Penn C/O 2016 Applicants (2012-2013 Cycle) Forum

[venus]

On status checker:

"Congratulations, and welcome to the Class of 2016! Your Penn Portfolio, containing information about the Law School and Philadelphia, will be sent in mid-January. Please save the date for our Admitted Students Weekend which will be held on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23, 2013. You are also welcome to contact our office to arrange an individual visit to the Law School at any time by emailing admissionsrsvp@law.upenn.edu. As noted below, a deposit of $500 will be due by May 1, 2013 to secure your seat."

O_O

Damn it Penn. Just when I'd given up on you.

No phone call or email?

[spyke123]

Does UR2 usually mean youre going to get a decision soon?

[elterrible78]

Does UR2 usually mean youre going to get a decision soon?

It really depends. I have been UR2 since December 1.

[Nelson]

anyone have a sense for whether the essay for Wilson or other scholarship is sort of pro forma in sense of ensuring candidate's interest in Penn, or if there's fairly stiff competition for these scholarships based on quality of the essay?

They're seem to be handed out pretty much based on numbers so I would guess mostly the former. It's a way to YP the scholarship money a little. I would do a good job but not stress too much.

[az21833]

just curious - how long after your admit call did you guys get these wilson invites? and they were email right?

[LSATSCORES2012]

just curious - how long after your admit call did you guys get these wilson invites? and they were email right?

five days later by email... had 10 days to write the essay

ETA: and they never confirmed that they had received the essay, which still worries me a bit

[Belly]

Mrrizza,

That's where the whole "given up" thing comes in I guess, haha. I had my heart set on Penn, but I was hoping for a little better on the December LSAT (I applied before receiving the score), so I'd already pretty much let go of the dream.

Venus,

I think I missed the phone call (I'm assuming 215 is their area code), but I haven't gotten an email yet. Also, I noticed after I posted that the note on my status checker said the packet would be sent mid-January. I assume by this they actually meant mid-February, unless they are using the pony express - a slow version of the pony express? Or maybe the status update really was a mistake after all...

All,

Best of luck to those still waiting! My numbers really aren't stellar for Penn (so there is hope!), and I'll probably be freeing up a spot for someone wealthier/less debt-averse on the waitlist once the reality of cost sets in.

Also, FYI, I did not write their version of a "Why Penn?" I guess the whole "dean's core values" or whatever threw me off. However, at the end of my personal statement I included my reasons for applying to Penn, and I had a fair amount of heartfelt stuff to say based on the research I'd done on the school (can't say this for every school I applied to).

[risa]

anyone have a sense for whether the essay for Wilson or other scholarship is sort of pro forma in sense of ensuring candidate's interest in Penn, or if there's fairly stiff competition for these scholarships based on quality of the essay?

They're seem to be handed out pretty much based on numbers so I would guess mostly the former. It's a way to YP the scholarship money a little. I would do a good job but not stress too much.

I assume y'all do not think this is the case for those of us invited to apply for the Toll Public Interest Scholarships? I am still assuming that is a long shot...

I suppose I could continue to avoid writing my short answers for the Toll Scholarship by reading last year's thread to try to get a sense.... nah, too lazy.

[lxhyss]

Anyone has an idea about how many people got admitted from the wait list, typically? Do they really wait until mid-may to review your materials again and render the final decision even later than that? Plan to call the adcom a few days later, any tips?

Sorry for the machine-gun of questions but I really have no clue what to do now.

And congratulations to the admitted and good luck to those who are still checking their status checkers every 5min

[lovelyx09]

In on 2/8. 170 LSAT, 3.8x.

Sorry if this has already been answered, but when do we get our login information for the admitted students website? Does it come via email?

[CMC88]

In on 2/8. 170 LSAT, 3.8x.

Sorry if this has already been answered, but when do we get our login information for the admitted students website? Does it come via email?

I received the information via e-mail.

[JamesDean1955]

In on 2/8. 170 LSAT, 3.8x.

Sorry if this has already been answered, but when do we get our login information for the admitted students website? Does it come via email?

I received mine 3 days after acceptance (was accepted within two weeks of your acceptance date).

EDIT: Edited for grammar and also to say it came via email as well.

[az21833]

just curious - how long after your admit call did you guys get these wilson invites? and they were email right?

five days later by email... had 10 days to write the essay

ETA: and they never confirmed that they had received the essay, which still worries me a bit

praying for a phone call and wilson invite. i much prefer penn to its peers

[02889]

praying for a phone call and wilson invite. i much prefer penn to its peers

Would the Wilson (20-25/yr) really sway you from Columbia? I guess it's a hard choice between Penn with $$ and Columbia maybe at sticker, but you'll probably snag some $ there too. I envy your position!

[az21833]

very doubtful i get any $ at Columbia i think, their official word seems to be only merit aid comes with admission and the rest is need. Understand that need usually means need/merit blend but my lack-of-financial-need is so outrageous that i can't give any school giving me any money under the "need-aid" banner.

and yes penn 50% off would certainly put it contention with cls at sticker, for me. im relatively debt averse and know that both schools will allow me to accomplish my career goals.

