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I am going through the Penn application instructions, and I'm wondering where is this "Why Penn" essay that everyone seems to talk about. Is it the optional essay topic "Penn law five year plan upon graduation"? Is it no longer an option? Or does it go without saying?

delusional wrote:I am going through the Penn application instructions, and I'm wondering where is this "Why Penn" essay that everyone seems to talk about. Is it the optional essay topic "Penn law five year plan upon graduation"? Is it no longer an option? Or does it go without saying?

Yep, the 5 Year Plan essay replaced the Why Penn essay and is still referred to as the Why Penn here.

delusional wrote:I am going through the Penn application instructions, and I'm wondering where is this "Why Penn" essay that everyone seems to talk about. Is it the optional essay topic "Penn law five year plan upon graduation"? Is it no longer an option? Or does it go without saying?

Also, while this topic IS optional in the sense that you can choose either of the other two topics given instead, one is still mandatory. While people do suggest that if you're only going to write one, to choose the five-year plan, I took a risk and only wrote one of the others. Might have been stupid in retrospect, but I didn't want to write a contrived and disingenuous "Why?".

T6Hopeful wrote:

delusional wrote:I am going through the Penn application instructions, and I'm wondering where is this "Why Penn" essay that everyone seems to talk about. Is it the optional essay topic "Penn law five year plan upon graduation"? Is it no longer an option? Or does it go without saying?

Also, while this topic IS optional in the sense that you can choose either of the other two topics given instead, one is still mandatory. While people do suggest that if you're only going to write one, to choose the five-year plan, I took a risk and only wrote one of the others. Might have been stupid in retrospect, but I didn't want to write a contrived and disingenuous "Why?".

It wouldn't be disingenuous if you write it according to the prompt - "how do you see Penn figure in your 5-year plan". It is a hypo, nothing can be disingenuous in a hypo. If you choose to make up a lot of fluff for "why Penn" then it could be, not when you are just imagining how Penn "could" help your plans - which is the actual topic anyway.

r6_philly wrote:

T6Hopeful wrote:

delusional wrote:I am going through the Penn application instructions, and I'm wondering where is this "Why Penn" essay that everyone seems to talk about. Is it the optional essay topic "Penn law five year plan upon graduation"? Is it no longer an option? Or does it go without saying?

Also, while this topic IS optional in the sense that you can choose either of the other two topics given instead, one is still mandatory. While people do suggest that if you're only going to write one, to choose the five-year plan, I took a risk and only wrote one of the others. Might have been stupid in retrospect, but I didn't want to write a contrived and disingenuous "Why?".

It wouldn't be disingenuous if you write it according to the prompt - "how do you see Penn figure in your 5-year plan". It is a hypo, nothing can be disingenuous in a hypo. If you choose to make up a lot of fluff for "why Penn" then it could be, not when you are just imagining how Penn "could" help your plans - which is the actual topic anyway.

U Penn will help me in my quest to hypothetically become an astronaut and a crime-fighting mutant bear.

NZA wrote:
U Penn will help me in my quest to hypothetically become an astronaut and a crime-fighting mutant bear.

They will have to let you in and give you a full ride if you can somehow support that.

NZA wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

T6Hopeful wrote:

delusional wrote:I am going through the Penn application instructions, and I'm wondering where is this "Why Penn" essay that everyone seems to talk about. Is it the optional essay topic "Penn law five year plan upon graduation"? Is it no longer an option? Or does it go without saying?

Also, while this topic IS optional in the sense that you can choose either of the other two topics given instead, one is still mandatory. While people do suggest that if you're only going to write one, to choose the five-year plan, I took a risk and only wrote one of the others. Might have been stupid in retrospect, but I didn't want to write a contrived and disingenuous "Why?".

It wouldn't be disingenuous if you write it according to the prompt - "how do you see Penn figure in your 5-year plan". It is a hypo, nothing can be disingenuous in a hypo. If you choose to make up a lot of fluff for "why Penn" then it could be, not when you are just imagining how Penn "could" help your plans - which is the actual topic anyway.

U Penn will help me in my quest to hypothetically become an astronaut and a crime-fighting mutant bear.

LOL. I really think the five year plan is just a little too hypothetical, really. Will you be thinking a lot about Penn Law five years AFTER graduation? Or will you just be working? I bet if you put in there you look forward to being extremely successful and giving large endowments to the school you'll at least get the WL.

DCLaw11 wrote: LOL. I really think the five year plan is just a little too hypothetical, really. Will you be thinking a lot about Penn Law five years AFTER graduation? Or will you just be working? I bet if you put in there you look forward to being extremely successful and giving large endowments to the school you'll at least get the WL.

5-year plan is from year 0 - 5 after grad so you are released from Penn Law thinking after 5 years. If you can just reasonably explain how/why Penn Law can help you get rich and give endowments you will probably be in.

Basically requires you to do a little research and prove that your app is serious (not just another blanket the T14 because I have the numbers app).

This might derail the thread a little bit, but I wanted to ask a quick question.

In all seriousness, I wrote one of the other essays instead, but I'd really like to go back and write the Penn 5 year plan and send it in. But, I'm not sure it will do much good since my LSAT was so low. Plus, my app finally went under review a few days ago.

