Thinking about how to build a college list? Thinking about how to pick colleges to apply to? Thinking about how to pick the right college? In this series, you will get a first-hand perspective of our Matriculate students at their different campuses. Get a glimpse into Penn campus life!
Why did you decide to commit to UPenn? What factors drew you to this school?
Choosing which colleges to apply to and choosing the right college is a huge decision—one that was certainly overwhelming for me. My journey to committing to the University of Pennsylvania was a rollercoaster, but I am so fortunate to say that I am now a student at UPenn! My journey starts with QuestBridge, a program that helps high-achieving, low-income students get into top colleges. If you haven’t heard of QuestBridge, I would strongly recommend looking into it here. I was overjoyed when I was notified as a finalist, but shortly after, my heart was torn to pieces when I wasn’t matched in December.
Determined to keep going, I kept building my college list. I applied to as many schools as possible through the Regular Decision (RD) round, transferring my QB application and applying to other schools outside of the program. When decisions started coming in, I felt both excited and overwhelmed. I was accepted into the University of Michigan, waitlisted at Notre Dame, and rejected from Washington University in St. Louis. Other schools, including Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Johns Hopkins (JHU), Duke, Vanderbilt, and ultimately, UPenn, were part of the mix. With so many offers on the table, the next challenge was figuring out which school to choose.
All the schools that accepted me offered my major, Biology—it’s a pretty common one, after all. But there were two major factors I was weighing: I wanted to leave home, and I needed solid financial aid.
Penn was the last school I heard from, and honestly, by the time late March rolled around, I had kind of forgotten about it. I opened the portal and confetti appeared—I was in! I had narrowed my entire list down to 2 schools: UPenn and Johns Hopkins.
To make my decision, I reached out to as many people as I could. I spoke to alumni, contacted admission officers, chatted with staff, and even consulted current students. I also followed the school’s social media accounts to get a sense of the culture and community. What really struck me was how every person I spoke to at UPenn took a genuine interest in me, not just as a prospective student but as an individual.
In the end, Penn just felt right. After weighing all my options, I knew I had to commit. While the journey was filled with highs and many lows, it ultimately led me to the place where I truly felt I belonged. For anyone going through the process, I encourage you to trust your gut. The right place is out there—you’ll find it, even if it takes a little longer than expected!
Can you share more about your experiences with classes, class size, lectures, and professors? What about clubs and extracurriculars?
Academics and extracurriculars are very different at Penn compared to my high school. One of the first things I noticed at UPenn was the variety of class sizes. Many introductory classes (like chemistry, math, biology, etc.) are large lectures with hundreds of students. On the other hand, there are also plenty of smaller, more intimate classes (writing seminars, upper-level classes, etc.). I personally prefer smaller classes on campus, as I enjoy getting to know my peers and my professor on a personal level. While many classes are large lectures, there are more than enough opportunities for you to get to know your professors. As for my professors, I have had great experiences with many of mine. They are very approachable and genuinely want to see students succeed. Whether it’s office hours, email exchanges, before class, or after class, the professors love to get to know their students. One thing I’ve learned this year is that being proactive really pays off. Reaching out to professors to ask questions or discuss topics in more detail not only helps academically but also builds relationships that can lead to mentorship or research opportunities down the road.
When it comes to student organizations and extracurriculars, UPenn has a club for almost anything you can think of! Here, there is something for everyone, but the challenge is finding what feels meaningful to you. For me, this process involved a lot of trial and error. In the first weeks of school, I went to a bunch of club fairs, tried out different meetings, and explored various activities. After a while, you start to figure out what you genuinely enjoy doing and which ones you are willing to commit time to. One of my favorite clubs right now is KESEM, which operates a summer camp for children who have been impacted by a parent’s cancer. I love the vibe of the people and I honestly have a blast every time we have a meeting.
As for preparing for internships, research, post-grad, etc, UPenn does an excellent job providing resources for students. The career services department offers a wide range of support, from helping with résumé building, preparing for interviews, finding research, making a LinkedIn account and SOOO much more. There is also a strong network here, with many professors, peers, and advisors who are more than willing to talk to you about your interests. There are so many opportunities available here, it’s a matter of which ones YOU will take advantage of!
Tell us more about the dining hall and dorm situation! How is the food - are there enough options for those with dietary restrictions? What is the dorm and housing situation like?
To say the least, you will definitely find something that fits your cravings or dietary needs at Penn. Across campus, there are multiple dining halls. Three of the dinings are “all-you-can-eat” style. In these dinings, you can swipe in and grab as much food as you want. You can expect a range of options, from hot meals, grilled food, pasta, pizza, fresh fruit (my personal favorite), a salad bar, a bakery section, and many more options.
