Penn receives all-time high of 4,780 Early Decision applications for Class of 2017
Quote:
Early decision applications reach all-time high
4,780 students applied to join the Class of 2017, a 5.6-percent increase from 4,527 applicants last year
By Alex Zimmermann · November 12, 2012, 12:46 am
Penn’s early decision applications hit an all-time high this year, as 4,780 students applied to join the class of 2017.
This number marks a 5.6-percent increase from 4,527 applicants last year.
Dean of Admissions Eric Furda said he was especially pleased with the increase, since he expected application numbers to decrease, citing persistent economic uncertainty and changing demographics which have caused a decreasing population in traditional feeder areas for Penn such as New England.
“I really felt like there would be a dampening effect for early decision,” Furda said. “And I was wrong, because we were up.”
It would be interesting to know exactly what schools all the applicants applied too. My guess would be that a majority of those who applied were applying to Wharton. There still will probably be a 25% acceptance rate overall. I really hope people don't get freaked out by this jump in numbers, we all still have a chance!
I'm curious as to what kinds of short answer responses "impressed" Furda. I mean, mine was pretty straightforward; well written, but not wasting words to try and grab the reader. I saved that for my two essays.
I am pretty ticked off, if they had not extended the deadline the acceptance rate would have been in the neighborhood of 40% now it will likely be bellow 25%. And yes, I live an area that was affected by Sandy, but like a student applying to a world class institution like Penn I had my application completed and sent out a month before it was due.
^ Don't be ticked off--the increase is NOT because of Penn's postponement of the ED deadline (which, incidentally, virtually all of Penn's peers also did in the wake of Hurricane Sandy). In fact, Penn and many of its peers also delayed the ED deadline last year because of a freak October snowstorm that shut down much of the East Coast, and Penn actually had a slight DECREASE in the number of ED applications that year over the year before. I seriously doubt that there was any significant increase--if any increase AT ALL--in the number of ED applications this year because of the slight postponement of the ED deadline. Many, if not most, applicants wait to file their applications until shortly before the deadline (to give them more time to work on them, and because filing earlier garners no competitive advantage), and I can't imagine an applicant suddenly deciding sometime between November 2nd and 6th, "you know what, since they've extended the deadline another 5 days, I think I WILL apply to Penn ED." I have no doubt that virtually all of the applicants who filed their ED applications after November 1st would have filed them by the original November 1st deadline if it had not been extended. And I've been a fairly keen observer of Penn admissions for several decades now.
And incidentally, Penn's ED acceptance rate hasn't been anywhere NEAR 40% for many years--it's been under 30% for several years, and around 25% the past two years.
So to summarize, go out and play a few holes of Ivy golf, and CHILL.
^I agree with 45 Percenter in that the numerical increase is not necessarily due to the postponement. However, I can also understand Ivygolfer's annoyance that others got more time to submit their applications, as I submitted my application in mid-October.
^ But that's still no reason to be annoyed. Everyone originally had until the end of the day on November 1st to submit their ED applications. That some of you decided to submit them weeks before that doesn't justify annoyance that those who waited until the deadline were given a few extra days. If anyone has a right to be annoyed, it would be those who submitted their applications immediately before the postponement was announced, not those who submitted weeks earlier.
Plus, any annoyance is further undercut by the fact that virtually all of Penn's peers also extended their ED deadlines. Sorry, but annoyance in this situtation just doesn't make any sense (at least to me).
I have to agree with 45 Percenter. Most likely, as the article itself states, students just took advantage of the extra few days to perfect their application. Were there a few kids who saw the extension and decided 'eh, might as well apply ED'? Of course. I don't think their numbers are that significant, though.
In my case, I submitted my application materials a few hours before they announced the extension. Impeccable timing on my part. But I'm not 'annoyed'; everything had been ready for some time. A few days would not have much of a difference.
@Ivygolfer: last year the ED acceptance rate was 25.3%. Assuming Penn accepts about 1,200 applicants (as the article suggests), the acceptance rate will be 25.1%.
I waited until nov 3 to turn mine in, I would of still applied by nov 1st but I took advantage of the extra time and made changes to one of my essays. If you are a qualified canidate you shouldn't be worried- you still have a great chance to get in. I agree with 45 percenter, people did not just decide to apply since the deadline was extended. Personally I really don't think the deadline will affect me, if Penn thinks that I would be a great addition to their student body they will accept me.
Okay i can't seem to figure out how to post a new thread on here so i'm just going to ask my question on this one.
I applied to penn ed at 11:54 november 6 central time but the problem is that the common app goes by eastern so everything says that my app was submitted on november 7.
the email penn sent never said anything about time zones so I think I might be okay and I also called the admissions office and they said as long as i got a confirmation email (which i did) I should be okay. But the woman i talked with was very short with her answers and didn't seem to have listened to everything i said so I am freaking out. Do you think this is a problem? Should I call again?
