Recording-2025-08-13T23:16:06.260Z

Overview of Penn: size, identity, and approach

• Penn is described as a medium-sized institution: about $10{,}000$ undergraduate students, balancing benefits of both larger and smaller schools.
• Ivy League status is highlighted, with a shared commitment across Ivy schools to need-based financial aid; Penn notes that Ivy experiences differ in programs, clubs, student life, and campus culture, making fit and fit decisions crucial when researching campuses.
• Penn is characterized as an arts and sciences institution where every student, regardless of major, takes at least one course in the arts and sciences; this supports a well-rounded foundation and helps with career and graduate school opportunities.
• Penn is also a research university: about $97\%$ of students are involved in some form of research, spanning humanities, social sciences, nursing, engineering, business, and more; research can exist in any major and may take many forms beyond traditional labs.
• The school describes itself as a blend of resources typical of large universities (financial aid, study abroad, research opportunities) with a strong sense of community typical of smaller colleges.
• Ben Franklin is highlighted as a founder-like exemplar: interdisciplinary thinker who engaged in many roles (printer, diplomat, musician, etc.), used to illustrate the value of exploring multiple interests and attributes; prospective students are encouraged to adopt an interdisciplinary mindset.

Location, campus vibe, and historical ethos

• Penn is located in Philadelphia, an urban setting with rich historical and cultural opportunities, described as an urban campus with a traditional campus feel as a home base for students.
• The university emphasizes a balance between city life and a grounded campus experience.
• The founding spirit is tied to interdisciplinarity and public-spirited inquiry (Ben Franklin’s example) to encourage students to explore a broad set of interests.

Academic culture: interdisciplinarity, exploration, and fit

• The message emphasizes not committing too early to a single path; students are encouraged to explore across disciplines and find their true interests.
• The four undergraduate schools play distinct yet interconnected roles, with a shared emphasis on cross-school exploration and collaboration.
• The university underscores that choosing a home school is based on how you learn best and what you want to spend time exploring; the admissions and advising approach is designed to help students discover their learning style and interests.

Research and intellectual culture

• Penn frames itself as a research university where active knowledge creation is a norm for many students.
• The fact that $97\%$ of students engage in research underscores the expectation that undergraduates participate in inquiry, whether in labs, humanities, social sciences, nursing, engineering, business, or cross-disciplinary settings.
• Research engagement is presented as accessible across majors, not limited to STEM fields.

Culture, community, and inclusion

• Penn highlights a tight-knit community that includes faculty, staff, students, and peers, with a range of resources from a large university but with the close-knit feel of a smaller community.
• The university presents affiliated cultural resource centers as core to campus life and inclusion (MACU and Patch), which help foster belonging and support for diverse backgrounds and identities.

Cultural resource centers: MACU (Black Cultural Center) and Patch (Pan Asian American Community House)

• MACU on campus: founded to support Black students and broader social justice, with a focus on professional, academic, and personal development.
• MACU is housed in the basement of the Art Building (the Arts, Research, and Culture Building) and functions as a flexible space (living room vibe with games, movies, couches, place to nap, study, and socialize).
• MACU hosts programs on campus and around the Arch, and supports about four undergraduate organizations within its purview (arts groups, preprofessional groups, interest groups, including a DJ club).
• Student development programming includes Roebus Scholars (social justice-focused), leadership retreats and workshops, and support for Umoja (the umbrella for all Black cultural groups) and BACAPSA (Black Graduate and Professional Student Association).
• MACU develops and hosts cultural education programming (one-off screenings, discussions, guest speakers, and classes linked to urban inequality and Black history at Penn).
• Notable initiatives include a fall class on urban inequality/economics and a spring class on Black history at Penn, linking student learning to campus and Philadelphia history.
• Community-building events include Kwanzaa in December, a senior celebration, mentoring programs for local high school students, and alumni networking opportunities.
• Collaboration with other centers (Africana Center and W. E. B. Du Bois College House) demonstrates a campus-wide commitment to cross-institution collaboration.
• Visual snapshots mentioned: Onyx Senior Honor Society (a lifelong alumni-connected senior honor society) and a senior celebration photo from 2018; homecoming book talks featuring alumni and interdisciplinary approaches to financial literacy; a welcome ceremony for freshmen (now in its third year) to foster community from day two on campus.
• How to connect: Instagram @Maku Penn (MACU) and MACU/Penn website; appointments and email are available for questions; patches and La Casa Latina are also referenced as other cultural centers with contact details via social media or the Canvas page.
• Patch (UPenn): PATH cultural hub for API students and allies; aims to create a welcoming space for socializing, studying, and unwinding; hosts Asian heritage programming (notably APR heritage month) and a mural project (the Patch mural) to celebrate API cultures; the studio/community space facilitates intimate, student-led conversations such as Asian Talks and Become series.
• Patch hosts over 50 API undergraduate and graduate student organizations; approximately 10 undergraduate groups are highlighted as examples.
• End-of-year celebration in Patch showcases API cultural achievements; a notable project includes a Paper Crane Bureau mural created by a staff member (Vicky) using 1,000 paper cranes inspired by Japanese crane folklore about dreams coming true; Patch hosts biweekly peer mentoring groups and an annual New York City trip for mentors and mentees to connect with alumni.
• Patch also hosts Speaker Series and other professional development opportunities and maintains a visible online presence for prospective students to learn more (Google Patch UPenn; QR codes may be provided in materials).
• La Casa Latina is mentioned as another cultural center that did not present that evening but is available for information via social media; the session invites students to connect with its events as well.