Some days the food can feel a bit bland, but with so many choices, there’s always something to suit your taste. And if you’re not feeling the dining hall, Houston Market is a great spot where you can pre-order meals. It’s convenient when you’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait in line. For those busy days when you just want to grab something quickly and head back to your dorm for a nap (because let’s be real, college life is non-stop!), there are several options like this too. Personally, my favorite spots are KCHEH, Lauder, and Houston!
As a vegetarian myself, I certainly feared about finding the right food. For those with any dietary restrictions, UPenn does a great job of providing dining options and labeling them. The staff is also helpful if you ever have any questions.
Beyond the dining halls, the campus is home to several cafes, including Starbucks, Dunkin’, and other spots where you can grab a sweet treat. My personal favorite sweet treat spot is Kiwi Yogurt! Ask any of my friends, I LOVE my frozen yogurt!
If you’re in the mood to explore beyond campus, you can easily hop on the SEPTA to Center City or Chinatown. I highly recommend visiting Reading Terminal Market— everything is delicious there! When midterms or finals come around, DoorDash is definitely my go-to. It’s a lifesaver when you’re swamped with studying and just need something delivered right to your dorm.
As for housing, my advice would be to talk to people who live in the dorms! Some dorms ARE (in my opinion) a lot nicer than others. Each housing has its pros and cons, some more than others. However, the only way to figure out which one will be best for you is to do your research. Freshmen and sophomores have to live on campus, and the dorm styles range from traditional shared rooms to suite-style living. Some houses, such as the Quad and Hill, host more events for the students than others, making them a bit more social than the other houses.
Share more about the social scene - how did you make friends? Do most people join Greek life or are there ways to make friends outside of Greek life? What is there to do for fun?
Making friends in college can feel like a journey in itself, but that certainly shouldn’t discourage you. One of the things to remember is that everyone here is new and just as, or probably more nervous than you are! No one has it all figured out right away (remember this because Penn Face is REAL!)! My biggest advice would be to stay out of your room as much as you can; friendships happen naturally when you put yourself out there. There will be moments where you feel like you’re surrounded by a ton of people, and then times when everyone’s busy with their own lives. It comes in waves, and that’s completely normal.
Greek life is an option at UPenn, but it certainly does not dominate on campus. So if you’re interested in joining a fraternity or sorority, you can totally do so, but if it’s not your thing, you are not missing out! There are so many other ways to meet people—through clubs, extracurriculars, events, classes, etc.
Outside of Greek life, there’s always something going on. Depending on the season or holiday, there are different events happening in and around Philadelphia. Center City is definitely a hotspot for exploring with friends, whether you’re grabbing food, visiting museums, just walking around, visiting Chinatown, and so much more. Also if you’re up for an adventure, a lot of people take trips to New York during longer breaks or weekends. A lot of things are just a train ride away at Penn.
In terms of fun on campus, UPenn hosts a bunch of free events throughout the year that are worth looking forward to. From cultural shows, student performances, Spring Fling, and Penn traditions, there’s always something happening. South Asian Society (SAS) recently hosted their cultural show, which was so much fun. Something I am looking forward to right now is supporting my friends in Onda Latina next week!
Overall, the social life at UPenn is what YOU make of it. It might feel overwhelming at first, but after you find your people, it will be so worth it!
How did Matriculate help you get to college?
I will forever praise my Matriculate advisor, Karen Yu!
Matriculate played a HUGE role in helping me get to Penn, and I know it will continue to do so in the future. I can not emphasize enough how much Karen helped me throughout my entire journey. She read through so many of my essays (and I wrote a lot!) and gave me valuable feedback EVERY single time.
Having someone to fall back on was a huge comfort during my college application process. It felt good just knowing that no matter what, she would be there for me. Boy, was I annoying sometimes! I must have sent her hundreds (I’m being serious!) of drafts and asked countless questions, but she never once made me feel like I was a burden. Instead, she was always patient and quick to remind me that I had it in me to push through.
What really stuck with me was how she would always encourage me, even when I faced rejections. Rejections are tough, and there were moments when they really hit hard. She never failed to remind me that rejection is just a part of the journey and that it doesn’t define my worth or potential. Her constant reassurance made it easier to pick myself back up and keep moving forward.
Knowing there was someone in my corner rooting for me, even when things didn’t go my way, made the whole experience so much more bearable. I’m so grateful for her unwavering support in picking the right college.
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MEET THE AUTHOR
Vidhi Patel
Vidhi was born in Georgia but lived most of her life in Athens, Tennessee. She is a first-generation, low-income student at the University of Pennsylvania planning on double majoring in biology with a finance degree in healthcare management on the pre-med track.