When discussing colleges for children in Pennsylvania, the name UPenn often comes up.

Those new to the U.S. might confuse it with "Penn State," but they are entirely different schools.

Penn State is a public university, while the University of Pennsylvania, referred to as UPenn, is a private Ivy League institution among the eight elite universities.

Typically, Americans call it UPenn or simply Penn.

The school is located in University City, West Philadelphia, not far from Center City.

Therefore, if you live in Philadelphia for a long time, it's hard not to encounter UPenn students, hospitals, or research facilities.

A key figure in the school's history is Benjamin Franklin, who appears on the $100 bill.

Franklin played a significant role in establishing educational institutions, and the roots of UPenn trace back to 1740.

Being a college established before American independence, it is one of the oldest universities in the U.S.

Interestingly, UPenn has emphasized practical education from the beginning, despite being an old school.

It prioritized education in commerce, science, and public sectors over just classical studies or theology.

Today, UPenn's strengths in business, medicine, and engineering are intriguingly connected to this tradition.

You cannot mention UPenn without talking about the Wharton School.

Founded in 1881, it is known as the world's first collegiate business school and has a global reputation from undergraduate programs to MBA.

For students aiming for finance or Wall Street careers in the U.S., it is a highly prestigious school. Wharton alumni can easily be found working in investment banks, private equity, and consulting firms.

Former President Donald Trump is also a Wharton graduate. Elon Musk of Tesla earned his bachelor's degree in physics and economics from UPenn. He later entered Stanford University's graduate program in 1995 but dropped out after a very short time to start an internet business. The story of Musk leaving Stanford's doctoral program after just two days is so famous that it has left a strong image of him as a 'Stanford alumnus.'

Thus, when looking at the alumni list, you will find many familiar names in politics, finance, and technology companies.

The medical field is also impressive. The Perelman School of Medicine is one of the oldest medical schools in the U.S., and the vast Penn Medicine healthcare and research system is connected to the university. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the names of UPenn researchers became known to the general public.

This is because Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, who conducted crucial research in mRNA technology, received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023. This is the same mRNA technology we heard about when getting the COVID vaccine.

The campus is also worth seeing. It spans about 300 acres and features a mix of historic university buildings and modern research facilities. Notable buildings include College Hall, Houston Hall, and Van Pelt Library, along with a statue of Benjamin Franklin. The campus has a unique atmosphere typical of old American universities, making it enjoyable to stroll around during a visit to Philadelphia.

The problem is that it's not a school that just anyone can attend because their child wants to.

These days, getting accepted to UPenn's undergraduate program is quite challenging. Thousands of applicants compete, and the acceptance rate is in the single digits.

It's not just about studying hard. They consider high school grades, course difficulty, essays, recommendations, and extracurricular activities comprehensively.

It's a school that's hard to answer simply when Korean parents ask, "What SAT score do you need to get in?"

Tuition and living expenses are significant, but there is a well-established financial aid system. Especially for eligible students, including U.S. citizens and permanent residents, need-based financial aid is available based on family circumstances, so there's no need to give up just by looking at the listed prices on the website.

There are also quite a few Korean alumni. Notably, you can find UPenn and Wharton graduates in Korea's economy, finance, and business sectors, and a network of alumni is active in Korea. Many Korean graduates from Wharton go on to work for large corporations, financial institutions, and consulting firms in Korea or remain active on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley.

UPenn also has a community for Korean students and Korean-American students, providing opportunities for international students to utilize the alumni network. However, be cautious as some famous alumni listed on the internet may include executive programs or short courses mixed in with regular degrees, so it's best to verify the degree and program when introducing a specific individual as a UPenn alumnus.

Ultimately, UPenn is a university that has much to offer beyond simply being labeled as "an Ivy League school in Philadelphia." While Wharton is so famous that it gives a strong business school image, it also excels in medicine, engineering, law, nursing, and natural sciences.

For Korean parents living in Philadelphia, just having such a school nearby can be a great motivation for their children. Taking them to the campus on a weekend to say, "This is UPenn" is free of charge.

However, it might be wise to hold back on saying, "You should go here too?" during the drive home after a campus tour.

The child is still in middle school, but in the parents' minds, they might already be envisioning graduation from Wharton and heading to Wall Street.