Patch and MACU in practice: culture, mentorship, and events

• Patch actively cultivates spaces for meaningful discussions about API identities and experiences, combining student-led conversations with broader campus programming.
• Patch’s end-of-year events celebrate API student accomplishments and include a mural reflecting community collaboration.
• Mentorship and peer programs are integral: NYC trips connect current students with alumni mentors; Become and Asian Talks offer ongoing opportunities for dialogue and professional development.

The four undergraduate schools and their advisers: pragmatic guidance for applicants

• The academic panel introduces four senior staff who will review Penn applications and guide students through their undergraduate journeys: College of Arts and Sciences (Gwen), Wharton School (Monica Jacoby), Penn Engineering (Ellen Eckert), and School of Nursing (Maryann [Mary Anne] Smith).
• Core message: while it’s easy to be excited about Penn’s breadth, applicants should identify an academic home that fits how they like to learn and what they want to explore; Penn’s blueprint emphasizes interdisciplinarity and cross-pollination across schools.
• The panel stresses that students are not required to prematurely narrow to a single major; they should think in terms of their learning style, curiosity, and long-term interests.
• The four advisers also share practical guidance about the admissions and advising process, and how to engage with them before applying.

College of Arts and Sciences (Gwen)

• Role: Associate Director for Admissions and Communications for the College of Arts and Sciences (the College).
• Key features:
  • Largest college at Penn, with more than $55$ majors across natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
  • Students explore across disciplines to discover their major; declaration typically occurs in the sophomore year, allowing time for exploration.
  • Emphasis on curiosity and openness to new fields; many students discover passions they didn’t anticipate in high school.
  • Holistic advising system: students work with pre-major advisors from arrival, guiding the path to a major; the system is designed to be supportive rather than forcing early declaring.
• Outcomes and advice:
  • Graduates are prepared with strong communication and analytical skills relevant to a wide range of careers; Penn’s career services show top fields including finance, consulting, and technology, among others.
  • Acknowledges the common concern about overcommitment: advice to pace exploration, avoid following peers blindly, and pursue what truly interests you.
  • Notable anecdote: by age 40, many people have worked in multiple careers; the College values the ability to pivot and adapt.

Wharton School of Business (Monica Jacoby)

• Role: Director of Advising for the undergraduate division of Wharton.
• Key features:
  • Wharton’s degree is a Bachelor of Science in Economics, reflecting a blend of innovation, rigorous scholarship, and practical application in business.
  • Emphasis on preparing students to dream big and to use Wharton to change the world through a global, multifaceted business education.
  • Global and industry-spanning community: Wharton stresses cross-cultural, global business readiness and the ability to engage with diverse teams.
• Advising model:
  • A dedicated adviser supports a student from pre-matriculation to graduation, providing consistent guidance and encouragement.
  • The adviser’s role is to help students explore and