Updated: Tuesday, September 8, 2026
The University of Pennsylvania is an Ivy League university located in Philadelphia. “Penn,” as it’s colloquially known, was the first university in the U.S. to offer both undergraduate and graduate studies. Originally founded in 1740 as a charity school and church, Benjamin Franklin proposed in 1749 to turn it into an institution of higher education after publishing his famous essay, “Proposal Relating to the Education of Youth.” The University has come a long way since then, becoming one of the most prestigious institutions in the country.
With that prestige, of course, comes high selectivity and competition for admission. Students interested in attending Penn are typically among the strongest students at their high schools and perform at a very high level. But it’s not all about academics — prospective Penn students should demonstrate deep and meaningful involvement beyond the classroom.
So, how do you build a Penn-worthy applicant profile? Read on to learn more and for tips on how to get into Penn.
How to Get into Penn: Table of Contents
Students seriously considering applying to Penn should start planning as early as possible in their high school careers. That said, the undergraduate admission application deadlines are in the fall and winter of a student’s senior year of high school.
Penn offers two decision rounds: Early Decision and Regular Decision. Students must be aware of the deadlines to ensure they submit all the necessary materials on time for their chosen decision round. The deadlines for the 2026-27 admissions cycle are:
Students who apply ED can expect to receive a decision in mid-December.
Penn releases decisions for RD applicants in late March.
Penn only offers two kinds of applications: Early Decision and Regular Decision. You may see other application types offered at other schools, such as Early Action — which is a non-binding early application round — and rolling admissions. Early Decision gives students the option to commit to Penn early and, if deferred, to be reconsidered in the Regular Decision pool.
You might be wondering what the difference is between Early Decision vs Regular Decision. Early Decision is a binding early application. Students who apply Early Decision enter into a binding agreement that they will attend Penn if they are admitted. Students may only enter into this kind of binding agreement with one school. If you are admitted to Penn through Early Decision, your binding agreement means that you agree to withdraw any other withstanding college applications you may have submitted.
Regular Decision is a standard, non-binding college application. Students may apply to as many colleges as their high school will allow.
Students who are considered in the Regular Decision pool may receive one of three different admission decisions: an offer of admission, a denial, or waitlist status. Students who are waitlisted must decide whether they want to accept their spot, keeping in mind that the chances of getting off the waitlist are unlikely. For example, Penn waitlisted 3,252 students who applied for fall 2025 admission and ultimately admitted 6o.
Students who apply to Penn through Early Decision may receive a deferral notification rather than an admission or a denial. A deferred application gets pushed from the Early Decision applicant pool to the general Regular Decision applicant pool. This means the admissions office would like to make a final decision on your application after receiving more academic information. If you’re wondering what to do if you have been deferred, you typically must submit mid-year senior grades to be be considered in the Regular Decision round.
The University of Pennsylvania is one of the most competitive universities in the country, as these admission rates show:
This is why anyone seriously considering Penn should prepare themselves for their selectivity. The best way to maximize your chances of admission is to start early and be strategic about the courses and activities you choose in high school.
The admissions committee at the University of Pennsylvania must make some tough decisions, wading through tens of thousands of applications in order to offer just a few thousand spots. So, what does Penn look for? Penn prioritizes admitting a class of students with diverse backgrounds from all over the world and conducts a comprehensive review of each application that includes high school preparation, testing, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, essays, interviews, and supplementary materials.
Students seriously interested in Penn should consider visiting, not only to get to know the vibrant campus, but also to try to picture Philadelphia as a potential home. Penn’s in-person campus visit includes a live discussion with a member of the admissions staff followed by a campus tour led by a current student. Penn also offers students the option to take a self-guided campus tour at their own pace.
Some students may not necessarily have the option to visit campus in person. Luckily, Penn also offers virtual events, including information sessions and student-led virtual tours.
Penn does not track demonstrated interest, so visiting campus and interacting with admissions will not influence your admissions result.
Connecting with a student is another excellent way of finding out if a school is right for you. You can connect with your student tour guides on campus tours, student speakers at information sessions, or even other students you may meet while you’re visiting campus. Talking to a current student is really one of the best ways to get to know a college.
You can learn more about student experiences at Penn by following current students on social media. Another great resource is the student-run newspaper, “The Daily Pennsylvanian,” which can provide more insights into campus life.
