<p>I applied to Penn for a bunch of reasons probably way more than I can say about more schools. I applied to Penn because they have a huge research department (I want to do research in like three subjects if it is possible), it is near to my family, it is in Philadelphia that I have been dying to actually see/live in, the resources that can be found at Penn are numerous, the specific dual-degree program, the unique interdisciplinary program, the numerous amount of people/diversity (about 30% are Asian), they have a strong english department (not that I am going to focus on english, but I see it as essential for my future career goal), great financial stability after college, many graduate schools recruit at Penn or select Penn graduates, the focus on practical applications education than theoretical stuff we probably will never use, and some more I can’t think off the top of my head. But those are my reasons and I know you weren’t trying to be facetious.</p>
<p>But yeah I am one of those people who actually want to go to Penn and not just for some stupid reason like prestige.</p>
<p>Why don’t we start answering “Why we chose Penn”?</p>
<p>For me, it’s because I have researched Penn so much so I feel like it is the school for me. In the cheesiest way possible, it’s like I’m presenting myself to this school, telling them everything about me and who I am and what I like to do, and telling the school it is my #1 choice, and then having them reject me, having them tell me that I am not their #1 too, I guess that just stings a little bit. With Penn, I feel like it’s more personal. It’s my school, if that makes any sense.</p>
<p>I dont think I answered anyones question… ^^</p>
<p>I believe it is a privileged to go to Penn. I feel a strong affinity for it not felt for any other school. People seem like people there, living life to its fullest, who can study hard and play hard. Just in love with everything. I hope I have done everything that I could. </p>
<p>I’d be a bit bummed to fall back on to my “safeties/targets” which are almost the same thing for me. For example the UC system seems so rigid compared to Penn’s one university concept.</p>
<p>I think MOST people apply to HYP because US news ranks them 1, 2, and 3, while Penn ED applicants actually have a strong interest in the school rather than just the reputation. Thats just my opinion though…</p>
<p>No you answered it, both of you accordingtome and laodicean. I was just wondering thats all. And I feel the same way, accordingtome. I have researched so much about Penn, but I did that so long ago, it doesn’t feel that bad anymore.</p>
<p>Along with “Why did you choose Penn?”, I also would like to know how much time did you guys spend on writing your essays?</p>
<p>I hate how some people write their essay an hour or two before the application deadline and still get in and those who spend months writing it get rejected.</p>
<p>@accordingtome: Exactly my sentiments. It’s like getting a rejection from the boy/girl you’ve been crushing on for the past five years or so after you’ve finally mustered the courage to confess to him/her. That stings the heart. And it’ll probably be our first rejection in the college admissions cycle too.</p>
<p>The British equivalent of ‘that’s what she said’
is “said the actress to the bishop.”</p>
<p>HAHAHHAHA.</p>
<p>I spent maybe a week or so writing my M&T, Why Penn, and optional essays. I spent 2 hours writing my common app essay (after realizing that the essay I had worked on for 6 months before was total garbage. It turns out that when it gets to the point where the essay has been revised so much that it’s not longer meaningful, you have to start over. Luckily I “felt” the new essay and it came out smooth as butter).</p>
<p>Yeah me too, I spent like 2 weeks on my first common app essay. But didn’t like it, so I came up with a new one in like 2 hours. The Why Penn, I spent about 2-3 hours every day for a week and same for my dual degree essay. </p>
<p>I feel like I am not going to put that much time into my other RD essays.</p>
<p>EDIT: @EmPaige, what is that exactly referring to?
If its random, then that’s cool. All the males on this thread, please look up turd burglar on urban dictionary.com.</p>
<p>@free2rhyme I AM SO GLAD I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU and you didn’t mean what i thought! i get what you mean now. I think it is, in addition to what people have said, because penn seems attainable. like harvard, people use it as a joke school as in “hahah yeah i was recruited to harvard last year. jokes that could never happen even tho i have a 4.0 and invented the cure for cancer”, kind of same with yale and princeton. but penn has a slightly higher admission so it is less intimidating and therefore more painful when you are rejected…not that a 14 percent admissions rating is high but if yoou applied ED it is probably around a 30 percent chance so i guess that might be a reason</p>
<p>I spent about 2 months writing my essays for penn, from the moment the prompt was released, till oct 28, the day I submitted. I poured so much effort into them. And reading about penn like crazy. So many interesting things going on at Penn. And then I watched a lot of the youtube videos of Penn for inspiration. Denzel Washington’s commencement speech was inspirational. How long did picking your essay topics take? I wrote one that touched about my hobby of building gundams, which is where my username comes from. Hope that doesn’t come off as too funky.</p>
<p>Yale and Stanford have EVIL supplements.</p>
<p>Random Q: Does anyone else LOVE cheese?</p>
<p>@laodicean - I had something similar happen to me. After an exhaustive morning taking the SAT, I came home only to realize that my computer caught a virus and wouldn’t start up. My documents were all deleted in my dad’s attempt to recover the computer, and I didn’t even save my precious common app on a flash-drive. I cried all afternoon because of the loss, but as soon as I began to write a completely new essay I discovered my previous one was actually total garbage in the first place.</p>
<p>WHY DID EVERYONE IGNORE MY FACTOID?!
and I love cheese, a lot.</p>
<p>and Tufts’ supplement is, indeed, evil.</p>
<p>Wow, that’s horrible! What did you end up writing about?</p>
<p>…and another reason why I want a Mac.</p>
<p>Lol, Empaige…no words.</p>
<p>Random Answer: “Why yes i do! Gouda is ma favorite.”
(she’s the man reference)</p>
<p>Serious answer: SO MUCH. brie is the bomb.</p>
<p>is it bad to ask about common app topics? i just know i had SO many issues with thinking of one for mine that it would be interesting to hear everyone’s and we have already pressed submit so i guess inbd</p>