Prompt: How will you explore your intellectual and academic interests at the University of Pennsylvania? Please answer this question given the specific undergraduate school to which you are applying.
Gaining admittance to "the College" at University of Pennsylvania will enable me to construct a vast a web of knowledge woven to catch opportunities in order to enact positive change in the world. Many universities could give me a quality education, but only Penn- through its unique culture, abundant extracurriculars, and prestigious academics- could shape me into the woman I aspire to be.
First and foremost, I will explore my intellectual and academic interests by learning and absorbing all that I can from my professors and peers. With a student-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, Penn offers a unique opportunity to learn from a conversation rather than just a lecture. Influential women such as Diana Mutz and Amy Kaplan are more than just professors at Penn, but also authors and researchers pioneering in each of their own fields. Both of these women, and so many Penn professors like them, teach to share their unique passions to the upcoming generation and Penn is willing to foster any academic path these passions might take me on. This is possible because of Penn's interdisciplinary programs that would allow me to integrate courses, ideas, and research across the four undergraduate and twelve graduate schools. Being unsure of my future specific major, but knowing my ultimate goal is a law degree, Penn's submatriculation program and inter-school minor options, such as Legal Studies and History, give me the utmost level of freedom and encouragement to pursue what inspires me most- the ever-evolving entity of government.
Next, education is not limited to the 4 corners of the classroom at Penn. As home to more than 450 student-run clubs and organizations, my need for involvement will always be met. I will explore leadership opportunities by engaging in student governance organizations such as the Undergraduate Assembly and Class Board, leading my peers and implementing my increasing knowledge practically to improve life on campus. I am someone who thrives on a busy schedule, pushing and expanding my creative, social, and intellectual limits by pursuing my passions in a hands-on fashion through extracurriculars. Being from a small school with a graduating class of less than 200, my options for these ventures were often restricted. That's why Penn is so attractive to a woman of action like myself. Penn cultivates an atmosphere where students can be fearless in chasing after what sets their soul on fire.
Finally, I will expand my capacity for culture at Penn. Having grown up in rural Oklahoma in the middle of the Bible Belt, my scope for understanding the human experience is incredibly limited. When I visited Penn for a week in July of this year with my family, Philadelphia took me by storm. Penn does not set the bar, but is the bar for diversity on campus. With a law degree and political aspirations, I hope to one day represent people and communities. In order to do so, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to actually know and understand the individuals and cultures whom I would be advocating for. Philadelphia is an immense hub where history and innovation meet to form today's American discourse- and that is where I want to be. I want to be immersed in an ocean of contrasting perspectives, able to listen to as many voices as possible in order to form a more diverse worldview. Penn is the best place for me to reach this goal.
With all of these programs and outlets, Penn will enrich and advance my intellectual and academic interests more than any other university, allowing me to discover my purpose. My purpose of acting as a vessel to transform ideas into actions to change the social climate of my community, state, and ultimately nation to be more accepting. My purpose of serving those who I lead. And lastly, my purpose of inheriting and continuing the great tradition that comes with being a University of Pennsylvania alumni.
admission essay to UPenn
Gaining admittance to "the College" at University of Pennsylvania will enable me to construct a vast a web of knowledge woven to catch opportunities in order to enact positive change in the world. Many universities could give me a quality education, but only Penn- through its unique culture, abundant extracurriculars, and prestigious academics- could shape me into the woman I aspire to be.
First and foremost, I will explore my intellectual and academic interests by learning and absorbing all that I can from my professors and peers. With a student-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, Penn offers a unique opportunity to learn from a conversation rather than just a lecture. Influential women such as Diana Mutz and Amy Kaplan are more than just professors at Penn, but also authors and researchers pioneering in each of their own fields. Both of these women, and so many Penn professors like them, teach to share their unique passions to the upcoming generation and Penn is willing to foster any academic path these passions might take me on. This is possible because of Penn's interdisciplinary programs that would allow me to integrate courses, ideas, and research across the four undergraduate and twelve graduate schools. Being unsure of my future specific major, but knowing my ultimate goal is a law degree, Penn's submatriculation program and inter-school minor options, such as Legal Studies and History, give me the utmost level of freedom and encouragement to pursue what inspires me most- the ever-evolving entity of government.
Next, education is not limited to the 4 corners of the classroom at Penn. As home to more than 450 student-run clubs and organizations, my need for involvement will always be met. I will explore leadership opportunities by engaging in student governance organizations such as the Undergraduate Assembly and Class Board, leading my peers and implementing my increasing knowledge practically to improve life on campus. I am someone who thrives on a busy schedule, pushing and expanding my creative, social, and intellectual limits by pursuing my passions in a hands-on fashion through extracurriculars. Being from a small school with a graduating class of less than 200, my options for these ventures were often restricted. That's why Penn is so attractive to a woman of action like myself. Penn cultivates an atmosphere where students can be fearless in chasing after what sets their soul on fire.
Finally, I will expand my capacity for culture at Penn. Having grown up in rural Oklahoma in the middle of the Bible Belt, my scope for understanding the human experience is incredibly limited. When I visited Penn for a week in July of this year with my family, Philadelphia took me by storm. Penn does not set the bar, but is the bar for diversity on campus. With a law degree and political aspirations, I hope to one day represent people and communities. In order to do so, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to actually know and understand the individuals and cultures whom I would be advocating for. Philadelphia is an immense hub where history and innovation meet to form today's American discourse- and that is where I want to be. I want to be immersed in an ocean of contrasting perspectives, able to listen to as many voices as possible in order to form a more diverse worldview. Penn is the best place for me to reach this goal.
With all of these programs and outlets, Penn will enrich and advance my intellectual and academic interests more than any other university, allowing me to discover my purpose. My purpose of acting as a vessel to transform ideas into actions to change the social climate of my community, state, and ultimately nation to be more accepting. My purpose of serving those who I lead. And lastly, my purpose of inheriting and continuing the great tradition that comes with being a University of Pennsylvania alumni.
