quirple

This decision shouldn't be based on the pure number of words but on the content in them; you could have a brilliant essay that is 1000 words and one that is 200, I'd say it depends case to case!

domino2017

The supplemental questions this year do not include the Why Penn essay and there is no pg 217 either...They've redone the supplemental application with the Ben Franklin question and the "how will you engage academically" question. Regarding THOSE, I would at least stick roughly to word limits.

rhandco

As a Penn alumni, I like to think admissions won't take into account creative formatting without creative content.

A series of haikus might be interesting though LOL.

DPhighered

Hey guys, I'm a reporter for The DP and we're doing a follow-up article to the one on this year's regular decision numbers (The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Penn application numbers increase by one).

What did you guys think of the new Ben Franklin essay question? Did it make you feel less compelled to apply to Penn? If you wouldn't mind being quoted in The DP, email me- mamic@sas.upenn.edu

myraven11

The essay question was tough. I'm not saying that it was necessarily a bad thing, but it makes you think about yourself as a person, not just as an applicant. After I figured out how to make any one of the three choices fit me, it became my favorite prompt of all the (many) prompts I wrote essays for! It didn't deter me from applying, although I did grow frustrated at times. I think admissions should keep it, or any other similarly open-ended, thought-provoking question, because it really helps to discern who is the right "fit" and who isn't. Because of that prompt, I became even more excited about going to Penn... And who knew I'd be heading there in a few months!

above1960

Nice DP post