Transfer to UPenn or stay at Sewanee?

College Search & Lists
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<p>UPenn:
Better academics
Better class discussion, more intellectual students?
Nearly as good professor relations, from what I hear
Greater opportunities after graduation
Philosophy & Science major
Easier to get into Wharton MBA after graduation?
Awesome dorms? The city definitely is nice… but no cool roads down into the coves between mountains, cliffs, etc… wouldn’t even have a reason for a car!
I would like being able to wear a UPenn sweatshirt</p>

<p>Sewanee:
Superior professor relations
Class discussion is not as good, but there are some very competent students (a fair number who turned down ivies that I know of, particularly Princeton for some reason)
Sewanee grads may be less influential overall, but more willing to hire a Sewanee grad than a UPenn alum would be (to UPenn grads)?
Would have to minor in math and major in phil
Tons of friends here already
Nice atmosphere outside of class (class dress, gowns, mountain area… if a bit tedious since so far from cities)
I like to say “that’s the point” when people comment that they’ve never heard of Sewanee</p>

<p>Please move this if it is in the wrong section.</p>

<p>Thanks all.</p>

2

<p>“I would like being able to wear a UPenn sweatshirt”</p>

<p>Well, then you have pretty much answered your own query then haven’t you? It would be pretty silly to wear a UPenn sweatshirt all over the place at Sewanee…</p>

3

<p>It doesn’t seem like you have any good reasons to to transfer to UPenn. If you have good relationships with your professors and have good friends, I would stay at Sewanee. Despite not many people knowing about it, it’s an excellent school and you’ll get a good education.</p>

4

<p>Do you plan to ork in the region around Swanee after college. If yes, it has it’s advantages. Everywhere else on the planet Penn is a no brainer. It’s a good thing to get out of your comfort zone.</p>

5

<p>@Shank – That was really just my way of weighing its prestige against Sewanee’s “you haven’t heard of it.” </p>

<p>Thanks for the responses so far!</p>

6

<p>That’s a hard choice. On the one hand, a fine, less-known school that you seem to love. On the other, a more famous school, but less personal experience–plus you’re coming into the school where your classmates have had two years to form relationships with each other, know who the good professors are, etc. </p>

<p>I would say: If you’re planning to go to grad school, stay at Sewanee. If you’re not sure, then it’s a harder decision.</p>

7

<p>Thank you for all the suggestions and help – I’m guessing that undergraduate schools mean less in getting to graduate schools when compared to your actual body of work in the field?</p>

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<p>Quite right.</p>

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<p>Talk about apples and oranges. How did you end up at Sewanee in the first place? </p>

<p>Btw, I think your description of Philadelphia as “nice” needs some revision. Have you ever been to West Philly?</p>

10

<p>It appears that you’re having a great time at Sewanee and that your only real desire to attend Penn is because of its relative prestige. </p>

<p>If I were you, I’d stay and excel at Sewanee. If you feel that you’re not being challenged at all and that your fellow students are way below you academically, transferring might be a good option; But in most respects, being a standout at a lesser known school is just as good, usually better, than being average at an excellent school like Penn; and as you said, your undergraduate school is not that important if you’re planning to pursue a graduate degree.</p>

11

<p>Sewanee offered me the most scholarship money. Penn has offered me a bit more in need-based grants, though, so they both cost roughly the same at this point (ignoring the expense of living in the city though, I guess).</p>

<p>The fact that they’re so different (that entirely different aspects of each appeal to me) is making it extremely difficult for me to try to compare the two. urg.</p>

<p>I have not been to West Philly! I only saw the area around the school. I have only heard that Philadelphia is a pretty good city to be in from a few people (without any reasons to back it up). </p>

<p>Tell me about Philadelphia?</p>

<p>Nyyankees – thank you for that insight. I actually thought it was the other way around, so that’s definitely good to know.</p>

<p>In one way I feel almost like denying Penn for myself simply because I realize that its biggest draw to me is pretty shallow.</p>

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<p>Cajun,
If you’ve been to New Orleans and seen Tulane, then you know that some schools in major cities can be idyllic. U Penn and Philadelphia are not like that at all. Put Tulane’s campus in the middle of the 9th ward of New Orleans and that’s much a closer approximation. Campus itself is still nice, but go two blocks in the wrong direction and you might not be so keen on it. </p>

<p>I’ll let others post on the virtues of Philadelphia (I agree that its center city and Old City areas are nice), but a garden spot it is not. IMO, it’s the antithesis of Sewanee. Suffice it to say that it will be a big change from the greenscapes that you’re enjoying at Sewanee.</p>

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<p>“I like to say “that’s the point” when people comment that they’ve never heard of Sewanee”</p>

<p>“would like being able to wear a UPenn sweatshirt”</p>

<p>Penn is not as preftigious as you think. You’re gonna be disappointed when everyone asks how you like Penn State.</p>

14

<p>Will you finish at Penn in the top of your class? Will you finish in the top of your class at Sewannee? </p>

<p>Sewannee is a fine school with rich southern tradition. You can get into great professional and grad schools from there.</p>

