The University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is commonly referred to as Penn or UPenn and is known as a prestigious research-oriented private university.

To be admitted to UPenn, you honestly need to study very well. The average GPA of admitted students is above 3.9 on a 4.0 scale, and SAT scores typically range from 1510 to 1570 out of 1600, while ACT scores are around 34 to 35. However, grades alone are not enough.

As expected from an Ivy League school, holistic evaluations such as essays, leadership activities, social impact, and creative projects are very important. UPenn prefers students who possess 'practical intelligence' along with academic excellence, so having good grades is just the baseline; you need experiences that demonstrate your thoughts in action to have a higher chance of admission. In simple terms, you need to excel academically and have a lot of extracurricular and social activities to be accepted.

As everyone knows, it belongs to the Ivy League and ranked 6th among national universities in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report.

The school's symbolic colors are red and blue, and this traditional combination can often be seen in campus buildings, logos, and sports team uniforms. Founded in 1755 by Benjamin Franklin, this school is one of the Colonial Colleges established before the founding of the United States.

Benjamin Franklin aimed to establish a practical liberal education to cultivate leaders in commerce, government, and public service, rather than just transmitting knowledge. His philosophy continues to guide UPenn's educational direction to this day.

The University of Pennsylvania has four undergraduate schools and 12 graduate and professional schools, including the law school where the drafters of the U.S. Constitution studied, the Perelman School of Medicine (established in 1765), the first medical school in North America, and the Wharton School (established in 1881), which is globally renowned.


The Wharton School is considered the benchmark for business schools worldwide, excelling in finance, accounting, marketing, and economics, and continues to produce countless global business leaders.

On campus, there are about 9,600 undergraduate students and 10,100 graduate students, totaling over 19,800 students studying.

The campus is located west of downtown Philadelphia and features over 120 buildings that harmoniously blend historic brick structures with modern architecture. Among them, Locust Walk, a tree-lined main street, is considered a symbolic place of UPenn.

Additionally, the University of Pennsylvania has historic buildings such as Houston Hall (1896), the first student union building in North America, the Newman Center (1893), the first Catholic student club, and Franklin Field (completed in 1924), one of the oldest college stadiums in the United States. The campus also houses the official arboretum, the Morris Arboretum, where beautiful natural scenery can be enjoyed throughout the four seasons.

This university has historically had a significant impact on the advancement of science and technology. The world's first general-purpose electronic computer, ENIAC, was developed here in 1946. Furthermore, the University of Pennsylvania is a research-oriented institution, with an annual research budget exceeding $1 billion.


In 2019, it had an endowment of $14.6 billion (approximately 17 trillion won), placing it among the top universities in the world financially. The sports program is also active, with the university's representative team, the Quakers, operating teams in 33 sports as part of the NCAA Division I Ivy League conference.

UPenn is also known for having a very strong alumni network. Among its alumni are two U.S. presidents, including former President Donald Trump, three Supreme Court justices, 32 senators, 46 governors, and 163 representatives, as well as eight signers of the Declaration of Independence and seven signers of the Constitution.

Additionally, globally, there are 24 heads of state and 36 Nobel laureates, 64 billionaires, 15 Marshall Scholars, and 16 Pulitzer Prize winners among its alumni. It truly forms a powerful human network across politics, economics, academia, and the arts.

The Wharton School is still regarded as one of the best business schools in the world, ranking 6th globally in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report.

Meanwhile, the nursing school at the University of Pennsylvania also ranked 1st among nursing schools in the U.S. in 2024, continuing its academic reputation.

Thus, UPenn has established itself as a prestigious university that pursues academic depth, practical education, and global leadership, remaining at the center of American education for over 270 years.