@magic19 Congratulations on making your decision. Meeting Kumar and Gutmann, their best advice is to register for your major required courses and then explore a new interest. Take courses or do research outside your major.
Get to know your OPA as you register for courses. You can use some of your AP credits but may be engineering major specific, meaning that the AP course equivalent for a science requirement many not fulfill the Chem, Physics or Bio course requirement for your major.
@eyemgh Nothing in life is a guarantee. Definitely NOT confirmation bias, based on current students’ interdisciplinary research (Penn’s focus) and personal achievements but can’t share more here. Never had concerns about recruitment and now none about PHD admissions. Engineering solutions are discovered/developed all over campus, often outside of the engineering quad.
As you know, brain development is by no means completed by 18, prefrontal cortex through age 25, especially for males. Personality Is not necessarily the only barrier to social emotional growth, environment and practice are very significant factors. One does not leave Penn without immersion in a structured social environment or networking skills, a mini-adult world. It’s dubbed the ‘social ivy’ for a reason.
We have a different view of the potential of an engineering undergraduate experience, industry and adding breath and/or depth. All teachers deliver curriculum, some create new ways of educating and train their peers, all physicians can treat patients, some develop novel procedures and make discoveries. All engineers can calculate, optimize and design in their field but some have tons more potential.
@colorado_mom Families with need are offered financial aid at Penn with no loans. Our family has contemplated this age old question because both of us will not live long enough to attend a graduation. Sorry, my comment was not meant to be sarcastic.