<p>Nothing against Penn. It speaks for itself.</p>

<p>But be careful before you jump and leave your success behind at Sewannee. Congratulations.</p>

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<p>Hawkette – thanks for the information about Philadelphia. I had no idea really! (All I remember from visiting is that it was rather difficult to find a parking spot…)</p>

<p>Kwu – The confusion in person-to-person contact really would not particularly bother me, I meant more in the sense of employers or graduate schools recognizing UPenn before Sewanee.</p>

<p>Ghost – I would finish pretty near. I will certainly not be the valedictorian or anything, but I am on the dean’s list / order of the gownsmen / merit scholar etc. It’s definitely helpful to realize that this may be more important than being in the middle of the pack at Penn. And thank you!</p>

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<p>I am very familiar with both schools. I have trouble imagining the same student being interested in both! They are night and day. If you plan to stay and live in the southeast/south, stay at Sewanee. Just this morning I had a partner at a major Atlanta law firm say that she could understand how happy I was that my son graduated from Penn so I didn’t have to pay the out of state tuition!
That said, the Penn campus and surrounding area has greatly improved and my son grew to really like the city, the nightlife and the many things to do. I still think there is a crime problem, but I have warmed to the area somewhat. You will find it VERY expensive compared to Sewanee. Food, drinks, parking- you name it. You will miss the mountaintop and the woods. You will miss the sunshine. If you are from the south and used to the south, you might find Philadelphia/the northeast a big adjustment.<br>
I would stay where you are. I’ll send you a Penn sweatshirt!</p>

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<p>

In terms of the current state of Penn’s neighborhood, this statement is BEYOND ill-informed. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what the Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Boston Globe recently have had to say about it:</p>

<p>[Penn</a> neighborhood blooms around a top school | Philadelphia Inquirer | 04/05/2010](<a href=“http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20100405_Penn_neighborhood_blooms_around_a_top_school.html]Penn”>Penn neighborhood blooms around a top school)</p>

<p>[Urban</a> Colleges Learn to Be Good Neighbors - washingtonpost.com](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/08/AR2006010801164.html?sub=AR]Urban”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/08/AR2006010801164.html?sub=AR)</p>

<p>[Colleges</a> Teach ‘Urban Development 101’ - WSJ.com](<a href=“http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120407286615895105.html]Colleges”>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120407286615895105.html)</p>

<p>[Penn’s</a> $500m project could be Harvard’s model - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/05/03/ivys_growth_transforms_a_city/?page=1]Penn’s”>http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/05/03/ivys_growth_transforms_a_city/?page=1)</p>

<p>And Center City Philadelphia–which is a mere ten blocks or so from Penn’s campus–is one of this nation’s true cultural meccas. Lots of historical sites and neighborhoods as significant and charming as any found in the US. Lots of wonderful museums and galleries (including, e.g., the largest number of French Impressionist paintings outside of Paris). A large and diverse restaurant scene (e.g., more than 200 sidewalk cafes). One of the most vigorous professional theater communities outside of New York City, with literally DOZENS of theaters and resident professional theater comapnies. An amazing classical music scene (e.g., the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Curtis Institute of Music, which offers several free recitals every week featuring some of the world’s most prodigious classical talent). Lots of night spots and live music venues. A real 7-night-a-week attraction for Philly’s hundreds of thousands of college students.</p>

<p>Plus, not far from Penn’s campus is Philly’s Fairmount Park, the largest urban park system in the world. And also beyond Center City are several other interesting and charming Philly neighborhoods with their own restaurant scenes and nightlife, such as Northern Liberties, South Philly, Manayunk, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill, not to mention the amazing suburban and exurban towns and areas of New Hope, Chadds Ford, Valley Forge, etc.</p>

<p>And if all that’s not enough for the OP, New York City and Washington, D.C. are just a 1 1/2-hour to 2-hour bus ride away, with bus fare costing $10 or less.</p>

<p>It’s easy to see why Penn students are so overwhelmingly enthusiastic about their campus and its location. And NO, the OP’s original description of Philly as “nice” does not need revision, which should be clear to anyone with more than a superficial knowledge and understanding of what Philly has to offer.</p>

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<p>^^ and don’t forget the Phillies, the Eagles and the Flyers!!</p>

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<p>^ and the Sixers (with their brand-new head coach). :)</p>

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<p>Unless you have a serious fit problem with Penn, you should definitely transfer to Penn. Being an average student at Penn definitely offers you more opportunities than even being top 10% at Sewanee. There’s a reason Penn is a top 10 school, and there’s no way they’d be up there if their average students were not landing great jobs and grad schools. Penn has come a long way and seems to continue to improve despite the boring name. It simply does not matter that people might think you go to Penn State, because employers and grad schools see the value in a Penn degree. I had a relative who graduated from Penn, and even the most mediocre of their friends landed high paying jobs / got into top 10-15 grad schools.</p>

<p>If you end up doing well at Penn, your potential will be even greater, so my 0.02 is give yourself more opportunities to succeed even if your peers are more qualified.</p>