At schools with acceptance rates below 10%, nearly every applicant has near-perfect grades and test scores. Admissions decisions are driven by essays, extracurriculars, recommendations, and institutional priorities — factors no stats-based model can predict. Our likelihood labels reflect academic competitiveness only.
The University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, home to the Wharton School, the first collegiate business school in the United States. UPenn is known for its interdisciplinary approach, allowing students to take courses across its four undergraduate schools in business, engineering, nursing, and arts and sciences.
Mascot: Quaker
Notable Alumni
Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla and SpaceX)•John Legend (Grammy-winning singer)•Elizabeth Banks (actress and director)
At a Glance
Cost
Published sticker prices for 2025-2026. Actual cost after aid varies.
Top Programs & National Ranking
Approximate national ranking based on departmental rankings, research output, and program reputation.
Highlights
Campus Experience
Penn is the 'social Ivy' for a reason — it embraces a work-hard-play-hard culture where Thursday through Saturday nights are active, Greek life draws ~25% of undergrads, and Wharton's preprofessional energy pervades the whole campus. There's an undeniable social hierarchy and networking-as-socializing vibe, but the flip side is a student body that genuinely knows how to have fun between bouts of intense careerism.
Collegiate Gothic and Victorian architecture along Locust Walk, mature tree canopies, and the Anne & Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Library create a cohesive, leafy campus that blends gracefully into West Philadelphia.
Based on Niche reviews, Princeton Review surveys, student forums, and institutional data.
Safety
Penn's Division of Public Safety patrols a 70+ block zone with officers and security guards providing 24/7 walking escorts. Despite robust security, assaults and robberies have been reported in the patrol zone in recent years.
University City is generally safe during the day, but West Philadelphia neighborhoods west of 43rd Street see higher crime rates. Students are advised to use the Penn patrol zone boundaries as a guide.
Based on Clery Act data, student surveys, and local crime statistics.
Plan Your Visit
Schedule: Monday-Friday and select Saturdays; school-specific sessions on specific weekdays
Duration: About 75 minutes (campus tour); school-specific sessions vary
Check-in at Claudia Cohen Hall, 249 S. 36th St. Arrive 15 minutes early. Tours rain or shine -- wear comfortable shoes. Kite and Key Society student guides lead tours. Arts & Sciences info sessions Mon/Fri; Engineering Mon/Wed/Thu; Nursing Wed/Fri; Wharton Mon/Fri.
Book a TourSelf-guided tour materials available for download on the admissions website. No registration needed. Walk Locust Walk and College Green at your own pace.
Tour ResourcesSeptember-November or March-May during the academic year. Locust Walk is most vibrant on weekday afternoons when student orgs set up tables. Avoid Thanksgiving and spring break weeks. Penn Relays (late April) brings incredible energy to Franklin Field. Hey Day (late April) is a uniquely Penn tradition worth seeing.
SEPTA is the best option. From PHL airport: Airport Express train to University City Station (~20 min, $6). From 30th Street Station: walk 10 min or take the 36 trolley to 37th St. If driving, visitor parking at Walnut 38 Garage (38th St entrance), Chestnut 34 Garage, and Museum Garage -- first-come, first-served, arrive 15-20 min early. Penn does not validate parking. Metered street parking sometimes available.
Location
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