How to Write the Penn State Supplemental Essays 2024-2025
Below are the secondary prompts for Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Â Want to maximize your chances for an interview invite? Work with our expert medical school admission consultants to put your best foot forward through our .
The keys to writing a strong response are essentially the same, however: identify specific resources that can only be found at Schreyer Honors College (not things that you could also take advantage of as any other Penn State student!), and explain how those resources align with your goals for college and beyond.
This is a competitive application process, and you are up against an increasingly strong group of applicants. Although Penn is not requiring the submission of standardized test scores for the 2024-2025 application cycle, we can look at the middle 50% score ranges submitted by students in the school’s Class of 2028: 1510-1560 for the SAT, and 34-36 for the ACT. Here are a few more numbers to consider. For the Class of 2028, Penn received a total of 65,236 applications. , 3,508 students were admitted. The overall acceptance rate was 5.4%. Of note, more than 8,500 students applied via Early Decision, and although Penn did not immediately disclose the acceptance rate, it looks to be around 20% (based on Penn’s admissions website reporting that 51% of the incoming class was accepted via Early Decision). Effectively communicating the intangibles of your candidacy through your essays is the best way to differentiate yourself in this prestigious crowd. Make certain that your essay content addresses what each essay prompt asks for. Use your essay responses to discuss what is meaningful to you, project the value you might add to the campus community, and convey how Penn is the ideal place for you to achieve your dreams for the future.
Penn State 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide
The is a really useful resource. Knowing what Penn State admissions officers value can help you create a winning application, especially because are about more than grades.
Note that additional essays are required if you are applying to one of the coordinated dual degree or specialized programs offered at Penn. These responses have limits that range from 400 to 650 words. Although these individual prompts are not addressed in detail here, keep in mind that each one asks you to share specific examples and experiences that demonstrate your potential for success, along with your enthusiasm for and attraction to the particular program. These programs are a significant commitment, and you need to convey your genuine dedication. The admissions committee uses your essays to determine whether you will be a good match for the particular dual degree or specialized program to which you seek admission.
Although each prompt is slightly different based on the school to which you are applying, the underlying question is the same: how does Penn support your intellectual and academic interests, and how do your goals align with the specific mission of the school? Do your research on your school of choice. How will it prepare you to achieve your goals? You must demonstrate an understanding of yourself by articulating your personal connection to the program’s mission. Consider why you are a good fit for the undergraduate school (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, The Wharton School, or The School of Engineering and Applied Science). What specific academic, service, and/or research opportunities (available at Penn) might enhance your journey and help you accomplish your goals? Include examples of how your personal experiences make the program at Penn a good fit for you. How will the opportunities at Penn expand, nurture, and support your interests and aspirations? In closing, remember to address why you are driven to attend the program at Penn and how a Penn education will help you to effect change in the world.
The school-specific prompt is unique to the school to which you are applying. (For example, all applicants applying to the College of Arts and Sciences will respond to the prompt under the “College of Arts and Sciences” section). Considering the undergraduate school you have selected for your single-degree option, please respond to your school-specific prompt below.
Common app essay OR Penn state supplemental
Before you sit down to begin writing your essays, do your research to learn as much as possible about Penn’s approach to education. Familiarize yourself with the unique character of the school, go through its website, get a sense of the campus and academic atmosphere, visit the campus (if possible), speak with students, and imagine yourself as a student at Penn. In short, identify what makes the school a good fit for you.
How “optional” is the Penn State essay? : r/ApplyingToCollege
This prompt is meant to address the interplay of how you might contribute to and benefit from the extracurricular atmosphere at the school. How will you participate in the Penn community and contribute to it in meaningful ways? You have only 200 words with which to express what excites you most about the community at Penn, provide some insight into how you might engage with it, and reveal how you could both enhance and grow from it, based on your individual identity and perspective. Among other things, this prompt provides an opportunity to express your cultural background and unique interests. Consider the school’s diverse population of students and their experiences in light of your own identity and perspectives. Also consider the Penn community within the context of the city of Philadelphia. Remember that Penn’s founder, Ben Franklin, was focused on service to society, and that begins with the dynamic community around you and expands from there. Overlay your individual story with the community at Penn. Your response requires you to look at your identity and perspective and consider ways you mesh with the Penn community, along with how that might affect you and how, in turn, you might affect those around you. What do you bring to the table, based on your life experience? What might you gain through your potential interactions/opportunities/exchanges with those in the Penn community?
How to Ace the 2025 Penn State Supplemental Essays
The University of Pennsylvania, or Penn, was established in 1790 and is one of the oldest universities in America. This prestigious Ivy League school is known for its top-notch research as well as its undergraduate programs that focus on practical applications grounded by a strong liberal arts foundation. Penn accepts both the Common Application or the Coalition Application and requires several supplemental essays as well. Your supplemental essays help the Penn admissions committee form a more holistic view of you as a potential student. : “We look for students who are inspired to emulate our founder Benjamin Franklin by applying their knowledge in ‘service to society.’” Through your Common Application, the admissions committee is aware of your grades and test scores, and understands the level of rigor in your curriculum within the context of your high school environment. Use the supplemental essays as an opportunity to demonstrate how you are an ideal match for Penn and how Penn will help you to accomplish your life goals. Illustrate how you engage with and think about the world around you. Communicate your thoughts, values, and perspectives so the school can understand what is important to you!
Penn States 2024-25 Essay Prompts
Use specific examples of clubs or organizations at Penn State, such as the Lion’s Pantry, which is dedicated to addressing student hunger.A few words of caution: