University of Pennsylvania
| Type | Private research university |
|---|---|
| Address | 3451 Walnut Street |
| Map | View on Google Maps |
| Neighborhood | University City |
| Phone | (215) 898-5000 |
| Website | Official site |
| Established | 1740 |
| Founder | Benjamin Franklin |
| Owner | Board of Trustees |
| Employees | 55,000+ (including health system) |
| Products | Higher education |
| Status | Active |
The University of Pennsylvania (usually called Penn or UPenn) is a private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia. Founded in 1740 and organized by Benjamin Franklin in 1749, it's the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The main campus sits in University City, West Philadelphia, spanning 299 acres with over 220 buildings that house 12 schools and numerous research centers.[1]
Penn is home to the Wharton School, the nation's first business school and consistently ranked among the world's best. It also established the first medical school in the American colonies (1765), the first university teaching hospital (1874), and was the first American institution to be designated a "university" (1779). With an endowment of $22.35 billion and a research budget exceeding $1.45 billion, Penn ranks among the wealthiest and most research-intensive universities globally. Over 55,000 people work there, including its health system staff, making it one of Philadelphia's largest employers.[2]
History
Founder
Benjamin Franklin, the renowned Founding Father, inventor, and civic leader, founded the University of Pennsylvania. In 1749, Franklin distributed a pamphlet called "Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania," laying out his vision for a "Public Academy of Philadelphia" that'd prepare young people for careers in business, government, and public service.
His educational philosophy was genuinely ahead of its time. Most colonial colleges trained students for Christian ministry, but Franklin wanted something different. He proposed a practical curriculum mixing classical education with science, mathematics, history, logic, and philosophy. This forward-thinking approach became the foundation for the modern liberal arts curriculum.[3]
Franklin brought together 24 trustees from Philadelphia's leading citizens. This was America's first non-sectarian board of trustees. He served as president of the Academy from 1749 to 1755 and stayed on the Board of Trustees until his death in 1790.
Founding Date
Penn officially uses 1740 as its founding date, though the story's more complicated than that. In that year, a group of Philadelphians began construction on a large preaching hall for George Whitefield, a traveling Anglican evangelist. It was the biggest building in Philadelphia at the time, but the project ran out of money and stalled.
When Franklin set up his academy in 1749, the trustees bought this incomplete building on Fourth Street. Franklin's institution inherited and finished the 1740 structure, so the university claims 1740 as its founding year. Other important dates in Penn's early history are:
- 1749 - Franklin convenes the first Board of Trustees
- 1751 - First classes taught
- 1755 - Collegiate charter granted
- 1757 - First graduating class
- 1765 - First medical school in the American colonies established
- 1779 - First American institution designated a "university"
Historical Firsts
Penn's been first at a lot of things:
- First collegiate business school in the world (Wharton, 1881)
- First university teaching hospital in the United States (1874)
- First student union (Houston Hall, 1896)
- First Catholic student organization at a secular university (Newman Club, 1893)
- First general-purpose electronic computer (ENIAC, 1946)
Academics
Ivy League Membership
The University of Pennsylvania belongs to the Ivy League, eight private universities in the Northeastern United States known for academic excellence and selective admissions. The eight schools are:
- Brown University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Dartmouth College
- Harvard University
- Princeton University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Yale University
Technically, the Ivy League is an NCAA Division I athletic conference. But the name means far more than that. It's become shorthand for academic excellence, tough admissions, and social prestige. Penn competes in all Ivy League sports and has won numerous conference championships.
Notable Schools and Programs
Multiple disciplines here are exceptional.
Wharton School of Business
Founded in 1881, Wharton is the world's first collegiate business school and consistently ranks among the top business schools globally. In Fall 2024, it had 1,841 undergraduates and 2,486 graduate students. Notable alumni include Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Sundar Pichai.
Perelman School of Medicine
Penn's medical school opened in 1765, making it the oldest in North America. It partners with Penn Medicine, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
Other Notable Schools
- School of Engineering and Applied Science
- School of Arts and Sciences
- Law School
- School of Design
- School of Nursing
- Graduate School of Education
- Annenberg School for Communication
- School of Social Policy and Practice
- School of Veterinary Medicine
Penn runs 214 research centers and institutes with a total research budget of $1.45 billion.
