University of Pennsylvania Admissions The SAT, ACT Scores, and GPA You Need to Get In

Today, were going to dig into everything you need to know about how to get into University of Pennsylvania! This post will answer all your questions about things like University of Pennsylvania SAT scores, University of Pennsylvania ACT scores, and all the other University of Pennsylvania admissions criteriaplus some generally important college stuff, like getting financial aid and asking your teachers letters of recommendation! Lets get started shall we? University of Pennsylvania: An Introduction The University of Pennsylvania is a private research university, and member of the Ivy League, located in West Philadelphia. According to U.S. News World Reports 2019 rankings, Penn is currently ranked 8th among universities in the United States. This puts it at the highest end of the top 1% of all schools in the nation! In fact, UPenn ranks very strongly across the board, with many departments rated among America’s top ten. Not only that, but in 2011, the university was ranked 2nd nationally (behind Harvard) and 11th worldwide based on its number of alumni that are now CEOs at the 500 largest global companies. So it’s safe to say that the University of Pennsylvania has the stats to back up its prestigious Ivy League name! So how do join the ranks of UPenn students? Lets check out the basic stats: University of Pennsylvania freshman acceptance rate: 8.20-1550 (middle 50%) University of Pennsylvania ACT scores: 33-35 (middle 50%) These are just the basicskeep reading for a closer look at how to get into University of Pennsylvania. Were going to take a look at exactly what goes into University of Pennsylvania SAT scores, University of Pennsylvania ACT scores, and other aspects of how to get into University of Pennsylvania. How to Get Into University of Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania SAT Scores Okay, so we know the average University of Pennsylvania SAT score for admitted students this year falls between 120-1550690-760730-790 The above table shows the middle 50% SAT score range of UPenn accepted students. While at first glance it might seem like a good idea to aim for the SAT score of the average Penn student, we strongly recommend setting your goal score at the 75th percentile of the score range of the college youre applying tothis way, your SAT scores will bolster the rest of your application and provide a nice cushion just in case some of the other elements in your app arent quite as strong. With this in mind, think about setting the second number in each of these ranges as your University of Pennsylvania SAT goal score (though chances are you wont be taking the old SAT, huh). So, to give yourself the best shot at being accepted to UPenn, you should structure your SAT prep around a goal score of 760 in EBWR and 790 in Math! Just a side notewe know these scores are pretty highdont let that stress you out! Setting a goal score can help you stay organized when preparing for the test, but dont forget that you can have scores anywhere in this rangeeven below itand still get accepted. The University of Pennsylvania says nothing about a minimum SAT score. You wont be disqualified for a low score, and you can always retake the test. Just aim for the 75th percentile, and try not to go under the 25th! For some inspiration, check out our post on perfect SAT score stories. How to Get Into University of Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania ACT Scores As we covered at the beginning of this post, the middle 50% of students accepted into UPenn scored between 33 and 35 on the ACT. This means that the vast majority of UPenns admitted students scored a 33 or above on the ACT. The formula that we used for the SAT also works here: set your goal score at 35 (the 75th percentile) and make sure not go under a 33 (the 25th percentile). But remember not to stress! With the right preparation, you can be at or near perfect ACT score territory to maximize your chances of getting into Penn. How to Get Into University of Pennsylvania: What You Should Know about the University of Pennsylvania Acceptance Rate The University of Pennsylvanias acceptance rate is an (ominously low?) 8.% Male$6,364 Housing $10,600$9,632 Dining$5,590$4,774 Books and Supplies$1,358$1,358 Transportation$922$964 Personal Expenses $1,946$1,946 Total Budget $78,186$76,444 Looking for help covering these costs? (Who could say no?!) Lucky for you, Penn offers a variety of grant and loan packages. They also practice need-blind admissions. That means students will be denied admission based on ability to pay. Regardless of your financial circumstances, Penn offers programs designed to make attending the university within your reach! How to Get Into University of Pennsylvania: Advice from the Admissions Commitee First, if Penn is where you want to be, apply early decision. Their admit rate in early decision is more than twice as high as it is in regular decision. Second, dont follow the crowd when it comes to extracurricular involvement, academic interests, and essay topics. Being different is often what makes a student stand out. Elite colleges, like Penn, want what they don’t have in their applicant pool and on their campus. When a student has the confidence to pursue their own path or think differently about themselves, it can have a transformational effect on their application. So much of high school is about keeping up with everyone else. When you apply to college, this mindset doesn’t work for a student interested in elite colleges. And, frankly, it doesn’t work for anyone who wants to do something extraordinary with their life. Penn wants extraordinary students who have already done extraordinary things with their life. Third, view the Penn supplemental essay like it’s a pivotal piece of the application—because it is! Students who get specific about their academic interest and back it up with evidence from their own experiences write stronger Penn essays. Avoid using the common themes often mentioned on the tour, information session, website, and marketing materials. Drill down and find opportunities or an approach that is much less obvious. Listing classes or professors in your Penn essay is fine, but I prefer when a student connects what they are interested in pursuing to real life research going on at Penn or even a specialization within a department which matches up with exactly the student’s interest. Sara Harberson, UPenn Admissions Officer How to Get Into University of Pennsylvania: The Takeaway The University of Pennsylvania is a great school with some seriously positive outcomes for its alumni. And while the expectations for University of Pennsylvania SAT and ACT scores may be high, your standardized test scores and admissions essays are parts of your application that you can have the most control over. Thats good news! You cant change your go back in time and change your GPA from the first half of high school. And you cant control whats written in your letters of recommendation (though you can make smart choices about how to ask for them!) But you can hit your goal score on whatever standardized test you chooseyou just need some good resources and a bit of discipline! Figure out whether the SAT or ACT is the right test for you, and find a study schedule that fits your busy lifestyle (consider checking out the Free 1-Week SAT Trial or the Free 1-Week ACT Trial from Magoosh). And make sure to nail the admissions essays. Heres some advice from a current UPenn student: With competitive schools such as the University of Pennsylvania, the Why Us question can be fairly daunting. It easy to look at the websites main page and pick a few key features to write about. What I found, however, is that a successful Why Us answer often looks at the specifics. Although there are many things that make the University of Pennsylvania incredible, its important to discover and write about which resources you imagine you would take advantage of and to be as specific as possible. If there is a class, program, or even professor that you are particularly drawn to, be sure to include that in your Why Us statement and elaborate on it as much as possible. tvolkre, AdmitSee With any luck, youll be a CEO (or whatever you want to be!) in no time.