospect, i think that i was a little quick to form a judgment of Penn from the small population of summer students.

Venkat89 · 08-04-2009, 12:57 PM

I go through phases when I'm pretty unimpressed with Penn as well. It's sort of like an ebb and flow over the past two years. I'm still very happy here. I spent my winter break freshman year looking at places to transfer and realized there was no better place for me than Penn. The only appealing places from an academic standpoint were Columbia and MIT. I wasn't going to have a shot in hell at MIT and the social side of Columbia made the application not worth it.

Quote:

The people on Campus seemed to lack the enthusiasm about their school that every other college had whenever i visited.

You visited over the summer. Most people are there for summer classes and research. Most of my friends at Penn over the summer (especially at this point in the summer) don't really want to be there either and just want to be done with class or research or studying for MCATs. Some of my friends have been there since January. They'll have a different attitude once school starts and everyone comes back.

Quote:

Our tour guide (who was a student), seemed like such a boring person that i would never want to be around. She lacked the dynamic nature that most other tour guides had at the other schools.

Maybe you just got a bad tour guide. Most of my friends who are tour guides are super outgoing. Maybe kindof toolish, but not dull. Where else have you gone on tours? My impression from tours when I applied was that Penn and Cornell were the only Ivies with tour guides who didn't feel like they were better than everyone taking the tour.

Quote:

Many Penn students are ignorant, obnoxious, boring automatons who only know how to study, get wasted, and be loud. A lot of them get in by legacy and choose a major as a side dish to their party lifestyle. That's a solid portion of the student body for sure.

Solid, yes. I'd say maybe 20%, but not a majority.

Quote:

For every 5 idiots is an interesting person worth befriending and getting to know better.

I'd say more like 1 in 3 are truly worth knowing. If you give people a shot that is. If not then it is probably more like 1 in 5.

What exactly are you looking for socially? There is a chance Penn really isn't the place for you, but there is a good chance with 10,000 undergrads and a diverse student body you can find whatever you're looking for. It'll help if we knew what type of person you were.

SusieBra · 08-04-2009, 05:54 PM

MIT is so horrible that it's P/F freshmen year. it's competitive and I was scared to death when I visited. i’m surprised there aren't higher suicide rates. columbia suicide rates are not great. all who endure the core should be praised and given whichever job they choose.
it is important to find a place where u r happy cuz college is rly hard and there's no way around it.
students at Penn seemed happy, stressed, but happy and outgoing. kids at Yale seemed so competitive, almost hawkish, and very stressed out. The yale campus is huge but nice if you don't leave it b/c new haven is a pretty scary place, but outside the Penn campus, i felt really safe. as venkat said, it depends on the person, but i hope u do decide to come during the fall 2 see locust walk filled w/ students and 2 see penn when it’s less of a zombie town.

chrisw · 08-08-2009, 07:41 AM

Well, just so you know, nash, there is nowhere near the school spirit at Penn as there would be at a BCS school like USC, Michigan, Texas, Virginia Tech, etc. You won't find many people who are truly excited about their school... more likely people are excited because of the reputation their school has as a top tier University.

It is good that you picked out that the spirit isn't there... granted, a summer tour is not going to be the same as a school-year tour, though. Penn will not give you the camaraderie that other schools will. Groups at Penn, however, will give you that camaraderie. In other words, you need to look for it as opposed to BCS schools where it finds you.

nychica · 08-08-2009, 07:43 PM

Fraternities and sororities are also good 4 a close group and bonding etc. They're also really nice!! u should ask yr tour guide if u can see one next time. i think they're along locust walk.

nychica · 08-08-2009, 07:44 PM

(most of them)