Rankings
Penn consistently places among the top universities in the United States and worldwide:
- U.S. News & World Report: Top 10 national universities
- QS World University Rankings: Top 15 globally
- Times Higher Education: Top 15 globally
- Forbes: Top 10 American universities
- Wharton School: Regularly ranked first or second among business schools
Individual programs, especially in business, medicine, nursing, and law, consistently get top rankings in their fields.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
For the Class of 2029, Penn's acceptance rate was about 5%, making it one of the most selective universities in the country. The school received over 65,000 applications for roughly 3,500 spots in the incoming class.[4]
| Admission Cycle | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
| Class of 2029 | ~5% |
| Class of 2028 | 5.4% |
| Class of 2027 | 4.1% |
| Class of 2026 | 4.47% |
About 51% of the class gets admitted through Early Decision, which typically has a higher acceptance rate (around 13-15%) than Regular Decision (about 3-4%).
Test Scores
Successful applicants typically score in the highest percentiles:
- Middle 50% SAT (Evidence-Based Reading/Writing): 740-770
- Middle 50% SAT (Math): 770-800
- Middle 50% ACT: 34-36
During COVID-19, Penn went test-optional but has since brought back testing requirements. To be competitive, students should aim for the 1510-1570 SAT range.
GPA Requirements
Admitted students average around 3.9 on a 4.0 scale. Nearly 92% ranked in the top 10% of their high school class.
Penn looks at the whole applicant: academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, essays, recommendations, and demonstrated interest. Grades and test scores matter, but they're not the whole story.
Financial Aid
Penn doesn't give merit scholarships. All financial aid is need-based, determined solely by demonstrated financial need.
But here's the thing: Penn meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students. Families earning below $75,000 typically get full tuition, room, and board covered with grants (no loans). Roughly 46% of undergraduates receive need-based financial aid.
Penn's financial aid includes:
- 100% of demonstrated need met
- No loans required for families earning under certain thresholds
- Aid available to international students
- Consistent aid throughout four years
Costs
Tuition and Costs
For 2024-2025, here's what attending costs:[1]
| Cost Category | Amount (2024-25) |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $68,686 |
| Room and board | $19,174 |
| Books and supplies | ~$1,300 |
| Personal expenses | ~$1,900 |
| Total Estimated Cost | ~$91,000 |
Yes, the sticker price is over $90,000 annually. But Penn's financial aid program brings it down considerably for many families. The average aid package for students receiving aid exceeds $60,000 per year.
Campus
Campus Location
The main campus sits in University City, a West Philadelphia neighborhood about two miles west of Center City. The campus covers 299 acres with 222 buildings.
Campus Address: 3451 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
Getting to Campus:
- SEPTA Market-Frankford Line (The L): 34th Street Station (on campus)
- SEPTA Regional Rail: 30th Street Station (short walk or LUCY shuttle)
- SEPTA Bus: Multiple routes serve campus
- Amtrak: 30th Street Station (Philadelphia's main train station)
Campus Boundaries:
- West: 40th Street
- East: 32nd Street
- South: Baltimore Avenue
- North: Market Street
Drexel University's right next door. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and other Penn Medicine facilities are nearby.
Campus Landmarks
Historic Buildings
- College Hall - The university's oldest building on the current campus (1872)
- Fisher Fine Arts Library - Frank Furness designed this masterpiece (1891), now a National Historic Landmark
- Houston Hall - America's first student union (1896)
Academic Buildings
- Jon M. Huntsman Hall - Wharton School's main building
- Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine - Penn Medicine research facility
- Singh Center for Nanotechnology
Athletics
- Franklin Field - Historic stadium that housed the Philadelphia Eagles from 1958-1970
- The Palestra - Known as the "Cathedral of College Basketball," it opened in 1927
- Penn Park - 24-acre athletic complex
Notable Alumni
Penn has produced leaders across many fields.
Business
- Warren Buffett (Wharton undergraduate)
- Elon Musk (Wharton/Penn dual degree)
- Donald Trump (Wharton '68)
- Sundar Pichai (Wharton MBA)
Politics
- William Henry Harrison (9th U.S. President, attended)
- Arlen Specter (Senator)
- Andrea Mitchell (journalist)
Entertainment
- Elizabeth Banks (actress)
- John Legend (musician)
- Candice Bergen (actress)
Science and Medicine
- Numerous Nobel laureates
- Pioneers in medicine, computer science, and engineering
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Facts". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved December 22, 2025
- ↑ "Penn's History". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved December 22, 2025
- ↑ "About Our Founder". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved December 22, 2025
- ↑ "Incoming Class Profile". Penn Admissions. Retrieved December 22, 2025