University of Pennsylvania - Local Atmosphere

B+

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Points of Interest

Old City
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Rittenhouse Square
South Street

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Students at Penn love Philadelphia. Most wanted to study at an urban college for the excitement and opportunity one can provide, and their wishes are more than fulfilled at Penn’s West Philly location. Center City, with its streets full of restaurants, theaters, and other hot spots, is a short walk away, and the historical richness of Old City is just a hop, skip, jump, and a cab ride from the heart of Penn’s campus. Speaking of campus, unlike most urban schools, Penn actually has one, which allows students to relax, play sports, toss a ball, ride a bike, or catch some sun on the grassy expanses of college green or the many courtyards around the dorms.

Unique, vibrant, and artsy, the city of Philadelphia has absolutely everything a student could want. Music, food, sports, and more universities than Boston, as well as sections of the city which retain their friendly neighborhood feel, set Philly apart as a diverse and exciting place to go to school. On a given weekend, a Penn student could easily take a walk along Walnut Street, spend some time at the zoo, browse one of over 100 art museums, enjoy a meal at one of Philadelphia’s excellent restaurants, and then spend some time at trendy South Street’s many shops. While Philadelphia offers all of this and more, it lacks the crowded jostle of New York, providing a comfortable college setting for even those students without any previous urban experience.

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Local Atmosphere at University of Pennsylvania

janessap

'12

Social Sciences

A

Move Over New York City

Philadelphia has so much to offer. With center city withing walking distance of university city, home to UPenn and Drexel, the entertainment options are endless.

Aug 20, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at University of Pennsylvania

Danneile

'14

History

A+

Philly Is the Perfect Location

I knew I had to come to school in a big city because I was sick of the lethargy of suburbia. I came to Philly and it was the *perfect* choice. West Philadelphia is a great community, and for all the whispering about its safety, I feel perfectly fine... there are of course just some places that you don't go at night, especially alone. University City is such a nice area and there's a lot to do just in walking distance that it's easy to forget that the city is larger. But it is... between Center City's fun nightlife, parks, and eclectic restaurants/shopping; the beautiful history in Old City, and the charming neighborhoods in South Philly (not gonna lie, North Philly scares me)... this city has been perfect for me. The reason I pin it as the perfect city is that for cheap I can travel by bus to New York or DC and be there within 2 or 3 hours, respectively (with the train, even less time). Philly's a great city, but it's also a hub for the 2 greatest cities on the Northeast coast.

Jul 08, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at University of Pennsylvania

avcrespo

'05

Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering

A-

Supermanageable City

Philadelphia has all the benefits of a big city in a manageable size. The areas of University City, Center City, and Old City are all very walkable, with easy subway and bus access. The city offers great restaurants, including a bounty of BYOBs, as well as great cultural activities at places like the Kimmel Center and Theater District. For history buffs, Philadelphia has few cities that compare, with many "firsts" of the U.S. and of course, the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. It would be nice if it was easier to get to areas like South Philly, which offer a great neighborhood vibe and different aspect of the city culture.

Feb 28, 2011

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Facts

Shopping Centers		The Bellevue Cherry Hill Mall The Gallery at Market East King of Prussia Mall The Shops at Liberty Place
Major Sports Teams		Philadelphia 76ers: basketball Philadelphia Eagles: football Philadelphia Flyers: hockey Philadelphia Phillies: baseball
City Web Sites		campusphilly.org philadelphia.citysearch.com www.gophila.com www.pcvb.org www.phila.gov www.philly.com/mld/philly
Distances to Nearest Major Cities		New York City: NY: 2 hours Washington: D.C.: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Did You Know?		5 Fun Facts about Philly: • Philadelphia is a city of firsts. The city is home to the first insane asylum, the first electronic computer (ENIAC developed at Penn), America’s first university (yes, Penn itself), and the US’ first zoo. • The stairs that Rocky Balboa climbs victoriously in the first Rocky movie are none other than those which lead to the main entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. • King of Prussia Mall, located in a suburb right outside of Philly is the East Coast’s largest mall and the second-largest in the country, dwarfed only by The Mall of America. • Philly’s official nickname is “The City of Brotherly Love” because it was perhaps the first city in the world to tolerate all religions. Penn’s mascot, the Quaker, was picked in homage to Billy Penn himself to reflect this aspect of Philly’s history. • Philadelphia boasts over 100 art museums, many of which can be found along the Ben Franklin Parkway, designed to mimic the Champs-Elysees. The Rodin Museum houses the second-largest collection of the artist’s sculptures in the world (Paris is the only city with larger) and the Academy of Natural Sciences holds dinosaur remains, a live butterfly house, and much more Famous Philadelphians: Marian Anderson Donald Bartholomew John Barrymore Ed Bacon Boyz II Men Alexander Calder Wilt Chamberlain Bill Cosby Stuart Davis Walter E. Diemer Oliver Evans W.C. Fields Henry George Grace Kelly Patti Labelle Mario Lanz Tara Lipinski George McClellan Margaret Mead Cecil B. Moore Man Ray Betsy Ross Will Smith The Three Stooges Local Slang: Wiz-with – The proper way to order a cheesesteak with cheese-wiz and onions. (For no onions simply say “Wiz-without.” See? It’s easy!) Hoagie – Commonly known as a sub or a hero. Wawa – Found in Philly and south New Jersey, this is basically a 7-Eleven where you can get a ‘fresh’ sandwich 24 hours a day.

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The Bridge: Cinema de Lux
230 S. 40th Street
Philadelphia
(215) 386-3300

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Penn

Name: Perry Petra-Wong

Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.

Major: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

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