In this article, we’ll be covering 3 UPenn essay examples that worked.
In addition, we’ll cover what made these essays so strong, and how they managed to beat out the rest of the competition.
But, before we get to that, it’s important to know just how hard UPenn is with its admissions process. This gives us a good idea of just how much effort needs to be put into the essays to get accepted.
Here’s what UPenn has to say about its acceptance rate for the incoming class of 2027.
“…the University of Pennsylvania announced admission decisions for Regular Decision applicants to the Class of 2027, the institution’s 271st class, to build a class of 2,400 outstanding students across Penn’s four undergraduate schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Wharton School, and the School of Nursing.
There were more than 59,000 applicants this year – the largest first-year applicant pool in Penn’s history – and students were admitted through QuestBridge Match, Early Decision, and Regular Decision rounds. We are proud to report that they collectively represent the most diverse group of admitted students in Penn’s history in terms of racial and ethnic background, socioeconomic diversity (including those who are eligible for Pell Grants), and those who are the first generation in their family to attend a four-year college or university.”
UPenn Official Website
Note that Penn says there were more than 59,000 applicants this year.
So, let’s do the math.
2,400 / 59,000 = 0.04067
Thus, UPenn had an acceptance rate of under 4.067% for the 2022-23 application cycle.
It is therefore imperative that your UPenn essays are stellar and stand out from the rest of the application pool.
Of course, some may ask whether it’s possible to still get accepted into UPenn (or any T20 school for that matter) with average essays. To put it briefly… no.
If you are not confident in your ability to write strong and compelling essays that answer the UPenn supplemental essays properly, we heavily recommend hiring the help of professional college admissions advisors and consultants.
Everyone has their weakness; and, if yours is in writing, it’s time to collaborate with those who have the expertise to get you accepted.
Great. With that said, let’s cover the essays.
For the current year, we’ve been fortunate to have both students from Wharton and the College of Arts & Sciences.
But, For the sake of brevity, these 3 Successful UPenn Essays were for Wharton.
So, without further ado, let’s get started.
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Table of Contents
Successful UPenn Essay Examples That Worked.
UPenn Thank You Note Essay Example.
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!) (150-200 words, only required for first year applicants)
UPenn Official Website
“Dear Mrs. C
From your unwavering enthusiasm for activities like knot-tying to your positive radiance that binds our diverse troop together, I knew from day 1 that Monday nights at the scout hut would be nothing short of unforgettable. My hopes were confirmed as I navigated through 1st grade.
Moving from South Carolina to Mckee Road isolated me from old friends, and further put me in an environment devoid of other Asian boys. Thanks to your unending support, your teaching me real-world skills, and your treating me like a human being, I’ve honed a confidence I never knew was possible.
Your careful listening and validation sow seeds for future children to have a menaingful place in the world. Treating me as an adult sent an unforgettable message of the true value of empathic listening. Even today I remember the AGILE method thanks to you. You had faith in me, as I now have faith in the future. Your dedication to true empathy left a mark that cannot be erased.
As I navigate new leadership challenges through endeavors like Shreddr.io, my nonprofit, I model off your principles to ensure everyone truly is validated.
Thank you again Mrs. C“
Successful UPenn Thank You Note Essay Example, 2022-23
UPenn Community, Identity, and Perspective Essay Example.
How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective and identity, and how your identity and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words)
UPenn Official Website
Debate is more than the suits and speeches and shoes that make the *click* *clack* noises. Between rounds, away from the prying eyes of judges, fellow opponents crack jokes and share lukewarm Little Caesar’s slices.
Why? Well, I discovered that there’s more to debate than debate. Just as if not more important is the arbitrary, unplanned moment of inconspicuous awe one feels upon sitting down with an opponent they faced yet never really knew. It’s one of the few moments, even if for a few minutes, when strangers can make the best of friends: a vision of community I’d love to foster at Penn.
I’ve had the pleasure of advising Kevin in PFYD meetings through CLT Debate. But, I still hope to provide physical help, teaching and cultivating a welcoming environment across Philadelphia. I’ll combine this with Penn’s program communities; In the policy, politics and social change program, I’ll learn from multi-disciplinary perspectives within Penn and hands-on experiences throughout Philadelphia. I’ll also share the experience and enthusiasm I’ve gained from Whey-to-go with the amicable Penn Barbell members (One member kindly loaned me a weightlifting belt during my visit). To Penn Debate, I will bring my perspectives on philosophy and policy. Though arguably the most impassioned conversations will be from takes on various anime.
Penn’s diverse and unique student body will ultimately hone my beliefs and forge for me lifelong meaningful relationships. And, of course, I won’t underestimate the value of the everyday, inconspicuous Monday: where unlikely friends with whom to share pizza with are made.
UPenn Community, Identity, and Perspective Essay Example, 2022-23
UPenn Academic Interest Essay Example.
Considering the specific undergraduate school you have selected, describe how you intend to explore your academic and intellectual interests at the University of Pennsylvania. (150-200 words)
UPenn Official Website
“No one can beat the market.”
Not Buffet. Not Dalio. Not Simmons.
