Describe the courses of study and the unique characteristics of the University of Pennsylvania that most interest you. Why do these interests make you a good match for Penn? (7900 characters)
As Pearl Buck said, "If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday." I couldn't agree more with her. I have attended 2 schools in my life: the first school had a century worth of history and tradition while the second school had no history or tradition. The difference was the culture of the school. In my latter school, individualism was dominant as there was no heritage to bind the students together. Perhaps this is why heritage becomes an important factor in my consideration of universities. I find the spirit of the University of Pennsylvania reflected in its heritage. Penn in its early years has displayed its vision for a relevant and strong education revolving around business and public service. I see a trailblazing spirit from its pioneering efforts of creating a new program of study and laying the foundation of America's modern liberal arts curriculum. Graduating as the pioneer batch of Singapore's first specialized school in Mathematics and Science, I do share this spirit of blazing new trails.
As I continued to browse through the website of the University of Pennsylvania, I was constantly drawn to the word "interdisciplinary". I realized that the core curriculum of the School of Arts and Science was one fine example of an interdisciplinary education. The school offers a unique liberal arts program which begins with a general education curriculum that entails a foundational approach and a sector approach. I see the beauty of such a program which imparts general skills of acquiring and analyzing new information across fields and yet deepening our understanding on a wide range of specific fields. Such a flexible program allows individuals like me to pursue a well-rounded education with no boundaries. What pleases me most is the geographic unity of the 12 schools. Among all the Ivy Leagues, Penn is the only university with all 12 schools located on one campus. I believe that this singular campus would provide a well-pooled resource network that would satisfy my love for knowledge. I am definitely looking forward to explore the world through the multi-perspective and interdisciplinary education at Penn.
Coming from a high school which places a strong emphasis on research, I deeply appreciate the learning opportunities offered by research work. I recalled the agony of lacking access to research papers during the literature review stage and laboratories facilities during the hands-on stage. Thus, the resources and facilities provided by the university are of great importance to me. Fortunately, Penn, being one of the world's leading research universities, offers world-class facilities and a reservoir of information that is growing exponentially from the contribution of Penn researchers. In addition, the singular campus would also offer me access to knowledge outside my field for research work. For example, if I choose to do an economic research that scrutinizes a certain law, I may walk over and talk to the professors at the Law School.
Benjamin Franklin, founder of Penn, believed that the true purpose of education was to promote service to the larger community. This belief has been manifested in the countless of community service programs and activities found at Penn. I am delighted to know that there are established networks in place (e.g. Penn Volunteers In Public Services) for me to do my part for the community. I started doing volunteer work when I was 13 years old and I do intend to continue when I am in university. I believe that humanitarianism has no boundaries and I will help people wherever I go. Hence, it is a great comfort to know that Penn supports community service and has programs to facilitate student volunteers like me. As I also aspire to join the Public Service Commission in Singapore, I am certain Penn's environment will be a good fit for me.
With its sterling academic program and holistic education, Penn attracts top scholars from all over the world. I hope to be part of this intellectual and diverse community as I know I can contribute to it. Most importantly, my interests are in tandem with UPenn's core values which I believe will allow me to excel in Penn.
Although the limit is 7900 characters, I wrote only about 4k words. Please proofread and suggest areas for improvement. I really appreciate your help. Thanks!(:
I couldn't agree with her more.
Penn, in its early years, has displayed a vision for a relevant and strong education revolving around business and public service.
I am looking forward to exploring the world through the multi-perspective and interdisciplinary education at Penn.
Most importantly, my interests are in tandem with UPenn's core values which I believe will allow me to excel at Penn.
:)
Kevin
"I couldn't agree with her more . I have attended two schools in my life: the first school had a century worth of history and tradition while the second school had no history or tradition.
Perhaps, this is why heritage becomes an important factor in my consideration of universities. Penn, in its early years, has displayed its vision for a relevant and strong education revolving around business and public service.
I started doing volunteer work when I was 13 years old, and I do intend to continue while I am in college . I believe that humanitarianism has no boundaries, and I will help people wherever I go.
Great job! Other than a few stylistic and wording issues, your essay was great. I like that you touched on a few ideas related to why you chose UPenn and how the campus can work for you (volunteer work and the campus layout). I definitely would not delete anything! Good luck!