Bottom line--I always wanted to apply there, but I decided I wouldn't apply unless I got a fee waiver because of my LSAT score. So I got a waiver, and sent in an app. Should I write the essay or just let it go at this point?

r6_philly wrote:

DCLaw11 wrote: LOL. I really think the five year plan is just a little too hypothetical, really. Will you be thinking a lot about Penn Law five years AFTER graduation? Or will you just be working? I bet if you put in there you look forward to being extremely successful and giving large endowments to the school you'll at least get the WL.

5-year plan is from year 0 - 5 after grad so you are released from Penn Law thinking after 5 years. If you can just reasonably explain how/why Penn Law can help you get rich and give endowments you will probably be in.

Basically requires you to do a little research and prove that your app is serious (not just another blanket the T14 because I have the numbers app).

I did the DS, and I think that the five-year plan is just too existentially terrifying for me to do a good job on it.

r6_philly wrote:

DCLaw11 wrote: LOL. I really think the five year plan is just a little too hypothetical, really. Will you be thinking a lot about Penn Law five years AFTER graduation? Or will you just be working? I bet if you put in there you look forward to being extremely successful and giving large endowments to the school you'll at least get the WL.

5-year plan is from year 0 - 5 after grad so you are released from Penn Law thinking after 5 years. If you can just reasonably explain how/why Penn Law can help you get rich and give endowments you will probably be in.

Basically requires you to do a little research and prove that your app is serious (not just another blanket the T14 because I have the numbers app).

Well that's what I meant by having my 5 year plan sound disingenuous - my app to Penn really was just kind of a, "not really one of my top choices, but I guess I have the numbers" one. I mean, an acceptance would be great, but I honestly think if I had forced myself to write that essay, it would have done me more harm than good. Not saying that most people shouldn't write it, just that it probably wasn't right for me.

T6Hopeful wrote: Well that's what I meant by having my 5 year plan sound disingenuous - my app to Penn really was just kind of a, "not really one of my top choices, but I guess I have the numbers" one. I mean, an acceptance would be great, but I honestly think if I had forced myself to write that essay, it would have done me more harm than good. Not saying that most people shouldn't write it, just that it probably wasn't right for me.

I don't understand why you wouldn't be able to write one in the line of - Penn is highly ranked and it's proximity to Wharton and the ability to take Wharton classes can help better prepare me to get a job in NYC doing finance and transactional work... Just outline your goals and how Penn can help. It didn't ask you how Penn can help better than other schools, only how Penn can help.

r6_philly wrote:

T6Hopeful wrote: Well that's what I meant by having my 5 year plan sound disingenuous - my app to Penn really was just kind of a, "not really one of my top choices, but I guess I have the numbers" one. I mean, an acceptance would be great, but I honestly think if I had forced myself to write that essay, it would have done me more harm than good. Not saying that most people shouldn't write it, just that it probably wasn't right for me.

I don't understand why you wouldn't be able to write one in the line of - Penn is highly ranked and it's proximity to Wharton and the ability to take Wharton classes can help better prepare me to get a job in NYC doing finance and transactional work... Just outline your goals and how Penn can help. It didn't ask you how Penn can help better than other schools, only how Penn can help.

True, well thanks for the suggestion. I'm guessing I should be relatively close to a decision anyway, so if I get waitlisted that's the first thing I'll write.

T6Hopeful wrote:Well that's what I meant by having my 5 year plan sound disingenuous - my app to Penn really was just kind of a, "not really one of my top choices, but I guess I have the numbers" one. I mean, an acceptance would be great, but I honestly think if I had forced myself to write that essay, it would have done me more harm than good. Not saying that most people shouldn't write it, just that it probably wasn't right for me.

Just because it is disingenuous doesn't mean it has to sound disingenuous.

johnnyutah wrote:

T6Hopeful wrote:Well that's what I meant by having my 5 year plan sound disingenuous - my app to Penn really was just kind of a, "not really one of my top choices, but I guess I have the numbers" one. I mean, an acceptance would be great, but I honestly think if I had forced myself to write that essay, it would have done me more harm than good. Not saying that most people shouldn't write it, just that it probably wasn't right for me.

Just because it is disingenuous doesn't mean it has to sound disingenuous.

Marketing major? You got the key to marketing/PR down.

Want to come to our admits happy hours Sunday?

I was in LS yesterday afternoon, maybe I saw you.

r6_philly wrote:

johnnyutah wrote:

T6Hopeful wrote:Well that's what I meant by having my 5 year plan sound disingenuous - my app to Penn really was just kind of a, "not really one of my top choices, but I guess I have the numbers" one. I mean, an acceptance would be great, but I honestly think if I had forced myself to write that essay, it would have done me more harm than good. Not saying that most people shouldn't write it, just that it probably wasn't right for me.

Just because it is disingenuous doesn't mean it has to sound disingenuous.

Marketing major? You got the key to marketing/PR down.

Want to come to our admits happy hours Sunday?

I was in LS yesterday afternoon, maybe I saw you.

Sure, man. I've got no class Monday 'cause of MLK day. I've talked to a few classmates also, and we're all down to meet up over beer/food and talk about our experiences at Penn, if you like. Just PM some dates in the next month or so that work for you and I'll coordinate.

On a side note: I was a Classics major, but Demosthenes was the ultimate marketer.