The University of Pennsylvania today announced admission decisions for Regular Decision applicants to the Class of 2023, the institution’s 267th class.
The admitted cohort of 3,345 was selected from a pool of 44,960 applicants. Penn enrolls a freshman class of 2,400 students across the College of Arts and Sciences, Penn Engineering, the Wharton School, and the School of Nursing.
Penn’s Dean of Admissions Eric J. Furda says, “There is a vibrant dynamic in an admissions office during the month of March. Our tour guides lead prospective applicants around Penn’s campus, sharing stories about their college experiences, while my staff is simultaneously making the final selections on the current class. We are reminded by the presence of our visitors of the personal stories that we are reading through essays, letters of recommendation, and alumni interviews. As admissions officers, we are excited about the opportunity of bringing these distinctive student voices together, hoping they can realize an even stronger collective identity through the curriculum and community spaces on our campus and in the city of Philadelphia.”
Nationally, 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are represented in the class with the highest concentration of admitted students from Pennsylvania, New York, California, New Jersey, Florida, and Texas. 169 students reside in the city of Philadelphia.
14 percent of the class are international students based on their citizenship, hailing from 100 countries.
Fifty three percent of the admitted students are female, 51 percent are U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents who self-identify as students of color, and 15 percent are first-generation college students. 13 percent of the admitted students had a parent or grandparent attend Penn in prior generations.
Admitted students have pursued a most demanding secondary school curriculum in a range of educational settings. Their middle 50 percent testing ranges are 1460-1550 on the SAT and 33-35 on the ACT.
“As our admissions colleagues welcome the admitted class, we also continue to expand upon the University’s already powerful commitment to making Penn affordable for all of the talented students who are invited to enroll. Penn’s grant-based aid policy provides students with a financial aid award that represents our commitment to support access and affordability,” says Senior University Director of Student Financial Aid Elaine Papas Varas.
The University meets 100 percent of demonstrated need for four years with grant funding and work-study. Penn endeavors to support families of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and 98 percent of financial aid applicants from families with combined income and assets of $200,000 or less received assistance. Our average grant-based financial aid package during the most recent academic year was $53,976. Penn also makes a special commitment to students in our community with the highest financial need, which the University defines as having $65,500 or less in income (with typical assets) and a Parent Contribution that is $4,500 or less. These highly aided students are eligible to receive additional support from the University, including access to special financial aid counselors, and laptop computer funding from Penn. Highly aided students who remain on campus during Thanksgiving, winter, and spring break are invited to participate in meal programs during that time. Beginning in 2019-2020, Student Financial Services is also waiving the summer savings expectation for incoming first-year students and rising sophomores who are highly aided.
