How Big is UPenn?

August 5, 2022
By AdmissionSight

How Big is UPenn?

Is UPenn A Large Campus?

How big is UPenn? The 299-acre urban campus of Penn University is situated in West Philadelphia. Penn also maintains locations in San Francisco, Beijing, Washington, D.C., and the 23-acre Pennovation Works campus in Grays Ferry. The New Bolton Center of Penn Vet is in Kennett Square, while the Morris Arboretum is in Chestnut Hill.

Students claimed that despite being located in a large city, the university offers a “college town feel.” It’s the ideal synthesis of an urban environment and a more conventional college campus. Students can easily travel to downtown Philadelphia, where they will find a variety of attractions including restaurants, zoos, nightclubs, casinos, concerts, and national parks. Students experience the comfort of having their own campus, complete with private libraries, museums, and public parks, at the same time.

Upenn main building view during sunset.

Sansom Place and twelve undergraduate College Houses make up Penn’s residential system. There are about 5,500 undergraduates living on campus. Finding the right place for you is simple thanks to the variety of room types, amenities, and communities offered by The College Houses. UPenn provides housing for their graduate students in Sansom Place, which is home to 500 graduate students.

Cope & Stewardson were largely responsible for Penn’s architectural design. To create the Collegiate Gothic style, the two architects combined the local landscape with some of the classical elements found in the Gothic architecture of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The majority of Penn’s research institutes and all of its schools are situated in their main campus.

In addition to the answer to the query “Is UPenn a large campus?”, through 14 distinct libraries, enormous physical and digital collections, one-on-one consultations, workshops, and other services, the Penn Libraries offer assistance and resources for teaching, research, and learning. More than 7 million books and other items, including journals, databases, streaming video, musical scores, and more, are available in the print and digital collections of the Libraries. These resources are available in more than 400 different languages.

The College Museum was established in 1887 and is frequently referred to as the University Museum. The collection contains a tremendous amount of artifacts from ancient Egypt and the Middle East because UPM led some of the first and most significant archaeological and anthropological expeditions to these regions in the early twentieth century. These expeditions were to Egypt, Mesopotamia, Africa, East Asia, and South America.

The goat from the royal tombs of Ur that is rearing into the branches of a plant with rosette-like leaves is its most well-known artifact. Chinese artifacts are also well-represented in the Museum’s collection. Its Beaux-Arts structure has an impressive rotunda and gardens with Egyptian papyrus. The goal of UPM’s scientific division, MASCA, is to use cutting-edge scientific methods to interpret archaeological contexts. On the Penn campus, the Institute of Contemporary Art hosts a number of art exhibitions every year.

As an Ivy League institution, Penn provides students, faculty, and staff with a variety of exciting opportunities to support the mighty Quakers, take part in team sports competitions and maintain their physical fitness. With the cutting-edge, top-notch sports training facilities, let’s take a tour around UPenn:

The Palestra

More games, visiting teams, and NCAA tournaments have been held at the storied sports venue known as The Palestra than any other college venue in the nation since it opened in 1927. With 9,000 seats, The Palestra has played host to fifty NCAA tournament games as well as 19 national championship contests

Franklin Field 

The oldest two-tiered stadium in the nation, Franklin Field at Penn has a capacity of about 52,000 spectators. The Penn Relays, the nation’s first official relay competition, are held at Franklin Field. The world’s top track and field athletes from high schools and colleges come together each April for the Penn Relays.

Penn Ice Rink

From September to March, the public is welcome to use Penn’s indoor ice rink for skating events. It is a fantastic option for trade shows during the off-season because of its spacious, open central area.

Levy Tennis Pavilion

Consists of eight indoor, glare-free, Devoe-lit, Plex-Pave-surfaced courts with seasonal air conditioning. The central courts are visible from a lovely observation deck. Showers and lockers are available.

The Philadelphia Civic Center’s former location and a nearby 24-acre site owned by the United States Postal Service were both purchased by Penn and will be redeveloped for more extensive educational, research, biomedical, and mixed-use facilities. Penn also purchased approximately 35 acres of land between the campus and the Schuylkill River.

The University owns the 92-acre Morris Arboretum in Chestnut Hill, northwest of Philadelphia, which serves as the official arboretum for the state of Pennsylvania, in addition to its properties in West Philadelphia. The 687-acre New Bolton Center, the Veterinary School’s research and large-animal health care center, is also owned by Penn. It is close to Pennsylvania’s Kennett Square.

What Is the Area Around UPenn Like?

