151 University of Pennsylvania Essay Samples That Worked

Prompt: Considering the specific undergraduate school you have selected, describe how you intend to explore your academic and intellectual interests at the University of Pennsylvania.

Storytelling has always played a leading role in my life. My childhood was spent obsessing over the fantastical stories of others, losing myself in the escapism of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World and Rick Riordan’s Camp Half- Blood. Amidst the turmoil of adolescence, I found solace in writing stories of my own. This love of creative writing continued into high school, with hours spent typing late into the night, racing to get all of my ideas on the page before exhaustion hits. Pride fills me when I at last conclude a draft. Even as I stumble through numerous rewrites, I never stop returning to that feeling.

My love of storytelling has since expanded to other areas and disciplines. In theater, stage management, directing, and arts management have been exciting ways to tell stories collaboratively. Since founding my school’s literary magazine, literary editing has engaged me as a way to further my bibliophilia with more active engagement with the text and its author. From my IB Business Management course, marketing has appealed to me as a more pragmatic form of storytelling. 

As a student at the University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts & Sciences, I could pursue every avenue of storytelling that interests me. The English Department would be a perfect fit for me academically, as it emphasizes exploring a wide array of media. Fascinating seminars from “Writing Women” to “Television and New Media” would give me excellent grounding in the craft of storytelling. The Creative Writing Concentration would hone my abilities as a writer in fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and screenwriting. During summers, a RealArts@Penn internship in publishing would empower me to learn more about literary editing; the Penn Summer Abroad in London program would expose me to literature and theater in one of the world’s greatest urban centers.

Outside of my major, I would explore storytelling across the College of Arts & Sciences. Within the Theater Arts Department, courses in dramaturgy, theater management, and technical theater would provide theoretical understanding; hands-on experience stage managing productions would add practical training – and of course, the joy of live theater – to my learning. The Consumer Psychology minor would be the ideal program to further my interest in marketing. This minor would give me an excellent basis in marketing strategy, advertising, and creativity in business, enabling me to explore the fascinating intersection of business and storytelling.

By fully embracing the academic and extracurricular opportunities, I know I would thrive as a student and storyteller at the University of Pennsylvania.

Prompt: Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words)

To Ms. A,

200 words are not enough to tell you how much you’ve changed my life. I remember ferociously marching into your office the first time I met you, echoing a list of demands. While I won’t do it again, it wasn’t until later that I realized how grateful I am to have annoyed you just enough for you to put me in my place.

You taught me how to passionately express my concerns in a respectful manner - a life lesson I’ll forever carry with me. You treated me like a person and showed me that I have a valuable voice. You heard me when it felt like nobody else did. You are more than a school counselor to me; you are an adult that genuinely shows compassion and helps me navigate through problems, especially when I need someone the most.

Every time I pop into your office, even when unannounced, you are prepared to be real with me about life; you send me out the door with genuine advice that molds my character. I could go on, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you for being the mentor I never had.

Prompt: How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective and identity, and how your identity and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words)

There are two stories of how "Pandebono" became the name for a specific Colombian bread. One tells of an Italian baker yelling "Pan de Buono" in the streets of Calí, Colombia, and another of a restaurant called "Hacienda El Bono," the first place to make the bread. But, there is only one logical conclusion about the bread. It's unquestionably delicious. The cheese baked into the Yuca-based dough gives it a unique sweet flavor that goes great with Colombian coffee. In the Penn Appétit club, I see myself introducing the poor souls blissfully unaware of this addicting treat and assisting their publication with perspective on Colombian cuisine. In the club, I also hope to learn more about Philadelphia's food scene, especially where the best cheesesteak is. When I'm not exploring the city for the best eats, I hope to learn more about my culture in the context of this country and possibly gain insight into how my Grandmother felt when she immigrated here from Colombia. In the course "LALS 2610 Latinos in the United States," I can do this and more. At Penn, I can not only share the beautiful aspects of my culture but ingrain them and discover more daily.