University of Pennsylvania Reviews

"The program has great professors who are passionate and knowledgeable of the subject matter. The courses are very valuable and essential to the types of careers that we would like to achieve post graduation. The cons of the program are the price of the tuition and the lack of substantial financial support from the financial aid office and faculty."

"Everything about my program is incredible, I just wish there were more scholarships and grants available for graduate students."

"major pros: very strong academic research, nice people! major cons: not enough support for career development.."

"Penn's microbiology program provides great research opportunities and outstanding mentorship"

"The University of Pennsylvania is an inspiring place to study and is located within a beautiful campus. The architecture program is a lot of work but very rewarding. The students and faculty continue to push me further than I could have ever imagined. I cannot see myself studying at another school after being at UPenn."

"Expensive, but well worth it. Geared toward working professionals."

"The program is very competitive but allows for the individual concentration of intended majors. I appreciate the comprehensive nature of the program, combining the schools of medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing, and the arts."

"The school provides a very in depth picture of the architectural field, but manages to also have a very large breadth of knowledge through the faculty as well."

"This is a great program but the tuition fee is quite expensive. We treat patients under faculty supervision. It's one of the top program regarding periodontics in U.S."

"The Fels Institute at the University of Pennsylvania provides the vast network and resources of the college and with community and one-on-one support of a small department. The professors are committed to providing practical, applied knowledge to students in order to succeed in the public sector. The students come with a wealth of experience and knowledge that is widely shared with the class. The Fels Institute at the University of Pennsylvania is academically rigorous and a perfect fit for any student seeking to enhance his or her career in the public sector."

"The merit of my graduate program is that it comes from the ivy university and it is highly interdisciplinary. Generally, students choose their specification in their second year. Because of the intense math and numerical training, students graduating from this graduate program can have really high numerical skill. The cons of my graduate program is that the tuition is a little expensive since it is a private university anyway. Also the living expense of Philadelphia is also high."

"Pro: Excellent professors, many have real world, industry experience Pro: Master's Thesis for Engineering students is optional"

"This graduate program is very small and personal, which allows the faculty and staff to devote the time and resources to ensure the success of each student. The program has a very practical approach to the field, which increases a students competitiveness for a job after graduation. I have no cons for the program itself, but the location of UPenn in Western Philadelphia make it a more expensive option due to the cost of living."

"Pros: Great school , great brand, useful network Cons: while cheaper than New York, Philadelphia is an expensive city especially if you live in center city which is where majority of students live"

"The school is academically rigorous with a lively and thought-provoking environment. I feel that I am getting a great value for my education."

"The University has uniquely incorporated a multi-faceted approach and perspective to the study of public health. Though housed in the Perelman School of Medicine, the program incorporates anthropological, veterinary, nursing, medical and international health courses. I enjoy the flexibility within the curriculum to explore my particular public health interests."

"The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing’s excellence is supported by its world-renowned faculty and student publications, as well as its emphasis on evidence based practice. As a student in PENN’s nurse practioner program, one has the opportunity to learn and mentor from distinguished faculty and practice at superior clinical sites. The program provides students with a plan of study, clinical sites and clinical preceptors tailored to meet individual objectives. As a PENN graduate student I feel 100% supported in my endeavors and am confident that the school is providing me with the networking and tools necessary to accomplish my career goals."

"I enjoyed my time at the Graduate School of Education, Counseling and Mental Health Services program. The cohort was great, the faculty was, for the most part, very warm and welcoming. Since it was such an accelerated degree, completed in less than a year, I felt things moved along at a very brisk pace. Despite it all, the workload was manageable and I was fortunate enough to matched to a wonderful practicum site. The downside, many of my peers were not matched to sites in a timely manner, and there was a lot of unrest among a contingent who felt they were not receiving their value. The administration did, however, spend time working with these individuals and some changes were made. In regards to living in Philadelphia - it is a great city. The University itself is housed within the area known as University City, and it is tailored to student living. There were ample places to eat, drink, and were all reasonably priced. I rated affordability very highly because I was a dorm adviser, and was given free room and board. Overall, it was an interesting program, but I discovered that counseling was not really my foremost passion. Regardless, I believe that the skills I learned at Penn will be useful no matter what career I pursue in the future."

"It's a wonderful school and a great opportunity."

"Penn GSE’s global reputation for producing cutting-edge ideas and preparing talented leaders is attributable to the exceptional quality of its students, resources, programs, and professors. Affordability, however, is one aspect that needs considerable improvement. One of the pros of being a Penn student is the opportunity to be a part of a diverse community of insightful, talented individuals. These people—both at the graduate and undergraduate levels—are highly engaged in their respective fields, brought together by Penn’s policy of interdisciplinary learning and collaboration. My GSE colleagues, in particular, are extremely gifted, passionate, and motivated. We often engross ourselves in opportunities to exchange ideas not only with our peers but with professionals outside our divisions as well. Social networking, therefore, is another beneficial perk. As a result of the interdisciplinary nature of Penn’s educational system, GSE students are able to collaborate with students from other schools, mostly through free, school-sponsored campus events, workshops, and forums. In essence, we are encouraged on a daily basis to network with specialists from Penn’s other highly ranked programs such as law, business, medicine, and engineering. Since many of our instructors are distinguished experts in their fields, they provide us with an objective selection of course materials that are considered by many to be both relevant and useful for what we hope to achieve after graduation. In addition, the majority of professors make themselves available for one-on-one discussions outside of class, occasionally offering opportunities for joint research. Some of the more prominent figures even go out of their way to organize events to help students find jobs and internships. Without a doubt, GSE staff and faculty sincerely care about our future well-being, supporting us long after our time at Penn has ended. The only disadvantage is the financial disparity between undergrad and graduate students. Despite also being a part of the university, grad students do not benefit from Penn’s no-loan financial aid policy. We must, therefore, find alternatives to pay for our living and educational expenses through governmental loans and outside scholarships. However, scholarships at the graduate level are highly competitive, though not impossible to attain if one fervently tries to locate these resources. If students could simply pay for the courses without having to worry about on-campus housing, then financially we could manage."