University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
The University of Pennsylvania, universally known as “Penn,” is a private, research university located on the near West side of Philadelphia. Founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, the 992-acre campus is a member of the Ivy League and one of the nine colonial colleges founded before the American Revolution.
Visitors and residents are often impressed by the university’s Gothic buildings, which are modeled after those found at Cambridge and Oxford. The current student body totals a little over 21,000 students, and is divided about half and half between undergraduates and graduate students.
Penn is acclaimed for its series of firsts, including the first medical and business schools in North America. It was also one of the first universities in this country to adopt a multidisciplinary approach, which makes it popular among students looking for the resources of a university coupled with a more liberal arts teaching style and atmosphere. On a less solemn note, the Penn marching band was the first to be featured in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Penn’s undergraduate program accepts, on average, 12 percent of applicants, making it the sixth-most-selective university in the U.S., according to Princeton Review.
The University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.