Students applying to Penn for Early Decision or Regular Decision must apply either through the Common Application or the Coalition Application.
Though Penn doesn’t list any official GPA requirements, it’s important to consider the statistics of their admitted students. The average high school GPA of the Penn class of 2029 was 3.9. And of those students who submitted class rank, 92% graduated in the top 10% of their class. Given Penn’s high selectivity and Ivy League status, it’s safe to assume that you must have an excellent GPA to be considered for admission.
Penn requires students to submit standardized test scores. To understand what a competitive test score is at Penn, it helps to look at the Common Data Set for the 2025-26 academic year — though it’s important to keep in mind that the University was on a test-optional policy at the time. Of the students in the class of 2029 who submitted test scores, the middle 50% had a score range of 34-35 on the ACT and 1510-1570 on the SAT.
Students will submit their response to one of the Coalition or Common App essay prompts to fulfill Penn’s personal statement requirement. In addition to the supplemental essays, your personal statement is a critical soft factor of your application that helps you stand out from applicants who have similar academic records.
Penn requires that all students submit two short answer essays, regardless of which individual undergraduate school they are applying to. While the essay prompts may change from year to year, these prompts for the 2026-27 admissions cycle will give you some idea of what to expect.
1) Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (200 words max).
2) How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn. (200 words max)
Students may have additional essay requirements depending on which school, college, or program they apply to.
Students are required to submit one counselor recommendation, one teacher recommendation, and one other recommendation. The other recommendation can be a second teacher recommendation or a non-academic recommendation. Penn does not prefer one option over the other.
Penn does not require interviews as part of its admissions process.
When visiting Penn or interacting with students or admissions, it’s worth reflecting on how you might contribute to the campus community as a student. One of the required essays will ask you to make this reflection, so giving this some thought in advance will help you strengthen your thesis for why and how you could make valuable contributions to the Penn community and campus culture.
So, how many people apply to Penn? The school received more than 72,500 applications overall for fall 2025 and ultimately admitted a diverse class from around the U.S. and the world.
| Acceptance rate | 4.92% |
| Class size | 2,420 |
| Undergraduate majors | 90+ |
One of Penn’s greatest strengths is its commitment to arts and culture. The university hosts more than 12 different cultural institutions, from the University Library, founded by Benjamin Franklin, to the unparalleled Institute of Contemporary Art.
Penn offers a traditional, “closed” college campus, including a picturesque college quad, within the hustle and bustle of a major American city. Penn also boasts many time-honored college traditions, including throwing toast on the field after the third quarter of every home football game when “Here’s a toast to dear old Penn” is performed as part of their fight song.
In addition to its top-notch academic offerings, Penn offers a staggering amount of student activities. The university hosts more than 450 different student-run organizations, including those in intellectual, artistic, cultural, and social spheres. Finally, Penn athletes also participate in NCAA Division I sports within the NCAA Ivy League conference.
When asking yourself if Penn is right for you, consider if you are enthusiastic about what makes Penn unique. Then, think about whether you would be considered competitive within Penn’s particularly selective admissions process. If the answer to both questions is yes, you have your answer.
Where is Penn located?
Penn’s 299-acre urban campus is in the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia, close to the Center City downtown.
Is Penn a state university?
No, Penn is a private Ivy League institution, not to be confused with Pennsylvania State University.
What is Penn’s acceptance rate?
As of recent years, the acceptance rate is around 4–6%, making it highly selective.
Does Penn require test scores?
Penn requires applicants to submit an ACT or SAT score.
What is Penn looking for in applicants?
Penn looks for strong academics, leadership, intellectual curiosity, community involvement, and a good fit with Penn’s values and programs.
To gain admission to a top university like Penn, most students could benefit from additional guidance. A private admissions counselor is an invaluable resource for students looking to apply to highly selective colleges and universities. Counselors can guide students throughout the entire process, from building a competitive applicant strategy, to building a balanced college list, to brainstorming strong essays and supplements. College admissions counselors that are accredited, experienced, and knowledgeable in the field will provide key advice to set applicants up for success.
Getting into Penn is no easy task. It’s an Ivy League university with a very low admission rate. That’s why IvyWise admissions experts are here to help you have the best chance at admission. Take the first step towards getting into your dream school by partnering with IvyWise.
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