University City, the vibrant center of West Philadelphia and the academic hub of the entire area, is known for being home to two of the biggest and most prestigious educational institutions in the city: Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania.

These multidisciplinary academic behemoths are supported by nationally renowned medical centers. Additionally, the enclave exudes a compelling individuality propelled by youthful innovation and an unwavering dedication to artistic and cultural inquiry.

Students walking in front of a school building.

Let’s discover what is the area around UPenn like. Intricate late-night hangouts and high-end art galleries can be found in U-City, which is bordered by University Avenue to the south, Market Street to the north, 30th Street to the east, and 38th Street to the west.

Visitors who explore U-bustling City’s sidewalks will find a fascinating variety of people and places. A hugely large and diverse student body that extends far beyond the boundaries of U-City is a major factor in the vibrancy and energy of daily life. But you don’t need a backpack full of textbooks to want to explore this vibrant neighborhood.

University City is a community with its own shops, eateries, and theaters, Rittenhouse Square, a posh neighborhood with many places to eat, shop, and hang out, is less than a mile away. All of Old City’s nightlife, art galleries, and top-notch restaurants are less than a mile away. Old City is Philadelphia’s most historic neighborhood.

How big is UPenn’s neighborhood? You are only a short stroll, cab ride, or subway ride away from everything Philadelphia has to offer, whether you want to go for a run in Fairmount Park, watch a concert at Union Transfer, eat dim sum in Chinatown, visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art, or watch a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia is a convenient weekend getaway location because it is close to both New York City and Washington, DC.

How Many People Apply to Upenn in A Year?

Many students strive to be accepted into a prestigious school, but there are frequently more applicants than there are open seats. Admission to the schools on this list can be particularly challenging.

According to admissions experts, the increase in applications is due to a number of factors, including individual students applying to more schools, deliberate university recruitment efforts, and the adoption of test-optional or test-blind policies, which were partly motivated by the early pandemic during which some students were unable to take tests. So, how many people apply to UPenn in a year?

Group of students smiling in the camera.

The 7,795 early decision applications were submitted to the University of Pennsylvania for the Class of 2026, which is a decrease from the 7,962 early decision applications submitted the year before. With 1,218 students accepted under the Early Decision program, Penn had an acceptance rate of 15.6%. Just over half of the target class of 2,400 students for the class of 2026 are represented by these students.

There was an estimated 3,300 out of the announced 55,000 applicants for the Class of 2025 at Penn were accepted in the early and regular rounds. The 1,218 of the 3,300 students accepted into the Class of 2026 did so through the early decision round. Out of 7,795 applicants, the admission rate for the ED round was 15.63%.

The total number of applicants accepted in the Class of 2025 was 3,304 out of 56,332, both in the regular and early rounds of admissions last year. About 1,194 students were admitted through the early decision round out of the 3,304 total students admitted to the Class of 2025. Out of 7,962 applicants, 15% were admitted during the ED round. You can see how big UPenn’s overall admissions over the past 2 years

Class of 2026 Class of 2025
Total Applications Accepted 3,300 3,202
Total Applications Received 55,000 56,333

What Is UPenn’s Acceptance Rate?

After discussing how big is UPenn’s admissions now, what is UPenn’s acceptance rate? In fact, many selective colleges this year had to accept even fewer students than last year due to the strain on their housing, cafeterias, and other facilities as a result of a year or two of over-enrollment. Of course, more applications do not necessarily translate into more openings.

Female student typing in a table for early application.

Because of this, these record-high numbers also corresponded to some record-low admission rates, with some of those rates—which were already startlingly low—apparently falling even lower this year.

Class

Total Applications Accepted

Total Applications Received

Overall Admissions Acceptance Rate

2026

3,300 55,000 6%
2025 3,202 56,333 5.68%
2024 3,404 42,205 8.07%
2023 3,345 44,960 7.44%
2022 3,731 44,482 8.39%
2021 3,699 40,413 9.15%
2020 3,661 38,918

9.41%

What Is the Average Class Size At UPenn University?

At UPenn, the student-to-faculty ratio is an impressive 6 to 1. To further discuss what is the average class size at UPenn University, sixty-nine point six (69.6) percent of the school’s classes have fewer than 20 students. When compared to the national average of 15 to 1, that is quite impressive. This suggests that there will be more chances for one-on-one interactions between students and professors at the institution.

Group of students listening intently to the teacher.

How many faculty members are full-time is another indicator that is frequently used to gauge how much access students will have to their professors. Part-time faculty are supposedly less accessible to students than full-time faculty because they spend less time on campus. The University of Pennsylvania has 78 percent full-time faculty which is greater than the 47% national average.

