University of Pennsylvania Reviews

Though the school is in West...

Though the school is in West Philadelphia, the security at Penn is phenomenal. There is security at the entrance of every dorm, and you can't walk a block without seeing a guard on a bike. Blue light phone are all over campus, and students have to walk quite a few blocks to get into a bad area.

Most professors are...

Most professors are highly-accessible and passionate about their respective fields. They welcome questions and are able to effectively stimulate student interest in their courses.

The dining halls are, as one would...

The dining halls are, as one would expect of college food, mediocre. They’re not the worst, and they are actually pretty decent for what they are, but the reused menu options become quite nauseating halfway through a semester. Not to fear: there’s Houston Market, which offers an array of excellent deli-like food, Subway, and Au Bon Pain (if you can stand the lines), which all accept dining dollars. Then, for those with an ample supply of money, there are tons of great restaurants right on campus. You definitely won’t go a week without late-night Wawa sandwiches. Yum.

Believe it or not, the city of...

Believe it or not, the city of Philly has a lot to offer. You can head down to King of Prussia or Liberty Place for some nice shopping, or you can go down to South Street or Penn’s Landing to check out some very interesting people and shops. Philly can get a bit rough sometimes, especially in West Philly, but it just seems to add a bit more color to the whole campus.

After any room in the Quad, I...

After any room in the Quad, I would say you should live in Hill as a freshman because that is the next most freshmen-populated dorm, and people seem to like it. The high-rises and Mayer are very nice, but not quite as freshmen-friendly, although they are not bad places to live by any means.

As a freshman, I would definitely...

As a freshman, I would definitely live in the Quad. It’s air conditioned and newly renovated. The Quad is full of freshmen, and it makes it so easy to make new friends because you all live in the same area. The high-rises are for people who are more secluded and don’t want to be around everyone. My friends that lived in the high-rises wished they would have lived in the Quad. Stay away from Hill college house if you can; they have fun there, but it gets so hot when it’s warm out.

Because of the number of...

Because of the number of off-campus housing options, prices tend to be relatively inexpensive. Renting a large house with friends becomes a popular idea among students, who often only have to walk a few blocks to class in the morning.

The variety of girls is crazy. You...

The variety of girls is crazy. You have the bookies that stay in their rooms studying forever on end. If you can get them to take a break and talk to you, they aren’t as dull as they seem. In fact, usually they are the coolest people to talk to. Then there are the stuffy rich girls that privately hold their noses up above everyone else while acting politely to fend off insults. You have the party girls who just want to have fun but amazingly find a way to pass their classes with flying colors. Of course, there are some that find fun and amusement away from parties, simply hanging out with their friends and having a great time on their own.

The people at Penn are pretty good...

The people at Penn are pretty good looking. Everyone here seems to be pretty trendy—people seem to dress up in the Banana Republic style a lot. Very sleek.

Varsity sports are huge. A lot of...

Varsity sports are huge. A lot of people get recruited to play on a varsity sports team, so it’s no wonder we have so much school spirit. It’s exciting to go to a football game or a basketball game because we always win. IM sports are very popular, too. People at Penn tend to be very athletic and well-rounded, so it’s not very hard to find a new sport to pick up and some worthy competition.

Guys are . . . not all that bad....

Guys are . . . not all that bad. Girls are . . . not bad either. Although, lots of guys think the girls are ugly and vice versa. I wouldn’t call either necessarily ‘hot.’ The most attractive ones are usually in fraternities and sororities.

It just seems like East Coast...

It just seems like East Coast girls don’t care as much as West Coast girls when it comes to appearance. But in an attempt to be fair, the girls at Penn are a pretty good lot.

It’s a big school, and you have a...

It’s a big school, and you have a pretty good chance that you’re going to meet ‘your type.’ Just like high school, you’ll meet your share of jerks, but there are also nice guys—they’ve had a few more years to grow up, so it’s not as bad. The same thing goes for girls. It’s a mix. You meet stuck-up girls, and you meet really sweet girls.

