University of Pennsylvania 2008

[Minnesotan]

Discuss.

[historygirl]

I'm surprised by all the negative comments about the people at UPenn. When I noticed that my app was missing my transcripts, I called to straighten it out and had the transcripts overnighted. The person I spoke to was really nice, even checking for me to see if the apps had been sent for review yet. They hadn't, so my app wasn't too late. Wonder if I just got the token nice person in the Grad School office?

[abc]

My interaction with the Grad School office was fine, if slow. My interaction with the department contact was poor. I sent my writing sample with delivery confirmation and the postal service messed it up (tracking said it arrived in Philly but never said it arrived at its destination). I emailed Joan Plonski and never received a response. I called the office and only got a curt "if it's missing, we'll call you." It wasn't very reassuring. Maybe it never arrived and my application wasn't really considered. Who knows. But they were much more disorganized than any other school to which I applied.

[jaw17]

I wonder if the professors have any idea how negatively the program administrator's attitude reflects on the department as a whole? I know that at least one of them seemed very exasperated, embarrassed and apologetic when he learned that they had misplaced one of husband's LORs for the second time.

I'm tempted to email all of them an anonymous link to this site. Just imagine how much more highly they'd be ranked - in terms of yield alone! - if they got rid of that one woman.

[missycari]

I just discovered today (by checking the website) that they only had one copy of my transcripts, and if they didn't process my application I think I should get my money back. First, I sent two copies. Second, their e-mails clearly indicated that they would let us know if they were missing information and warned us not to rely on the status page for reliable information. I don't know, I guess it's possible my status on the webpage is still wrong, but judging by the other posts here, their office is screwed up and they probably were never going to tell me if they didn't get everything they needed.

I e-mailed them to ask what was going on with my application (haven't heard a thing) but I'm guessing I won't hear until Monday.

:x

It's a good thing I got into some other schools, so I'm not too upset. Still, 80 or 90 dollars down the drain or whatever it was for Penn is no laughing matter. I empathize with everyone else who had problems.

[TMP]

You know, even I found their system to be iffy. Sending transcripts to one place and the writing sample to another??? I trusted that somehow my stuff got through in the midst of holiday season... Boy, I'm an idiot. I'm sending an e-mail to the professor I was interested in working with to see if she says anything!!!

Like seriously, perhaps some of us should do a sit-down strike in front of the History department for a second look at our *completed* applications 15-20 people (# of rejects on gradcafe) won't look too good for them, I think?

[abc]

I wouldn't trust that anything on their application website, transcripts or otherwise, is accurate. Looking again, I am reminded that they posted that they received my GRE scores 4 times. I don't know how this is possible. Maybe they put other people's scores in my file and messed both my file and other people's files up. Who knows. But definitely a poorly configured system.

I really like the places that contacted me to say that my application was complete rather than assuming all was well until notified otherwise. I know it's more work for them, but I appreciated it. I'd love to see all schools take writing samples online and find a way to send electronic transcripts securely, thus eliminating the need to mail anything in.

[missycari]

I got an e-mail back from the history deparment claiming they had everything that was needed to review my application, so I guess that's good. However, given the commentary on this forum, I had to chuckle when they reiterated that I would have heard, had anything been missing.

[baskin]

My understanding from a faculty contact was that Penn only took 3-4 in 20th US total this year after an unexpectedly high yield last year.

[jaw17]

Husband was just admitted, but is leaning towards declining in favor of Princeton. However, since we'll almost certainly be living in Philadelphia, I'd be interested in whether there are any compelling (academic) reasons that he should weight it more favorably than it's northern neighbor. Thoughts?

[amanda1655]

Personally, I would love to go to Princeton BUT I know that you are looking for reasons why someone might choose Penn over it, so I'll try my best.

Princeton is very focused on its undergraduate population, and I have heard that being a grad student there can be a bit lonely. There is something to be said about going to grad school very close to where you are studying. Graduate school is as much about the informal interactions between members of a department as it is about class interaction. Your husband would no doubt miss out on a lot of these. Living far from Princeton would no doubt increase the aforementioned sense of isolation.

I don't know how Penn is ranked in terms of his subfield but I have heard that the difference between #1 - #10 on the scale isn't that great. Students should instead focus on where they would be happiest. Being depressed will negatively affect his quality of work and eventually his job prospects. If he would be happier at Penn, he should go there regardless of the rankings.

Also, I currently have a 40 min commute each day (total 1 hr 20 min.) and I find it exhausting. I don't doubt that it affects the quality of work that I produce.

I would also ask about TAing responsibility. I wouldn't want to go to a school with too many but I also wouldn't want to go to somewhere with none. TAing is what prepares people for being a professor.

[missycari]

Penn and Princeton are both great schools. Academically, I think it comes down to your husband's impression of prospective professors/advisors at each school, not the relative reputations of each school, which are both excellent.

Hopefully your husband will be able to visit. I think this would be the best way to distinguish between the two. He might prefer Princeton on paper, but find out when he visits Penn that that program suits him much better...

[TMP]

I agree with the above two suggestions. I have a friend who is currently a senior at Princeton. He was accepted to Harvard and Princeton for freshman admissions (he's freaking brilliant). He ultimately chose P-ton because it's very strong focus on undergrad compared to Harvard which is all about grad students. So that is definitely a factor- the level of "isolation" and how much attention his advisor can give him. Same thing with Stanford if he gets in- Stanford is also all about undergrad from what I've heard. Good luck with him!

[Ali52]

Does Anyone Know When U Penn will be sending out their admissions answers? Has anyone heard anything yet? Especially from Art History.

[Ali52]

Does Anyone Know When U Penn will be sending out their admissions answers? Has anyone heard anything yet? Especially from Art History.

[historygirl]

Several rejections and a few acceptances for history have been sent out. Art history is a separate department, so dates for the history dept. won't have any bearing on art history.