UPenn Supplemental Essays 2010

[Dany]

The topics are the same as last year (basically 1. Diversity Statement; 2. Art/Literature; 3. Five-year Plan) and at least one of the three is required. There's also an "Optional Essay" which is pretty much asking for a GPA/LSAT addendum (if one is necessary.)

Hopefully in this thread we can critique each other's essays and perfect them, in order to avoid the UPenn Yellow Sea on LSN.

[Hannibal]

I'm either going to try art/literature or the first one for education background.

[Dany]

I'm either going to try art/literature or the first one for education background.

My PS is about being from the south/attending terrible public schools and what it's taught me, but that's really all I have as far as "diversity" - so I'm not sure if I should try a new PS and use that for diversity or just write one supplemental and be done with it.

[hellojd]

Are they asking for a why Upenn essay as well / are you guys doing it?

[Knock]

Well, the Penn app is up, and many of us will begin working on our supplemental essays soon.

The topics are the same as last year (basically 1. Diversity Statement; 2. Art/Literature; 3. Five-year Plan) and at least one of the three is required. There's also an "Optional Essay" which is pretty much asking for a GPA/LSAT addendum (if one is necessary.)

Hopefully in this thread we can critique each other's essays and perfect them, in order to avoid the UPenn Yellow Sea on LSN.

FWIW, I plan on doing Art/Literature, and maaaybe trying out a Diversity Statement.

Who's with me?

With your numbers you don't need to write one .

Edit: Wait one of the 3 supplemental essays is required?

[DaveBear07]

Yeah one is required. I'm leaning towards Diversity.

[Knock]

Yeah one is required. I'm leaning towards Diversity.

Good thing i've already written a diversity statement rough draft. Are there any other schools with required supplemental essays?

[094320]

..

[Dany]

Are they asking for a why Upenn essay as well / are you guys doing it?

The 5-year-plan is pretty much a Why UPenn, it specifically asks how Penn Law will factor in to your 5-year-plan (upon graduation.)

[Dany]

Well, the Penn app is up, and many of us will begin working on our supplemental essays soon.

The topics are the same as last year (basically 1. Diversity Statement; 2. Art/Literature; 3. Five-year Plan) and at least one of the three is required. There's also an "Optional Essay" which is pretty much asking for a GPA/LSAT addendum (if one is necessary.)

Hopefully in this thread we can critique each other's essays and perfect them, in order to avoid the UPenn Yellow Sea on LSN.

FWIW, I plan on doing Art/Literature, and maaaybe trying out a Diversity Statement.

Who's with me?

With your numbers you don't need to write one .

Edit: Wait one of the 3 supplemental essays is required?

Yes. Which is problematic because my PS is already DS-y*, no art/lit has inspired me towards law, mostly because I don't tend to interact much with art or lit, and the idea that any 20yr old has a solid 5-yr plan is sort of laughable**.

*Exactly my problem.
**Also my problem.

I have a really odd piece of literature (a short story) that kind of inspired me - not necessarily to pursue law - but to make something of myself, I guess you could say. I think I'll go with that and tie it in to law/Penn, and see where it goes.

[094320]

..

[czelede]

Goodness! Were supplemental essays required last year as well?

[rundoxierun]

The pointlessness of these essays and the fact that one is required is making me seriously evaluate realistically what the chance of my ending up at UPenn is.

[kk19131]

Does anyone remember the Penn undergrad essay that asks you to write page 214 or something of your autobiography?

[094320]

..

[kk19131]

I plan to do all the essays.

[Dany]

This is their YP: Phase One.

Too lazy to write the essays because you don't really want to go to Penn? Boom: weeded out.

Check back later for Phase Two: Good Numbers... But, Unfortunately, Slightly Too Good.

[OrdinarilySkilled]

Does anyone remember the Penn undergrad essay that asks you to write page 214 or something of your autobiography?

Yea I thought it was the dumbest thing. Everyone that has anything to do with that school thinks they're clever as shit. That said I will def b writing all of the above optional essays..

[xqhp82]

how bad would it look if i only submit one of the 3 optional essays (i'm leaning towards a DS)? My PS is already kind of artsy/music related so I can't think of any other piece of art/literature to write about and i don't want to make things up. i was planning to do a Why Penn essay but there's no such option, I don't have a 5-year plan in mind but I really like the cross-disciplinary approach of Penn so..where can I emphasise that..?

[OrdinarilySkilled]

how bad would it look if i only submit one of the 3 optional essays (i'm leaning towards a DS)? My PS is already kind of artsy/music related so I can't think of any other piece of art/literature to write about and i don't want to make things up. i was planning to do a Why Penn essay but there's no such option, I don't have a 5-year plan in mind but I really like the cross-disciplinary approach of Penn so..where can I emphasise that..?

I was kidding above about writing all 3. I am pretty sure just writing 1 is standard. And the 5-year plan one is basically the why Penn essay, just talking about how its a good fit for what you want to do after school. You can write how the cross-disciplinary fits in with what you want to get out of school and thus the 5 years after school.

[Bildungsroman]

Will be writing the 5 year plan and the music/literature one.

[cyxdev17]

Wait -- does the 5 year plan start after graduation from law school or is it 5 years starting today?

[Dany]

Wait -- does the 5 year plan start after graduation from law school or is it 5 years starting today?

After law school graduation, at least, that's how I read it.

"How will your legal education and professional development at Penn Law support your five year plan upon graduation?"

[cyxdev17]

Okay, that's what I thought.

As someone in this thread mentioned, it seems a little silly for a rising senior in college to write a believable/genuine essay about a 5-year plan (so up to 9 years down the road??) It seems more legit for people who have worked in an industry for a few years to really know what they want in terms of career. Any ideas on whether it'll help to write one anyway, even if most of it's mostly conjecture?

[cyxdev17]

Does anyone remember the Penn undergrad essay that asks you to write page 214 or something of your autobiography?

I'm pretty sure it was page 217 It was either that or overcoming adversity, I think. There might've been a third option as well.