Competition for guys at Penn is...

Competition for guys at Penn is fairly stiff. There are lots of good-looking guys and an excess of busted girls. To make matters worse, the girls tend to be super stuck-up. Also, for some strange reason, Penn kids tend to have big coolness inferiority complexes that stem from high school. As a result, people can be really unfriendly in social situations for no good reason. However, if you’re formally introduced, say through a friend, they tend to open up and are usually friendlier.

The parties on campus are...

The parties on campus are unusually plentiful and enjoyable, especially for an Ivy. All of the frat houses try to sponsor parties on a regular basis. Some of my favorite host frats are SAE, AEPi, Pike, and Tep. And you can find parties regularly in the high-rise apartments and in non-Greek houses on campus. The frat parties range from lively dance parties with loud music and cheap beer to more cozy environments with hard liquor and frat brothers ever so eager to show you a tour of upstairs.

I’m more of a rocker than a...

I’m more of a rocker than a clubber. Philly is great for concerts. Every band comes through here. Since I came to Penn, Pearl Jam, Disturbed, Stone Temple Pilots, A Perfect Circle, Tool, Nine Inch Nails, Incubus, Live, Wallflowers, Everclear, Puddle of Mudd, Bruce Willis, Less than Jake, and Bad Religion have all been here. The club scene is here, and there are also some underage ones. Again, it’s not my scene, but I know they are there. As for bars, an ID is critical. Once you have that, there are thousands to go to.

I was skeptical about Greek life...

I was skeptical about Greek life but ended up rushing, and it was the best decision I have ever made. You can definitely have fun and survive on campus without joining, but it is such a great experience.

Greek life is very visible, and I...

Greek life is very visible, and I like going to frats or sororities. Usually sororities have off-campus parties at clubs, but they occasionally have some at their houses. However, if you don’t like Greek stuff, there is plenty else to do, like theater or sports. Every sports team—varsity and IM—has houses and parties. Theater groups also have parties. There are parties every weekend first semester and a bit fewer during second semester because of pledging, but you will still be able to find things to do. During first semester, there are usually parties Thursday-Saturday. Second semester, you may miss a night here or there, but hanging around with friends or going to a club, sporting event, or other party are usually the main activities on those rare nights where no frats have parties. I’d say that Penn is the social Ivy.

A large percentage of drinking- or...

A large percentage of drinking- or drug-related offenses are handled within the housing system, rather than involving the police. In the end, it seems the policies tend to be a bit lax.

Campus police are not strict at...

Campus police are not strict at all. I guess it depends on your RA freshman year, but most of them are under 21 and in the same boat as you. As long as you don’t get foolishly inebriated on a Tuesday night and pass out and start barfing in the middle of the hall, I’d say that you can get away with just about anything. If you’re of the type who is especially unappreciative of booze and weed, then don’t apply for housing on the Quad or in Hill your freshman year.

They’re not strict at all about...

They’re not strict at all about drinking. They break up most big parties around 2 a.m., but if they see you drinking on the street, they’ll probably just ask you to pour it out. They’re getting a little stricter about fake IDs at bars. They sometimes scan them, but if you get rejected, 99 percent of the time they don’t actually take the ID away.

Penn’s still the party school of...

Penn’s still the party school of the Ivies! The police are pretty lenient about letting students have their parties, unless there are noise complaints or fighting. Then they just disperse the crowd and send everyone home.

Parking is horrible. Don’t bring a...

Parking is horrible. Don’t bring a car unless you know you can secure a spot. Personally, I think it would be a hassle to have a car. It’s not worth it unless you plan on taking numerous road trips.

There is a subway stop right...

There is a subway stop right outside of the Quad. It’s cheap and easy to use, but it stops running a little early. Philly is a small enough city that cabs are cheap, as long as you are traveling with a group.

It is comparable to other...

It is comparable to other Northeast/Middle Atlantic states. Hot summers and cold winters. Students generally bring a range of clothing, from heavy winter coats, to tank tops.