How Many Majors Does UPenn Have?

Undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania have 89 options for their majors across four schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, Penn Engineering, the School of Nursing, and The Wharton School of Business. Over a hundred research centers and three teaching hospitals are also located on the campus.

With many concentrating in just one or two of the schools, the most popular majors among students are finance, general, registered nursing/registered nursing, economics, political science and government, general, biology/biological sciences, and general. Liberal arts and sciences courses are required for undergraduates.

There are 4,200 courses offered annually, including 50 languages, interdisciplinary minor classes, and flexible options for earning two degrees. Take a look at the list of how many majors does UPenn have:

College of Arts and Sciences

Bachelor of Arts

  • Africana Studies
  • Ancient History
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeological Science (minor)
  • Architecture
  • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Chemistry
  • Cinema Studies
  • Classical Studies
  • Cognitive Science
  • Communication
  • Comparative Literature
  • Criminology
  • Design
  • Earth Science
  • East Asian Area Studies
  • East Asian Languages and Civilizations
  • East Central European Studies (minor)
  • Economics
  • Engineering Major
  • English
  • Environmental Studies
  • Fine Arts
  • French Studies
  • Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
  • Geology (see Earth Science)
  • German
  • Health and Societies
  • Hispanic Studies
  • History
  • History of Art
  • Individualized Major
  • International Relations
  • Italian Studies
  • Jewish Studies
  • Latin American and Latino Studies
  • Law and Society (minor)
  • Linguistics
  • Logic, Information and Computation
  • Mathematical Economics
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sociology (minor)
  • Modern Middle Eastern Studies
  • Music
  • Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
  • Neuroscience
  • Philosophy
  • Philosophy, Politics and Economics
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
  • Romance Languages
  • Russian
  • Science, Technology and Society
  • Sociology
  • South Asia Studies
  • Spanish (see Hispanic Studies)
  • Theatre Arts
  • Urban Studies
  • Visual Studies

Penn Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

  • Bioengineering
  • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Digital Media Design
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
  • Networked and Social Systems Engineering
  • Systems Science and Engineering

Bachelor of Applied Science

  • Biomedical Science

School of Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Wharton School 

Bachelor of Science in Economics

  • Accounting
  • Behavioral Economics
  • Business Economics & Public Policy
  • Business, Energy, Environment, and Sustainability
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Finance
  • Health Care Management and Policy
  • Insurance & Risk Management
  • Legal Studies & Business Ethics
    Tracks in: Management
    Entrepreneurship and Innovation
    Multinational Management
    Organizational Effectiveness
    Strategic Management
  • Marketing
  • Marketing & Communication
  • Marketing & Operations Management
  • Operations & Information Management
    Tracks in: Business Analytics
    Decision Processes
    Information Systems
    Operations Management/Management Science
  • Real Estate
  • Retailing
  • Social Impact & Responsibility
  • Statistics

At the University of Pennsylvania, the disciplines that are the most sought after by students are as follows: business, management, marketing, and related support services; social sciences; biological and biomedical sciences; engineering; computer and information sciences and support services; philosophy and religious studies; multi/interdisciplinary studies; mathematics and statistics; and physical sciences. The average retention rate for first-year students is 97 percent, which is an indicator of how satisfied students are. Here are the most popular majors for the graduates of Class 2020 in UPenn:

2020 UPenn Graduates’ Most Popular Majors

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services – 21%
Social Sciences – 15%
Biological and Biomedical Sciences – 10%
Engineering – 9%
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services – 7%
Philosophy and Religious Studies – 5%
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies – 4%
Mathematics and Statistics – 3%
Physical Sciences – 3%

UPenn is consistently part of the top-ranked schools chosen by outstanding students from all over the world. It should come as no surprise why this is the case: Penn continues to produce world-class graduates who have impressive academic and professional credentials despite having a history of thought and business leadership that can trace its origins all the way back to Benjamin Franklin, the university’s founder.

Since we already tackled “How big is UPenn?”, its neighborhood, and admission rates, the next step would be for you to start your preparations. If gaining admission to one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the United States is one of your primary objectives, consider the following advice. Book an initial consultation with AdmissionSight to discuss the steps you need to take for your college admissions.

Even though the college application process will always cause some stress, the more information you have about it, the easier it will be for you to handle, and the more likely it is that you will succeed in your higher education objectives.  In light of this, AdmissionSight can help you analyze the application and admissions process for colleges. With over 10 years of experience, we assist college aspirants to collect information and resources to help them successfully complete the entire process.

 

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