I stabbed my fork in the middle of the plate and began twirling it. A moment ago, that large plate of spaghetti sent a sense of fear in me. I was ten, and because I had never eaten spaghetti with a fork before, I did not know where to begin. I chose the middle thinking I could get enough spaghetti so that even if some escaped my fork, I could still manage to bring enough noodles to my mouth. I,...

Why Penn: Considering both the specific undergraduate school or program to which you are applying and the broader University of Pennsylvania community, what academic, research, and/or extracurricular paths do you see yourself exploring at Penn? [You do not have permission to share this essay on any platforms outside of AdmitSee. Legal actions will be taken if otherwise discovered] “In which two scenarios will a business not be able allowed to function?” Professor [redacted] asked during the management class at...

Chicago Supplement: “Honesty is the best policy, but honesty won’t get your friend free birthday cake at the diner.” - Overheard in the city of Chicago. Does society require constant honesty? Why is it (or why is it not) problematic to shift the truth in one’s favor, even if the lie is seemingly harmless to others? If we can be “conveniently honest,” what other virtues might we take more lightly? [You do not have permission to share this...

Why Chicago: How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to Chicago. [You do not have permission to share this essay on any platforms outside of AdmitSee. Legal actions will be taken if otherwise discovered] As a world-renowned university that prepares its students for the life of the mind, Chicago offers me a...

MIT Supplement: What attribute of your personality are you most proud of, and how has it impacted your life so far? This could be your creativity, effective leadership, sense of humor, integrity, or anything else you’d like to tell us about. [You do not have permission to share this essay on any platforms outside of AdmitSee. Legal actions will be taken if otherwise discovered] I am proud to be a strong and effective leader everywhere I go. Whether inside...

Why MIT: Although you may not yet know what you want to major in, which department or program at MIT appeals to you and why? (100 words or fewer) [You do not have permission to share this essay on any platforms outside of AdmitSee. Legal actions will be taken if otherwise discovered] As a management school in a “tech university,” the MIT Sloan School of Management offers an extremely interdisciplinary approach to its management science curriculum. By synthesizing economics, mathematics, and...

I later reviewed the notes of the admissions office (Penn allows admitted students to review adcom's notes) and received some interesting insights: it seemed like my readers liked my personal statement about spaghetti (noted it was unique and good read but at the same time not outstanding in any means - i.e. did not overcome any significant challenge or deal with anything too burdensome). They also liked that I used an anecdote for my "Why Penn" essay. Noted I...

Intellectually-curious, engaging,...

Urban Fiscal Policy - it represented Penn's focus on interdisciplinary approach well, by combining finance, public policy, real estate, and urban planning. Marketing Research - brought quantitative analysis to marketing, which is typically considered a...

Yes - the best advice I...

Had a prior experience with Wharton through summer...

Getting to Wharton is only just the...

Visit the school and attend classes as a guest. Talk to professors (not to get in contact with...

I interviewed with UChicago and MIT but not Penn (no interviewer network in my region). They were very...

Applied ED to Penn, so per contract, I turned down my...

Going into management...

Being in a big city is a huge plus! Trust me! Philly has a great food scene, and the museums scattered around the city are wonderful. Penn...

Took out a small loan for summer activities (because Penn offered it interest free prior to graduation, so I figured time value of money means...

I think the housing system deserves a change. There is 0 sense of housing community following freshman year....

Top undergraduate business program, knew I wanted to do business or at least something applied and...