But that’s not quite true. The saying should really go, “no investor can.” Those who outperform lionized hedge fund managers never took finance courses. They’re experts in public policy who select stocks right before legislation doubles the price, and leave smelling like a rose.
It’s unfair, and, in light of this cheating, I must confess: I too have cheated.
I sat in on Professor Harrington’s BEPP game theory class: a perfect blend of theory and practical application. His lesson on game theory’s crucial role in helping management make quick changes in product, technology, and prices ignited an intellectual curiosity of thunderous awe. In addition, David Hsu similarly researched the role of a reputable underwriter in a successful IPO: something that parallels the future projects I have planned.
Political trading makes the future of finance seem bleak. But, Penn brings me hope for future trading underdogs. My end goal is to allow everyone the opportunity for accurate real-time stock information and strategies to monetize the stock market. Being educated in Penn will solidify my plans for a more equitable, and fair approach to the stock market.
UPenn Academic Interest Essay Example, 2022-23
What Made These UPenn Essay Examples Strong?
Now that you’ve seen the quality of writing it takes to make compelling UPenn essays that can get you accepted, it’s time to take a deeper dive.
Let’s see what makes these example UPenn essays so strong, and how you can implement them into your own essays in the future.
Smart Diction.
The kind of word choice you use is one of your best tools for conveying ideas to the admissions officers.
In the UPenn example essays, smart diction and word choice is used to demonstrate abstract or inconspicuous ideas that often are hard to articulate.
Here is an example.
“…the arbitrary, unplanned moment of inconspicuous awe one feels upon sitting down with an opponent they faced yet never really knew. It’s one of the few moments, even if for a few minutes, when strangers can make the best of friends: a vision of community I’d love to foster at Penn.”
UPenn Essay Example, Strong Diction
By narrowing down on deep feelings such as those felt during the odd sense of camaraderie upon facing an opponent during a debate competition, the applicant is capable of showing admissions officers that they’ve also thought of their answer for a long time.
Remember: strong imagery and diction is not just about being fancy. It’s also about showing admissions officers you truly put in the work to make a fantastic set of UPenn essays that will impress them.
Proper Pacing.
One of the best strategies you can implement to make a good essay great is to use proper pacing.
If you look at the previous UPenn example essays, you will notice there is considerable space between different ideas. The writers are not putting everything in one single paragraph. Instead, they are unafraid of using multiple paragraphs even if that means each paragraph is small.
Be sure to do the same by avoiding very long paragraphs.
Admissions officers want to know what you have to say short and sweet. They neither have the time nor attention to read your story from beginning to end.
So, keep your ideas brief and make sure to implement transitional phrases to ensure the general pace and flow of your writing.
Demonstrable Effort in Writing.
Through these UPenn example essays, it is clear that our client took their time writing.
The essays are not rushed. And, we can see that in their quality of writing from beginning to end. Admissions officers reading the essays can see the diversity in sentence structure and length.
In addition, they find creative ways to convey their thoughts. This is often best shown in their use of imagery beyond just explaining from a surface level.
Think about the way that you communicate your ideas in your UPenn essays. Are you simply saying what is on your mind on a surface level? Or, are you trying to convey complex ideas through deeper writing and imagery?
Take this for instance.
Debate is more than the suits and speeches and shoes that make the *click* *clack* noises. Between rounds, away from the prying eyes of judges, fellow opponents crack jokes and share lukewarm Little Caesar’s slices.
Example UPenn Essay, Describing in Detail.
Note that our client could have simply written that they attended Speech and Debate. They could have simply said that Speech and Debate have a lot of great qualities. However, they chose to get more into detail about what Speech and Debate FEELS like from their perspective.
Then, they back away from this to get to the main point.
This choice of imagery helps admissions officers see the writer’s point of view on a deeper level; and, it’s also the writer’s way of showing how they’re putting more effort into their emotional writing than other applicants.
Be Specific. Very Specific.
When trying to show a specific emotion or feeling in your essays, top schools are going to require that you get deep in the details.
The best way to do this is to start zeroing in on the details that help display a certain emotion.
So, let’s take a look at the previous UPenn example essay once more.
Debate is more than the suits and speeches and shoes that make the *click* *clack* noises. Between rounds, away from the prying eyes of judges, fellow opponents crack jokes and share lukewarm Little Caesar’s slices.
Example UPenn Essay, Describing in Detail.
Notice how the use of “lukewarm Little Caesar’s slices” is not truly used in a negative way. Although the word lukewarm comes with negative connotations, our client masterfully used it as a way of showing there are nostalgic values to having Little Caesar’s pizza lukewarm, as most schools do.
By being very crafty with your wording, and getting hyper-specific about the details, you can portray certain abstract feelings such as nostalgia that normally would be very difficult.
Portraying such profound and complex emotions is also crucial to show admissions officers that you have the emotional maturity and sophistication to observe your own feelings. This is a valuable skill for students in the future, especially those looking to get into competitive fields or planning to start massive projects.
If you are still struggling to write your UPenn essays or would like to see more successful UPenn essay examples that worked, feel free to contact us for a free consultation. We can even help you edit and revise your UPenn essays to stand out from the rest of the admissions pool, just like our previously accepted students!