[02889]

very doubtful i get any $ at Columbia i think, their official word seems to be only merit aid comes with admission and the rest is need. Understand that need usually means need/merit blend but my lack-of-financial-need is so outrageous that i can't give any school giving me any money under the "need-aid" banner.

and yes penn 50% off would certainly put it contention with cls at sticker, for me. im relatively debt averse and know that both schools will allow me to accomplish my career goals.

I still have trouble believing that Penn's highest scholarship award (besides the Toll) is $25,000/year. Even in years when applications are super high, how does Penn ever compete with CCN or VM when it comes to wooing students? UVA and Michigan will always apparently outbid them, and I think plenty of students with great numbers would choose Columbia or NYU at sticker or close to it over Penn, if all they got was max 20k/year.

Be more generous, Penn!

[az21833]

i think there is also the levy which not PI-related at all and is a full-ride

[spyke123]

very doubtful i get any $ at Columbia i think, their official word seems to be only merit aid comes with admission and the rest is need. Understand that need usually means need/merit blend but my lack-of-financial-need is so outrageous that i can't give any school giving me any money under the "need-aid" banner.

and yes penn 50% off would certainly put it contention with cls at sticker, for me. im relatively debt averse and know that both schools will allow me to accomplish my career goals.

I still have trouble believing that Penn's highest scholarship award (besides the Toll) is $25,000/year. Even in years when applications are super high, how does Penn ever compete with CCN or VM when it comes to wooing students? UVA and Michigan will always apparently outbid them, and I think plenty of students with great numbers would choose Columbia or NYU at sticker or close to it over Penn, if all they got was max 20k/year.

Be more generous, Penn!

cuz crazy people (like me) would pay sticker at penn over $$ from its peers..

[banjo]

Sent a LOCI and additional two-page essay. Hoping to get off hold!

very doubtful i get any $ at Columbia i think, their official word seems to be only merit aid comes with admission and the rest is need. Understand that need usually means need/merit blend but my lack-of-financial-need is so outrageous that i can't give any school giving me any money under the "need-aid" banner.

and yes penn 50% off would certainly put it contention with cls at sticker, for me. im relatively debt averse and know that both schools will allow me to accomplish my career goals.

They do give out merit aid later, but it is typically less than a Butler (half-tuition). I think you might get 40k?


Penn's LSAT split is 164-171 or something like that. I don't think they try to compete for CCN students -- in fact, they often YP them. They do offer fantastic placement relative to MVB, and savvy applicants will pay for that advantage.

[Rahviveh]

Sent a LOCI and additional two-page essay. Hoping to get off hold!

very doubtful i get any $ at Columbia i think, their official word seems to be only merit aid comes with admission and the rest is need. Understand that need usually means need/merit blend but my lack-of-financial-need is so outrageous that i can't give any school giving me any money under the "need-aid" banner.

and yes penn 50% off would certainly put it contention with cls at sticker, for me. im relatively debt averse and know that both schools will allow me to accomplish my career goals.

They do give out merit aid later, but it is typically less than a Butler (half-tuition). I think you might get 40k?


Penn's LSAT split is 164-171 or something like that. I don't think they try to compete for CCN students -- in fact, they often YP them. They do offer fantastic placement relative to MVB, and savvy applicants will pay for that advantage.

Plus, they have a smaller class to fill. Plenty of people will pay a premium for Penn over MVB

[LRGhost]

"Need" doesn't really mean anything, fwiw. Just because you're loaded doesn't mean you won't get "need" based aid.

[az21833]

"Need" doesn't really mean anything, fwiw. Just because you're loaded doesn't mean you won't get "need" based aid.

so they make us fill out how much we spent at the dentist last year and mail in all of our tax forms and parents tax forms for nothing?

RE: Penn premium. they have a smaller class, much stronger brand name, superior location and significantly better biglaw placement than MVB. makes sense that they are stingier as a result. they view themselves on the CCN level i bet.

[LRGhost]

"Need" doesn't really mean anything, fwiw. Just because you're loaded doesn't mean you won't get "need" based aid.

so they make us fill out how much we spent at the dentist last year and mail in all of our tax forms and parents tax forms for nothing?

No, but yes. If you have good scores, didn't get 'merit', but won't qualify for need, you can still get aid. Call it what you want.

[RSterling]

I was a first round admit and I still have not heard anything regarding merit-aid. Is it safe to say that it's not coming my way? Should I e-mail to see if I'm still being considered for merit-aid?

[02889]

I was a first round admit and I still have not heard anything regarding merit-aid. Is it safe to say that it's not coming my way? Should I e-mail to see if I'm still being considered for merit-aid?

Outside of name scholarships, they send out need/merit combined awards starting in March. That said, it's up for debate whether you should email them beforehand.